Resources
Placement Test
Purpose of Placement Testing in Research-Based Reading Instruction
Friends on the Block provides a straightforward and simple-to-use placement test to determine where a student should begin in the program. We also provide other tools for monitoring progress and making ongoing instructional decisions. Research shows that customizing instruction using data-based individualization helps struggling readers thrive, including those with intensive needs. By using ongoing Friends on the Block assessment data, you can easily see when and how to intensify support to meet specific needs. This approach empowers you to pinpoint exactly which skills to target at any given time and precisely how to make instructional changes.
With our Target Word and Placement Test, you can quickly and effectively find the ideal starting point, ensuring your learners begin with the necessary support they need to make fast, frustration-free progress. We recommend administering this initial test at the very start of the program, following our step-by-step guidance closely to set your students up for immediate success. Then, we suggest administering the test again each semester to monitor progress on the Target Words.
Watch this helpful how-to video for more information and step-by-step guidance.
Step 1
Download and print the Target Word and Placement Test PDF. This document has explicit instructions for administering the placement test and a table for recording student responses to determine which level your learner should begin with.
Step 2
Download the Word List PDF or view the Word List Slides. Have the learner read the words aloud. When the student misses six consecutive words, discontinue the test.
Step 3
To determine the instructional placement level for Levels 1-5, select the first level in which the learner misses two or more words. If the student does not miss two or more words in any of the first five levels, then the placement level is the first level in which the student misses four or more words (for Levels 6-14).
Join the Friends on the Block Family
Our goal at Friends on the Block is to offer effective, fun, and friendly instructional resources to help ALL students—including those with disabilities—read fluently with comprehension.
Our evidence-based reading curriculum is easy to implement, fully customizable, and proven effective. Students completing our program typically read on a 2nd-grade level or higher with fluency and comprehension.
Download sample materials, become an eMember, or purchase a curriculum kit today. Contact us for more information about administering the free placement test or how our resources would benefit your learner.
