Formal and Informal Methods for Assessing Reading Development
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Abstract and Figures
This study attempts to shed lite on the concept of cess every bit an essential pedagogical exercise for the comeback of the teaching-learning process. Specially, it stresses the strategies and the techniques that should be used in assessing reading comprehension with reference to EFL classrooms. It describes the kinds of tasks that actually reveal students' reading comprehension abilities and needs. Moreover, this paper aims to illustrate the types and the advantages of assessment for both teachers and learners. More importantly, this study tries to bring equitable evidence of how reading comprehension can be adequately assessed. The findings showed that assessment of reading comprehension is fundamental to English linguistic communication teaching equally it provides teachers with essential information about students' weaknesses, needs, obstacles, and deficits. Thus, teachers can implement the advisable techniques and use the assessment results to amend their classroom instruction and enhance the learning abilities.
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Revista Românească pentru
Educaţie
Multidimensională
2016, Book viii, Issue 1, June, pp. 125-ane47
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
Doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Covered in:
EBSCO, ERIH PLUS, CEEOL, Ulrich Pro
Quest, Cabell, Index Copernicus, Ideas
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How to cite: Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension . Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie
Multidimensionala, viii(ane), 125 -147 . doi: KWWSG[GRLRUJ10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
DOI: ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.0viii
125
Cess of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIBi
Abstract
This written report attempts to shed light on the concept of assessment as an essential
pedagogical practice for the comeback of the didactics-learning process. Particularly,
it stresses the strategies and the techniques that should exist used in assessing reading
comprehension with reference to EFL classrooms. Information technology describes the kinds of tasks that
actually reveal students' reading comprehension abilities and needs. Moreover, this
paper aims to illustrate the types and the advantages of assessment for both teachers
and learners. More importantly, this study tries to bring equitable evidence of how
reading comprehension can be fairly assessed. The findings showed that
assessment of reading comprehension is fundamental to English language teaching every bit it
provides teachers with essential information nigh students' weaknesses, needs,
obstacles, and deficits. Thus, teachers tin can implement the appropriate techniques and
use the assessment results to ameliorate their classroom instruction and heighten the
learning abilities.
Keywords
assessment, reading comprehension, EFL classrooms.
1 Assistant Professor PhD, department of English, University of Tiaret, Algeria.
Habib, One thousand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Revista Romaneasca pentru
Educaţie Multidimensională
126
i. Introduction
Cess is viewed as one of the vital pedagogical practices to
both didactics and learning. It entails a sum of instruments and
techniques which are used in classrooms and assistance teachers accurately
define their learners‟ needs and competencies. In other words, information technology is a
pedagogical and instructive activeness needed to gather data almost
learners so every bit to properly identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Broadly speaking, cess offers opportunities for teachers to
pinpoint their didactics goals and to know the extent to which the
expected goals are attained. Essentially, information technology renders the teaching-learning
procedure more effective and reliable as teachers can adjust their
instruction and link it to the assessment results and student‟s needs. In
other words, assessment is an essential component of classroom
teaching that is designed to observe students‟ weaknesses and demands
in whatsoever learning bailiwick. Appropriately, teachers can make the right
decisions and provide constructive feedback to their learners.
More importantly, classroom assessment should entail effective
techniques and tools that vary according to the teaching subjects and
grades. Certainly, it needs to chronicle to the previously offered courses
because information technology should aim to maximize and enhance southwardtudents‟ skills and
abilities. Actually, it is aimed to reveal what students have grasped and
what they even so need to learn.
As for the assessment of reading comprehension, it involves
several methods and procedures that are intended to display how
adequately leaners are able to read, comprehend, interpret, and clarify
dissimilar types of texts. In this respect, specific reading comprehension
activities tin can be introduced in the EFL classrooms in order to know how
well students are able to build a sound text‟s understanding. Certainly,
reading comprehension assessment should be based on rational criteria
and useful measures.
two. Assessment Divers
Assessment is seen as the exercise of detecting and defining the
students‟ knowledge, understandings, abilities, and skills. Information technology is a
classroom activity used to stimulate learning by collecting data and
offering effective feedback (Blackness &Due westilliam, 1998). In other words,
cess is the procedure of knowing about how students are
progressing in their learning to brand the right conclusion in designing and
Habib, Chiliad. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
127
planning classroom instruction. In this sense, it is defined past Palomba
and Banta as follows:
Cess is the systematic collection, review, and employ of information
about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving learning
and development.
