Handbook of Reading Assessment
Published on 25. October 2007
Book
Paperback/Softback
360 pages
978-0-205-53177-6 (ISBN)
Description
Comprehensive, readable, and filled with numerous authentic examples, The Handbook of Reading Assessment addresses the continuum of reading assessments from informal, classroom-based to high-stakes formal testing.
This much-needed resource addresses the wide range of reading assessments educators must be able to use and understand to effectively assess, instruct, and to communicate across disciplines. Separate chapters focus on informal classroom based assessment, progress monitoring, individual norm-referenced assessment, and group norm-referenced or `high-stakes' testing. Each of these chapters concludes with useful tables listing some of the most commonly used assessments and their psychometric properties.
This much-needed resource addresses the wide range of reading assessments educators must be able to use and understand to effectively assess, instruct, and to communicate across disciplines. Separate chapters focus on informal classroom based assessment, progress monitoring, individual norm-referenced assessment, and group norm-referenced or `high-stakes' testing. Each of these chapters concludes with useful tables listing some of the most commonly used assessments and their psychometric properties.
Reviews / Votes
From the May 2009 issue of "Language Arts"by Silvia Peverini
I was eager to learn more about how to measure students' literacy development so that I could better implement formative assessments. I got that and so much more from this handbook. Since I started teaching, I have always worked with pacing charts, testing schedules, and reading manuals that contain explicit instructions on how to teach the content. So much is prescribed that I've told my principal if I moved to a district that didn't have all these materials, I wouldn't know how to teach reading. This handbook is so thorough that after reading it, I feel like you could drop me off on a remote island and I would have a plan for my reading instruction. It's true when they say that if you plan the assessment first, you know what needs to be taught.
The authors of this Handbook are upfront about their intent; they want this to be an inclusive volume that creates a common language and understanding of all reading assessments for all educators and educators-to-be. The result is a comprehensive look at the components of literacy assessment. It covers a wide range of topics, from the nature of reading itself, to a detailed look at various purposes and types of assessments, to criteria educators can use to choose and evaluate assessment instruments. To apply the content to real-life situations, the authors use four teachers as examples throughout the book. The teachers were aptly chosen, as I found myself frequently connecting to their dilemmas and solutions even though they ranged from first grade to adult education teachers. The truth is, we all face similar challenges.
The Handbook authors take a practical view of formal, group-administered achievement tests. When discussing high-stakes testing, they point out that such tests can give "a snapshot of current performance, a one-time assessment of what students can do at a moment in time," but "they are not very good at providing growth-oriented assessment" (p. 210). However, the authors also note that measurement techniques are becoming more sophisticated, and formal group tests can be useful for gross progress monitoring and some instructional planning, among other things. I noted with interest that Dr. Popham's guidelines for test preparation were discussed in the section on high-stakes testing prep. The guidelines state that test preparation should not violate the ethical norms of the profession and should not increase test scores without also increasing mastery of the domain assessed (p. 211). In the end, the authors note that teachers need to have an understanding of the progression of reading assessment, from simple classroom worksheets to formal, state-mandated tests, so they can know what each can and cannot do and how to best use them.
My favorite section of the Handbook is the final chapter, which the authors describe as "pulling it together." Teacher expertise and judgment are once again featured prominently. I was encouraged to develop a wide range of assessment tools that I can use to create effective instruction. And while there is already plenty of assessing in my classroom, this handbook helped me understand where to focus my attention and time when analyzing student results and deciding how to best help my students become great readers.
Silvia Peverini is a fourth-grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School in the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, California.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 276 mm
Width: 216 mm
Weight
662 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-205-53177-6 (9780205531776)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
PREFACE
Rationale
Educators Speaking the Same Language
Inclusive Coverage of Reading Assessment
CHAPTER 1 ASSESSMENT OF READING: THE CONTEXT
Teachers in Action
Meet Lesa Crockett
Meet Greg Haywood
Meet Harley Charles
Meet Maria Sanchez
What is the Role of Assessment in Instruction?
What Do Teachers Need to Know About Reading Assessment?
