Assessment tools

Assessment Tools: Classroom and School Level

This is a summary of some of the tools that are available to support teachers and schools in gathering high quality assessment information.

Burt Word Reading Test – New Zealand Revision
The Burt Word Reading Test is an individually administered, untimed measure consisting of 110 selected words in isolation printed in differing sizes of type and graded in order of difficulty. The stimulus words are presented on a card from which the student reads orally, pronouncing each word until 10 consecutive words are read incorrectly.

Gilmore, A., Croft, C. & Reid, R. (1981). Burt Word Reading Test - New Zealand Revision. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Read a review of the Burt Word Reading in the Stocktake/evaluation of existing diagnostic tools in literacy and numeracy, in English.

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

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Diagnostic Mathematics Profiles
The Diagnostic Mathematics Profiles have been constructed to diagnose problems in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers. Four separate 20-item tests of these basic maths operations are organised by objectives with items arranged in order of difficulty. They are presented in booklet form. The tests are untimed (but each takes approximately 20 minutes) with a variable starting point for more competent students. They may be administered to groups or individually.

Doig, B. (1990). Diagnostic mathematics profiles. Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council for Educational Research Limited.

Read a review of the Diagnostic Mathematics Profiles in the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

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Diagnostic and Remedial Spelling Manual
This diagnostic test provides a qualitative analysis of spelling errors test is made up of 3 graded passages, each 100 words long, and intended for age groups 8-9 years, 9-10 years, and 10-11 years. Each diagnostic dictation passage is untimed and may be administered individually or to a group/class. The test is one part of what is a complete and concise approach to the teaching of spelling, as presented in the book, Diagnostic and Remedial Spelling Manual.

Peters, M. L. (1979). Diagnostic and remedial spelling manual (Rev. ed.). Macmillan Education.

Read a review of the Diagnostic and Remedial Spelling Manual in the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

Essential Skills Assessments: Information Skills (ESA:IS)
(Croft, Dunn & Brown, 2000)
Years 5-10
The Essential Skills Assessments: Information Skills (ESA:IS)

• are set within the Information Skills of the Essential Skills of the New Zealand Curriculum Framework
• consist of six modules incorporating 14 tests, a Teacher Rating Scale, and a Student Self-Rating Scale
  - Finding Information in a Library
  - Finding Information in Books
  - Finding Information in Reference Sources
  - Finding Information in Graphs and Tables
  - Finding Information in Prose Text
  - Evaluating Information in Text
• are designed for formative assessment
• can be used for comparative purposes as each student's score can be converted into a stanine
• contain a range of item and question types - the tests are not predominantly multiple-choice.
• can be used at any time between March and November
• are group administered

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

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Key Math Revised: A Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Mathematics
Author: Austin Connolly
Publisher: American Guidance Service
Date published: 1998 (Norms Update Edition)

The Key Math-R test provides both content- and norm-referenced assessment of a student's quantitative strengths and weaknesses. This revised version has been updated to reflect the NCTM standards so that additional emphasis has been placed on such skills as estimating, prediction, reasoning, interpretation of data, and solving situational problems.

The content is organised into three areas: Basic Concepts, Operations, and Applications. Each area has three or five strands which are further subdivided into three or four domains. Each domain is assessed by six individually administered items, so that each content strand is a subtest of 18 to 24 items; the total test has 13 subtests (516 items) to provide measurement of a student's mathematical abilities. Each item is also referenced to an objective.

Read a review of Key Math Revised in the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

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Neale Analysis of Reading Ability
The Neale Analysis is an individually administered standardised diagnostic reading test. It contains a Reader, in book form, comprising six short graded narratives, each with a limited number of words and having a central theme. The passages are illustrated.

It consists of four criterion-referenced, supplementary diagnostic tests: Discrimination of Initial and Final Sounds, Names and Sounds of the Alphabet, Graded Spelling, and Auditory Discrimination, are provided in the manual, plus Word Lists extracted from the passages for quick assessment of Accuracy or Word Recognition.

Neale, M. (1999). Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (3rd ed., Australian Standardisation). Camberwell, Vic: ACER Press.

Read a review of the Neale Analysis of Reading in the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

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PAT: Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary (Revised)
Year levels 4 – 10
These tests are primarily designed to help classroom teachers determine achievement levels of their students in reading comprehension and reading vocabulary.  The test results will help teachers to make informed decisions about the kinds of teaching materials, methods, and programmes that are most suitable for their students.

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PAT: Listening Comprehension (Revised)
(Reid, Johnston, Elley, 1994)
Age: 7 - 14
This test measures the child's ability to understand orally presented material of the kind commonly heard. Each stimulus passage contains approximately 100 to 300 words, depending on its type and placement in the test, and is typically followed by five or six multiple-choice items each with four or five options. For the intermediate and secondary levels, the stimulus material is presented on audio cassette tape; the teacher reads from a script for the primary test. Recall and inferential questions are included at each class level. Raw scores may be converted into level scores, class and/or age percentile rank norms, and stanines. In addition to helping teachers detect children whose listening skills are inadequately developed, these tests are useful in identifying those children whose listening comprehension performance is sufficiently different from their reading comprehension to suggest a remediable deficiency. The content and emphases of the revised tests are intended to reflect the aims and present practices of New Zealand teachers and the objectives and skills of the new English Curriculum.
Suitable for group use.

