We are often asked about how one might grade a student's work with a new skill in Reading Apprenticeship. Consider first grading for compliance. As students comply with trying out the skill, allow them to make mistakes and experiment with how they might use this skill to aid them in comprehension. Support students with the opportunity to discuss what, where, and how they are performing the new skill. What is the new skill affording them? Model the skill and continue to provide supports.
As students improve, one can then grade their practice. Continue the metacognitive conversations and start to hold them accountable to a rubric. Are they making progress from one level to the next? If so, they are successfully practicing!! Consider having conversations about how and why they are making progress in certain areas of the rubric as well as how they can grow in other areas of the rubric.
Finally, after students have had the opportunity to practice, study the rubric, and see how they can make changes in their skills, hold them accountable to mastery. The mastery level can take significant time to achieve and requires persistence and perseverance especially as supports are withdrawn and students begin to operate independently.
