Day 1 Guide
Welcome to ReadingPals! To help you feel confident on your first day, we’ve created this Day 1 Guide with short videos that walk you through the Icebreaker, Assessment, and Digital Reporting activities. Please watch the videos below to get familiar with each step. Don’t worry — our team will be there to support you along the way and answer any questions during your session.
📽️ Watch the video which demonstrates how to do the M&M icebreaker! In this example, Linda (right) plays the ReadingPals volunteer and Renee (left) plays the student.
Day 1 Icebreaker Activity
Start your first session with a fun and engaging M&M “Get to Know You” activity! This simple icebreaker helps build connection and trust between you and your student right from the start.
Using the Get to Know You Chart, your student will pick an M&M, and based on its color, answer a matching question to share something about themselves — for example, “What’s your favorite food?” Both the volunteer and the student should take turns participating so it feels like a shared experience rather than a test.
This activity helps you learn more about your student’s interests and personality, while creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that sets the tone for future sessions.
When you’re finished, celebrate by enjoying your M&Ms together!
📽️ Watch the video for helpful tips and a step-by-step demonstration of how to complete the assessment. In this video Renee (left) plays the teacher and Linda (right) plays the student.
Day 1 Assessment
This year, we’re introducing the Day 1 Assessment to help confirm that each student begins at the right reading level. The goal is to determine the student’s Word Accuracy Rate in their current reader.
To complete the assessment, you’ll notice that the 100th word in the book is marked with an orange dot. As the student reads aloud, silently tally any words they misread or skiped. Once they finish, you’ll be able to calculate their Word Accuracy Rate for that level.
If the student scores 90–95% accuracy with good comprehension, the book is likely too easy, and it’s time to move up to the next level.
We’ll repeat this assessment every five weeks to monitor progress and see how each student is growing on their reading journey.
Day 1 Reporting
After each ReadingPals session, use our Digital Reporting Tool to quickly record your student’s progress. This tool helps us track growth and celebrate achievements across all ReadingPals sites.
In the video below, you’ll learn how to log in, select your student, and enter key information such as the book level, comprehension notes, and observations from your session. You’ll also see how to submit your report and review previous entries.
Keeping up with digital reporting ensures every student’s reading journey is accurately tracked — and helps our team provide the best possible support.
📽️ Watch the video above for a step-by-step walkthrough of how to use the tool!