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PSPKK123 September 30, 2017  •  6 Comments

How to use a running record to check comprehension

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Today’s post is all about how to use a running record to check comprehension.

Did you know that you can use a running record to check comprehension? Here's how!

Running records are an amazing assessment tool. In parts 1-3 of our blog series, This Reading Mama and I have shown you what a running record is, how to take a running record, and how to do a miscue analysis.

In summary, you’ve learned how to use a running record to determine reading level.

But what about comprehension? After all, if a child is reading a text accurately but doesn’t understand, it’s not his/her independent reading level at all.

That’s why today’s post, the final one in our series, is so important.

Today I’ll show you how to use a retelling to determine a child’s level of comprehension.

All about retellings

A retelling is when a child tells you about a text after s/he has read it. This usually requires a fair amount of prompting from you, especially with learners in K2.

After the child has finished the complete text, ask him/her to think about what has been read. Then say, “I’d like you to tell me all about the book – as if I’m someone who has never heard it before.”

You can take notes on the back of the running record form.

While it would be fantastic if your readers knew exactly how to give a structured retelling without prompting, that’s not likely – at least at the beginning. Here are some prompts you can use that still call upon the child to do most of the thinking.

Did you know that you can use a running record to check comprehension? Here's how!

Questions to ask about a fiction text

  • Who is the main character?
  • Who else was in the story? Tell me about ________.
  • Where/when did the story take place?
  • What happened in the story?
  • What else happened?
  • Why did _________ happen?
  • What problem did the character(s) have? How was it solved?

Questions to ask about a nonfiction text
(these will vary depending on the structure of the text)

  • What is the author teaching in this book?
  • What is something you learned about ______?
  • What else did you learn about _______?
  • Why did _____ happen? What happened after ______?
  • How are ____ and _____ alike? How are they different?

Some teachers use a retelling rubric to assess whether a child understands a text. We’ve included those in our online course, Teaching Every Reader.

But you can still get a pretty good feel for a child’s comprehension level without a rubric. At the bottom of the form, circle the number (1-4, with 4 being highest) to help you remember the child’s ability to retell the text. Take notes if you can.

And there you have it! Be sure to check out all the posts in our running record series.

 Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

*Stock image via iStock.

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Filed Under: Reading, Balanced literacy Tagged With: first grade, second grade, third grade, kindergarten, running records

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Reader Interactions

6 Comments

  1. Lazette Jackson

    January 25, 2018 at 6:13 pm

    Hi Anna,

    These are great steps to use, especially the questions that you have listed in how to check a readers’ comprehension level. I can’t wait to try them out with my class! I am already a subscriber, but I’ll leave my email anyway. Thank you for being such a good reading assessment teacher!

    Lazette Jackson

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      January 27, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Lazette!

      Reply to this comment
  2. Becky

    March 15, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    The link to How To Take Running Records is not working. I get the cover pix and not the site when I click on it. Thanks!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      March 16, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      Sorry! You need this: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-take-a-running-record/

      Reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. How to take a running record - The Measured Mom says:
    September 20, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    […]  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 […]

    Reply to this comment
  2. 4 Ways to boost reading comprehension - The Measured Mom says:
    September 27, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    […] How to check comprehension with running records […]

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