What are Quick Checks?PALS Quick Checks are criterion-referenced brief measures administered between PALS screening win-dows to measure progress in essential literacy skills. Quick Checks measure the same skills assessed on PALS-K and PALS, but use different items.
What Quick Checks are available? Alphabet RecognitionLetter SoundsBeginning Sound ProductionConcept of WordK SpellingSpellingPseudoword DecodingWord Recognition in IsolationOral Reading in Context
What is the purpose of Quick Checks?Quick Checks are designed for use with K-3 students who:(1) need more instruction in a specific skill(2) did not meet the benchmark for a PALS task(3) have been identified by PALS, or(4) are receiving intervention.
For the purpose of this document, which is to provide guidance in using Quick Checks for RtI implementation, we focus on PALS-identified students who have been receiving supplemental reading intervention.
Administering Quick Checks in between PALS screening windows provides frequent feedback about the cumulative effects of classroom instruction (Tier I) and supplemental reading interventions (Tier II and/or Tier III). Quick Checks gauge student prog-ress in PALS-specified literacy skills. In addition to gauging the effectiveness of instruction on student
achievement, Quick Check results provide a catalyst for discussion among all educators who work with the child. By discussing student progress in various skill areas, educators can problem solve and collabo-rate to increase their collective effectiveness. A final, but crucial, purpose for administering Quick Checks is to help formulate interim goals for student prog-ress in reading.
How often do I administer Quick Checks?Quick Checks should be administered three to five times between the fall and mid-year PALS assess-ment window and an additional three to five times between the mid-year and spring PALS assessment window. Quick Checks should be administered in equal intervals.
Which Quick Checks should I use?Reading requires the integration of many skills. These skills are developmentally acquired in response to well-timed and focused instruction. PALS-identified students usually score low on most PALS tasks. When a student has many needs, as indicated on his/her PALS Student Summary, it is difficult to decide which Quick Checks to administer between PALS screening windows. One thing is for sure — it is not realistic to use all available Quick Checks in a two-to-three week interval.
There are three ways to decide which Quick Checks to use with PALS-identified students. Teachers can: (1) alternate Quick Checks every two weeks(2) supplement instructional observations and
work samples with Quick Checks to gain more detailed information, or
(3) choose Quick Checks that address the greatest number of literacy skills at one time.
Quick Check Guidance DocumentUsing PALS Quick Checks for Response to Intervention (RtI)
Keep in mind that students not yet reading may require progress monitoring in many emergent lit-eracy skills, including: alphabet recognition, letter sounds, beginning sounds, concept of word, and spelling. Students already reading may require progress monitoring in spelling, decoding, word rec-ognition, and oral reading in context.
The examples provided below illustrate the three ways a teacher can decide which Quick Checks to use with PALS-identified students.
Option 1: Alternating component skillsExamine the child’s Student Summary from his/her fall PALS screening. On which tasks did the child not meet the benchmark? Select the Quick Checks that correspond to each task on which the child did not meet the benchmark. Since most PALS-identified students are struggling with multiple literacy skills, high-quality, well-balanced instruction will include all essential components of literacy. Although your instruction includes all skill areas, it is not feasible to give all the relevant Quick Checks at every progress monitoring interval. Instead, give half of the relevant Quick Checks one week (e.g., Series A: Alphabet Recognition, Letter Sounds, and K Spelling) and the remaining relevant Quick Checks two weeks later (e.g., Series B: Beginning Sound Production and Concept of Word), initiating a cycle of giving Quick Checks every two weeks.
Option 2: Supplementing instructional observations and work samplesA second model for selecting Quick Checks for your PALS-identified students is to reflect on your instruc-tion and your students’ literacy performance. You will be able to see growth in many component literacy skills in your daily instructional routines, student work samples, and other informal assessments. In cases where you are less sure of student progress and/or are missing information that would inform your instructional delivery, choose the Quick Check for the component skill(s) that would satisfy your needs. For example, if you are already monitoring your student’s spelling/phonics progress with regular word study
spell checks, you may not need to administer the Spelling Quick Check.
Option 3: Administering the most inclusive Quick ChecksA third model for selecting Quick Checks is to choose Quick Checks that target the greatest number of early literacy skills at one time. For students learning to read, the Concept of Word Part A and K Spelling Quick Checks require many of the skills measured separately by other Quick Checks, such as beginning sound production, letter sound knowl-edge, and alphabet recognition. For students who already have a measurable oral reading level, the Oral Reading in Context and Spelling Quick Checks are the most comprehensive or “inclusive” of various literacy skills.
Regardless of which model you use, it is important to read the directions for all of the Quick Checks.
Can I use Quick Checks to decide when to adjust and/or intensify intervention?Yes, but Quick Check results are not all you should use. There are numerous factors affecting a stu-dent’s progress. Therefore, PALS provides Progress Monitoring Instructional Checklists to assist school personnel in determining when to adjust and/or intensify intervention.
The checklists should inspire reflection and discussion that lead to exceptional instruction, col-laboration, and engagement.
The Progress Monitoring checklists examine three areas that are critical in evaluating the effectiveness of instruction and intervention:(1) the appropriateness of instruction(2) the degree of consistency and collaboration
among and between instructional settings and instructors, and
(3) the health, attendance, and engagement of the child.
My Language Arts block is at least 90 minutes. 1 2 3 4
60 minutes of my daily Language Arts block is dedicated to small group differentiated instruction. 1 2 3 4
I am using PALS data to differentiate instruction and group students. 1 2 3 4
My small group reading instruction is at the student’s instructional level. 1 2 3 4
My small group word study instruction is at the student’s spelling/phonics level. 1 2 3 4
I work with my low-performing small groups every day. 1 2 3 4My Language Arts lesson plans are comprehensive and balanced, including instruction and practice in phonemic awareness, fluency, oral reading, vocabulary, spelling/phonics, comprehension, and writing for sounds.
1 2 3 4
My lessons are explicit. 1 2 3 4
I incorporate a variety of strategies in my lessons. 1 2 3 4
I am completing my lesson plan every day. 1 2 3 4
I am seizing opportunities to read and write across the curriculum throughout the day. 1 2 3 4
I am providing opportunities to talk and write about what we are reading. 1 2 3 4
I am making reading approachable and engaging for the student. 1 2 3 4
I provide content-related texts at student’s instructional level. 1 2 3 4
The student is practicing reading at his/her independent level every day. 1 2 3 4
The student completes his/her independent work with success. 1 2 3 4
I am providing the necessary support for the student to complete his/her independent work. 1 2 3 4
I am reviewing student work samples. 1 2 3 4
I am establishing realistic interim goals for the student. 1 2 3 4
I am monitoring the student’s progress toward achieving interim goals. 1 2 3 4
What does my collaborative team do after we complete the checklists?If the classroom teacher and supplemental teacher score “regularly” on all of the questions on the Progress Monitoring Checklists, the next step is to complete the Continuum of Supplemental Instruction Guide. The continuum illustrates a pro-gression of supplemental instruction from Tier II to Tier III.
After completing the continuum, all professionals working with the child should collaborate and deter-mine which aspects of the student’s supplemental instruction can be enhanced or intensified.
Can the student’s group size be reduced? Can the stu-dent’s session length be extended? Can the number of supplemental sessions per week be increased? Could the level of expertise of the interventionist be increased?
All resources for increasing the quality and fre-quency of instruction should be maximized before any significant adjustment in student status is made.
If the student is receiving the highest level of class-room and supplemental instruction in terms of quality and frequency, is designated as receiving Tier III intervention, and is not limited in English pro-ficiency, and still little to no progress is made over time, consider initiation of child study for further discussion.
