Looking for a Guided Reading Checklist for Teachers?

Funnix Teacher’s Guide, Testing & Placement, and Mastery

Looking for a Guided Reading Checklist for Teachers?

Funnix Teacher’s Guide, Testing & Placement, and Mastery

Teacher’s Guide

Our Teacher’s Guide will help you learn more about using Funnix in the classroom for guided reading sessions, testing and placement, scheduling, adapting the program to small groups, and more.

What follows is the Table of Contents, with links to selected sections.

In the Classroom – Program Components – Funnix Beginning Reading – Funnix 2

TESTING AND PLACEMENT – 7

Testing and Placing Beginning Readers

Teaching the Five Letter Names – Retesting the Children – Placement Criteria for Groups

Placing Children Who Have Some Reading Skills – 9

Procedures for Mid-Level Placement – Placement Criteria for Readers

Critical Preparation – 12

Critical Exercises for Mid-Level Entry in Funnix Beginning Reading – Critical Preparation

Transition Exercises -14

Transition Exercises for Entry at Funnix Beginning Reading 101 and Beyond

SCHEDULING AND GROUPING THE READING LESSONS -14

Grouping Children for Instruction – Possible Setups – Daily Schedule and Progress Through the Program

Basic Correction Procedures

Start Up-Directing the Presentation of Lessons – Lesson Events

ADAPTING THE PROGRAM TO TEACH SMALL GROUPS – 19

Group Responses – Group Responses After Lesson 88 – Individual Turns – Touching Items on the Screen – Written Work

How Skills are Taught – Scope and Sequence Chart – Funnix Word Lists

Sounds for Consonants – Sounds for Vowels – Sounds for Irregular Letters – Blue-Letter Combinations – Other Combinations

Correcting Sound Identification Mistakes

Correcting Sounding Out Errors

Correcting Sounding Out Errors on

__ Blue-Letter Words

Correcting Whole Word Errors in Word Lists

Correcting Story Reading Errors

Promoting Rate-Accuracy Performance

Workbook Activities – Lined-paper Activities

Passage Reading – Additional Seatwork

Additional Fluency Practice – Funnix 2 Fluency Guidelines

Projections – Show-Off Lessons – Placement Passages – Repeating Instruction – Fluency

ACCELERATING FUNNIX – 35

Acceleration Schedule – Worksheet Acceleration

USES FOR FUNNIX – 36

Funnix as a Supplement – Funnix as Summer School or After-School Programs – Funnix as Programs for Learning-Disabled Children – Funnix as Reinforcement – Funnix for Peer-Tutoring – Funnix as a Program for Midyear Lower Performers in Grades K-2 – Funnix for Paired Practice

Spelling Word List from Funnix Beginning Reading – 40

Alphabetical Reading Word List from Funnix Beginning Reading – 41

Alphabetical Funnix 2 Reading Word List – 44

Funnix Word Lists by Lesson Numbers – 50

APPENDIX A – 53

Funnix Beginning Reading Placement Test and Record

APPENDIX B – 54

Funnix Beginning Reading Placement Passages – 54

__Passage 40 – Passage 60 – Passage 80 –

__Passage 100

Funnix 2 Placement Passages – 57

__Passage 1 – Passage 30 – Passage 57

APPENDIX C – 60

Funnix Placement Record for Children with Reading Skills

APPENDIX D – 61

Funnix Record of Groups

APPENDIX E – 62

Corresponding Lessons for Funnix Beginning Reading and Horizons

APPENDIX F – 63

Corresponding Lessons for Funnix 2, Horizons B and Journeys 2

APPENDIX G – 64

Story Exercises for Funnix Beginning Reading

Testing & Placement

Testing & Placement Resources

Appendix A (Placement Test and Record) [pdf]

Appendix B (Placement Passages) [pdf]

Appendix C (Placement Record for Children with Reading Skills)[pdf]

General Placement

Funnix Beginning Reading was designed with the assumption that the child will be starting with some ability to identify some letters. To determine whether or not a child is ready, have him or her play the Alphabet Game as a placement test.

The Alphabet Game is a great way to teach recognition of the letters that appear early in Funnix.

Placement in the School Setting

These excerpts from the Funnix Teacher’s Guide will help you learn more about the placement and acceleration of children in school.

Testing and Placing Beginning Readers

Use the Funnix Beginning Reading Placement Test and Record (Appendix A) to test all beginning readers. Here’s an example of a completed form for a group of eight children who took the placement test.

