Reading Recovery

1. OBSERVATION SURVEY TOOL
Writing Vocabulary

2. WHAT IS VOCABULARY?
 is the set of words within a language that
are familiar to a person.
A vocabulary usually develops with age,
and serves as a useful and fundamental
tool for communication and acquiring
knowledge.
Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is one
of the largest challenges in learning
a second language.

3. Writing Vocabulary
This task assesses the child’s known or is
partially known vocabulary words.
 The teacher allows the child to write all the words
that he knows within a ten-minute time limit. The
observer gives prompts if the child cannot think
of words spontaneously. The observer not only
looks for words the child knows, but also how the
child handles using space, directionality, and
letter formation during the writing task.

4. HOW TO ADMINISTER:
1. Give the child a pencil and say:
I want to see how many words you can write.
Can you write your name?
 If the child says “YES” say:
Write your name for me.
 When the child finishes, say:
Good. Now think of all the words you know how to
write and write them all down.
(START THE 10-MINUTE TIMING HERE)

5.  If the child says “NO” ask the child if he
knows any single-letter or two-letter words.
Say:
Do you know how to write “is” (pause), “to”
(pause) “I”?
 Then suggest other words that he may know
how to write :
I a is in am to come like
see the my we and at here
on up look go this it me
(This is not a list to be dictated or used for teaching)

6. 2. Continue for 10 minutes or until the child’s writing
vocabulary is exhausted.
3. Prompt the child as much as you like with words he
might be able to write. The following is a good
open-ended question that can focus children’s
attention on other words:
Do you know any other words like that?
Do you know how to write things you do?
Do you know how to write about things in the
house?
Do you know the names of things you ride on (or
in)?
Do you know how to write about things you eat?
Do you know how to write…?

7. THINGS TO
1. Do not prompt for words in series
2. The child should not be asked to
read the words he has written.
3. Be careful not to interfere with his
thinking and his searching of his own
repertoire.

8. HOW TO SCORE:
The child is scored based on
the number of word(s) that
she/he was able to write
correctly.

9. SAMPLE WORK OF A CHILD: