12 literature Fielding and Pearson 1994. These discussions are most effective when they
incorporate reading strategy instruction. Changing teacherstudent interaction patterns is challenging, however, since many teachers feel the need to maintain control while also
covering the curriculum. Similar to reading programs for native Speakers of English, reading instruction for
English language learners should include at least five important components: a large quantity of reading, time in class for reading; appropriate materials that encourage students to read;
direct-teaching of reading strategies; and a teacher skilled in matching materials and reading strategies to the students level of interest and language proficiency Devine 1988; Eskey and
Grabe 1988. Such programs result in improved reading ability only when approaches to reading are holistic or integrative rather than skills-based, and when teacher feedback is a
core element. In addition, reading instruction for English language learners should tap students prior knowledge and experiences, focus on comprehension of meaning while
teaching skills in context, teach text organizationand allow for collaborative discussions of reading.
2.6. Implications for Assessment
A number of implications for assessment can be drawn from the foregoing description of the nature of reading in first and second languages and effective instructional practices for
increasing reading comprehension. These include the importance of determining students prior knowledge, making students accountable for how they use reading time in class,
assessing students progress in acquiring both decoding skills and reading comprehension strategies, observing how students collaborate in groups as well as how they work
individually, and reviewing students personal responses to reading.
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13 Garcia 1994 and Routman 1994 suggest that, in tying instruction to assessment,
the key questions become: What do I as a teacher need to know about each students literacy and language development in order to plan instruction? and What instructional activities and
tasks can I use to find ; this out and document it? Information resulting from literacy assessment should help teachers identify students needs and plan for the most suitable
instructional activities. Activities discussed in this chapter that correspond to specific reading assessment purposes are described in Figure 5.1.
In order for reading assessment to become useful in student evaluation, teachers should consider the following Routman 1994:
1. Be thoroughly familiar with developmental learning processes and curriculum.
2. Articulate a philosophy of assessment and evaluation.
3. Know about and have experience collecting, recording, interpreting, and analyzing
multiple sources of data. 4.
Be flexible and willing to try out multiple assessment procedures.
Figure 2.6.1 Reading Assessment: Matching Purpose to Task
What Do I Want to Know? How Will I Find Out?
Reading comprehension • Retellings
• Literature response journals • Anecdotal records
• Literature discussion groups • Texts with comprehension questions
Reading strategies • Reading strategies checklists
• Reciprocal teaching •Think-alouds
• Anecdotal records • Miscue analysis
• Running records
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14 Reading skills
• Cloze passages • Miscue analysis
• Running records Reading attitudes
• Reading logs • Interviews
• Literature discussion groups • Anecdotal records
Self-assessment • Interviews
• Rubricsrating scales • Portfolio selections
Adapted from Routman 1994. Be committed to understanding and implementing an approach to evaluation that informs stu-
dents and directs instruction.
2.7. Authentic Assessment of Reading
