This study examines how elementary teachers (grades three through five) in dual-language, bilingual programs (Spanish/English) view informal reading inventories (IRIs) to support their students' reading growth. The research, conducted in an urban district in the Northeastern United States, draws on interviews with 20 teachers in these programs.…

This study investigated the complexity of leveled passages used in four classroom reading assessments. A total of 167 passages leveled for Grades 1-6 from these assessments were analyzed using four analytical tools of text complexity. More traditional, two-factor measures of text complexity found a general trend of fairly consistent across-grade…

The authors explored the credibility of using informal reading inventories and writing samples for 138 students (K-4) to evaluate the effectiveness of a summer literacy program. Running Records (a measure of a child's reading level) and teacher experience during daily reading instruction were used to estimate the reliability of the more formal…

Contains a review and discussion of the informal reading inventory which is one of the most widely accepted techniques in the diagnosis of reading problems. (RB)

Several factors which often invalidate the obtaining of independent, instruction, and frustration reading levels with informal reading inventories are discussed. The classroom teacher's inability to note and evaluate errors in performance was noted in research studies by Kender, Millsop, Ladd, and others. The oral reading at sight which is…

Describes a group reading inventory that deals with high interest, adolescent-theme literature, noting its strong and weak points. (AEA)

Informal inventories emphasize observing a child's behavior and performance in order to draw inferences about factors affecting his achievement in all areas. Suggestions are given for some uses of informal inventories, teacher-designed measures, and adaptations of such tests as the Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Test and the Gray's Oral Reading…

Suggests that informal word analysis inventories be used to determine a pupil's skill mastery level and, because of the flexibility of informal tests, that they are perhaps superior to standardized measures. (TO)

Notes that children's views of themselves as readers and the reading strategies they develop are rarely considered in reading assessment. Emphasizes that, through observations, interviews, and instructional techniques, teachers can broaden evaluations to include student perceptions, thereby gaining a greater understanding of students, and giving…

Presents annotations from the ERIC database of eight journal articles, books, and conference papers (published between 1991 and 1995) on the issue of informal and classroom assessment. Notes that the annotations offer a wide variety of ideas and suggestions to help teachers carry out informal assessment in their classrooms. (RS)

To determine quality sequence in pupil progress, evaluation approaches need to be used which guide the teacher to assist learners to attain optimally. Teachers must use a variety of procedures to appraise student achievement in reading, because no one approach is adequate. Appraisal approaches might include: (1) observation and subsequent…

Summarizes P. A. Killgallon's 1942 study that helped to establish the criteria for the instructional reading level, examines W. R. Powell's 1970 critique of that study, and presents concerns about Powell's study. (FL)

The paper examines two general methods of scoring oral reading inventories employing textual passages. Either the total number of oral alterations can be used as an index to reading ability, or only those alterations that disrupt the semantic structure of the text can be used. (Author)

Representing some of the holdings of the Test Center lending library of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, this annotated bibliography presents information on 105 journal articles, books, chapters of books, and other materials dealing with alternative reading assessment. Many of the entries in the annotated bibliography are informal…

A survey of past research reveals that intellectual capacity, particularly verbal proficiency, are important factors in reading performance. The purpose of this study was to determine if classroom teachers, through informal observation, can recognize indicators of intellectual ability. The Strang Informal Observation of Capacity Inventory and…