Assessing reading

*Jigsaw ReadingForm into groups of 3-4.Each group will study a model/view of reading and then present to the whole class what this model/view is about.

*BrainstormingWhy do we need to assess students reading achievement?

*Formal vs. Informal Reading AssessmentFormal tests

StandardizedNorm-referencedCompare student performance among age or grade-level peers but fail to provide needed information about how students actually function in class. ObjectiveTest items generally do not closely related to the concepts and skills taught through the classroom curriculum (Spinelli, 2006)

*Formal vs. Informal Reading AssessmentInformal reading assessments

Directly measure how students perform in relation to their own abilities (Spinelli, 2006)

*Curriculum-Based AssessmentTeachers use student work, e.g. in-class reading assignments and class tests to evaluate reading skills and development.It allows teachers to conduct evaluation as part of the ongoing learning activities in the classroom, thus linking assessment with the curriculum directly.

To evaluate student performance in direct relation to the curriculum (Venn, 2007)

*Curriculum-Based Assessment TechniquesObservations

Teachers record their observations by simply writing down their observations on a sheet of paper or in a notebook, or constructing a checklist of reading behaviors.

*Diagnostic Checklists

Diagnostic Checklist of Oral Reading

*Diagnostic Checklists

Diagnostic Checklist of Silent Reading

*Knowledge of the AlphabetUnderstand that words are composed of individual lettersIn numerous research studies, knowledge of the alphabet and identification of individual letters have been found to be very predictive of early reading achievement (Richek et al., 2002).

Letter Identification Checklist

*Phonemic AwarenessUnderstand that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words (National Reading Panel, 2000)Understand phonemic segregation

Being able to identify the number of phonemes in a word (Spinelli, 2006)

*Phonics AssessmentTo have students read phonetically correct nonsense words.Purpose: To eliminate the chance that the student is relying on the recall of sight vocabulary (Richek et al., 2002).Sight words (words that can be recognized automatically as a result of how frequently they appear in texts):

http://www.quiz-tree.com/Sight-Words_main.htmlhttp://www.starfall.com/n/matching/sight-words/load.htm

*Phonics AssessmentChecklist for Assessing Phonics Generalizations Using Nonsense Words

*Vocabulary AssessmentWord Recognition (or Word Identification)

To be within a students sight vocabulary, the word must be pronounced without hesitation (in about one second) and without the use of word analysis.Fry Word Listhttp://w4.nkcsd.k12.mo.us/~kcofer/fry_words_pg.htm

*Vocabulary Assessment

Silent/Oral Reading Observation Checklist

*Vocabulary AssessmentOral Reading

Students read aloud from the textbook or other reading material.The passage chosen should not have been read previously by the student (King-Sears, 1998).Suggested no. of words:From 50 (primary level) to 400 (secondary level)*Readability level of the text:95% accurate

*Reading Error Pattern AnalysisMiscue Analysis (or Error Analysis)

Systematically measures and evaluates student mistakes Reveals whether a student makes the mistakes persistently or in a random fashion

*Miscue Analysis

*Reading Error Pattern AnalysisTypical oral reading errors:

Mispronunciations (gran instead of grain)Omissions (Reading is process instead of Reading is a process)Insertions (on a the table instead of on the table)Repetitions (What, whats the matter? instead of Whats the matter?)

*Reading Error Pattern AnalysisInstructional level

At least 95% accuracyFrustration level

Error rate of 10% or higher

*Reading Error Pattern AnalysisRunning Records

Teacher keeps a running record of a students oral reading by closely monitoring and recording his/her errors while he/she reads (Spinelli, 2006).

Running Record Recording Chart

*Administering Running RecordsStudent reads a passage from a book.As the student reads, use a record form or a blank sheet of paper to mark the reading behavior and record miscues.If the student stops during reading, allow the student enough time to read the word/phrase before supplying it.Record words read correctly, substitutions, omissions, and insertion.Take note of self-corrections.Note hesitations and repetitions (Venn, 2007).

