Assessment Strategies for Reading Comprehension

Aug 22, 2024

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