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

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PAT: Mathematics (Revised, 2006)
PAT Mathematics is a series of nine multiple choice tests designed for students in year 3 to year 10. Designed to complement numeracy initiatives and curriculum developments, each test can be used at multiple year levels. Achievement on each test can be reported on a common measurement scale, and the scale allows formative and summative reporting. Automated marking and analysis options are now available.

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

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Prose Reading Observation, Behaviour and Evaluation of Comprehension (PROBE)

PROBE has been developed as an individual reading assessment tool designed for students aged from 7 to 15 years, but it may also be used as a measure of silent reading comprehension and listening comprehension at the same age levels. PROBE consists of the Guide Book, including the explanatory material, question and answers, and photocopiable individual student assessment sheets, plus the Student Texts volume.

Pool, B., Parkin, C., & Parkin, C. (1999). Prose Reading Observation, Behaviour and Evaluation of Comprehension. Triune Publications.

Read a review of the PROBE in the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

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Proof-Reading Tests of Spelling (PRETOS)
(Croft, Gilmore, Reid, Jackson, 1981)
Age: 8 - 13
The Proof-Reading Tests of Spelling are broad measures of a child's ability to discriminate between misspelt words and correctly spelt words, presented in the context of meaningful paragraphs. The tests provide a measure of spelling achievement within the context of a proof-reading task, as well as giving diagnostic information about individual pupil's spelling accomplishments. The abilities tapped by the PRETOS are broader than those associated with the traditional assessment of spelling.
A separate, non-overlapping test is provided for each class within the New Zealand range Standard 2 to Form 2 inclusive. Each test is made up of 3 or 4 paragraphs consisting 12-14 lines of text, with 2 lines having no misspelt words.
The PRETOS have been standardised to provide norms covering the period March to November inclusive. Class percentile ranks are provided for both production and recognition scores. The production score is a measure of the child's ability to spell a word correctly after identifying it as an error, and to locate the error-free lines. The recognition score is a measure of the ability to recognise misspelt words.
In addition to the normative scores for production and recognition, the format of the tests provides specific information on:

1. misspelt words that are identified and respelt correctly.
2. misspelt words that are identified but not respelt correctly.
3. misspelt words that are not identified.
4. correctly spelt words that are identified as misspelt.
5. words that are incorrect because of context, rather than because of "spelling".

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

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Teacher Observation Scales - For Identifying Children with Special Abilities
(McAlpine, Reid, 1996)
Age: Junior primary - Intermediate
These scales are for use by classroom teachers at middle primary, intermediate, and junior secondary school levels. Essentially, children who are "borderline" gifted and talented, puzzling, unknown, new to the school, enigmatic, and/or who display intermittent signs of unusual ability, should be rated by the scales.
There are five scales, comprising between 8 - 13 statements. Each statement is to be considered separately and rated as being observed 'Seldom or Never', 'Occasionally', 'Often', or 'Almost Always or Always'.
The Learning Characteristics scale comprises such behaviours as:

• Easily grasps underlying principles
• Problem-finds as well as problem-solves

• Actively seeks leadership in social situations
• Communicates well with others

• Is not afraid to be different
• Produces original ideas

• Pushes teachers and adults for explanations
• Is sceptial of authoritarian pronouncements

• Is highly motivated; sets personal goals

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Test of Early Written Language, Second Edition
The TEWL–2 has two subtests: (i) a Basic Writing Subtest consisting of 57 items, presented in developmental sequence, that assesses the use of conventions, linguistics, and conceptualisation. Information from this subtest can be used to construct a diagnostic profile of strengths and weaknesses. (ii) A Contextual Writing Subtest is used to measure a student's ability to produce a writing sample in response to a stimulus picture.

Hresko, W., Herron, S., & Peak, P. (1996). Test of Early Written Language (2nd ed.). PRO-ED Inc.

Read a review of the TEWL–2 I n the Stocktake/Evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English.

STAR – Supplementary Test of Achievement in Reading Years 3, 4-6 & Years 7-9
Warwick B. Elley

What are the STAR tests?

1. The Supplementary Tests of Achievement in Reading (STAR) are designed to supplement the assessments that teachers make about their pupils' progress and achievement in reading-a key area of the National Curriculum.

2. The Test consists of four short sub-tests for Years 4-6, and six for Years 7-9. Each sub-test assesses a different aspect of children's reading ability.

3. There are 2 tests-one for Years 4 to 6 and one for Years 7-9. They may be administered at any time of the school year.

4. Pupils write their answers on the test booklets. There are no separate answer sheets.

5. Pupils may take either Form A or Form B of the Test. They are equivalent in administration details, timing, and difficulty levels.

6. The marking keys are provided as copiable masters.

Visit the NZCER website for details and ordering information.

Stocktake/evaluation of Existing Diagnostic Tools in Literacy and Numeracy, in English
This is the report of the stocktake and evaluation that was undertaken to determine which diagnostic tools are currently used in New Zealand to assess students' achievements in literacy and numeracy in English, in the first 4 to 5 years of instruction. The findings show what diagnostic information is provided by the tools, the extent to which teachers are provided with appropriate strategies to address any specific weaknesses identified, and the extent to which information from using these tools helps to inform teachers' judgements about each student's achievement.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/research/stocktake_01_e.php

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