Compares seven reading expectancy formulae after converting each to stanines to determine whether the more stabilized formulae would produce similar decisions as to whether a student should be referred for further diagnosis. (FL)

Examined the effects of readers' gender and passage content on second language (L2) reading comprehension. Participants--who were intermediate Spanish learners--read two different authentic passages. Two measures were used to assess comprehension: A written recall and multiple-choice questions. Findings reveal significant interactions between…

This article explains how teachers can construct curriculum-based assessments (CBA), using state academic standards, to measure the reading skills and progress of elementary students with mild disabilities. Two mini-cases illustrate the creation of CBA test items based on individual educational goals and the Indiana Academic Standards. (Contains…

Three mildly retarded 11 year olds were administered reading probes for a period of 4 months, and number of words read correctly were compared to student performance on a criterion-referenced mastery test. Findings questioned whether such probes alone yield sufficient information for making program decisions during the course of instruction.…

Discusses the global and analytical approaches to reading assessment. Points out that the first approaches reading as a self-contained activity, while the second presupposes both a reading model and a reader model. Applies each to the context of reading assessment in France. Suggests discarding the global approach as a diagnostic tool. (KO)

Investigates whether the Nelson-Denny Reading Test's time restrictions may bias the performances of marginal students. Finds that the Nelson-Denny scores alone may provide biased measures of reading ability. Recommends that test makers develop extended time norms. (MG)

Instead of decoding sentences, good readers build meaning by integrating their knowledge with the text. Reading assessment must shift from traditional quantifiable tests to a portfolio system incorporating multiple measures and indicators of expertise. Michigan and Illinois efforts to translate interactive reading theory into assessment practices…

Explores the problems faced in the testing of reading. Discusses research that assists administrators and instructors in choosing various standardized tests, and describes existing alternatives to traditional forms of testing. (RS)

The modified caution index's use in identifying judges whose patterns of item judgment appear aberrant when compared with the pattern produced by the entire group (N=158) of judges was studied. Effects on test standards and passing rates of removing test standards of these judges were also assessed. (TJH)

This report discusses an experimental study in which Spanish dominant students were taught to use metacognitive reading strategies while reading in Spanish. Results of the study lend credibility to the notion that bilingual/bicultural children should be challenged to develop and employ more powerful levels of thought processing within the context…

Examined effects of who administers behavioral assessment (teacher versus school psychologist), physical location of assessment (reading group versus teacher's desk versus office), and whether performance is timed or untimed for oral reading rates of 100 third and fourth graders. Results showed significant effects for reading level, tester,…

Two experiments with approximately 377 newly enlisted Air Force personnel and 182 college students investigated the validity of a reading span test combining a knowledge verification task with a word memorization task. Results support the hypothesis that word recall reflects the amount of working memory functional in reading. (SLD)

Ninety-one fourth grade students (from special education, Chapter 1, low achieving regular education, and regular education) completed a silent Dreading-written retell measure in the fall and again in the spring. Results highlight the many unanswered questions that need to be addressed in implementing assessment reform, in the areas of format,…

A curriculum-based measurement approach to evaluating and improving oral reading fluency (ORF) in grades 2-5 is presented. A table of norms (medians) in ORF is provided, based on approximately 9,000 students. Specific classroom uses of the norms are suggested, such as use in developing individualized objectives for students with disabilities. (DB)

Investigates hypothesis that topic familiarity and assessed difficulty of a text correlate positively with performance on reading comprehension tests. A study of 177 advanced students of English for Specific Purposes indicates that students' subjective evaluation of the relative difficulty of a reading text is not always a reliable index of their…