Oral Reading Fluency Assessment: Issues of Construct, Criterion, and Consequential Validity

Abstract

This study investigated multiple models for assessing oral reading fluency, including 1‐minute oral reading measures that produce scores reported as words correct per minute (wcpm). We compared a measure of wcpm with measures of the individual and combined indicators of oral reading fluency (rate, accuracy, prosody, and comprehension) to examine construct, criterion, and consequential validity. Oral reading data and standardized comprehension test scores were analyzed for students in grades 2, 4, and 6. Our results indicate that assessments designed to include multiple indicators of oral reading fluency provided a finer‐grained understanding of oral reading fluency and fluency assessment, and a stronger predictor of general comprehension. Comparisons across grade levels also revealed developmental differences in the relation between oral reading fluency and comprehension, and the relative contributions of oral fluency indicators to comprehension. When commonly used benchmarks were applied to wcpm scores to identify students at risk of reading difficulty, both false positives and false negatives were found. This study raises issues regarding the alignment of oral reading fluency definitions and assessment, and the widespread use of wcpm measures and benchmarks to identify students at risk of reading difficulty and to plan instruction. [Note: Sheila Valencia discusses the research presented in this article in a podcast from the “Voice of Literacy”: http://www.voiceofliteracy.org/posts/40043.] استقصت هذه الدراسة نماذج متعددة لتقييم مرونة القراءة الجهرية بما فيها مقاييس القراءة الجهرية مدتها دقيقة واحدة التي تنتج علامات مسجلة ككلمات صحيحة لكل دقيقة. فقد قارننا مقياس من كلمات صحيحة لكل دقيقة ومقاييس من مؤشرات فردية وجماعية في مرونة القراءة الجهرية (السرعة والدقة والنطق والاستيعاب) لنفحص صدق تكوين الاختبار الفرضي والمرتبط بالمحك والمترتبي. وقد تم تحليل علامات الاختبار الاستيعابي المقنن ومعطيات القراءة الجهرية للطلاب في الصف الثاني والرابع والسادس. وتشير نتائجنا إلى أن التقديرات المصممة لتشمل مؤشرات متعددة من مرونة القراءة الجهرية وفرت فهماً أدق لها ولتقدير المرونة وكذلك وفرت منبئاً أقوى للاستيعاب العام. ولقد بينت المقارنات عبر الصفوف اختلافات تطورية في العلاقة بين مرونة القراءة الجهرية والاستيعاب والمساهمات النسبية لمؤشرات الطلاقة اللغوية في الاستيعاب. وحين تم تطبيق المقاييس المستخدمة الشائعة على علامات الكلمات الصحيحة لكل دقيقة لتحديد الطلاب على وشك أن يواجهوا صعوبات في القراءة فقد تم إيجاد إيجابيات زائفة وسلبيات زائفة. وترفع هذه الدراسة القضايا المتعلقة بتناسق مرونة القراءة الجهرية والتقييم والاستخدام الشائع من مقاييس الكلمات الصحيحة لكل دقيقة لتحديد الطلاب المتعرضين للخطر من صعوبة القراءة ولتخطيط التعليم. [Podcast: http://www.voiceofliteracy.org/posts/40043.] 本研究调查用以评估朗读流畅度的多个模型，其中包括通过一分钟的朗读测验来计算出受测者每分钟能正确读出的单词数量(wcpm)。本文作者把一项一分钟朗读测验的结果(wcpm)与几项单独和合并的朗读流畅指标(速度、准确性、韵律和理解)测验的结果作比较，以检查其建构效度、标准效度、后果效度。本文作者分析了二、四、六年级学生的朗读资料及他们的标准化阅读理解测验的成绩。分析结果显示，在设计上如包含多个朗读流畅指标的评估测验，能有助于加深对朗读流畅程度与流畅度评估的认识，并能使其成为较有效的普通阅读理解的预测因子。跨级别的比较结果亦发现朗读流畅程度与阅读理解之间的关系存在着发展差异，以及各个朗读流畅指标对阅读理解的相对预测效能。当常用的基准数值应用于一分钟朗读测验的成绩(wcpm)来确定容易有阅读困难的学生时，假阳...

The Indicating Factors of Oral Reading Fluency of Monolingual and Bilingual Children in Egypt

“…A review of the literature suggests that oral reading fluency (ORF) refers to reading text quickly, accurately, with good prosody, and with comprehension (e.g., Abdelbari, 2011;Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006;Hudson, Lane, & Pullen, 2005;Hudson, Pullen, Lane, & Torgesen, 2008;Hussien, 2011;Kuhn, Schwanenflugel, & Meisineger, 2010;McKenna, 2002;McKenna & Stahi, 2003;McShane, 2005;Pikulski & Chard, 2005;Rasinski, 2004;Valencia et al, 2010). Previous research, usually in English, provides considerable knowledge about oral reading accuracy, oral reading rate and prosody as indicating variables in ORF.…”

Student Teachers’ Implementation and Understanding of Repeated Picture-Book Reading in Preschools

“…Two explanations might be offered for this finding: First, the contribution of read-alouds depends on the quality of interaction with the children, the quality and suitability of the books chosen, and how systematic and intensive the preschool read-alouds were (Cunningham & Zibulsky, 2011;Lennox, 2013;Siraj-Blatchford, 2010;Wiseman, 2011). Second, the impact of early engagement in read-alouds sometimes becomes apparent only after third grade when children need to cope with more sophisticated texts that require comprehension (Paris, 2005;Valencia, Smith, Reece, Wixson, & Newman, 2010).…”

A Longitudinal Exploration of the Relationship Between Oral Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension Achievement Among a Sample of Diverse Young Learners

“…Overwhelmingly, the research supports claims that fluency instruction, practice opportunities, and assessment measures must incorporate the prosodic element interactively with the elements of rate and accuracy, to support appropriate fluency development that ultimately leads to an understanding and comprehension of the written message (Allington, 1983;Hudson et al, 2005;Rasinski, 2004;Valencia et al, 2010). It is the construction of meaning from text and understanding what is written that remains the ultimate goal of reading (Snow, Burns, and Griffin, 1998), or as Durkin (1993) claimed to be "the very essence of reading" (p.…”

“…The more learned about each of the reading components, the more effective our teaching will become (Wolf, 2007). Many researchers agree that if young learners are to develop appropriate reading fluency, their instruction, practice, and assessment of fluency must interactively and comprehensively incorporate all three of its essential elements: reading rate, reading accuracy, and prosodic reading (Allington, 1983(Allington, , 2001Hudson, Lane, & Pullen, 2005;Rasinski, 2004;Stahl, Heubach, & Holcomb, 2005;Valencia et al, 2010). Reading rate and reading accuracy consist of the speed with which one reads the words correctly, while prosodic reading incorporates the use of appropriate phrasing and language patterns, pitch and stress, intonation, expression and volume, smoothness, and pace during the oral reading process (Allington, 1983;Hudson et al, 2005;Rasinski, 2004).…”

“…Although becoming a fluent reader is critical to proficient and motivated reading, fluency assessments that isolate these two measured elements often lead educators to narrowly focus on supporting improvement in their students' rate and accuracy scores (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006;Valencia et al, 2010). This practice further encourages educators to limit reading fluency instruction and practice experiences solely in these measured elements.…”