Measuring Beginner Reading Skills : An Empirical Evaluation of Alternative Instruments and their Potential Use for Policymaking and Accountability in Peru

Based on analysis of reading performance data from 475 third-graders in Peru, this study makes recommendations on improving reading tests, choice of reading standards, and how to present the results at the school and individual levels. The paper reviews the literature on using reading skills measurement in the early grades to guide policymaking, strengthen accountability, and improve education quality. It uses data generated from the same students using two common approaches to measuring reading skills: an individually-administered oral fluency test, and a group-administered written comprehension test designed by the Ministry of Education for the 2006 universal standard test of second grade reading comprehension. These two approaches have sometimes been presented as competing alternatives, but the paper shows that it is better if they are used together, as complements. Based on psychometric analysis, the paper shows that both the oral and written tests adequately measured students' reading abilities. The results show that reading fluency and comprehension are correlated: fluent readers are more likely to understand what they read than non-fluent readers. The strength of the fluency-comprehension relationship depends on the level of fluency, the difficulty of the questions, and social characteristics of the school. The paper recommends using improved versions of both tests to evaluate early grade reading skills, as a central element of a system of accountability for results. It proposes a model for reporting test results desgned to highlight the importance of reading standards, mobilize the education community to reach them, track progress, and identify students in need of extra support.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Kudo, Ines, Bazan, Jorge
Language:	English
Published:	2009-01-01
Subjects:	ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, ACCESS TO PRESCHOOL, ACCESS TO PRESCHOOL EDUCATION, ACHIEVEMENT, ACHIEVEMENTS, ADDITION, ADULTS, ASSESSMENT OF LITERACY, AVERAGE SCORE, BASIC SKILLS, CLASSROOM, CLASSROOM LEVEL, CLASSROOMS, COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, COMPLEXITY, CONTEXTUAL FACTORS, COOPERATIVE LEARNING, CORE CURRICULUM, CURRICULAR STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, DECISION MAKING, DEGREES, DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT, DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, DRAWING, EARLY GRADES, EARLY LITERACY, EARLY READING, EDUCATED PARENTS, EDUCATION COMMUNITY, EDUCATION OFFICIALS, EDUCATION QUALITY, EDUCATION SECTOR, EDUCATION SERVICES, EDUCATION STATISTICS, EDUCATION STUDENTS, EDUCATION SYSTEM, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, EDUCATIONAL GOALS, EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS, EDUCATIONAL QUALITY, EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS, ESSENTIAL SKILLS, FIRST GRADE, FIRST GRADES, FIRST LANGUAGE, FOUNDATION SKILLS, GENERAL EDUCATION, GRADE LEVELS, GRADE SCHOOLS, HOME LANGUAGE, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INSTRUCTION, INSTRUCTION METHODS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, INTELLECTUAL ABILITY, INTERVENTIONS, KINDERGARTEN, LANGUAGE SKILLS, LANGUAGES, LEARNERS, LEARNING, LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS, LEARNING DISABILITY, LEARNING OUTCOMES, LEARNING PROCESSES, LISTENING, LITERACY, LITERACY INSTRUCTION, LITERACY SKILLS, LITERATURE, MEANING, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, NATIONAL ASSESSMENT, NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS, NATIONAL EDUCATION, NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL, NUTRITION, OLDER ADULTS, PAPERS, PERSONALITY, PRESCHOOL EDUCATION, PRIMARY SCHOOL, PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PRINCIPALS, PROFICIENCY, PROVISION OF EDUCATION, PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, QUALITY EDUCATION, QUALITY OF EDUCATION, QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION, QUALITY OF TEACHING, READERS, READING, READING ABILITY, READING ACHIEVEMENT, READING ACTIVITIES, READING COMPETENCE, READING COMPREHENSION, READING INSTRUCTION, READING SKILLS, REASONING, REGIONAL EDUCATION, REGIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE, RESEARCHERS, RURAL CHILDREN, SCHOOL BOARDS, SCHOOL CENSUS, SCHOOL LEARNING, SCHOOL LEVEL, SCHOOL READINESS, SCHOOL YEAR, SCHOOLING, SCHOOLS, SKILL LEVELS, SOCIAL GROUPS, SPEAKING, SPECIAL EDUCATION, STANDARDIZED TESTS, STUDENT ASSESSMENT, STUDENT LEARNING, STUDENT PERFORMANCE, STUDENT POPULATION, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, SUBJECT AREAS, TEACHER, TEACHER TRAINING, TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS, TEACHERS, TEACHING, TEST ADMINISTRATION, TEXTBOOKS, UNIVERSAL ACCESS, UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO PRIMARY, UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO PRIMARY EDUCATION, UNIVERSAL COVERAGE, VOCABULARY, VULNERABLE GROUPS, WRITTEN LANGUAGE,
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090107163618 https://hdl.handle.net/10986/4010
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