Additional Resources for Remote earlyReading Screening

Educators are encouraged to conduct universal screening even when instruction and testing are provided remotely. When used for screening, earlyReading includes four subtests that provide a Composite score. The included subtests for the fall, winter, and spring screening periods are shown in the following table.

*Decodable Words can be substituted for Nonsense Words.

The FastBridge earlyReading assessment can be conducted remotely by using the specific steps listed below. We strongly encourage teachers to practice these steps with a colleague one or more times before conducting the screening.

1. Equipment. Make sure that all teachers and students who will be assigned to complete the assessment have an internet-connected computer or tablet with audio and video capabilities.
2. Student forms.

1. 1. The teacher needs to download the student forms for the assessment from the Training & Resources tab. For kindergarten students, the teacher will also need to send one student form to the family ahead of the testing session. Teachers are encouraged to discuss with their school colleagues how best to communicate with the families so that the letter and form arrive before the testing session. This form can be sent with the family letter explaining the assessment in one of two ways:

1. 1. 1. Email the family with the letter and student form attached and provide instructions to print and use the form during assessment.
      2. Print and mail the letter and form to the family ahead of the testing session.

3. Administration Procedure. Follow these steps to administer the earlyReading screening Composite.

1. 1. Open the student materials and maximize their size on your computer screen.
   2. Open your internet browser window to Google Meets (or another video conference tool).
   3. Open a second window to the FastBridge application, log in and navigate to the screening administration page.
   4. Once signed into Google Meets both the teacher and the student should show their video so they can see each other as though they were sitting in a classroom together.  
   5. Before sharing your screen, talk to the student and explain that you’ll be doing the same task you do in school but together via the computer. Take time to connect with the student before launching into the assessment.
   6. Once you’re ready to begin the assessment, the teacher should share ONLY the window with the student materials. It is extremely important that the entire screen is not shared. Doing so will share your administration view and will make the student materials smaller on the screen. The teacher will then see three images on the screen:

1. 1. 1. 1. Student form (shared to student’s screen)
         2. Online teacher scoring form in FastBridge
         3. Small picture of student

4. Special directions for kindergarten students in fall and winter.

1. 1. Concepts of Print and Onset Sounds are included in the kindergarten composite in the fall and winter. These subtests require the student to point to the correct answer on the screen. In order for the teacher to know if the student pointed to the correct answer, an adult family member or other caregivers will need to sit with the student and tell the teacher which item the student selected. If Onset Sounds is used for Progress Monitoring, this same procedure will be needed.

5. Equipment practice. Teachers need to practice making certain that all audio and video work as intended. The teacher should practice administering an assessment remotely before doing so with students, particularly the complex video conferencing part of the assessment administration.
6. Screening window. The FastBridge district manager should review and confirm the available screening dates and times using the Default Screening Periods settings in the Manager menu.

1. 1. Distribute these dates and times to the student and/or family.
   2. Remind families and students to complete the screening assessment on the assigned dates.
   3. Notify the families and students when the screening availability window closes.

7. Family directions. Distribute the attached family directions form or create a local form with the directions to distribute to the families. Note that there are different family directions for kindergarten and grade 1. This is because the kindergarten subtests include two subtests that require a family member to assist the student during the administration of the Concepts of Print and Onset Sounds subtests.
8. Teacher directions. Administering the screening assessments will involve the same standardized directions as when done in a school setting, however, there are additional equipment and setup needs.

1. 1. 1. Teachers will need to have both audio and video available on the computer or tablet used for testing.
      2. Headphones are recommended in order to reduce ambient noise during testing.
      3. In order to see and hear the student, as well as record the student’s answers in the FastBridge application while testing, teachers will need to use two monitors or open and use two side-by-side tabs while testing with one monitor or screen.

Testing with two monitors looks something like the following.  If your videoconference program allows, you might see a small picture of the student on the screen too.

Testing with one monitor looks something like the following.  If your videoconference program allows, you might see a small picture of the student on the screen too.