This component provides an overview of students' reading and writing skills and behaviors and serves as insightful baseline evidence for accelerating reading and writing skills.

These assessments inform us how your students approach writing a short piece independently. Unlike the reading comprehension component, we are not assessing their comprehension but rather how they organize thoughts, whether they include key details, and how they approach spelling larger and more complex multisyllabic words. In the primary grades, we will dictate sentences. The Upper Grades assessment includes a short story your students will read before writing. The stories will give the students something to write about. Two stories are provided, each targeted to the level students should be tested at.

Establish the cohort’s purpose—“growing readers and reflective thinkers together”—and frame literacy as formation (not just skill). Participants learn how the D.E.S.I.G.N. pathway, guided dialogue/coaching, and the Discovery Journal work together to support consistent practice across the cohort.

Train your eye to spot the difference between surface retelling and genuine comprehension. Participants analyze sample child responses and practice prompts that move conversation from “what happened” toward meaning-making and interpretation.

Learn how to “set the stage” so a passage makes sense from the start by activating prior knowledge and experience. Participants practice making connections explicit so children can build coherent mental models rather than guessing at meaning.

Replace closed recall questions with open-ended prompts that invite attention, curiosity, and interpretation. Participants practice “Notice & Wonder” to elicit richer observations (what stands out, what surprises, why it matters) and sustain deeper discussion.

Use accountable talk moves that press for reasoning—“What makes you think that?” “What clues helped you?”—so children learn to justify interpretations and make inferences. Participants practice extending child responses and prompting elaboration in reflective dialogue.

Apply the THINK → TALK → WRITE routine to slow down learning: notice, discuss (oral rehearsal), then write reflectively. Participants design short, repeatable cycles that help children clarify thinking before writing and produce more grounded responses.

Help children connect ideas across verses and passages by tracking patterns, repeated themes, and relationships between concepts. Participants practice guiding children from isolated details to coherent, connected understanding that supports durable comprehension.

Guide children to define key ideas (e.g., wisdom), explain them in their own words, and connect them to real choices. Participants use accountable talk to move from interpretation to wise action without collapsing into moralizing or quick answers.

Move from “What does it say?” to “What does this mean for me?” by teaching children to notice their own thinking habits (rushing, avoiding uncertainty, etc.). Participants use the Discovery Journal to capture observations, reflections, and next steps that build reflective learning over time.

Consolidate the cohort tools into a sustainable home practice: formation-focused vision, D.E.S.I.G.N. supports, journaling, and routines that gradually release responsibility to the child. Participants create a personal plan for continuing reflective, meaning-making conversations beyond the cohort.