What is dra in reading

Understanding Your Child's DRA Reading Level

The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is an individually administered assessment of a child’s reading capabilities. It is a tool to be used by instructors to identify a students reading level, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Once levels are identified, an instructor can use this information for instructional planning purposes. 

Want even more book and reading ideas? Sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter.

DRA Testing
The DRA test is traditionally administered on an annual or semi-annual basis. The test measures nine categories of reading behavior and six types of errors. It was developed in 1986 (and revised in both 2000 and 2003) by a committee of educators and is intended to evaluate certain aspects of your child’s reading level. 

How DRA Levels and Testing Work Together
Tasks measured by the DRA test are divided into several skill sets. Rhyming, alliteration, segmentation, and phonemic awareness are tested in the phonemic awareness section. Letter naming, word-list reading, spelling, decoding, analogies, structural analysis, and syllabication are tested in the alphabetic principle/phonics portions. Oral reading fluency or words per minute for contextual reading are tested under fluency. Vocabulary, comprehension, and reading engagement skills are also measured in the test.

After the test is evaluated and scored, your child is assigned a numeric (or alphanumeric for very early readers) DRA level A1 through 80. Children with stronger reading abilities yield higher numbers. Teachers are easily able to give children books they can read by choosing a text with the corresponding DRA level.  

How to Find Books on Your Child’s Level
Once your teacher gives you your child’s level, you can search for books at a particular DRA level on Scholastic’s Book Wizard. By providing your child with books on his level at home, you are ensuring reading advancement and success with materials that will not cause your child stress or discouragement.  

Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

PLEASE ENTER A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS.

PLEASE SELECT A NEWSLETTER OPTION.

Preschool View Sample

Elementary School View Sample

Privacy Policy

<div><h3>Thanks for signing up! Look out for a confirmation email from us. </h3><h4>Want to connect now? Find us on social media!</h4><h3><a adhocenable="false" href="https://www.facebook.com/scholasticparents/" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/parents/icons/facebook.svg"></a>&nbsp;<a adhocenable="false" href="https://www.instagram.com/scholasticparents/" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/parents/icons/instagram.svg"></a>&nbsp;<a adhocenable="false" href="https://twitter.com/scholparents" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/parents/icons/twitter.svg"></a>&nbsp;<a adhocenable="false" href="https://www.pinterest.com/scholparents/" target="_blank"><img src="/content/dam/parents/icons/pinterest.svg"></a></h3></div>

How to 'Read' Your Child's Reading Scores

Is your child a G or an L? A 13 or a 24? As a second grader, is a DRA 32 a good reading score?

In most schools, and especially around report card time, kids come home with reports that detail a child's reading level. Oftentimes, these reports make little sense to parents. While most kids make terrific progress during the school year, parents sometimes struggle to make the same progress in interpreting reading scores and different leveling systems.

Most schools use one of three major leveling systems to define a child's reading level: Guided Reading, Reading Recovery, and Developmental Reading Assessment. Although some variations exist, the procedure for determining a child's reading score follows a sequence. First, a teacher (or school) chooses a benchmark book for a grading period. Then, each child sits one-on-one with a teacher and reads that book. The teacher reads along with a child and keeps track of the child's reading accuracy. After the story is read, teachers typically ask for a retelling of the book, or may ask some comprehension questions. With each assessment, a teacher is trying to find the level at which a child can read with 90 to 95% accuracy with good comprehension. That is considered your child's instructional reading level.

Here's a little about each leveling system, and a chart that shows you how they relate to each other and to a grade level assignment.

Guided Reading levels

This leveling system is based on the understanding that good teachers carefully match a reader with a book. Based on several characteristics of a book, such as text length, and vocabulary, books are assigned a Guided Reading letter. There are 26 levels, identified by letters A-Z (A being the easiest), and each book level has its own characteristics. If your child is "reading on a Level G," for example, he or she is able to read books with several events and a variety of characters. Sentences are longer than in previous levels, and the book may contain more difficult high-frequency words.

