Lecture Notes: Extending Ideas on Assessment and Reading Comprehension

Introduction

• Focus on four purposes of assessment
• Connection to theoretical models and screening processes

Theoretical Models

• Simple View of Reading
  • Reading comprehension = Language comprehension + Decoding skills
  • Language comprehension: listening, oral language, vocabulary
  • Decoding skills: reading fluency, advanced decoding, phonics, phonological/phonemic awareness

Screening and Assessment Framework

• Prevention Framework for Kindergarten
  • Equip with oral language, vocabulary, phonological and phonemic awareness
  • Progress through skill sequence to ensure comprehension by end of 1st grade

Assessment Purposes

• Beginning of Grades 3-6
  • Use oral reading fluency as a powerful comprehension indicator
  • Assess language comprehension with questions after reading
  • Assess decoding skills with oral reading fluency accuracy
  • Investigate foundational skills if comprehension issues arise
  • Importance of using comprehensive assessments beyond running records

Screening for Foundational Skills

• Third Grade and Beyond

  • Use Acadians reading measures to determine accuracy and fluency
  • Assess back to earlier skill areas if needed (e.g., phonics, phonemic awareness)
  • Conduct diagnostic assessments when needed
  • Align progress monitoring with the lowest skill being instructed

• Second Grade

  • Use oral reading fluency and nonsense word fluency assessments
  • Focus on phonics if nonsense word fluency scores are low
  • Consider phonemic awareness assessments
  • Use diagnostic assessments for deeper skill analysis
  • Progress monitor with appropriate skill level indicators

• First Grade

  • Screen with nonsense word fluency and phonemic segmentation fluency (PSF)
  • Diagnostic assessments in phonemic awareness if needed
  • Use PSF or first sound fluency for progress monitoring

• Kindergarten

  • Focus on first sound fluency and letter naming fluency
  • Diagnostic assessments for foundational phonemic awareness skills
  • Use first sound fluency for progress monitoring

Conclusion

• For older students, assess language comprehension and decoding
• For younger students, progress through foundational skills
• Use screening measures that address foundational skills, not just text reading
• Conduct diagnostic assessments to inform instruction
• Align progress monitoring with instructional focus, even if below grade level