Administering the Test Step 1: Write the names of the children who are to be tested on your copy of the test. In this example, eight children are being tested. Administering the Test Step 2: Sit next to the child to be tested. Present an unmarked copy. Point to the letters in the top row only. Say: "Let's see if you know the names of any of these letters." Administering the Test Step 3: Point to the letter “e” and ask, “What letter is this?” Repeat for the remaining letters. Cross out any letter that the child is not able to identify. In this example, Claude did not know the letters “m” and “r,” so they are crossed out. Administering the Test Step 4: Write the number of correct letter names each child identified. This is the child’s score. In this example, Claude had a score of 3. Administering the Test Step 5: Circle “Y” for “yes,” or “N” for “no” to indicate which children need additional practice. All children who do not correctly identify all five letters need practice and should be retested before placed in a reading group. In this example, Max and Jamal were the only children who did not need practice and retesting.
Administering the Test For children who need additional practice, use the Alphabet Letter Game to teach the five letter names. If you’re teaching a group in the classroom, use the recommendations in the Teacher’s Guide about Grouping Children for Instruction and Adapting the Program to Teach Small Groups.

Present the game for no longer than 10 minutes each time. If the children still need more practice, play the game again later in the same day or on the following day. Retest children whil they all do well on the game.

Placing Children Who Have Some Reading Skills

Children with some reading skills should start somewhere in the middle of Funnix Beginning Reading or at the beginning or middle of Funnix 2.

  • Children who enter the school midyear.

  • Children who have completed Funnix Beginning Reading.

  • Children who can identify letters, know many sounds and can read some words.

Use this procedure to determine which children qualify for mid-level placement.

Use this procedure to determine which children qualify for mid-level placement. Test children with some reading skills using the set of passages that appears in Appendix B. You can start testing using any passage that you think is close to the child’s reading ability. Direct the child to read the selected passage aloud. If the child gets stuck on a word for more than a couple of seconds or makes an error, tell the child what the word is and mark the error on the form Funnix Placement Record for Children with Reading Skills (Appendix C). You will test the children and place them at one of these lessons: Beginning Reading, lesson 10

Beginning Reading, lesson 40

Beginning Reading, lesson 60

Beginning Reading, lesson 80

Beginning Reading, lesson 101

Level 2, lesson 1

Level 2, lesson 30

Level 2, lesson 57

Placement Criteria for Readers

Based on reading level, some children will be placed in Funnix Beginning Reading at lesson 10, 40, 60, 80, or 101.

  • For children placed at lesson 10, use an accelerated schedule in the program (see pages 35-36, Accelerating Funnix).

  • For children placed at lesson 40 or beyond, present critical exercises or transition exercises to prepare them prior to lessons.

Lesson 40 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 3 to 5 errors on passage 40, the child will begin on lesson 40 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 2 or fewer errors, present passage 60.

If the child makes 6 or more errors, the child will begin at lesson 10 and do the subsequent lessons in order using an accelerated schedule.
 Lesson 60 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 3 to 5 errors on passage 60, the child will begin on lesson 60 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 2 or fewer errors, present passage 80.

If the child has passed the criteria for lesson 40 and makes 6 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 40 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for lesson 40 and makes 6 or more errors, present passage 40.
 Lesson 80 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 4 to 8 errors on passage 80, the child will begin on lesson 80 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 3 or fewer errors, present passage 100.

If the child has passed the criteria for lesson 60 and makes 9 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 60 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for lesson 60 and makes 9 or more errors, present passage 60.
 Lesson 100 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 5 to 10 errors on passage 100, the child will begin at lesson 101 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 4 or fewer errors, present passage 1 from Funnix 2.

If the child has passed the criteria for lesson 80 and makes 11 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 80 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for lesson 80 and makes 11 or more errors, present passage 80.
 Funnix 2 Lesson 1 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 5 to 10 errors on passage 1 from Funnix 2, the child will begin at lesson 1 of Funnix 2 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 4 or fewer errors, present passage 30 from Funnix 2.

If the child has passed the criteria for Funnix Beginning Reading passage 100 and makes 11 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 101 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for Funnix Beginning Reading passage 100 and makes 11 or more errors, present Funnix Beginning Reading passage 100. Funnix 2 Lesson 30 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 5 to 10 errors on passage 30 from Funnix 2, the child will begin at lesson 30 of Funnix 2 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child makes 4 or fewer errors, present passage 57.

If the child has passed the criteria for passage 1 and makes 11 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 1 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for passage 1 and makes 11 or more errors, present passage 1.
 Funnix 2 Lesson 57 Placement Criteria If the child makes between 0 to 9 errors on passage 57, the child will begin at lesson 57 of Funnix 2 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has passed the criteria for passage 30 and makes 10 or more errors, the child will begin on lesson 30 and will do the subsequent lessons in order.

