Oct. 1, 2007 - MWIA Contest
I'm interesting in getting a feel for how MWIA scores correlate with Reading Grade Level scores and number of sight words taught. So, I'm giving away a bunch of stuff to entrants in my MWIA Contest.
The MWIA ( MWIA online here ) is a powerful tool that can determine who can benefit from phonics instruction. It measures reading speed of common sight words vs. simple yet less common phonetically regular words. Anyone with more than a 15% slowdown could benefit from remedial phonics training. I recommend Blend Phonics, my online phonics lessons or Webster's American Spelling Book (The Blue Backed Speller) for remediation if scores indicate a slowdown of more than 15% or if the student is reading below grade level.
To enter, you need to find a child or some children (the more children you find, the greater your chances of winning!) and give them the MWIA ( MWIA online here ) and a quick reading grade level test called the Wide Range Reading Test. You also need to try to find out the approximate number of sight words they have been taught, although I will accept I don't know as an answer. I don't need their name, but I do need to know their grade level, and if they are a boy or a girl. Entries must be e-mailed by midnight pacific time on the 20th of October.
There are 3 categories: homeschooler, parent, and teacher. You may enter any of the 3 categories, but you need 5 children's scores for every entry in the teacher category. You will get one chance at winning for every complete set of scores entered (for every complete 5 sets of scores for the teacher category.) Your chances of winning depend on the number of children you can find and test and the number of entries received. Winners must send me an address if they wish to receive their prizes.
Here is a sample entry:
1. Child's Grade Level: K
2. Boy or Girl: G
3. Child's Score on the Wide Range Reading Test: 41 (use letter names for line one, stop after they miss 7 words in a row, then count up the number of words they read correctly, that's their score. 41 would be grade level 4.1, please send me the raw score, not the grade level.)
4. MWIA I (use the 50 word part I for K - 2nd grade, the 220 word MWIA II for 3rd grade and older): 50 Holistic words, 48 seconds, 50 Phonetic words, 50 seconds, Holistic Errors, 1, Phonetic Errors, 2, Phonetic
Corrected 2 of 2 (I will use MS Excel to compute the actual wpm and slowdown. You can do the math on your own if you wish, but I just need the raw scores.)
5. Sight words taught: 1 (yes, you can and should teach this few sight words, see how to teach "sight words" phonetically here ) And, a ? is an acceptable answer for this category if you don't know and can't figure out an approximate number by asking the student. Any word taught as a whole with a flash card should be counted towards the number of sight words.
6. Category entering: homeschooler
All scores must be e-mailed by midnight on the 20th of October to be eligible for prizes. I will have Excel randomly pick the winners from all complete entries. However, after the 20th of October, I'll still collect
data if you want to send some, I'm always interested in data, I used to work as a statistician in the Air Force before I was promoted to Mom. If you have any questions about the contest, post the question here in the comments or e-mail me at liz91 at thephonicspage dot org (use @ for the at, a period for the dot, and no spaces.) Please put the words "MWIA contest" somewhere in the e-mail subject line. Also, please put the words "MWIA Entry" somewhere in the subject line when e-mailing entries, e-mail entries to liz91 at thephonicspage dot org (use @ for the at, a period for the dot, and no spaces.)
Now, the part you've been waiting for...the prizes!
For the homeschooler category, I have the following prizes available:
1. A Beka 11/12 Book of the Revelation Exams/Quizzes/Reviews, c. 2004--teacher book only, but you could teach from it, it tells you which chapter of Revelation matches up to the material.
