ERIC Number: EJ1125475
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2169-0480
EISSN: N/A
Selecting Fluency Assessments for Adult Learners
Nightingale, Elena; Greenberg, Daphne; Branum-Martin, Lee; Bakhtiari, Dariush
Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education, v5 n3 p18-29 Win 2016
Selecting assessments for adults who struggle with reading can be difficult because few literacy measures used by reading researchers have been normed on this population, leaving uncertainty regarding the validity of these tests for adult learners. This study focused on the performance of 116 adults reading between the 3rd and 8th grade levels on a selection of reading fluency tests and other reading tests. The study examined the convergent and discriminant validity of the measures, taking into consideration the trait and method represented in the assessments in order to analyze how these reading fluency tests (Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency, Test of Silent Contextual Reading Fluency, Test of Word Reading Efficiency, Woodcock Johnson Reading Fluency) function when administered to a sample for whom they were not designed. The results suggest that there may be inconsistent patterns in the convergent and discriminant validity of these measures with this group of adult learners. Based on the findings of this study, suggestions are made for assessment selection for this population.
Descriptors: Adult Learning, Adult Literacy, Functional Literacy, Reading Difficulties, Reading Tests, Reading Fluency, Validity, Silent Reading, Reading Comprehension, Decoding (Reading), Correlation, Data Analysis, Achievement Tests
Commission on Adult Basic Education. PO Box 620, Syracuse, NY 13206. Tel: 888-442-6223; e-mail: journal@coabe.org; Web site: http://www.coabe.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia (Atlanta)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A