(Palomba and Banta , 1999 : 4)
Definitely, collecting data near students, analysing evidence, and
refining instruction are assessment stages by which teachers can increase
the learning outcomes.
Generally speaking, assessment is considered as a task which
consists of a set of activities that teachers and learners carry out to get
information that can be used diagnostically to correct both education and
learning (Black & William, 1998). According to Carr and Harris
(2001:35): "
Assessment is an integral part of instruction…effective
classroom assessment is relevant to firsthand learning."
Cer tainly , classroom assessment is continued to instruction and
learning for it heightens the quality of education and raises the students
„attainments. In do, assessment depends on different ways to
make the students truly reveal what they have caused and what they
yet demand to develop. This tin be done through gathering information
through tests and exercises, providing useful feedback, setting sound
classroom activities, and weaving the instruction according to students‟
needs. The following effigy describes the procedure of cess:
Effigy 1. Classroom Assessment Cycle (Susan et al, 2005: three)
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/x.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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This wheel shapes the classroom assessment procedure which
focuses on enhancing students‟ performance. It denotes that cess
comprises 4 key steps: clarifying the learning objectives, gathering
information in a diverseness of ways, scrutinizing cess information, and
adjusting instruction. Indeed, teachers should use the evidence to
monitor progress, increase performance, and improve instruction.
Besides, assessment involves the process of evaluating, marking,
and grading students‟ performance. It is viewed as a method of
collecting, synthesising, and interpreting information in order to
diagnose students‟ issues, to judge their academic performance, to
programme classroom instruction, and to respond to students‟ needs (Airasian,
1994). In brief, assessment is defined as being diagnostic, formative, and
summative. These iii components are the statesed together to aid both
teachers and learners determine what should be done to enhance the
education input and the learning outcomes.
3. Assessment VS Evaluation
Assessment is a classroom activity conducted to proceeds information
and to offering a valuable feedback so as to improve teachers‟ didactics
and students‟ learning achievements. It includes learners‟ response which
helps the instructor know about their learning needs and abilities.
In contrast, evaluation is understood as a process of using tests‟
techniques and other measures to judge the students‟ attainments for the
purpose of grading, ranking, and reporting. In other words, it is a
summative action which occurs through exams or quizzes at the end of
a term or a twelvemonth and ends up with ranks and marks.
4. Types of Assessment
Cess can be conducted for dissimilar purposes. In fact,
at that place are iii main types of assessment which occur in dissimilar times,
at different levels, and in dissimilar forms to attain multiple
purposes.
four.1. Diagnostic Assessment
Diagnostic assessment is the procedure of diagnosing learners‟
strengths and weaknesses in the very beginning of a foreign language
course. It greatly facilitates teachers‟ job to tailor instructions, come across the
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(ane), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
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129
learners needs, and helps them programme classroom activities appropriate for
their level.
Certainly, teachers use this type of assessment to reveal students‟
abilities in a detail skill or a programme. Information technology identifies for both
teachers and learners the needs and demands that should be met in any
area of noesis. The strengths lead to a formal consideration and
should exist explored in addressing the weaknesses.
By and large, diagnostic assessment occurs when learners move to a
new learning programme. It happens at the kickoff of a form or a
program in order to develop plans and brand links so as to prepare the
next steps. It is, in another sense, a holistic process during which a
moving-picture show should exist built up about the individual‟south achievements, interests,
skills, and wants. This evidence canorth be translated to teaching practices
and used for planning the courses that best accommodate the learners. Moreover, it
helps teachers to identify the goals and to cull the techniques and the
strategies that enable them to reach these goals.
Additionally, diagnostic assessment securely looks at the specific
needs of learners equally the diagnostic feedback needs to be descriptive and
interpretable so that it can assistance learners have actions to close the gap
between their current competency level and their desired learning goals
(Black & William 1998).
In brusque, diagnostic assessment is an educational strategy used by
teachers to determine the learning and the instructional goals. It paves
the fashion to a continuous formative assessment.
