Comprehension tests are often used interchangeably, suggesting an implicit assumption that they are all measuring the same thing. We examine the validity of this assumption by comparing some of the most popular reading comprehension measures used in research and clinical practice in the United States: the Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT), the two…

Answers questions most frequently asked about the cloze procedure; suggests using cloze exercises to gauge the suitability of reading materials, showing how the technique taps meaning derived from text and indexes both textual reading difficulty and students' comprehension ability. (AEA)

The limitations of standardized tests of reading ability in young children are examined and authentic assessment alternatives, including multiple measures of student learning and the close interaction of assessment and teaching, are identified. Examples of authentic classroom assessments are detailed for emergent readers, beginning readers, and…

This monograph supplement to "The Journal of the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology" contains eight papers on issues and strategies for communication assessment of hearing-impaired children, not only in the area of interpersonal communication, but in classroom and print discourse as well. Titles and authors of the papers are as follows:…

Noting that traditional measures of textbook difficulty and traditional measures of student reading ability suffer from a lack of correspondence, this booklet deals with the problems of (1) identifying the levels of conceptual difficulty of text materials, (2) identifying students' abilities to understand text materials, (3) matching the…

This paper proposes the use of portfolio assessment practices to evaluate literacy development in students of diverse ability levels. It examines how to assist students in becoming self-evaluators and discusses problems inherent in relying exclusively on end-product assessments. Sample observation forms and student checklists are provided.…

Teachers must continuously appraise student progress in reading achievement. Techniques to facilitate this appraisal include (1) teacher observation, (2) checklists, (3) teacher written tests, (4) criterion referenced tests, (5) standardized tests, (6) rating scales, (7) anecdotal records, and (8) conferences. Once a comprehensive program of…

This paper used a case study approach to explore the value of an objective procedure to evaluate the relative effectiveness of reading large print and reading regular print with low vision devices for 6 students (ages 8-16) with low vision. Data were collected on oral and silent reading rates, working distance, and oral reading miscues. (Author/DB)

Presents a diagnostic teaching unit designed to identify effective teaching strategies for fourth- or fifth-grade students with learning or behavior disorders. The unit uses "The Popcorn Book" (de Paola) for activities to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies across the content areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. (CR)

This book covers essential problems and basic concepts of English language testing. There are 20 chapters in four sections. Section 1, "Background," includes: (1) "Why Teachers Test"; (2) "Some Definitions"; (3) "Validity and Reliability"; and (4) "What You Should Learn about Standardized Tests." Section 2, "Preparing To Write Tests," includes:…

This book provides comprehensive information on the assessment of children with disabilities. It describes formal and informal procedures for assessing student abilities and achievement, and assessment considerations for special populations. The text is divided into six major parts. Part 1, "Introduction to Assessment: Issues and Concerns,"…