Assessing Reading

Summary

This video script explores the evolution of reading in the digital age, highlighting how people still engage in reading through devices like Kindles, tablets, and phones. It emphasizes the cognitive processes involved in reading, such as setting goals, recognizing words, and building meaning from grammar. The script also discusses how reading tests should be authentic, relevant, and well-designed, with various task types like choosing the correct answers or summarizing texts. The importance of clear instructions, adequate time, and efficient scoring is also covered to ensure meaningful assessment of reading abilities.

Takeaways

• 😀 People still read a lot every day, but the format has shifted from physical books to digital devices like Kindles, tablets, and phones.
• 😀 The basic processes of reading remain the same, regardless of the medium, including setting goals, recognizing words, and understanding grammar.
• 😀 Reading is an active process, where the more we read, the better we understand the material.
• 😀 Different reading purposes require different strategies, such as reading quickly for a general idea or carefully for thorough understanding.
• 😀 Reading tests should be designed to be authentic, matching the real-life purposes of reading tasks.
• 😀 The content of reading tests should be appropriately challenging and not reliant on the test taker's background knowledge.
• 😀 Reading texts for tests should avoid cultural bias and ensure they are inclusive and respectful.
• 😀 There are various task types used in reading tests, such as multiple-choice questions, summarizing, filling in missing words, and labeling graphics.
• 😀 Reading into writing tasks are becoming more popular, where test takers summarize texts in their own words.
• 😀 Clear instructions, adequate time, and a well-defined scoring system are essential for a meaningful reading test.
• 😀 Scoring should be consistent, with clear answers and agreed-upon acceptable responses, especially for short written answers.

Q & A

Why do people still read even though it's often said that they don't read as much?

People still read frequently, but they use different devices, such as Kindles, tablets, phones, and computers, instead of traditional books. The form of reading has changed, but the act of reading is still very much alive.

What is the basic process our brain uses when reading?

Our brains follow a process where we set reading goals based on our purpose, recognize individual words, and use grammar to understand the meaning of the text. Over time, the more we read, the more we improve our comprehension.

How does our reading strategy change when we read longer texts?

When reading longer texts, we adjust our reading approach based on the purpose. We might read quickly to get a general idea or look for specific information, or we may read very carefully to fully understand the topic.

What should a reading comprehension test aim to be?

A reading comprehension test should be relevant, meaningful, and authentic to the purpose for which it is designed. The tasks should align with real-world reading situations to ensure accuracy and practical applicability.

What is an example of a real-life reading task that could be used in a test?

An example would be testing someone's ability to read a bus timetable and find the appropriate time to travel. This test would require them to use the timetable effectively to find the relevant information.

What factors should be considered when choosing texts for a reading test?

The texts should be at an appropriate difficulty level, long enough to provide sufficient detail, and culturally neutral to avoid causing offense. Test takers should rely on the text for information rather than background knowledge.

What types of tasks are commonly used in reading tests?

Common tasks include choosing the correct answer from multiple options, summarizing paragraphs, filling in missing words in a text, answering short questions, and interpreting information presented in graphic form like charts or tables.

What is the reading into writing task?

The reading into writing task involves reading one or more texts and then summarizing the content in the test taker's own words. This task is becoming increasingly popular in reading assessments.

Why is it important to ensure clear instructions in a reading test?

Clear instructions are essential so that test takers know exactly what is expected of them for each task. This helps avoid confusion and ensures the test is fair and accurately reflects their reading ability.

What should be done when scoring a reading test?

When scoring, it's important to ensure there is a clear correct answer for each question, and that markers agree on acceptable answers for short responses. For longer answers, guidelines should be set on whether to deduct marks for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.