Well established as a teaching resource and course text, this guide to the "whats," "how-tos," and "whys" of reading assessment is now in a thoroughly revised fourth edition. Peter Afflerbach succinctly introduces major types of assessments, including formative and summative performance assessments, teacher…

After a universal screening assessment, how can K-6 educators translate the results into evidence-based instruction, targeted interventions, and improved reading outcomes? The timely new edition of this bestselling book has clear and practical answers. Fully updated with the latest reading research and models, this teacher-friendly planning guide…

Many standard reading assessment approaches fail to capture the strengths and needs of students from diverse sociocultural, linguistic, and academic backgrounds. From expert authors, this book guides educators in planning and conducting meaningful, equitable assessments that empower K-5 teachers and students, inform responsive instruction, and…

"Reaching an Understanding: Innovations in How We View Reading Assessment" builds upon the editors previous book "Measuring Up: Advances in How We Assess Reading Ability" (ED533202) by representing some early attempts to apply theory to help guide the development of new assessments and measurement models. "Reaching an…

Get an in-depth understanding of how to create fun, engaging, and challenging performance assessments that require students to elaborate on content and demonstrate mastery of skills. This update of an ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) classic includes new scoring methods, reading assessments, and insights on navigating…

Although millions of dollars and weeks of instructional time are spent nationally on testing students, educators often have little information on how to choose appropriate assessments of adolescent reading for informing instruction. This guide is designed to meet that need, by drawing together evidence about nine of the most commonly-used,…

How can busy teachers successfully manage the complex task of assessing their students' reading comprehension? This invaluable book--the first stand-alone guide on the topic--presents reliable, research-supported guidelines and procedures for K-6 teachers to use in the classroom. Through practical tips and realistic examples, the book demonstrates…

Expanded to cover prereading through grade 12, this book presents a simple method for effectively assessing the reading proficiency of students K-12. The second edition of the book provides, using preprimer and primer passages, a means for assessing the emergent/beginning reading skills of students just entering school. The book includes a special…

To help teachers, policy analysts, and others understand the 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Assessment in Reading, this journal issue presents the objectives and examples of how students in grades 4, 8, and 12 will be assessed. The issue discusses NAEP's view of reading; key features of the assessment; reading purposes;…

The purpose of this book is to assist teachers as they work with emergent readers and writers--children who are in the early stages of reading and writing development, typically in preschool through grade 2. Section 1 of the book presents an overview of emergent literacy. Section 2 consists of a group of 15 informal early literacy pretests. The…

Points out that sound assessment programs should (1) be a part of instruction, (2) use varied methods and instruments, (3) focus on a broad range of skills and knowledge, (4) occur continuously, (5) occur in a variety of contexts, and (6) be appropriate for age and level of development. Offers examples of practices based on these points. (FL)

A study was conducted to determine whether informal group assessment instruments could be used effectively to provide the same type of reading achievement information as that secured from informal individual instruments. The researchers developed group instruments comparable to individual instruments, including a group reading inventory for grades…

Principles that should guide reading comprehension assessment include acknowledging the complexity of reading, focusing on orchestrating rather than isolating skills, regarding reading as a dynamic process, developing techniques that encourage student-teacher interactions, and using a variety of reading comprehension measures. The principles are…

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 collection of articles from The Reading Teacher offers indispensable insight on issues, problems, and innovative solutions in literacy education. A wide spectrum of authors--ranging from successful classroom teachers to noted researchers and teacher educators--weigh in on language theories, relevant research, effective instructional…