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Examining options for reading comprehension assessment in international contexts.

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Title: Examining options for reading comprehension assessment in international contexts.
Authors: Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons, Piper, Benjamin, Kwayumba, Dunston, Dubeck, Margaret (Peggy)
Source: Journal of Research in Reading. Nov2019, Vol. 42 Issue 3/4, p583-599. 17p.
Subjects: Reading comprehension ability testing, Educational outcomes, Emergent literacy, Word recognition, Developing countries
Abstract: Background: Governments in low‐income countries and donors have invested the equivalent of hundreds of millions of dollars in enhancing reading outcomes. Although reliable measures exist to assess emergent literacy skills in international contexts, there is little consensus on the assessment of reading comprehension. Methods: Using data from 5,389 Kenyan children attending low‐cost private schools, we compared the reading comprehension measure from the Early Grade Reading Assessment to two alternatives. We examined relationships among children's outcome scores and the degree to which children's scores on the three measures drew on the same skills. Results: Scores on the three assessments were strongly correlated, and the assessments appeared to draw on the same abilities. The patterns observed in the exploratory factor analyses held for subgroups, including fluent and nonfluent readers and across testing languages. Conclusion: The alternatives did not provide more information on reading comprehension, and we therefore recommend continued use of the Early Grade Reading Assessment standard measure. Highlights: What is already known about this topicLarge‐scale reading interventions in developing countries have focused on foundational skills, such as decoding.Reliable assessments of foundational skills are available and have been used at scale in these contexts.However, the debate continues regarding how reading comprehension should be assessed, in populations with low skill levels and in contexts where tools must be straightforward and inexpensive to implement. What this paper addsWe compare the standard reading comprehension measure used on the Early Grade Reading Assessment to two others.The first alternative is similar in structure but gives students more time to read the associated passage.The second alternative uses sentences rather than a passage to assess comprehension. Implications for theory, policy or practiceAll three measures are strongly correlated, and exploratory factor analyses suggested that they are measuring the same ability.Therefore, as the standard Early Grade Reading Assessment measure is less expensive to implement on a large scale, we see no reason to prefer one of the alternatives.However, the standard measure is not perfect, and future research should explore other options for reliably measuring assessment, particularly at very low literacy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Research in Reading is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Examining options for reading comprehension assessment in international contexts.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zuilkowski%2C+Stephanie+Simmons%22">Zuilkowski, Stephanie Simmons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Piper%2C+Benjamin%22">Piper, Benjamin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kwayumba%2C+Dunston%22">Kwayumba, Dunston</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dubeck%2C+Margaret+%28Peggy%29%22">Dubeck, Margaret (Peggy)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Reading%22">Journal of Research in Reading</searchLink>. Nov2019, Vol. 42 Issue 3/4, p583-599. 17p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+comprehension+ability+testing%22">Reading comprehension ability testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+outcomes%22">Educational outcomes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emergent+literacy%22">Emergent literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+recognition%22">Word recognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developing+countries%22">Developing countries</searchLink>
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  Data: Background: Governments in low‐income countries and donors have invested the equivalent of hundreds of millions of dollars in enhancing reading outcomes. Although reliable measures exist to assess emergent literacy skills in international contexts, there is little consensus on the assessment of reading comprehension. Methods: Using data from 5,389 Kenyan children attending low‐cost private schools, we compared the reading comprehension measure from the Early Grade Reading Assessment to two alternatives. We examined relationships among children's outcome scores and the degree to which children's scores on the three measures drew on the same skills. Results: Scores on the three assessments were strongly correlated, and the assessments appeared to draw on the same abilities. The patterns observed in the exploratory factor analyses held for subgroups, including fluent and nonfluent readers and across testing languages. Conclusion: The alternatives did not provide more information on reading comprehension, and we therefore recommend continued use of the Early Grade Reading Assessment standard measure. Highlights: What is already known about this topicLarge‐scale reading interventions in developing countries have focused on foundational skills, such as decoding.Reliable assessments of foundational skills are available and have been used at scale in these contexts.However, the debate continues regarding how reading comprehension should be assessed, in populations with low skill levels and in contexts where tools must be straightforward and inexpensive to implement. What this paper addsWe compare the standard reading comprehension measure used on the Early Grade Reading Assessment to two others.The first alternative is similar in structure but gives students more time to read the associated passage.The second alternative uses sentences rather than a passage to assess comprehension. Implications for theory, policy or practiceAll three measures are strongly correlated, and exploratory factor analyses suggested that they are measuring the same ability.Therefore, as the standard Early Grade Reading Assessment measure is less expensive to implement on a large scale, we see no reason to prefer one of the alternatives.However, the standard measure is not perfect, and future research should explore other options for reliably measuring assessment, particularly at very low literacy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Research in Reading is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1111/1467-9817.12285
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      – SubjectFull: Emergent literacy
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              Text: Nov2019
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