Purposes of Assessment
Instructional Planning
Progress monitoring
Accountability
Eligibility for Special Education Services
What is Reading?
What Are the Critical Areas of Reading?
What is the Multitiered Model of Instruction?
What is Scientifically-Based Research in Reading?
Appreciating Effective Research
Peer-Reviewed Journals
Reviewing and Using Evidence Based Research Findings
What is a "true experimental" design?
What is a "quasi-experimental" design?
What is a correlational design?
What is a single subject design?
Quantitative versus qualitative research.
What is a qualitative case study?
What is Action Research?
How Does Scientifically-based Research Help Teachers in the Classroom?
What are the Reading Wars and How are They Related to Assessment?
What are the Major Types of Assessment?
Summary
CHAPTER 2 NATURE OF READING
Historical Context for Models of Reading
Developmental Models of Reading
Chall's Stage Model of Reading
Spear-Swerling and Sternberg Model of Reading
Frith's Developmental Phase Model
Adam's Cognitive Model of Reading
Information Processing Model of Reading
What is the Relationship Between Reading and IQ?
Transactional View of Reading
Speaking, Reading, and Writing
An Inclusive View of Reading
How Do We Know if a Student Has a Reading Disability?
How do We Distinguish English Language Learning Challenges from Disabilities?
Low Literacy Adults
The Literacy Instruction Pie
Using Knowledge of Reading to Understand Reading Assessment
Summary
CHAPTER 3 INFORMAL ASSESSMENT: INFORMING INSTRUCTION
Observation and Interview
Teacher-Made and Teacher-Selected Curriculum-Related Assessment
Specific Skills Assessments
Error Analysis
Informal Reading Inventories
Getting Started with the IRI
Quantitative Analyses of IRIs
Qualitative Analyses of IRIs
Abbreviated Assessment with IRIs
Using IRIs to Assess Listening Comprehension
Teacher-Made IRIs
Limitations of IRIs
Running Records
Curriculum Based Assessment
Using Teacher-Constructed CBM to Assess Reading
Portfolio Assessment
Readability
Leveled Texts
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of Young Children
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of Adults
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of English Language Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 4 INFORMAL ASSESSMENT: PROGRESS MONITORING
The Assessment Continuum
Reliability and Validity
Reliability
Validity
Criterion-Referenced Assessment
The Brigance Inventories
Progress Monitoring
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
Adequacy of Progressing Monitoring Systems
Computer-based Assessment of Reading
Special Considerations for Adult and ELL Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 5 FORMAL ASSESSMENT OF READING: INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT
Development of Formal Reading Measures
Types of Scores
Administration and Scoring of Formal Tests
Determining Chronological Age
Individualized versus Group Tests
Test Bias
Selecting Formal, Individualized Instruments
Summary
CHAPTER 6 FORMAL GROUP ASSESSMENT: FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY
Context for Formal, Standardized Assessment
Characteristics of Formal, Standardized Testing
Group Achievement Tests for Instructional Planning and Progress Monitoring
High-Stakes Testing
Formal Group Achievement Testing for Accountability: Two Well-Known Examples
What do Group Norm-referenced Measures of Reading Look Like?
Special Considerations for Adult and ELL Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 7 USING INFORMAL AND FORMAL ASSESSMENT DATA TO INFORM TEACHING
Selecting and Evaluating Assessments
Assessment of Writing
Motivating Students to Read
Classroom Observations
Reading Journals
Sentence Completion Forms
Thought Bubble Technique
Interest Inventories
Attitude Inventories
Interviews
Using Affective Information
Other Within-the-Individual Variables: Cognitive Correlates of Reading
Gathering and Evaluating Data
Pulling it All Together!
Assessment-to-Instruction for an Entire Class
Assessment-to-Instruction for Individual Students
Data-Based Problem Solving
Remediation versus Compensation
Individual Education Program (IEP)
Assessment to Instruction
Summary
Rationale
Educators Speaking the Same Language
Inclusive Coverage of Reading Assessment
CHAPTER 1 ASSESSMENT OF READING: THE CONTEXT
Teachers in Action
Meet Lesa Crockett
Meet Greg Haywood
Meet Harley Charles
Meet Maria Sanchez
What is the Role of Assessment in Instruction?