Reading Recovery

This leveling system is based on Reading Recovery, a one-on-one intervention program designed for low achieving first graders. Books used within this intervention program are grouped by characteristics and range from 1-50 (1 being the easiest). As with Guided Reading, books within a certain level share similar features. If your child is, "reading on a Level 2," he or she is able to follow a pattern within a book after it has been introduced by the teacher.

Developmental Reading Assessment

The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is a series of leveled books and recording sheets designed to allow teachers to determine students' reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension levels. Texts range from A-80 (A being the easiest). In most schools, teachers collect DRA information at the end of each grading period to determine student progress. Students are determined to be near, at, or above grade level, below grade level, or significantly below grade level based on their performance.

As a parent, it's important to understand the leveling system used at your school and how your child is doing toward meeting grade level expectations. Keep track of those letters and numbers being sent home, and if you don't see progress in your child's reading level, make an appointment to sit down with the teacher.

S.E. Mansurova and others "Reading fiction..."



C.E. Mansurova, E.M. Smirnova, L.A. Stupnikova

Omsk State Technical university, library
644050, Omsk, Mira Ave. 11

Omsk State University, Department of Library Science and Bibliography
644077, Omsk, Prospect Mira, 55-A

Received 18 May 1999

In 1996-1997 in the Omsk State Technical University (OMGTU) among students research was carried out to study orientation of reading art literature.

Reading characteristics were determined using questioning ¹ , interviews, reader analysis forms. nine0003

To compare reading, studies were conducted at Omsk State University (OMGU) ² [1] and the Omsk branch of the Altai State Institute of Arts and Culture (PF AGIIK) ³ [2].

Answers of Omsk State University readers to the question "The more All they do in their free time are presented in table. 1.

Table 1 Genre preferences

	A			F
Questions	Abs.	%	Rank	Abs.	%	Rank
What kind of literature do you prefer
latest foreign	87	71.3	1	1256	49.3	1
newest Russian	58	47.5	2	598	23.5	2
foreign classical	48	39. 3	3	288	11.3	3
Russian classic	43	35.2	4	126	4.9	5
Russian abroad	17	5	281	11.0	4
What are your genre-themes. interests
fantasy	79	64. 8	1	486	3
detective	57	46.7	2	577	22.6	1
historical novel	57	46.7	3	165	6.5	4
adventure	43.4	4	144	5.6	6
fantasy	43	35. 2	5	576	22.6	2
mystic	37	30.3	6	86	8
psychological novel	37	30.3	7	51	2	10
intelligent	34	27.9	8	58	2.3	9
thriller	22. 1	9	129	5.1	7
sentimental romance	23	18.9	10	158	6.2	5
poetry	18	14.8	11	52	2	11
autobiographical	9	7.4	12	21	0.8	13
household	8	6. 6	13	33	1.3	12
dramaturgy	3	2.5	14	13	0.5	14

"A" - the number of students who gave preference for this literature in the questionnaire. "F" - number of borrowed books by reading forms. In total, students took 2549 books.

It should be noted that many students chose more than one answer, for example: reading books and sports, reading books and watching TV. nine0003

No significant difference in what students of different courses are engaged, we did not have noticed. Most Readers First put "reading books". Total "reading books" was noted by 96 people, which is 79. 2% of the students surveyed. On the second place - "watching TV" 28.3%, on the third - playing sports and socializing with friends.

The vast majority of students gave preference for reading fiction: 77% of respondents PF AGIIK, 91.3% - students of Omsk State University. It should be noted that reading fiction literature for students of liberal arts universities is software. In 1992 E.I. Kogan, studying reading students of the library faculty, emphasized this [3]. "For many collectives main reading is huge program lists for literary courses. Who how can copes with these lists, but the losses are obvious here. Most often unreadable leafed works of literature lose their genuine charm and value, turning into pretty boring reading list classical and modern domestic and foreign publications ... To comprehend these heavy layers, enjoy the creations writers, it takes time, only then can hope that they will be read and "for souls". "I read only according to the program. This is our trouble," a student writes, complaining about the lack of time to read something else. Perhaps that is why poor answers to the question of what is read students for a year in addition to program reading" (3, p. 83). Meanwhile, according to her own observations at 1981 on a similar question was called by students a lot writers not included in the program lists. The researcher noted that students read became smaller.

This is also evidenced by the polls of the Institute books [4]: ​​if at the beginning of 1992 94% of the population read fiction, then at the end of 1993 only 60%. In 1996 All-Russian public opinion research center received those the same results [5].

What young people under 20 prefer reading fiction, received confirmation in a survey conducted in Omsk in August 1996: 71% chose it [6].

Optimistic responses to the second question of the questionnaire of our study: can respondents imagine your life without reading fiction. Only 18 out of 122 of the surveyed students of OmSTU (14.7%) answered affirmatively, and only some of them tried to somehow explain it: "I will find something to occupy oneself", "takes a lot of time", "there are many other interests", "I can, but it will be terribly boring," there was such the answer is "reading fiction for me is just a waste of time" (although it must be said what a year this reader in the department 55 books of fiction were taken). nine0003

Those who answered in the negative noted: "I like to read", "I like it", "it will be boring." In addition, there were also sayings: "reading fiction literature is a great pleasure, "I'm interested in other people's lives" with them (art books) you rest soul", "fiction enriches my knowledge and imagination", it the only entertainment in our lives, "without fiction, the level falls human culture", "distracts from everyday worries", "helps to better understand peace", "gives what is not in life", "reading become a habit", "necessary for rest", "the book is a source of wisdom". Already in These responses follow two directions. student reading: cognitive and entertaining. In Omsk State University, this the question was answered by 30.4% of respondents, in the PF AGIIK - 9% - the profile of the university again plays an important role ("I'd better read a special", "there is and other things"). This is how statements sound university students: "bored when not I read", "calms down, helps to solve personal problems, most importantly - enjoy " "it is part of my soul" and so future librarians and directors answered: "it's part of my life", "it's an integral part of the spiritual development of any person, "too much to lose for the soul", "this the profession requires" and other answers.

Information about the reading volume of OmSTU students was obtained from both the survey and the reader's forms.

Respondents were asked two questions: how much works they have read in the last month and what can they say about the regularity of their reading. During the survey, we received following results. Majority (58.2%) of respondents read fiction constantly, with 75.4% more than three books a month. They read occasionally - 33.6%, extremely rarely - 8.2%. Behind last month 19.7% of respondents read 1-2 books, 4.9% - have not read a single one.

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th year students of OmSTU on average per month took on the subscription of fiction 2-3 books. Considering that respondents could take books to read in other libraries, with friends or have a home library, then it becomes it is obvious that the data of the forms correspond the volume of reading declared in the questionnaires.

During the survey of students of the PF AGIIK and Omsk State University the following results were obtained. nine0003

More or less regularly read fiction about 60% of respondents Institute of Culture, and about 40% - University. This conclusion follows from the answers to the question about the number of books read per month. Meanwhile, students of the PF AGIIK in the majority answered that they read occasionally (56.5%), while Omsk State University students on the contrary, - constantly (47.8%). There is some discrepancy. Perhaps for some librarians and directors five or more books read per month is episodic reading, while lawyers and economists believe that if they read 2-3 books a month, then this reading is already can be called permanent. When asked about reading whether the respondents are works of art in newspapers, magazines and books, the majority answered satisfactory, with preference given last. nine0003

In a study of the reading of residents of small cities (1972) these figures were different: books 92% of respondents read magazines - 62%, newspapers - only 4% (nine). When compared, it is found: decreased interest in journal publications, even though that in the reading of students there are mainly entertainment magazines. How not recall here the "magazine boom" of the late 80s - early 90s, when readers showed interest not only in those published in journals works of art, but also to sharp publicistic articles on current topics [7]. nine0003

Few technical students University named journals: "If", "Change", "New World", "Miracles and adventures", "We", "Youth".

At the Institute of Culture literary and art magazines are read by 60% librarian students. The magazine is in the lead "Foreign literature". Were named See also: "New World", "Aurora", "Youth", "Change". Students at Omsk State University mostly called the same journals as in OF AGIIK. It should be noted that journals such as "Change", "Youth", "Foreign literature", have always been popular in student environment. nine0003

Aggregated data on student preference OmSU literature, about the most attractive for their genres are presented in Table. 2.

Table 2 Distribution of free time

heading	1	2	3	4	5	6	Abs.	%
occupation
reading books	15	18	17	16	18	11	95	79.2
watching TV	6	6	9	6	4	3	34	28. 3
sports	5	6	7	3	1	5	27	22.5
free time
spending time with friends	7	3	7	4	3	3	27	22.5
tech. creativity	1	6	3	1		1	12	10.0
needlework	1	4		2	2	1	10	8.3
theater visit	1	1	2	2		1	7	5.8
member in creativity. count	1		1	2	1	1	6	5. 0
other				2	1		3	2.5

Our study revealed a clear relationship between genres students and university profile.

If we rank the four most popular genres, then according to the questionnaires, the following picture: the more "humanitarian" the university, the more students reading "serious" genres: if for the readers of the technical university it is historical novel, then at Omsk State University - historical and intellectual prose, and in the PF AGIIK - all four listed in the table: psychological and intellectual prose, poetry, historical literature. nine0003

In 1991 V.P. Belyanin obtained similar results: in reading mathematics students dominated detective, fantasy, adventure and historical literature, and Philology students were fond of the classics, intellectual and psychological prose, poetry, drama [8].

Some conclusions can be drawn from analysis of reading habits of students to detectives. The greatest interest in them showed respondents OmGU - 60.8% of respondents. AND, apparently, this is not accidental, since 16 people out of 23 (i.e. 70%) participating in the study are lawyers. It was their future specialty that determined such an interest in detective literature. nine0003

For students of a technical university rather, an entertaining motive for reading is characteristic, 46.7% of OmSTU respondents are fond of detectives, reader's forms this literature amounted to 22.6%: these are the works of D.Kh. Chase A. Christie, W. Gardner, J. Simenon, G. Chandler, D. Hammett, M. Spillane, V. Pronin, N.I. Leonova, D. Koretsky, V. Dotsenko and others.

At the Institute of Culture, only 16% of respondents students responded that they were interested detective literature. nine0003

It must be said that researchers are always recorded a stable interest of readers to detectives: both in the 80s and in the 90s. True, today gaining more and more popularity works of Russian writers: books V. Pronin, N. Leonov, D. Koretsky, V. Dotsenko, and also works by S. Vysotsky, L. Slovin, V. Shitov, Ch. Abdullayev, A. Serogo and others

The results of the study showed that fiction, like 25 years ago, and later more of all students of a technical university are interested in: 64.8% of readers. Fifth (19.1%) issued literature respondents are precisely fantastic works of such writers, like R. Heinlein, G. Harrison, K.D. Simak, P. Anderson, R. Bradbury, A. Azimov, A. and B. Strugatsky, K. Bulychev.

Adventure literature in reading rooms student forms are contained in a small quantity (only 5.6%), although in the questionnaires 43.4% respondents gave preference to it. Given we attribute the discrepancy to the fact that most likely adventure genre works are available in enough in home libraries. It is difficult to imagine a family where there would be no one book by R. Sabatini, M. Reid, J. Verne, F. Cooper, E-Burroughs, A. Dumas. nine0003

Students of the PF ASIIK and Omsk State University have fantasy and adventures are less in demand: only 15% respondents of the Institute of Culture and 13% - university. Their interests in these two genres mostly match the results research in recent years. In the ranking of publications, best-selling in 1994, adventure literature accounted for 15%, science fiction - 14%, in 1996: 12% and 15% respectively in paperback and 16% and 19% in hard. nine0003

Popular among students Historical novel. In Omsk State University, he was preferred by 34.8% of the students surveyed, in the PF ASIIK - 37%, in OmSTU - 46.7%.

According to the survey data, 27.0% of students technical university are interested intellectual prose and 30.3% - psychological. Librarians and directors have an intellectual and the psychological novel enjoys more popularity: they were preferred by 53% and 63% respondents, respectively, in Omsk State University - much less, 30. 4% and 21.7%. A special question in the questionnaire was devoted to poetry: "it is generally accepted that modern youth rarely turns to poetry, Is that so?" In the affirmative to this question 77 surveyed students of OmSTU answered that makes up 63% of the total number of respondents technical university. Reasons for this phenomenon students see in the following: "misunderstanding old classics and a lack of good new ones poets", "poetry for today's youth is not actual", "romantic disappears", "poetry is divorced from the prose of real life", "general decline in morals", "elevation to cult of material wealth", "not interested", "many classify poetry as sentimental genre", "difficult to perceive, especially modern poetry", "nothing for yourself in I do not find poetry", "man does not think poems", "with rare exceptions", etc. It is these responses that explain why so few OmSTU students are fond of poetry (14.8%). Only 2% compose poetry and reader forms. nine0003

Approximately the same number (13%) of readers are interested in poetry at Omsk State University, and 43. 5% of respondents agree with by the fact that it attracts little modern the youth. And the reasons university students called the same as the respondents of OmSTU: "no time", "there are more interesting things", "for me it's boring", "not interesting", "low culture of society", "not understand", etc.

These data confirm those already available in research data on low demand for poetry [9].

"Now you are not up to poetry, O Russian word, dear ... ", - this is the thought of F.I. Tyutchev, expressed almost a century and a half ago, as it is impossible to accurately reflects the current situation.

However, it should be noted that when survey, 33% of librarians gave preference for poetry, 34% - directors of the 3rd year and 54% are 2nd year directors. The answer options were typical. The students emphasized that either they themselves are fond of poetry, or in the circle of their relatives and acquaintances love and read poetry. 42% agreed with the assertion that modern youth is not enough interested in poetry, among the reasons for this phenomena called the following: "most people has a different mental warehouse", "due to that poetry is needed for the spiritual life, and not for economic well-being", "there is a lot of lighter literature," etc. The most a common answer is "love of poetry is not vaccinated from birth, from school."

Only 14 people in OmSTU answered the question about the book of the year named a specific author and work. Among them: "Airport" A. Hailey, "Aquarium" V. Suvorov, "Myths of the Universe" R. Asprin, "Lord of the Rings" by D.R.R. Tolkien, "Chronicle Elber" by R. Zelazny, collection "Castle of Horror", "Philosopher's Stone" by V. Sartakov, "Stepchildren of the Universe" by R. Heinlan, etc.

Since most of the students found it difficult to answer this question, perhaps one of the respondents when he stated in the questionnaire that "Today is a year too long for one books". It is no coincidence that in Omsk State University 74% of respondents did not answered this question. Only three were named: "Defeated" by I. Golovkina, "Red wheel" by A. Solzhenitsyn, "Madam Bovary" G. Flaubert. nine0003

Among the books named by the students of the institute culture, there were works that for certain readers are always a kind of "book of the year", and those that they recently discovered: G. Miller "Tropic Capricorn", R. Bach "The Seagull Jonathan Livingston", R. Bach "Illusions", W. Eco "Name roses", E. Radzinsky "Lord, save and pacify Russia", A. and B. Strugatsky "Grad doomed", Sh. Bronte "Jane Eyre", N.S. Leskov "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District", S. Maugham "Summing up" and others. Thus, Summarizing all of the above, we can say that reading fiction takes leading place in the structure of free time student youth. nine0003

The materials collected showed that reading students of the technical university wears predominantly entertaining.

About the leading role of entertaining reading evidenced by the fact that 65% of respondents in Omsk State University fiction "makes it possible relax", 46% - "helps to have fun".

Features of reading technical students universities were compared with data from other research. nine0003

Comparison showed that in student reading youth of OmSTU and OF AGIIK there are significant differences.

If for respondents of a technical university characterized by entertaining, compensatory reading orientation, then for students humanitarian - cognitive, aesthetic: the most popular among them are genres of fiction like intellectual and psychological prose, poetry and predominantly classical literature. nine0003

It can be stated that for reading student youth great attention provides a profile of the university in which students are learning.

1	122 students were surveyed (25 girls and 97 boys) - I-VI courses of the following faculties: electrical, aerospace, radio engineering, refrigeration machines, automation. nine0007
2	16 students surveyed Faculty of Law (12 girls and 4 boys) and 7 Faculty of Economics (5 girls and 2 boys).
3	Polled 69 future librarians and directors (57 girls and 12 boys).

