Should I use the actual grade level passages when doing fluency assessment or should I use the instructional level?
It is important to use the student's actual grade level for assessment in order to get a baseline score and to find out how he is doing compared to his peers. However, grade-level passages can be very intimidating to students reading far below their grade level.
With each student, we suggest selecting at least one grade-level passage to get a baseline and then using the three passages at his instructional level to complete the assessment. Repeat this process at each assessment period.
This approach gives you a baseline at the students' grade level but reduces the trauma from reading material that is too difficult for them. The student will be able to see his progress at the instructional level.