Response to Intervention is both an instructional-delivery model and an identification-for-learning disabilities model. When used jointly, Quick Check data, the Progress Monitoring Instructional Checklists, and the Continuum of Supplemental Instruction effectively assist school personnel in RtI implementation.
Locate the boxes that reflect the supplemental instruction the child is receiving at this time. Indicate the number of times per week the student receives supplemental instruction, the length of each supplemental session, the number of students in the supplemental small group, and the level of professional expertise of the adult responsible for providing the supplemental instruction. Shade from left to right, stopping at the boxes that reflect current instruction.
My Language Arts block is at least 90 minutes long. 1 2 3 4
PALS data is used to differentiate small group instruction. 1 2 3 4 I dedicate at least 60 minutes of the 90 minute Language Arts block to small-group differentiated instruction. 1 2 3 4
I provide small group reading instruction at students’ instructional levels. 1 2 3 4
I provide small group differentiated word study instruction at students’ spelling/phonics levels. 1 2 3 4
I work with low-performing students in small literacy groups every day of no more than five students. 1 2 3 4
I fully complete my Language Arts plans every day. 1 2 3 4 I provide comprehensive and balanced Language Arts lesson plans (i.e., instruction and practice in phonemic awareness, fluency, oral reading, vocabulary, spelling/phonics, comprehension, and writing). 1 2 3 4
I provide explicit literacy instruction. 1 2 3 4
I use a variety of strategies in Language Arts lessons. 1 2 3 4
I address the instructional needs of individual students every day. 1 2 3 4
I seize opportunities to teach academic and content vocabulary across the curriculum. 1 2 3 4
I provide students with opportunities to talk and write about what they are reading. 1 2 3 4
I use content-related texts, such as nonfiction books, at students’ instructional levels. 1 2 3 4
I give students time to practice reading at their independent levels each day. 1 2 3 4
I provide the support necessary for students to complete work independently. 1 2 3 4
I regularly review student work samples and provide timely feedback. 1 2 3 4
I establish realistic short-term, ongoing instructional goals related to progress monitoring. 1 2 3 4 I use the PALS Quick Checks (or other similar assessments) to monitor progress towards instructional goals. 1 2 3 4
I seize opportunities to read and write across curricular areas throughout the day. 1 2 3 4
Collaboration I am involved in the planning of all supplemental literacy instructional for struggling readers (i.e., instruction delivered by reading specialists, SLPs, paraprofessionals, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I communicate with the professional(s) responsible for delivering all supplemental instruction to my struggling readers. 1 2 3 4
Student PALS assessment data is reviewed as a collaborative team (i.e., myself, the reading specialist, and principal). 1 2 3 4
PALS Quick-Checks or other progress monitoring information is reviewed and shared as a collaborative team (i.e., myself, the reading specialist, and principal). 1 2 3 4
My planning period overlaps with the reading specialist or the other supplemental instructors working on my students. 1 2 3 4
I am diligent in gathering feedback from all relevant instructional support staff prior to sharing student literacy progress with parents. 1 2 3 4
I participate in ongoing, systematic professional development dedicated to the dynamic needs of the school-based community. 1 2 3 4
I facilitate access to home literacy experiences through ongoing efforts to get to know individual student families. 1 2 3 4
Student Health and Engagement I make reading approachable and engaging for students, using appropriately leveled books in areas of student interest. 1 2 3 4