4.2. Formative Assessment
Determinative cess can exist referred to as continuous,
interactive, and dynamic. It occurs and should be carried out in ways that
help learners make a real progress in their learning. It is also an ongoing
generative process which is designed to support learning. Therefore, this
process includes several strategies such equally sharing the learning goals and
the cess criteria with learners.
The distinguishing characteristic of formative assessment is that
its show is used by both teachers and learners (Black 1995). This
ways that it aims at knowing almost how learners are progressing and
where they are having troubles. Information technology also helps teachers to make the
necessary instructional adjustments so as to offer more opportunities to
exercise.
Habib, Grand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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Formative assessment involves designing goals, providing
instruction, measuring outcomes, and giving useful feedback. Really, it
includes the process of appraising, judging, or evaluating students‟ work
or performance and using this to shape and better students‟
competence (Gipps, 1994).
That is to say, formative assessment is a procedure which requires
skilful teachers who tin can better elicit and interpret information for the
interest of their learners to improve both the teaching and learning
strategies. It is characterised by its progressive nature as it can happen at
whatsoever flow of time. Information technology, as well, can be planned or unplanned, proactive or
reactive, formal or informal. As for informal assessment, it is a way of
collecting data nigh learners‟ performance in normal classroom
weather condition. This tin be done without establishing test weather as it is
washed over a menstruum of time. In contrast, formal assessment is carried out
through tests which are used to find out about the learners‟ suitability to
follow a form of a study and to know how learners are progressing in
order to identify problem areas. Through tests teachers can know how
much learners have learned during the class or during the academic
year.
A common misconception is held by teachers and learners akin,
is that a examination is something which is washed at learners rather than
something which is washed by them and for them. In fact, formal testing
should exist seen as a complement to other forms of assessment. In brief,
formative assessment brings the assessor and the learner together in a
process of continual reflection by making clear judgements about the
learning gains.
4.three. Summative Cess
While determinative cess is for learning, summative
assessment is of learning. It provides prove of what learners got at the
finish of a specific term of learning. Furthermore, information technology marks the of import
stages of learners‟ evolution and should be formally recorded in the
class of scores and marks. More importantly, it should exist planned in
accelerate and so that learners tin have enough time to prepare themselves
and gain confidence in whatsoever area they are assessed in or near. In
add-on to this, it is generally used to detect what a learner has
achieved during the plan of the report. Information technology is carried out at or towards
the cease of the course for the sake of knowing if learners take caused
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
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131
the target skill as information technology gives an overall picture of learners‟ performance. The
following table illustrates the departure between formative and
summative assessment:
Table 1. Some Distinguishing Features of Determinative and
Summative Assessment.
-is prepared and carried out by
the class teacher as a routine
part of pedagogy and learning.
-is specifically related to has
been taught ,i.east. content is in
harmony with what has been
taught.
-the information from the
assessment is used
diagnostically; information technology is focused on
the private learner‟due south specific
strengths and weaknesses,
needs, etc.
-is not necessarily prepared and
carried out by the course teacher.
-does non substantially relate
immediately to what has been
taught.
-The judgement about a learner‟due south
operation is likely to feed into
record-ke eping and exist used for
administrative purposes , e.g.
checking standards and targets.
-is frequently externally imposed,
e.chiliad. by in institution or a ministry
of teaching.
Actually, formative assessment is related directly to students‟
learning progress as it aims at providing constructive feedback according
to their weakness and needs. However, summative assessment isouth
concerned with the measurement of the final achievements and levels.
In the form of tests or exams, summative assessment aims at
raising the standards of learning every bit it indicates the extent of success and
the points of failure. Information technology is carried out at the stop of a period of education
so that to brand articulate judgements about where learners are successful and
where they are not in any surface area of knowledge. In short, the most powerful
evidence of learners‟ progress is provided when teachers combine data
from pre-tests and post-tests and provide a summative assessment.
Habib, G. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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5. Reading Comprehension Divers
Reading comprehension is not just a process of decoding texts
and building a particular understanding. Information technology can be viewed equally a process
which involves skills and strategies by which the reader reconstruct
deservedly the message encoded by the author. Grabe describes reading
every bit:
An agile process of comprehending where students demand to
be taught strategies to read more efficiently ( e.chiliad. guess from
context, define expectations, make inferences virtually the text,
skim ahead to fill in the context, etc ).
