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
 Typical
given in a controlled manner.
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.
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 94-97 Comp. 81-91%
 Instructional: oral 87-96% Comp. 65-80%
 Frustration: oral 86% Comp. 54-64%
Cloze procedure
Informal measure of reading ability using a written
passage of about 250 words. Every 5th 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.
