READING ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION IN THE EARLY YEARS: DIAGNOSING AND ADDRESSING EARLY READING PROBLEMS

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to look at effective reading instruction and assessment in the early years of education to determine appropriate forms of assessment and practice for identifying struggling readers. Many American students are struggling with reading problems. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 31% of fourth graders in America were reading proficiently in 2005. To determine a potential cause of reading problems, particularly in comprehension, I look at what is considered to be best practice in teaching children to read. I then evaluate how elementary assessment, which relies heavily on fluency, can contribute to an overemphasis of fluency instruction. I argue this overemphasis of fluency instruction and lack of instruction in comprehension could be a cause of students' reading difficulties not being recognized until later grades. To avoid assessing students purely on fluency, I look at other forms of assessment, that include measures of comprehension assessment, which could provide a clearer picture of students' reading proficiency. I then examine intervention programs and practices that may be most appropriate for remediation. I argue interventions are best when they are tailored to the specific needs of the individual student, and so, schools should avoid purchasing packaged programs. Finally, I discuss a need for more research on seeing if there is a causal connection between a shift in practice to include more comprehension instruction in the early elementary years and fewer reading problems in the secondary years.