Sub-Test Descriptions: Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement
Students are given a portion of items on each sub-test that is appropriate for their age and
ability level. Selected sub-tests are administered. These descriptions, adapted from the
Woodcock-Johnson III examiner’s manual, include only those sub-tests commonly
administered by Montgomery County Public School evaluators.
Standard Battery
Letter-Word Identification
 This sub-test measures a student’s word identification skills.
 Initial items require a student to identify individual letters in bold type.
 The majority of items require a student to read words of increasing difficulty in
isolation (words are in list form rather than in context).
Reading Fluency
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to read simple sentences quickly.
 Students are given a three-minute time limit, asked to read a series of simple
sentences and indicate if they are true, or false by circling yes, or no.
Calculation
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to perform paper and pencil math
computations.
 Items range from writing numbers through numerical operations (addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division),as well as, geometric, trigonometric,
logarithmic, and calculus operations if appropriate.
Math Fluency
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to solve simple addition, subtraction and
multiplication facts quickly.
 Students are given a three-minute time limit and a series of math facts to complete in
the student response book.
Spelling
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to write orally presented words correctly.
 Initial items measure prewriting skills such as drawing and tracing letters and writing
upper and lower-case letters.
 The majority of items require students to spell dictated words of increasing difficulty.
Writing Fluency
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability formulate and write sentences quickly.
 Students are given a set of three prompt words for each item and must construct as
many sentences as possible within a seven-minute time limit.
Optional Attachment: Page 1
Passage Comprehension
 This sub-test measures a student’s understanding of written text.
 Initial items measure a student’s ability to match a rebus (picture symbol) with an
actual picture.
 The next set of items requires students to match a short phrase to the appropriate
picture when given three choices.
 The majority of items require a student to supply a missing word to sentences and
then paragraphs of increasing complexity.
Applied Problems
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to analyze and solve math problems.
 Initial items require application of simple number concepts.
 The majority of items require a student to listen to the problem, recognize the
mathematical procedure that must be followed, and perform the appropriate
calculations.
Writing Samples
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to write sentences given a verbal and
picture cue.
 Initial items require students to complete sentences.
 The next set of items requires students to write a sentence that complies with teacher
directions.
 Final items require more complex sentence construction and carry more difficult task
demands.
 Items on this sub-test are scored for the quality of expression. Students are not
penalized for errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Written expression is
measured at the single sentence level.
Extended Battery
Word Attack
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to apply phonic/decoding skills to
unfamiliar words.
 The initial items require a student to produce sounds for a small set of single letters.
 The majority of items require students to pronounce nonsense words of increasing
complexity.
Picture Vocabulary
 This sub-test is a brief measure of a student’s word knowledge.
 Initial items require a student to point to a named picture.
 The majority of items require a student to name pictures making this largely a test of
expressive vocabulary at the single word level.
Optional Attachment: Page 2
Oral Comprehension
 This test measures a student’s ability to understand short oral passages.
 Items require that a student supply a missing word to the end of a sentence, or related
group of sentences. Students must use listening, reasoning, and vocabulary abilities to
produce an appropriate response.
Editing
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to identify and correct errors in a written
passage.
 Items require students to correct errors in punctuation, capitalization, spelling and
word usage. Passages gradually increase in difficulty.
Reading Vocabulary
 Reading Vocabulary measures a student’s ability to provide synonyms and antonyms
and to complete analogies.
 All items are presented in increasing difficulty.
Quantitative Concepts
 Quantitative concepts measures a student’s knowledge of mathematical concepts,
symbols and vocabulary, as well as, the ability to understand number patterns.
 Quantitative Concepts is comprised of two sub-tests: Concepts and Number Series.
Academic Knowledge
 These sub-tests measure a student’s knowledge of the sciences, history, geography,
government, economics, art, music and literature.
 Academic Knowledge is comprised of three sub-tests: Science, Social Studies and
Humanities.
Spelling of Sounds
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to represent words using sound knowledge;
as well as, knowledge of typical spelling patterns.
 Initial items require students to write single letters, or sounds.
 The majority of items require students to listen to and spell non-words.
Sound Awareness
 Sound Awareness measures a student’s ability to understand and utilize the sounds
within words.
 Sound Awareness is comprised of four sub-tests: Rhyming, Deletion (student must
remove a word part or sound and say remaining part of word), Substitution (student
must change a word part or sound to create a new word) and Reversal (student must
reverse word parts or individual sounds to form a new word).
Punctuation and Capitalization
 This sub-test measures a student’s ability to use conventions of English.
 This sub-test requires the student to capitalize and punctuate items.
Optional Attachment: Page 3
Woodcock-Johnson Cluster Scores
All sub-tests within a cluster must be given to yield a cluster score. Cluster scores are
combinations of sub-tests administered.
Broad Reading:
This cluster is a combination of Letter-Word Identification,
Reading Fluency, and Passage comprehension.
Basic Reading:
This cluster is a combination of Letter-Word Identification
and Word Attack.
Reading Comprehension:
This cluster is a combination of Passage Comprehension
and Reading Vocabulary.
Broad Math:
This cluster is a combination of Calculation, Math Fluency,
and Applied Problems.
Basic Math:
This cluster is a combination of Calculation and Math
Fluency.
Math Reasoning:
This cluster is a combination of Applied Problems and
Quantitative Concepts
Broad Written Language: This cluster is a combination of Spelling, Writing Fluency
and Writing Samples.
Basic Writing:
This cluster is a combination of Spelling and Editing
Written Expression:
This cluster is a combination of Writing Fluency and
Writing Samples.
Academic Knowledge:
This cluster is a combination of Science, Social Studies,
and Humanities.
Academic Skills:
This cluster is a combination of Letter-Word Identification,
Calculation and Spelling.
Academic Fluency:
This cluster is a combination of Reading Fluency, Math
Fluency, and Writing Fluency.
Academic Applications:
This cluster is a combination of Passage Comprehension,
Applied Problems, and Writing Samples.
Phoneme/Grapheme
Knowledge:
This cluster is a combination of Word Attack and
Spelling of Sounds.
Optional Attachment: Page 4