(Grabe, 1991:377)
That is to say that reading comprehension is a blend of
identification and construal skills. In fact, it is an interactive process
between the reader and the text which pb to a specific comprehension.
In this process, the reader interacts dynamically with the text in order to
appropriately elicit thursdaye meaning and the ideas entailed in this text.
Co-ordinate to Urquhart and Weir (1998: 22): «
Reading is the
process of receiving and interpreting information encoded in
language form via the medium of print».
This means that the
bulletin conveyed by the text is decoded and interpreted through the
vocabulary items, the grammatical points, and the rhetorical structure of
the text. Besides, Anderson (1991) views reading as an dynamic fluent
process which involves the reader and the reading materials in building
meaning.
In addition, reading can exist viewed as a receptive skill in
understanding the words in a written class. It is believed that
understanding the purpose of someone is not just in spoken course only
also in reading. Reading is the adjacent step in writing because through it
learners can sympathise what someone wants to talk something.
According to Nunan (1991:70): "
Reading is a dynamic process in
which the text elements collaborate with other factors outside the text,
in this instance about particularly with the reader'southward knowledge of
content of the text".
That is to say that comprehension does non relate
only on the text content, simply besides on the reader‟s own literacy and
experience. Co-ordinate to Hedge (2000), in order to make sense, learners
need to combine the following types of knowledge:
Habib, Grand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Cess of Reading Comprehension
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133
- Syntactic knowledge: knowing the functions of verbs, nouns,
articles, modals, etc.
- Morphological knowledge: knowing most words formations
including prefixes, suffixes, morphemes, etc.
- Genre knowledge: knowing about texts‟ types and genres such
as scientific and literary genres.
- Full general globe knowledge: this includes background
knowledge, topic knowledge, and sociocultural knowledge
about the reading topic.
More importantly, comprehension is the ultimate aim of reading.
It contains a number of cerebral processes that help students brand
sense of what they read. Indeed, they need to decode words, chronicle
sentences, and use their background knowledge so that they can achieve
an appropriate text comprehension.
half dozen. Research Aims
Assessing reading comprehension skills is an integral part of the
English language educational activity. Therefore, this paper tries to show and
explain how reading comprehension tin exist successfully assessed and to
display the methods and the ways that can be used in this kind of
assessment. Moreover, this inquiry aims to notice the main difficulties
and the obstacles that hamper students‟ text comprehension.
7. Research Methodology
In this study, two wide approaches of research were used:
qualitative enquiry method and quantitative research method .As for the
qualitative research method, information technology is favored by many researchers and has
been adopted in the field of man sciences .Information technology is an approach which is
based on making enquiries ,exploration, and discovery. As McDonough
(1997:53) stated: "Qualitative research usually gathers observations,
interviews, field information records, questionnaires, transcripts, and so
on". Actually, the results, in this approach, address and illuminate the
"why" and try to find answers and solutions.
With respect to the quantitative research method, it is an
approach which is preferred by the fundamental sciences. In fact, it
involves the construction of hypotheses that tin exist measured by
Habib, M. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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134
gathering evidence and evaluating it in an experimental way .Information technology is based
on statistical analyses of large volume of information.
This research was conducted in the form of case study. The main
research instruments in this study have been questionnaires .One of
these questionnaires was designed to arm-twist the views of thirty students
from Bouguirat Secondary School. The students‟ questionnaire entails
questions that sought to 1000ather data most learners‟ attitudes, beliefs, and
needs. The focus of the st udents‟ questionnaire is to achieve an overview
and to find out a clear information about the assessment of reading
comprehension skills.
The second questionnaire was devoted to 10 EFL teachers from
different secondary schools .This questionnaire entails questions that
aimed to collect teachers‟ opinions, worries, and proposals about the
cess of reading comprehension.
eight. Sample Population
The informants are considered as the almost important elements
of whatever inquiry work. Co-ordinate to Gardner (1974), population is a
grouping of individuals who share common characteristics. Polit (2001)
defines population as an assemblage of cases that meet specific criteria.
In this study, the researcher involved two groups of participants; EFL
teachers and secondary school students.
