Running Record Calculator
This running record calculator does the conversions teachers otherwise look up in tables: enter the total words read, the number of errors and the number of self-corrections, and it returns the accuracy rate, the error ratio, the self-correction ratio and the reading level. Running records are the standard way New Zealand primary teachers assess oral reading, following Marie Clay's conventions, and the arithmetic is fiddly enough at the end of a busy listening session that a quick calculator earns its place. The accuracy rate places the text for that child: 95 percent and above is easy or independent level, 90 to 94 percent is instructional, the level where guided teaching works best, and below 90 percent the text is hard, or frustration level, and will teach less than an easier book. The error ratio expresses how often a miscue occurs, one error in every so many words, while the self-correction ratio shows how actively the child is monitoring their own reading, with one in three or better generally regarded as strong self-monitoring. Use it after any running record, from PM Benchmark and probe assessments through to informal records on classroom texts, and record the three figures straight into your notes.
Self-corrections are not counted as errors. Accuracy is shown to one decimal place where needed; ratios are rounded to one decimal place. Conventions follow Marie Clay's running record scoring.
Reading levels at a glance
| Accuracy | Level | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| 95% to 100% | Easy / independent | Independent reading, fluency and enjoyment |
| 90% to 94% | Instructional | Guided reading and teaching new strategies |
| Below 90% | Hard / frustration | Too difficult; choose an easier text |
How it works
Accuracy is the words read correctly divided by the total words, as a percentage: (words - errors) / words x 100. The error ratio divides total words by errors to give one error in every so many words. The self-correction ratio is (errors + self-corrections) / self-corrections, read as one self-correction for every so many opportunities; a ratio of 1:3 or better suggests the reader notices when meaning breaks down and fixes it. The level comes straight from the accuracy rate using the standard bands in the table above.
Worked example
A child reads a 200 word text with 10 errors and 5 self-corrections. Accuracy is (200 - 10) / 200 x 100, which is 95%, right on the easy or independent boundary. The error ratio is 200 / 10, or 1:20, one error in every 20 words. The self-correction ratio is (10 + 5) / 5, which is 1:3, so the child fixed one in every three miscues, a strong sign of self-monitoring. Together the record suggests the text is comfortable and the next step up would sit in the instructional band.
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