What Do Teachers Need to Know About Reading Assessment?
Purposes of Assessment
Instructional Planning
Progress monitoring
Accountability
Eligibility for Special Education Services
What is Reading?
What Are the Critical Areas of Reading?
What is the Multitiered Model of Instruction?
What is Scientifically-Based Research in Reading?
Appreciating Effective Research
Peer-Reviewed Journals
Reviewing and Using Evidence Based Research Findings
What is a "true experimental" design?
What is a "quasi-experimental" design?
What is a correlational design?
What is a single subject design?
Quantitative versus qualitative research.
What is a qualitative case study?
What is Action Research?
How Does Scientifically-based Research Help Teachers in the Classroom?
What are the Reading Wars and How are They Related to Assessment?
What are the Major Types of Assessment?
Summary
CHAPTER 2 NATURE OF READING
Historical Context for Models of Reading
Developmental Models of Reading
Chall's Stage Model of Reading
Spear-Swerling and Sternberg Model of Reading
Frith's Developmental Phase Model
Adam's Cognitive Model of Reading
Information Processing Model of Reading
What is the Relationship Between Reading and IQ?
Transactional View of Reading
Speaking, Reading, and Writing
An Inclusive View of Reading
How Do We Know if a Student Has a Reading Disability?
How do We Distinguish English Language Learning Challenges from Disabilities?
Low Literacy Adults
The Literacy Instruction Pie
Using Knowledge of Reading to Understand Reading Assessment
Summary
CHAPTER 3 INFORMAL ASSESSMENT: INFORMING INSTRUCTION
Observation and Interview
Teacher-Made and Teacher-Selected Curriculum-Related Assessment
Specific Skills Assessments
Error Analysis
Informal Reading Inventories
Getting Started with the IRI
Quantitative Analyses of IRIs
Qualitative Analyses of IRIs
Abbreviated Assessment with IRIs
Using IRIs to Assess Listening Comprehension
Teacher-Made IRIs
Limitations of IRIs
Running Records
Curriculum Based Assessment
Using Teacher-Constructed CBM to Assess Reading
Portfolio Assessment
Readability
Leveled Texts
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of Young Children
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of Adults
Special Considerations in the Informal Assessment of English Language Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 4 INFORMAL ASSESSMENT: PROGRESS MONITORING
The Assessment Continuum
Reliability and Validity
Reliability
Validity
Criterion-Referenced Assessment
The Brigance Inventories
Progress Monitoring
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
Adequacy of Progressing Monitoring Systems
Computer-based Assessment of Reading
Special Considerations for Adult and ELL Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 5 FORMAL ASSESSMENT OF READING: INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT
Development of Formal Reading Measures
Types of Scores
Administration and Scoring of Formal Tests
Determining Chronological Age
Individualized versus Group Tests
Test Bias
Selecting Formal, Individualized Instruments
Summary
CHAPTER 6 FORMAL GROUP ASSESSMENT: FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY
Context for Formal, Standardized Assessment
Characteristics of Formal, Standardized Testing
Group Achievement Tests for Instructional Planning and Progress Monitoring
High-Stakes Testing
Formal Group Achievement Testing for Accountability: Two Well-Known Examples
What do Group Norm-referenced Measures of Reading Look Like?
Special Considerations for Adult and ELL Learners
Summary
CHAPTER 7 USING INFORMAL AND FORMAL ASSESSMENT DATA TO INFORM TEACHING
Selecting and Evaluating Assessments
Assessment of Writing
Motivating Students to Read
Classroom Observations
Reading Journals
Sentence Completion Forms
Thought Bubble Technique
Interest Inventories
Attitude Inventories
Interviews
Using Affective Information
Other Within-the-Individual Variables: Cognitive Correlates of Reading
Gathering and Evaluating Data
Pulling it All Together!
Assessment-to-Instruction for an Entire Class
Assessment-to-Instruction for Individual Students
Data-Based Problem Solving
Remediation versus Compensation
Individual Education Program (IEP)
Assessment to Instruction
Summary