Using trend line data to plan and evaluate literacy instruction

Abstract

The use of the split-middle line of progress, trend line, to measure teacher effectiveness in the literacy field is discussed. Three case studies are presented to illustrate the use of trend lines in evaluating best practices in providing effective literacy instruction for students in elementary classrooms. Initiating interactive dialogue and shared reading responses are the two strategies used to represent the probability of performance change in planning literacy lesson instruction. This discussion is an innovative use in the literacy field of observational data recording that graphically demonstrates inclining and declining confirmed effect and interpretive probability. The authors' intentions are to challenge educators to more closely examine graphic representation or reflect upon the frequency of use and effectiveness of reading strategies that may improve reading performance in literacy settings.