After examining the ISCA program, I cam to really enjoy this, and hope to be able to use it in my class. I like that it was content specific lit3racy, because often it is not. The ISCA is focused on grades 1-3 and in science (weather and geology). They provided very nice books on each of the subjects and the administration process and testing. This sort of system is very helpful to a primary teacher because there is so much vocabulary associated with content area literacy, that the student most likely is not familiar with. They are already trying to learn and absorb literacy skills, and then content area adds another level of difficulty for them. The ISCA is designed to test four areas: comprehension strategies the student used, vocabulary strategies, and knowledge, knowledge of informational text features and comprehension of graphics. I think the graphics part id interesting because it is something we shy away from with lieracy as the child advances, but in content area it is different. In content like science the student needs to be able to read, analyze and understand the pictures that for instance would show the the difference between metamorphic and igenous rock.
Interestingly enough, the third grade classroom I was observing was covering the same geology topic, so Michigan state was right on in terms of their content level, standards and area.The ISCA does mention that they do not expect you to administer such a measure to every student. This sort of system is best used for students with an intervention strategy in place, or one who may need an RTI or extra support.
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