Reading comprehension is influenced by what a reader knows about a text and the reading strategies they apply to build on this knowledge.
Assessment task
This assessment can be used to observe a student’s use of comprehending actions.
Instructions
- Select a picture story text that is appropriate for the student’s independent reading level. This allows the focus of the assessment to be on the student’s comprehension of the text rather than their word reading skills.
- Show the student the text. Say to the student: 'In a few minutes I would like you to read this book out loud. Before you begin you can look through the book and think about what it might say. Use the pictures to help you. Tell me when you are ready to begin reading.'
- When the student indicates they are ready to begin reading the text, say to the student: 'As you read through the book we are going to talk about what it tells us.'
- Follow the cues provided on the Comprehension Profile to administer the assessment.
- Record the student’s responses on the Comprehension profile Prep to Year 2 (ages 5-8)(doc - 185.5kb).
Timing
The assessment can be administered in one session. It should take approximately 8-10 minutes to complete.
Analysing the results
Using the Comprehension Profile, review and analyse the student’s responses to identify what the student can already do and where they need additional support.
If the student requires additional support, the focused teaching strategies in this resource can be used to support their development within this area of knowledge. The strategies are presented in a developmental sequence to systematically teach aspects of comprehension.
See Comprehension - Focused teaching Prep to Year 2 (ages 5-8).