*Scoring Running RecordsScore substitutions, insertions, omissions, and teacher-told responses as errors.Avoid penalizing attempts that result in a correct response.Score multiple unsuccessful attempts at a word as one error only.

*Scoring Running RecordsAccuracy score (%) (indicates the level of difficulty of the selected text for the reader):

(No. of correctly read words / Total no. of words) 100Independent reading levelOver 95%Instructional reading level90-95%Frustration levelBelow 90%

*Reading Fluency AssessmentReading Fluency

The ability to read a text accurately and quickly (Spinelli, 2006)Reading rate is a good indication of fluency.When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically.Fluent readers read aloud effortlessly, with expression and sound natural.Students who have low fluency tend to have poor comprehension (Spinelli, 2006).

*Reading Fluency AssessmentUsing informal procedures:

Listening to students read passages orallyDetermining reading rate

*Administering a Reading Fluency AssessmentStudent reads either orally or silently a copy of an unpracticed selection (at his/her instructional grade level).Teacher follows along as the student reads, recording information about:

1) word recognition errors2) rate of reading3) use of expression

*Scoring a Reading Fluency AssessmentCount errors, including:

substitutionsmispronunciationsomissionsreversalsCount hesitations (more than 3 seconds)Fluency score: No. of correct words per minute

*Scoring a Reading Fluency Assessment

Oral Reading Errors

*Scoring a Reading Fluency Assessment

Reading Rates Based on Instructional Grade Levels

*Reading Fluency AssessmentAlso consider the following:Is reading choppy?Does the student stumble over or repeat words?Does the student pause excessively?Is the student reading word by word rather than in phrases?Is reading monotonous?Does the student rush through text, ignoring punctuation and sentence breaks?

*Reading Fluency AssessmentInformal Reading Inventory

It provides a wealth of information concerning the students reading skills, reading levels, types of errors, and techniques of attacking unknown words (Johnson, Kress, & Pikulski, 1987).

*Administering an Informal Reading InventoryTeacher chooses selections of texts (approximately one hundred words in length) from a series of graded reading levels.Student reads aloud from several graded levels while the teacher systematically records the errors.If the student makes more than five errors per hundred words, he/she is given progressively easier selections until a level is found at which there are no more than two errors per hundred words (Lerner, 2003).

*Administering an Informal Reading InventoryTo check comprehension, teacher can ask the student four to ten questions about each selection.

*Administering an Informal Reading InventoryIndependent reading level

Recognize about 95% of the wordsAnswer about 90% of the comprehension questions correctlyInstructional reading level

Recognize about 90% of the wordsA comprehension score of about 70%Frustration reading level

Recognize fewer than 90% of the wordsA comprehension score of less than 70%(Lerner, 2003)

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*How do we know whether a student has a reading disability?When a student is not making progress in reading despite exposure to sound instruction, a motivating classroom environment, good school attendance, and a stable home environment, classroom teachers may consider some within-the-child characteristics (Bell & McCallum, 2008, p. 57).

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*Factors related to reading problemsIntellectual factorsPhysical factorsLanguage factorsSpecial learning problems

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*ReferencesKing-Sears, M. E., Burgess, M., & Lawson, T. L. (1999). Applying curriculum-based assessment in inclusive settings. Teaching Exceptional Children, 30-38.Lerner, J. W. (2003). Learning disabilities: Theories, diagnosis, and teaching strategies (9th ed.). Boston; New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.Richek, M., Caldwell, J., Jennings, J., & Lerner, J. (2002). Reading problems: Assessment and teaching strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.Spinelli, C. G. (2006). Classroom assessment for students in special and general education (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall. Venn, J. J. (2007). Assessing students with special needs (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

*ActivityBrowse through the following websites:

Child Development Institutehttp://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/reading_test1.htmOral Fluency Assessment Calculator for Grades 3-5http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4446Reading a-z.comhttp://www.readinga-z.com/assessment/reading-assessment.phpTEAMS Educational Resourceshttp://teams.lacoe.edu/reading/assessments/assessments.htmlTry to explore some interesting things or resources for assessing reading in the websites and then share with other participants.

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