2. A Beka, Genesis 11/12, c. 1997. Book + Test/Quiz/Review manual
3. A Beka 10 Bible Doctrines for Today, c. 1996, test/quiz book only
4. A Beka 11/12 Life Management Under God, c. 2003, book + test/quizzes
5. A Beka Kings of Israel series, 2 book series:
1st book: A Beka 9 United Kingdom, Kings of Israel A
2nd Book: A Beka 9 Divided Kingdom, Kings of Israel B
6. A Beka Kings of Israel series, 2 book series:
1st book: A Beka 9 United Kingdom, Kings of Israel A
2nd Book: A Beka 9 Divided Kingdom, Kings of Israel B
7. A Beka Kings of Israel series, 2 book series:
1st book: A Beka 9 United Kingdom, Kings of Israel A
2nd Book: A Beka 9 Divided Kingdom, Kings of Israel B
8. Alpha Omega Lifepack Bible 7 in Box, includes tests, I didn't see an answer key
9. Switched On Schoolhouse Science 10, Teacher manual + CD, in box
10. Saxon Math 7/6, c. 1997, student book only
11. Phonics Readers (like Bob Books, but in color), Modern Curriculum Press, set A1 (short vowels), 10 books + teacher guide
12. A Beka A Handbook for Reading, 1988--Old, paged dog eared, well loved--still a great method (a little different from the current A Beka Handbook, but has all the phonics info you need to teach.)
13. A Beka A Handbook for Reading, c. 1995, well loved, pages falling out, same as 2006 version, a few pencil marks at end
14. A Beka Primary Bible Reader, c. 1995
15. A Beka 3.8 Pilgrim's Procress, 1997, excellent condition
Pick any 3 A Beka Readers, except Flags Unfurled counts for 2 picks (6 more prizes):
a. A Beka 2.1 Open Doors, 1994, many fun 1950's style pictures, good shape but cover bent
b. A Beka 2.8 Growing Up When Jesus Lived, c. 1988, pages a little light brown
c. A Beka 2.9 All Kinds of Animals, c. 1988, some spotting, answers marked in pencil
d. A Beka 3.1 Footprints, c. 1986, a few fun pictures
e. A Beka 2.7 Sivler Sails, c. 1986, great book for boys
f. A Beka 1.4 Open Windows, many fun 1950's style pictures, a non-PC Indian story
g. A Beka 1 Fun With Pets, top of binding torn
h. A Beka 2.5 Paths of Gold, c. 1986, lots of Biblical stories
i. A Beka 2.7 All Things--Even Frisky, c. 1991, good condition
j. A Beka 2.10 All Kinds of Animals, c. 1988
k. A beka 2.9 Growing Up Where Jesus Lived, c. 1988
l. A Beka 1 Fun With Pets, c. 1994
m. A Beka 2.9 Growing Up Where Jesus Lived, c. 1988
n. A Beka 2.8 Growing Up Where Jesus Lived, c. 1988 (same book as 2.9, different cover.)
o. A Beka 2.8 Growing Up Where Jesus Lived, c. 1988
p. A Beka 1 The Bridge Book, c. 1994
q. A Beka 4.3 Flags Unfurled (counts as 2 picks), c.1995, excellent condition, like new
For the parent category (remember, if you're a homeschooler but like these prizes better, you can enter this category instead):
1. 2 plastic star wars toys (Picture here, the cube on the left shows Yoda on one side and Darth Vader on the other, there is a mirror or something reflective in the middle)
2. In plastic with Wal-Mart tag DVD, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
3. In plastic with Wal-Mart tag DVD, The Polar Express
4. 11 sets of old metal army men purchased at a German flea market, first 4 winners get to pick 2 sets, the last winner who wants army men gets the remaining 3 sets (Not recommend for children under 3, small pieces break off and they may have lead in them, I have no idea) (Pictures here)
For the teacher category (anyone who can find and test at least 5 children can enter this category, one chance of winning for every 5 complete entries.):
1. A $25 gift certificate to Chili's, also good at Macaroni Grill, On the Border, or Maggiano's
2. A Homedics Model PA-100 Professional Percussion Massager. Used twice for 30 seconds each time, last 30 seconds a week ago to make sure it had survived our 5 moves in the last 5 years (Actually, I think it's only a few years old, so it probably has only had to survive 2 moves.) (Picture here)
3. In plastic DVD set of Magnum P.I., the complete first season
4. Small flower bowl-bucket thing, made in France, purchased at a flea market in Germany, top mark on bottom of bowl states, "Porceirine artistique F. M Limoges France" and the bottom mark states, "Label De Qualite" (it is actually quite lovely, see the pictures here, now you know why I'm having a contest instead of selling on e-bay.) You also get a free small rubbermaid size 1 container with this for shipping purposes!
5. Small heart bowl with image of lady on it purchased at a flea market in Germany (again, it is actually quite nice, too, see the picture here)
