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VELS Level 3 – 6 TORCH: Tests of Reading Comprehension

This section provides an overview of the Tests of Reading Comprehension (TORCH), 2nd edition, ACER Press, 2003.

TORCH was first developed by Western Australian Education Department. This revised edition includes some new testing material, a reworked manual and provision of an individual student report form.

Purpose

The set of twelve graded texts (fiction and non-fiction) is designed to assist teachers of students from Years 3-10 (levels 3 to 6 of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards) in their assessment of students’ reading comprehension skills. Each test comprises a reading passage and an answer sheet, which resembles a cloze passage.

TORCH provides an estimate of a student’s level of reading achievement, which can be compared to normative data and interpreted according to the descriptions of each level of reading achievement.

Classroom application

TORCH is designed so that it can be administered to a whole class, to large groups, small groups or individuals.

It is suggested that a quiet, independent activity is available for students to go on to, allowing for variation in time that individuals take to finish the test.

Time required to administer

TORCH is not a timed activity; it takes an individual or group approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. Additional time should be allowed to score, summarise and interpret results.

Strengths

  • TORCH is designed for Australian new normative data
  • TORCH allows teachers to match the difficulty of the test with the expected level of achievement of each student
  • teachers can readminister the test using an easier or more difficult reading passage
  • tests are standardised at each year level to allow for continuity of measurement of student progress over time
  • all test items measure different aspects of reading including literal and inferential comprehension and synthesising information presented, to assist teachers build a picture of student’s developing reading comprehension skills.

Limitations

  • the assessment involves students reading silently rather than reading aloud, so does not assess oral reading fluency as a measure of student comprehension
  • scoring and interpretation of the test results may require additional time and training for teachers.

Purchasing TORCH materials

The TORCH 2nd edition manual contains master sheets which can be photocopied for the Administration Guide, TORCH Report, TORCH Pattern of Response Forms and Described Regions on the TORCH Scale.

Answer sheets are now purchased in consumable form. Each student completing TORCH requires an answer sheet.

TORCH manual: $89.95
ISBN: 0864316720
Student answer sheets: $12.00 (packs of 10)
Reusable test booklets: $8.95 each

Please note that all RRP’s cited are for information purposes only. See the ACER Shop for up to date pricing information.

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