Concept of Word (COW)
A firm COW in text requires the following:
1. an accurate and consistent speech-to-print match when finger-point reading a memorized text (Part A)
AND
2. the ability to remember words previously seen in context (Part B)
In order to monitor progress of both skills, the COW Quick Check is split into two parts:
Part A
Part A of the COW Quick Check measures a student’s ability to match speech to print. Scores on this task also reflect
a student’s application of early literacy skills while interacting with text including alphabetic recognition, letter sound
knowledge, beginning sound awareness, and phonemic awareness.
The format of Part A demonstrates the components of an effective concept of word lesson that should be used often
with emergent readers: frequent echo and choral reading of nursery rhymes, modeling finger-pointing to words while
reading aloud, self-correcting errors in pointing, and identifying individual words in text. Student progress toward
COW in text can then be monitored in the classroom by using the format of the finger-point reading and Word ID
tasks presented in Part A.
Part B
Once a student is able to match speech to print routinely in class and in at least three consecutive COW Quick Checks
(Part A), it is recommended to check the firmness of his or her COW by administering Part B. Part B of the COW
Quick Check assesses a student’s ability to recognize words from the nursery rhyme when presented in isolation on a
word list.
By learning the rhyme orally, choral and echo reading the rhyme, and practicing finger-pointing to the words, students
have encountered the words many times in context. Some students are then able to recognize the words from the rhyme
in isolation by combining their automatic knowledge of letter sounds with their memory for the words in the context
of the rhyme. Students who demonstrate the “pick up” of words on the post-test word list that were previously not recognized on the pre-test have a firm COW.
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
COW Part A: Speech-to-Print Match
Materials
•
•
•
•
COW Picture Sheet, select 1–10 (for student)
COW Text Sheet, select 1–10 (for student)
COW Part A: Student Score Sheet (for teacher)
COW Part A: Student Progress Chart (for teacher)
Administration Notes
•
•
•
•
The COW Quick Check is administered individually.
The rhymes are numbered one through five and increase in difficulty.
Part A includes Pointing and Word ID.
Once a child is able to match speech to print (Part A) routinely in class and in at least three consecutive COW Quick
Checks, it is recommended to check the firmness of his or her COW by administering Part B and using a different
rhyme.
Instructions
MEMORIZING THE RHYME
1. Students must know the rhyme “by heart” prior to assessment. Use the COW Picture Sheet to teach the rhyme orally
(without text). This can be done as a whole class, small group, or individual activity using the COW Picture Sheet
only.
2. Say, “We’re going to learn a rhyme. Listen and watch as I say the rhyme that goes with the pictures.” Point to each
picture as you say the rhyme and ask the student to (a) say the rhyme with you, (b) echo your recitation, picture by
picture, and (c) say the rhyme alone. Repeat oral choral and echo recitation using the picture prompts as many times
as necessary to get a verbatim recitation.
POINTING
1. Show the student the COW Text Sheet for the memorized rhyme and say, “Now we will read the words to the rhyme
you just said. This page has the rhyme written down in printed words.”
2. Read the rhyme to the student while pointing to each word clearly as you read it.
3. Say, “Now let’s read it together. Eyes on the page. Read it with me as I point to each word.” Choral read the entire
rhyme together while pointing to each word.
4. Echo read the entire rhyme, line by line. Say, “Now we will take turns reading each line of the rhyme. First I’ll read
a line and touch each word. Then you will read the same line and touch each word. Ready?”
5. Ask the student to touch the words while “reading” the rhyme independently. Say, “This time I want you to do what
I did. Point to each word as you say the rhyme. Be sure to touch each word as you say it.”
6. Score the child’s finger-pointing on the entire rhyme before beginning Word ID. Record the score on the COW Part
A: Student Score Sheet.
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
COW Part A: Speech-to-Print Match
WORD ID
1. Target words are bolded and underlined on the COW Part A: Student Score Sheet.
2. After the student has read/finger-pointed to the entire rhyme, point to the first target word in the first line on the
COW Text Sheet and ask the student, “What word is this?”
3. Continue to point to the target words in order on the COW Text Sheet and ask the student, “What word is this?”
4. Score the student’s Word ID on the COW Part A: Student Score Sheet.
Scoring
Points (Award per line)
Student’s Pointing Characteristics
0 points
no left-to-right directionality
1 point
points generally from left to right but does not consistently use a discernable unit
(word, syllable, letter, white space)
2 points
points to a different letter each time a different word is said
3 points
points rhythmically to stress beats or syllables
4 points
points to words but gets off track on two-syllable words
5 points
gets off track on two-syllable words but self corrects immediately
6 points
points to each word correctly as it is said
POINTING
1. Note that the Pointing scoring is different from the PALS-K COW task because it uses a rubric. Score the student’s
finger-pointing using the following rubric:
WORD ID
1. The student is awarded one point for each word identified correctly. Only single word responses (e.g., teddy as
opposed to teddy bear) are correct. Self-corrections are counted as correct.
2. Calculate the COW Part A score by adding the Pointing and Word ID scores together.
3. The maximum possible score for Part A is 32.
4. Write the date and record the student’s score on the COW Part A: Student Progress Chart.
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Part A, 1–3
COW Part A: Student Score Sheet
Student
1: Twinkle, Twinkle
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
How I wonder what you are.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Up above the world so high,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Like a diamond in the sky.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
2: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
3: On Top of Spaghetti
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
On top of spaghetti
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
All covered with cheese,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
I lost my poor meatball
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
When somebody sneezed!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Part A, 4–5
COW Part A: Student Score Sheet
Student
4: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
It’s raining, it’s pouring,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
The old man is snoring.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
He bumped his head, and went to bed,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
And couldn’t get up in the morning.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
5: Alligator Pie
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Alligator pie, alligator pie,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Oh, how I love my alligator pie!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Take away the green grass, take away the sky,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
But please don’t take away my alligator pie!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Part A, 6–8
COW Part A: Student Score Sheet
Student
6: Hush, Little Baby
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
If that mocking bird don’t sing,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
7: Little Boy Blue
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
He’s under the haystack, fast asleep.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
8: Way Down South
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Way down South where bananas grow,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
A grasshopper stepped on an elephant’s toe.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
The elephant cried, with tears in his eyes,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
“Pick on someone your own size!”
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Part A, 9–10
COW Part A: Student Score Sheet
Student
9: Kookaburra
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Merry, merry king of the bush is he.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Gay your life must be!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
10: Little Miss Muffet
Date: ____________
Pointing Rubric
Word ID
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Eating her curds and whey.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
Along came a spider who sat down beside her,
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
1
2
TOTAL
/24
/8
____________ + ____________ = ____________ / 32
Pointing
Word ID
Part A Total
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Part A
COW Part A: Student Progress Chart
Student
Date Range
Teacher
Date Mastered
32
30
28
26
COW Speech-to-Print Score*
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Date
*The COW Speech-to-Print score includes both the Pointing and Word ID scores.
Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
Rhyme: ______________________________________________________________________
Date: ____________________
UPDATED ON: 1/28/2009
© 2009 by The Rector and The Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.