I note my students’ general health, especially when interfering with learning (i.e., ear infections, chronic illness, unusual bruising, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I note when student unrest interferes with class participation and engagement. 1 2 3 4 I note when the Language Arts instructional time of struggling readers is interrupted by tardiness and/or external logistics (i.e., overslept, car broke down, snow delays, assemblies, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I take note of students’ basic needs (i.e., adequate seasonal clothing, hunger, cleanliness, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I note when absenteeism is excessive and report it to the appropriate administrator. 1 2 3 4 I problem solve issues pertaining to children’s health access basic needs and engagement with appropriate school and community members. 1 2 3 4
I discuss concerns about children’s health, basic needs, access, and engagement, with other members of the collaboration team (i.e., myself, the reading specialist, and the principal). 1 2 3 4
My reading instruction is in addition to the 90 minutes Language Arts block. 1 2 3 4
I use PALS data to differentiate small group instruction. 1 2 3 4 I dedicate at least 2.5 hours of supplemental small group instruction each week to students falling below the PALS benchmarks. 1 2 3 4
I provided small group reading instruction at students’ instructional level. 1 2 3 4
I provide small group differentiated word study instruction at students’ spelling/phonics levels. 1 2 3 4
I work with low-performing students in small literacy groups every day of no more than five students. 1 2 3 4
I fully complete the Language Arts plans every day. 1 2 3 4 I provided comprehensive and balanced. Language Arts lesson plans (i.e., instruction and practice in phonemic awareness, fluency, oral reading, vocabulary, spelling/phonics, comprehension, and writing). 1 2 3 4
I provide explicit literacy instruction. 1 2 3 4
I use a variety of strategies in Language Arts lessons. 1 2 3 4
I address the instructional needs of individual students every day. 1 2 3 4
I seize opportunities to teach academic and content vocabulary across the curriculum. 1 2 3 4
I provide students with opportunities to talk and write about what they are reading. 1 2 3 4
I use content-related texts, such as nonfiction books, at students’ instructional levels. 1 2 3 4
I give students time to practice reading at their independent levels each day. 1 2 3 4
I provide the support necessary for students to complete work independently. 1 2 3 4
I regularly review student work samples and provide timely feedback. 1 2 3 4
I establish realistic short-term, ongoing instructional goals related to progress monitoring. 1 2 3 4 I use the PALS Quick Checks (or other similar assessments) to monitor progress towards instructional goals. 1 2 3 4
I encourage the classroom teacher to seize opportunities to read and write across curricular areas throughout the day. 1 2 3 4
Collaboration I am involved in the planning of classroom literacy instruction for struggling readers (i.e., instruction delivered the classroom teacher). 1 2 3 4
I communicate regularly with the classroom teacher regarding classroom-based reading instruction. 1 2 3 4 Student PALS assessment data is reviewed as a collaboration team (i.e., myself, the classroom teacher, and principal). 1 2 3 4
PALS Quick-Checks or other progress monitoring information is reviewed and shared as a collaboration team (i.e., myself, the classroom teacher, and principal). 1 2 3 4
My planning period overlaps with the classroom teachers working with my students. 1 2 3 4 I am diligent in gathering feedback from all relevant instructional support staff prior to sharing student literacy progress with parents. 1 2 3 4
I participate in ongoing, systematic professional development dedicated to the dynamic needs of the school-based community. 1 2 3 4
I support the classroom teacher’s efforts to facilitate home literacy experience through ongoing efforts to get to know individual student families. 1 2 3 4
Student Health and Engagement I make reading approachable and engaging for students, using appropriately leveled books in areas of student interest. 1 2 3 4
I note and confer with the classroom teacher about students’ general health, especially when interfering with learning (i.e., ear infections, chronic illness, unusual bruising, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I note and confer with the classroom teacher when student unrest interferes with class participation and engagement. 1 2 3 4
I note whenever the 2.5 hours per week of additional instructional time with struggling readers is interrupted by tardiness and/or external logistics (i.e., overslept, car broke down, snow delays, assemblies, etc.).
1 2 3 4
I take note of students’ basic needs (i.e., adequate seasonal clothing, hunger, cleanliness, etc.) and take appropriate action. 1 2 3 4
I note when absenteeism is excessive and report it to the teacher and appropriate administrator. 1 2 3 4 I problem solve issues pertaining to children’s health, access, and engagement with appropriate school and community members. 1 2 3 4
I work closely with the classroom teacher and principal to address concerns about children’s health, access, and engagement. 1 2 3 4
Instruction I provide the classroom teacher with a 90 minute uninterrupted Language Arts block in the master schedule. 1 2 3 4
I use PALS data to promote differentiated instruction within the classroom and to inform annual student placement by class. 1 2 3 4
I ensure that at least 60 minutes of the 90 minute Language Arts Block is dedicated to small-group differentiated instruction. 1 2 3 4
I encourage small group reading instruction at students’ instructional level. 1 2 3 4
I promote small groups differentiated word study instruction at students’ spelling/phonics levels. 1 2 3 4 I ensure that low-performing students work in small literacy groups every day of no more than five students. 1 2 3 4
I observe that the teacher fully completes her Language Arts plans each day. 1 2 3 4 The classroom teacher provides comprehensive and balanced Language Arts lesson plans (i.e., instruction and practice in phonemic awareness, fluency, oral reading, vocabulary, spelling/phonics, comprehension, and writing).
1 2 3 4
I support the use of explicit literacy instruction. 1 2 3 4
The teacher uses a variety of strategies in Language Arts lessons. 1 2 3 4
The instructional needs of individual students are addressed in the classroom every day. 1 2 3 4
Opportunities to teach academic and content vocabulary across the curriculum are encouraged. 1 2 3 4
I encourage teachers to allow students the time to talk and write about what they are reading. 1 2 3 4 I provide funding and support the use of content-related texts, such as nonfiction books at students’ instructional levels. 1 2 3 4
I support the use of instructional time for students to practice reading at their independent levels each day. 1 2 3 4
I encourage teachers to provide the support necessary for students to complete work independently. 1 2 3 4
I regularly review classroom and supplemental teacher’s feedback on work samples. 1 2 3 4 The classroom teacher establishes realistic short-term, ongoing instructional goals related to progress monitoring. 1 2 3 4
I monitor the classroom teacher’s progress towards achieving instructional literacy goals. 1 2 3 4
I encourage teachers to read and write across the curricular areas throughout the day. 1 2 3 4
Collaboration I am involved in coordinating the planning of the students’ classroom and supplemental literacy instructional (i.e., with the reading specialist, the para-professional, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I communicate regularly with the professionals responsible for the students’ classroom and supplemental reading instruction. 1 2 3 4
Student PALS assessment data is reviewed as a collaborative team (i.e., myself, the classroom teacher, and reading specialist). 1 2 3 4
PALS Quick-Checks or other progress monitoring information is reviewed and shared as a collaborative team (i.e., myself, the classroom teacher, and reading specialist). 1 2 3 4
I provide for shared, or overlapping, planning periods for the classroom and supplemental teachers. 1 2 3 4 I am diligent in gathering feedback from all relevant instructional support staff prior to sharing student literacy progress with parents. 1 2 3 4
I coordinate and participate in ongoing, systematic professional development dedicated to the dynamic needs of the school-based community. 1 2 3 4
I support the classroom teacher’s effort to facilitate home literacy experience through ongoing efforts to get to know individual student families. 1 2 3 4
Student Health and Engagement I support making reading approachable and engaging for students by supplying teachers with books on a variety of levels, genres, and topics. 1 2 3 4
I query classroom teachers about students’ general health, especially when interfering with learning (i.e., ear infections, chronic illness, unusual bruising, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I query teachers when student unrest appears to interfere with class participation and engagement. 1 2 3 4 I ensure that classroom instruction and supplemental interventions are uninterrupted by tardiness and/or external logistics (i.e., overslept, car broke down, snow delays, assemblies, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I query classroom and supplemental teachers about meeting students’ basic needs (i.e., adequate seasonal clothing, hunger, cleanliness, etc.). 1 2 3 4
I take steps to problem solve and minimize excessive absenteeism. 1 2 3 4 I problem solve issues pertaining to children’s health, access, and engagement with appropriate school and community members. 1 2 3 4
I discuss concerns about children’s health, basic needs, access, and engagement with other members of the collaborative team (i.e. myself, the specialists, and the classroom teacher). 1 2 3 4
