Updates PALS Plus

Updated content for 2015-16 edition of Form A and B

Please see the Resource tab in your PALS Online account to access and print replacement pages for Form A and B, as well as a Crosswalk document outlining the changes.

Option to end assessment after Entry Level (screening) tasks

PALS 1-3/ Plus is divided into a “screening” portion and a “diagnostic” portion.  The screening portion comprises the Entry Level tasks; the remainder of the assessment (Levels A, B, and C) are considered to be the diagnostic component (although Entry Level tasks also yield some diagnostic information).

The PALS Online System now provides the option to enter scores for only the Entry Level tasks, which constitute the screening portion of PALS 1-3/Plus.  The Entry Level tasks include the Spelling task and the Word Recognition in Isolation task, plus the Letter Sounds task in the fall for first graders.

To get a diagnosis of instructional oral reading level and spelling stage for each student, and for the reading and spelling reports to be fully completed, teachers will need to continue with the diagnostic portion of the assessment.  This will include administration of at least one reading passage (Oral Reading in Context) for each student, plus Level B and/or Level C tasks for students who are not yet proficient at the pre-primer reading level.

A flowchart showing the sequence of tasks to administer for complete assessment can be found in your PALS Plus Administration and Scoring Guide.

PALS 1-3 expanded to become PALS Plus in 2014-15; Comprehension and reading rate now factored in IORL diagnosis at upper reading levels

After extensive research, piloting, and data analysis, PALS has updated its word lists, spelling inventory, and reading passages through the eighth grade reading and spelling stages.

We highly recommend that teachers consider using the Online Assessment Wizard to help them determine which tasks and/or additional passages may be required. Of course, collecting additional data, such as administering additional passages, is allowable according to teacher discretion and can be entered and saved in the PALS Online System.

Please note the following if you are administering PALS 1-3 /PALS Plus:

  • Additional word lists, spelling words and sentences, and reading passages may be found on the “Materials” tab of your PALS Online account.
  • Students who automatically recognize more than fifteen words on the sixth grade word list will now be required to move on to the seventh grade word list.
  • On the Oral Reading in Context task, if the student’s accuracy is low (reading level = frustration), you will be required to administer a lower passage.
  • For reading passages at the fourth grade level and higher,
    • If accuracy or rate are at frustration level, the system will require you to administer a lower passage to the student.
    • If accuracy and rate are within instructional or independent range, the system will require you to administer the comprehension questions. If the student answers at least three questions correctly, you may choose to stop collecting data for this task (but have the option to continue).
    • If the student answers less than three comprehension questions correctly, the system will require you to administer a lower passage to the student.