Literature

[1]	Burakova V.P. artistic Literature in student reading: Contr. Job in Reader Service. Omsk, 1996. 24 p. /Manuscript/.
[2]	Charikova E.V. Fiction Readers: Issue. work/AGIC; Ohm. branch. Omsk, 1996. 185 p. /Manuscript/.
[3]	Kogan E.I. What do our students // Sov. library science. 1992. 3-4. pp. 80-85.
[4]	Reitblat A. I. Who and what buys: results vsros. survey // Book. a business. 1995. 2. S. 31-33.
[5]	Saveliev O. Place of reading in leisure of Russians // Book. review. nineteen96. 39. S. 3.
[6]	Korb V. Listok: occupation // Halo Express: Free weekly. gas. 1996. 41. P. 9.
[7]	Ravinsky D.K. Reading in context of time // What are we reading? What are we?: Sat. scientific tr. / RNB; Comp.: E.V. Zakharova, O.S. Libova, D.K. Ravinsky. SPb., 1993. S. 9-15.
[8]	Belyanin V.P. subjective reader's preferences: what they are connected with // Ibid. pp. 92-100.
[9]	Book and reading in life small towns: Based on research materials. reading and reader interests / State. library of the USSR. IN AND. Lenin. M.: Book, 1973. 328 p.

Dr. Seuss and Reading Week

In fact, it's not just the birthday of the children's writer Theodor Seuss Geisel, who worked under the pseudonym Dr. Seuss, that is celebrated in American schools. Geisel's birthday is March 2, and depending on what day of the week that date falls, either the next or the previous day is declared Reading Day across America by the National Educational Association. Various events related to this holiday take place throughout the week.

The scale of this holiday can be compared with how Pushkin's birthday is celebrated in Russia, when attention is paid not only to the poet himself, but also to Russian literature and the Russian language in general. If we imagine that Chukovsky’s birthday would be celebrated in the same way, and invite all children to come to school in galoshes (which the Crocodile loves to eat so much), then it will just turn out to be Dr. Seuss’s week, or Reading Week. nine0003

In 1997, the National Education Association (NEA), which includes millions of employees in educational institutions, launched the idea of ​​celebrating a “reading day”. This initiative received widespread support, and in 1998 the first Reading Day was held across America. Then this day fell on March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss, and since then the two holidays have been celebrated together.

The main objective of the “reading holiday” is to draw public attention to the important role that reading plays in children's and youth education. The PLA even gives small grants to individual states to support reading instruction and to help celebrate the holiday. Almost all elementary schools of the country, libraries and numerous public organizations take part in it in one way or another. This year, 45 million people have reached out to various Reading Week events. nine0003

In practice, it looks like this. One elementary school in our area hosted a "Seuss Night" for kids under 5 and their parents where they all read stories, played games, and made crafts related to the Dr. Seuss stories together. Some schools offer special breakfasts this week with ... green scrambled eggs and ham (according to the book "Green scrambled eggs and ham"). The governor of the state went to one of the schools and read to the children Dr. Seuss's book "Oh, where else will you go!" ( "Oh! The Places You'll Go" ). The varsity basketball team also traveled to the schools, reading Seuss' stories aloud to the children and talking about the books they themselves read and why. Sports in Wisconsin are very popular, and these basketball players for many children are some kind of heroes and role models. Therefore, their interest in books for children is very important.

In general, everyone is working to arouse interest in the very process of reading, which for many primary school children may initially seem like a difficult and boring activity. nine0003

At our school, from Monday to Friday, children also read and discussed books by Dr. Seuss. At the same time, they looked like characters from his books. The schedule was:

Muddled Monday: show up to school in a variety of clothes, sweater inside out, shirt turned inside out, trousers backwards, and so on. Don't forget to go to the library for Dr. Seuss's book!

Crazy Wednesday: Wear funny socks or different shoes. Dress up your legs and flaunt them while you relax with a book in the library.” nine0037