The kickoff grouping of informants entails 10 EFL teachers from
unlike secondary schools. 7 of them are females and three are
males. Most of them accept taught English for more than v years. The
2d group of informants involves thirty students from Bouguirat
Secondary School. Twenty of them are females and ten are males. Their
age is between eighteen and 20. They were randomly selected in order to make
the inquiry more reliable and objective.
9. Main Results Interpretation
The results revealed that the majority of learners are aware about
the importance of assessment in improving their reading comprehension
as they argue that it helps them discover their real abilities. Some of
them experience the stress whenever they are assessed. In this respect, the fact
that tests or exams cause fear to learners cannot exist considered equally a
severe problem only every bit a natural case. As a solution, teachers can set up
learners for assessment in guild to assistance them overcome their fear and
Habib, K. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
135
hesitation. Moreover, they can create a suitable atmosphere past guiding
and advising their learners. In this regard, it is necessary to avert the
assessment tools that disturb learners and do non lead them to
demonstrate their truthful abilities. Therefore, it is useful to ask them most
their preferable assessment means. The students showed their
preferences of the continuous classroom activities as useful assessment
tools. This is due to the fact that this strategy does non impose examination
atmospheric condition and aid students learn without fearfulness or stress.
Undoubtedly, introducing simple classroom activities is an
effective strategy that helps both teachers and learners know the causes
of failure and the way to success without giving marks or rankings. In
fact, through these activities, teachers can alter and improve their
instruction according to the assessment results and learners‟ needs.
Furthermore, although they are considered equally evaluation tools, tests and
exams are essential ingredients to any assessment procedure because they
atomic number 82 learners to consider the importance of learning and increase their
seriousness to exist committed to achieve amend results. In add-on,
assessing learners through tests and exams make them stand up at their
levels and motivate them to get beyond these levels by making more
efforts to achieve higher ones.
Still, in assessing reading comprehension, most of the teachers
apply multiple exam techniques in order to have a clear view about their
learners‟ capacities. In this respect, multiple selection questions, gaps filling,
comprehension questions, and writing summaries are the mostly used
activities.
Actually, the awarding of multiple strategies in the continuous
assessment offer to both teachers and learners the essential information
about the level of comprehension that learners are able to reach and help
them to find the weaknesses, the difficulties, and the obstacles of
learners. In this concern, many of the informants mention several types
of reading comprehensiodue north difficulties that are frequently faced by the
students. The master obstruction that causes reading failure, according to
EFL teachers, is that learners do not possess enough and adequate
vocabulary noesis that helps them achieve a proficient text
understanding.
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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ten. Summary of the Main Results
This study revealed that assessment of reading comprehension is
a vital teaching activeness which can exist conducted for the benefit of both
teachers and learners. Certainly, it involves a number of methods and
strategies that impulse students to disclose their learning skilldue south to their
teachers. Besides, information technology makes learners aware about their weaknesses and
strengths and helps them to seek the solutions to improve their reading
comprehension skills.
Co-ordinate to the results, assessment of reading comprehension
can be conducted in the grade of tests, projects, and daily classroom
activities. Indeed, the construction of simple and well-organized tests
which entail various tasks and activities is of import for this blazon of
cess in order to address students‟ texts comprehensiodue north. Co-ordinate
to the responses, most teachers use activities that include multiple-choice
questions, filling the gap exercises, and reading comprehension
questions.
Moreover, this research shows that assessment has many
advantages. Actually, information technology informs teachers about the learning capacities of
their learners and helps them to offering valuable education to meet their
needs. Besides, information technology helps students to observe their competencies and leads
them to seek useful means to improve their own learning.
Finally, it is worthy to note that learners and EFL teachers gave
important proposals and views concerning the process of assessment
and put their recommendations virtually the role of assessment in
enhancing the whole teaching-learning process.
eleven. Recommendations for Assessing Reading
Comprehension
In order to assess reading comprehension, teachers should utilise
several methods and no single technique can truly measure students‟
reading skills. A reading comprehension test may subsume activities such
every bit: gap filling, curt questions, multiple choice questions, true or false
questions, and aye-no questions.
The advantages of using brusk-answer questions based on a
reading passage in testing reading comprehension is that the answers
should exist sought and expressed past the learner rather than existence offered.
