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Reliability and Validity of the Reading Level Assessment and the “Flash” Word Recognition Automaticity Measure. Grace T. Craig -Grace.Craig@utah.edu Kathleen J. Brown Matthew K. Fields University of Utah Reading Clinic R. Darrell Morris Appalachian State University. Methods. 4 schools
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Reliability and Validity of the Reading Level Assessment and the “Flash” Word Recognition Automaticity Measure Grace T. Craig -Grace.Craig@utah.edu Kathleen J. Brown Matthew K. Fields University of Utah Reading Clinic R. Darrell Morris Appalachian State University
Methods • 4 schools • 2 = Title 1 1 = public, 1 = parochial • 2 = non-Title 1 both = public & mixed SES • 192 students in G2-G5 in March, 2006 • Rank ordered DIBELS or QRI of each grade within a school, then sampled 12 students: 4 high, 4 average, 4 poor to achieve a representative distribution for testing
Methods • 135 minutes of assessment in 3 sessions • Two forms of Reading Level Assessment (RLA) and a standardized test- Gray Oral Reading Test • Manual and computer presentations of Flash • Tests and presentations were counterbalanced • Manual flash interrater differences = n.s.
Alternate Form Reliability • To what extent are RLA Form A scores equivalent to RLA Form B scores? • To what extent are computer presentation Flash scores equivalent to manual presentation Flash scores?
Results: Alternate Form ReliabilitySpearman’s Rho Correlations **p < .01
Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test(Non-parametric paired hypothesis test) a. Based on positive ranks.
Criterion Validity • To what extent are Flash scores and RLA scores consistent with scores achieved on a “flagship” standardized reading measure, the Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT)?
Results: Criterion ValiditySpearman’s Rho Correlations **p < .01
Content Validity • Is the Reading Level Assessment representative of grade level benchmarks? • Are the graded passages of the Reading Level Assessment representative of their respective grades?
52% pass 53% pass Accuracy and rate of second grade students on Grade 2 passage. Accuracy and rate of third grade students on Grade 3 passage. 59% pass 51% pass Accuracy and rate of fourth grade students on Grade 4 passage. Accuracy and rate of fifth grade students on Grade 5 passage.
Conclusions: Alternate Form Reliability • RLA A and RLA B seem to be equivalent forms • Manual Flash and Computer Flash seem to be equivalent forms • Examiners can be trained to mimic a 300 ms eye fixation without significant difference from a computer
Conclusions: Criterion Validity • RLA Form A and RLA Form B are strongly correlated with a popular standardized oral reading test, the GORT • The Flash is strongly correlated with the GORT • These correlations indicate that the Reading Level Assessment and the Flash instrument are, like the GORT, testing reading ability
Conclusions: Content Validity • The Reading Level Assessment seems to have high validity for identifying students’ instructional reading levels • The Flash seems to have high validity for identifying students’ instructional levels • The GORT seems to identify student instructional levels which are inflated by at least a year, and sometimes more than two years