Report Evidence #5 RICA Domain #4 Competency 10

TC NAME: Sahra Camberos
RICA Domain: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge
RICA Competency: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge 1.A, 2.A.C
Grade Level: Kindergarten

INSTRUCTION: In my kindergarten class we are working primarily with sight words in our reading groups, however the readers the students use vary upon ability levels. For instance, right now my cooperating teacher is working with four different reading levels within her class. For her below basic readers, she has books with only pictures and she asks them questions about what is going on in the pictures. The students at basic reading level are beginning with sight word readers. These readers only show one word, the sight word. It is highly based on picture comprehension. For these students these vocabulary words are unknown words that they will begin to learn the meaning in order to move on to reading fluently. The advanced reading students have some knowledge of the meaning behind sight words (therefore they are acquainted with these words) and letter sounds that allow them to move on to a different reader that works on them sounding out words they do not know. Lastly the proficient students have readers with a more challenging reader since they understand the meaning behind basic vocabulary words, making those words established. Established words are word students know well and immediately understand their meaning. 
INSTRUCTIONAL SETTING:

At the front of the classroom the teacher has the alphabet letters lining the top of the wall, this is a visual aid students can use to see the letters they are sounding out. She also plays a song entitled, "Who Let the A Out," by Dr. Jean in order to have students learn the sounds begin the letters. This is a song that they practice each day. It is a fun upbeat song teaching students the letter sounds while interacting with hand motions. She also has a big reader with sight words that they utilize as a class to practice the sight word of the week. 

Report Evidence #4: RICA Domain #3 /Competency 9

TC Name: Sahra Camberos
RICA Domain: Fluency
RICA Competency: Fluency: Instruction and Assessment 5.A.3, 6.C.2
Grade Level: Kindergarten

Since this is a kindergarten class and we are still only on month two of school, the class is still working on letter recognition and concepts about print. However they have been getting tested on the high frequency sight words they will be expected to know by the end of the year. I have been pulling students out to see which (if any) sight words they know. Then for homework each week they are expected to work on becoming familiar with a sight word. For instance this week their sight word is "green." The students parents are expected to help their child learn the sight words provided on the homework calendar each week. Another way that the sight word homework is connected to reading fluency is that each child takes home a phonic book that allows them to work on reading, mostly sight words. Each book is individualized to the student's academic reading level. Therefore those who are beginning readers get a beginning reader book while other students get a bit more challenging phonics reader.
By learning these sight words students can learn to read and also help struggling readers by allowing them to identify sight words. All these sight words are one-syllable words, so that they can be easily recognized.
INSTRUCTIONAL SETTING:
My cooperating teacher does not have any visuals displaying sight words around the classroom. She does have the alphabet shown in the front of the classroom which could help with kindergarten students trying to remember how to write a letter from a sight word they forgot how to spell.