Inventories and intake forms

Once your learner has explained why she wants to take literacy lessons, she will probably be asked to fill out forms. These include:

• An official student intake form - This includes demographic information. Ask your student to fill out this form to the best of her ability. If she unable to complete the form, you or program staff can help. Observations include:
  • handwriting
  • spelling
  • ability to read sight words
  • critical thinking skills
    
    
• An informal reading inventory - This can include comprehension questions about the reading samples your student is asked to read. Under the guidance of program staff, the tutor usually gives this inventory.
  
  
• Writing samples - The first writing sample can be a signature or the student's writing in the student intake form. Writing samples are collected throughout the year and saved in a student portfolio. Progress can be determined visually through improvement in sentence structure and grammar as documented in the writing samples.
  
  
• Reading assessment levels - Using graded word lists, you will assess your student's ability to read sight words. You can gain a quick idea of what reading level your student is on, though this test is by no means accurate, as only decoding skills, not comprehension skills, are assessed. The tutor usually administers these lists after being trained by pr