If the child has not passed criteria for passage 30 and makes 10 or more errors, present passage 30.

Critical Preparation, Transition Exercises,
and Accelerating Funnix

Critical Preparation Exercises Before you present the mid-level lessons (40, 60, and 80) to new students, start with these critical preparation exercises.

If children place at lesson 40, present the critical exercises from Funnix Beginning Reading lessons 15, 17, 18, 33, 35, and 36. (Note: Children will need their workbook.)

If children place at lesson 60, present the critical exercises from Funnix Beginning Reading lessons 15, 17, 18, 33, 35, 36 45 and 48.

If children place at lesson 80, present the critical exercises from Funnix Beginning Reading lessons 15, 17, 18, 33, 35, 36, 45, 48, 60 and 66.

Present these exercises in chronological order. You should be able to get through all the critical preparation exercises during a single period and may even be able to begin the child’s first lesson.
 Transition Exercises Do you have children who place at Lesson 101 or beyond Funnix Beginning Reading? Present the Transition Exercises (available in the DVD package) to these students.

Present all five Transition Exercises if children place at Funnix 2 Lesson 1, 30, or 57. These exercises can be presented in about 10 minutes and can be accessed from the main menu on the Funnix 2 Placement and Review disc. Accelerating Funnix Is Funnix Beginning Reading too slow for your group or individual child? If your group or child responds more quickly than the time allotted by the narrator, or if they respond correctly more than nine times out of 10, you should consider accelerating Funnix. Accelerating Funnix When you come to a part of the lesson your group is able to do without the narrator, click the “Pause” button. Tell your group to read what's on the screen.

Fast forward to the next part of the lesson and repeat. If children make mistakes when going through items without the narrator's help, correct any mistakes, then have the children read the list again.

If you find that children make more than one mistake per list, it might be best to revert to the narrator presenting the exercises. Accelerating too early can inhibit learning.

The part that you may not want to accelerate is the second reading of the story. This part contains fun and comprehension items you don't want to skip.
 Accelerating Funnix This Acceleration Schedule outlines which exercises you should present in lessons 1-25. During each session through Lesson 25, present six to 10 of the exercises in order. Accelerating Funnix You can also accelerate the worksheet activities with these steps:

1. Click “Pause” at the beginning of a worksheet section that presents words or sentences.

2. Direct children to identify what's on the screen.

3. If the items ask questions or require matching words with pictures, direct children to say each answer.

4. Do any activities children prefer on the worksheet.

5. Let children finish other worksheet parts later.

Note: All of the acceleration procedures are explained in detail in Accelerating the Program on the Overview of Program Guide.

Mastery Tests

Assessment Booklet

We’ve developed an assessment booklet for Funnix Beginning Reading that you should use to assess mastery every 10 lessons. If children have not mastered the material, the booklet also includes remedies you can use to work with the children before proceeding.

Mastery Tests Overview Administer mastery tests every ten lessons.

Test lessons are consecutively numbered: Test 1 through Test 12.

The tests are designed to assess the performance of children on the most important skills taught in the preceding 10 lessons.

Each test has a scoring system and a standard for passing.

The goal is not to evaluate a child’s ability to learn, but instead to make sure they have mastered the skills they need to perform in the later lessons.

If a child has not mastered certain skills, they should receive a remedy for additional practice and mastery.
Mastery Tests Overview Test 1: Sequencing skills, oral blending of words, and letter identification.

Test 2: Letter identification, sound identification, reading words, and writing words.

Test 3: Writing letters, writing words, letter identification, sounds, and reading words.

Tests 4-10: Writing letters, writing words, sounds, reading words, and reading passages.

Test 11: Writing letters, writing words, letter identification, sounds, reading words, and reading passages.

Test 12: Writing letters, writing words, sounds, reading words, and reading passages.
 Mastery Tests Overview Test 1 is individually administered.

Tests 2 through 12 have two sections: One that is group administered to all children in a particular reading group, and one that is individually administered.

The group-administered sections involve writing words (spelling) and writing letters, and takes less than 10 minutes.

The individual sections take about two to four minutes per child.
Mastery Tests Here’s an example from Mastery Test 8 to show you all the components of the test: student material, teacher script, and remedies. Mastery Tests Here’s an example summary sheet that shows how six children performed on Mastery Test 8.
Mastery Tests This example shows the remedy that will be presented for students who do not meet mastery criteria. Accelerating Funnix These mastery tests give you important information about whether children are prepared to proceed in the program. Those who fail any part of the test or struggle with the remedy may not be placed appropriately in Funnix Beginning Reading and may need to be placed in an earlier lesson.