The authors report findings from an evaluation of the reading competence of students in selected elementary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. The work was conducted in eight schools and involved the testing of 450 students in standards (grades) 1 and 5 for competence in comprehension, oral reading, and word recognition. Methods and results relating…

According to interpretations of results from the latest oral reading fluency (ORF) study conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (White et al., 2020), fourth-grade students who score below the basic standard require interventions that focus on word recognition, phonological decoding, and fluency. Before such mandates for…

Examines several criterion-referenced-testing programs for strengths and weaknesses in diagnosing the student's reading skills. (RB)

Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of criterion referenced testing in the elementary reading program. (RB)

Suggests an easy method to check phonic skills and learn what help the child needs to improve his reading ability. (TO)

A survey of the results of studies of the "Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities" finds the test of limited predictive value. (RB)

Concludes that the four reading comprehension tests examined in this study tend to measure general knowledge rather than comprehension skills. (Author/RB)

Finds that auditory discrimination as most tests measure it has little to do with how well children learn to read. (RB)

Notes that the National Assessment of Educational Progress's (NAEP) recent assessment found fundamental changes taking place in education and in society which render the apolitical, uniform, "one size fits all" approach to education dysfunctional. Calls for reconceptualizing reading instruction to benefit all readers rather than just the…

Examines the Test of Language Development-Primary (TOLD-P), an individual test of English language proficiency which has four principal uses: to identify problems in language proficiency: to determine strengths and weaknesses in language skills: to document progress provided by programs; and to serve as a device for research.(NH)

This study, using the Visual Pattern Recognition Test for Prereading Skills, found that beginning readers improve in word recognition if they are given training in identifying essential components of letters. (HOD)

Discusses test-taking skills and their application to tests of reading achievement. Presents a rationale for teaching these skills, lists a comprehensive set of skills relevant to standardized reading tests, and offers suggestions for teaching the skills and helping children use them. (FL)

Describes the Reading Comprehension Interview, an individual interview procedure for gathering information about students' perceptions of classroom reading activities. Explains how it can help teachers gain insights into students' actual reading strategies. Contains a copy of the interview. (FL)

Describes an informal test for determining a student's ability to use context clues in decoding unfamiliar words. (TO)