Initial Findings

In September 2024, the Performance Based Assessment (PBA) revealed that 48% of Grade 8 students were categorized as 'Emerging' in Reading Comprehension. The primary challenges identified were unfamiliar vocabulary, difficulty understanding main ideas, and insufficient background knowledge.

Improvement Results

Following the implementation of targeted teaching strategies developed by the Grade 8 team and Literacy Leader, including Bitesized instructional materials shared across all subject areas, the Spring 2025 PBA showed a significant improvement. The percentage of students in the 'Emerging' category dropped from 48% to just 6%.

Current Status

The Fall 2025 PBA for the new Grade 8 cohort indicated a stronger baseline in literacy skills. Only 20% of students were in the 'Emerging' category, while another 20% were assessed as 'Proficient or Extending'. This marks a substantial improvement compared to the previous year.

Next Steps

Based on the latest assessment results, the focus of targeted teaching strategies and Bitesized handouts will shift from vocabulary development to enhancing students' abilities to summarize and identify main ideas. The school will continue to monitor the Grade 9 cohort using last year's strategies and apply the updated strategies to the current Grade 8 class. The goal is to observe further growth in literacy skills during the Spring 2026 PBA.