Sample Assessment of Student's Reading Response

Student's Name: ________________________________ Date: ___________________

 
Directions: Ask the student to write or give orally a personal response to a text (e.g., story, poem, piece of nonfiction). Tell the student that they will be reading or listening for their ability to:
  • describe personal connections with the reading
  • express opinions
  • support their opinions with reasons.

Circle one response for each section (initial understanding, developing an interpretation, and demonstrating a critical stance) and include anecdotal comments.

Initial Understanding

Students can provide an initial impression or understanding of what was read (e.g., What is the story about? How would you describe the main character? What does this article tell you about …? What does the author think

Extensive and Insightful Incomplete or Unsatisfactory

 

 

 

Developing an Interpretation

Students go beyond the initial impression to develop a more complete understanding of what they have read (e.g., How did the plot develop? How did this character change from the beginning to the end of the story? Is this story similar to or different from your own experiences? What caused … to happen? What are the important ideas? Does this fit with what you know about …?).

Extensive and Insightful Incomplete or Unsatisfactory

 

 

 

Demonstrating a Critical Stance

Students stand apart from the text and consider it (e.g., How could this story be rewritten with … as a setting or … as a character? How did the author use (humour, description) to …? Explain how useful this article would be for …. What could be added to improve the author's explanation or argument?).

Extensive and Insightful Incomplete or Unsatisfactory