Reading Assessment Chapter 11

Differentiated Instruction is needed because:  The range of reading abilities widens at each succeeding grade level.  Teachers must be able to note these differences in order to teach to them.  Assessments must be continuous because levels of performance change.

Forms of Assessment  Standardized Tests given in a controlled manner.  Typical features:  Overview  Directions for Administering  Directions for scoring.  Types of scores.  Using results  Norming data

Is the test a good test?  Reliability-Can the test be given again with the same results.  Validity-Does the test measure what it is designed to measure  Content validity-Tests measures what the students had an opportunity to learn.  Criterion validity-Predicts future success, or estimates current performance. Important for reading readiness tests. (Coefficient of correlation between two similar tests).

Grade Equivalents  Students performance in relationship to average score for grade level.  Watch for scores which are inflated or deflated by more than 1 ½ years.

Criterion referenced tests  Number of objectives met for mastery is determined by the testing company or the testor.  Diagnostic Tests-Usually measure vocabulary and comprehension with a total score which includes both.  Standardized Tests-Don’t reflect all of the skills the students have; They tell little about the individual student’s problems and learning processes. They do tell information about the total school’s progress.

Informal assessment  Teachers observe and interact with students as they read and write.  It’s a good idea to assess while you teach.  Informal Reading Inventory allows you to do that.

IRI(oral or silent) has three parts:  1. Graded word list  Places the student at correct grade level for the remainder of the test.  Strategies for word identification and decoding skills can be observed.  2. Graded reading passages  Does the reader use context clues?  How much attention is placed on meaning?  Does the student use strategies to unlock words?  3. Comprehension questions.  5-10 questions for each passage.  Also ask student for retelling.

Information gained from IRI  Student can blend initial blends and digraphs and knows root words with suffixes.  Student looses place often and lack persistence.  Student recognized main idea and notices humor. S/he is able to interpret figurative expressions.  Student has self confidence with good language abilities: good vocabulary and sentence patterns vary. P.464

Comprehension questions measure:  Understanding of vocabulary.  Character development  Plot of the story with problem and resolution.  Background knowledge  Main ideas and supporting ideas  Literary devices: personification, etc.

Recording oral reading errors:  Omission  Substitution  Insertion  Unknown words  Transposition  Repetition  Mispronunciation  Self correction.

Reading Compency Level  Independent  Instructional  Frustration  Each level is measured based on oral reading and comprehension.  Appropriate levels are debated.

Betts levels are high:  Independent oral: 99%; comprehension 90%  Instructional oral: 95%; comprehension 75-89%  Frustration oral 90%; comprehension 50%

Powell’s Levels change with grade level:  Independent: oral Comp %  Instructional: oral 87-96% Comp %  Frustration: oral 86% Comp %

Cloze procedure  Informal measure of reading ability using a written passage of about 250 words. Every 5 th word is deleted. These can be any part of speed. Only the exact word can be counted correct. 61% correct tells reading level.  You are able to gain information about the student’s ability with syntax, semantic, and reasoning. This is a quick measure.  Modification is the maze procedure with gives 3 choices to fill in the blank.

Authentic Assessments and Performance based assessments:  Go beyond basic skills.  Shows students ability with word knowledge. Strategies in content areas. Students read and write meaningful text and real literature. 