Effective Methods of Assessing Reading Comprehension

Over the years there has been a change in the way assessment of reading is viewed. The testing of reading is now more consistent with a strategic view of the reading process rather than the idea that reading is a discrete skill. Current theories of reading assert that the best assessment consists of having teachers observe and interact with students who are reading authentic texts for genuine purposes and of having teachers see how their students construct meaning.

Before considering various methods of assessment, it is important to understand the different types of reading assessed. Teachers must recognize that test items can be written so that they implicitly or explicitly call for different types of reading. For example, if a student is given a lengthy passage to read in a short amount of time, skimming the passage, that is inspecting it rapidly with occasional periods of close inspection, may be the only way to successfully handle the text. The students might also scan the text, that is read to locate specific information, or engage in a search reading wherein the reader is scanning without being sure about the form the information will take. Learners can also be given passages to read receptively or intensively, a form of careful reading aimed at discovering exactly what the author seeks to convey. Finally, students can read responsively with the…