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 re...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| 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 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4010 |
| Summary: | 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. |
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