This can ease the testing at higher order skills, such as interpretation and
evaluation, and gives the assessor the opportunity to assume reasonably
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(ane), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/x.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
137
that the learner truly put the reply for no reason other than he has
actually comprehended the text .
The main goal of reading comprehension tests is, co-ordinate to
(Weir, 2005), to measure reading mastery without stressing grammar or
spelling. Nevertheless, in assessing reading, failure to take errors in language
utilise into consideration may lead to the perception that spelling, grammar,
and punctuation are not essential to language learning. Therefore,
reading comprehension cess should target not only students‟
comprehension of a text but also the factors that facilitate or impedeastward this
comprehension .
In order to really cheque students‟ comprehension of texts,
diverse types of questions should be used. In fact, approaches to the
evaluation of reading comprehension have tried to introduce interactive
activities and tasks .The use of questions is an integral part of these
activities and well-designed questions would assistance learners meliorate interact
with the text to build up meaning. Indeed, a combination of
comprehension activities helps learners reply to diverse types of
comprehension. There are numerous methods and forms of reading
comprehension tasks that can be used in assessing students‟
comprehension and stimulating their understanding of a text. These
techniques may accept formal or informal forms. Sally and Katie (2008 )
state some of these tasks:
xi.i. Yes-No Questions
These are questions that should be answered with either yes or
no. However, teachers are recommended to follow upward these questions by
other types of questions to make sure that students have understood the
text as Yes/No questions can be answered correctly by chance.
11.ii. True or Imitation questions
This is some other type of a reading test that is familiar to most
learners .Information technology consists of a text accompanied by a series of statements.
Learners need to decide and mention whether the given statements are
true or false according to the text.
This kind of reading comprehension questions providesouth learners
with a set of sentences or statements. For answering these questions,
learners are required to read the text and find the true and the false
statements without giving answers in a complex written response .They
Habib, Chiliad. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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are good activities for memory of literal details in the text simply they are
limited in assessing specific comprehension skills such every bit making
inferences and meanings. Moreast importantly, teachers should not rely
exclusively on them considering, like Yes/No questions, learners can requite
right answers by take chances without knowing why these answers are correct.
Truthful or False questions need to be carefully designed considering the
simulated answers should target the potential misunderstandings of a text.
Besides, the false answers that sound manifestly incorrect do non help
teachers assess learners‟ comprehension because learners do not need to
understand the text to recognize them as incorrect.
11.iii. Matching
This type is likely to exist less familiar to learners, just increasingly
common. They are used by many assessors. Some of reading
comprehension tests designers may include more than one matching task
in their tests.
For doing a matching chore, learners demand to cull from a list of
prompts. These prompts may be statements, headings, or question
completion .For instance, learners can be asked to match a clarification to
the appropriate paragraph, or to lucifer words and phrases to their
meanings.
eleven.4. WH questions
Wh questions are questions that begin with Wh such as: "where",
"why", "who", "when", and "how". These questions are useful in
providing learners with literal understanding of a text and aid them
recognize information in the text and make evaluations and personal
predictions.
eleven.five. Open up -Ended Questions
These questions are used in standardised assessments .They are
useful in assessing the component skills of comprehension such equally the
ability of learners to brand inferences from the text .In fact, learners are
asked different questions for the reason of testing their memory and
their comprehension of the text .However, it is important to mention
that this form of assessment may take some weaknesses because learners
have to formulate verbal or written responses which may underestimate
their comprehension because of their linguistic communication deficits .
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
139
eleven.half-dozen. Multiple-Choice Questions
This type of the reading job is the nearly familiar to learners. Information technology is
composed of a text which can be of whatever blazon accompanied by one or
more multiple choice items. These choices may be in the form of
statements, a question with answers, or incomplete statements with a
pick of phrases or words .Generally, at that place are three or iv options
and only one of them is the correct one .It is important to take statements
corresponding to specific paragraphs or sections of the text, simply there
may exist statements that assess comprehension of the whole text .
Developing a expert multiple-option question needs a careful
consideration. In fact, a question with four choices works best for
learners with low proficiency in the target language, and one of the 4
choices should audio the right and the desicarmine answer. Literal
comprehension tin can be checked more finer past the use of multiple-
pick questions. As well, they tin as well be used for prediction and
evaluation. However, these questions need to be followed by other
activities to make learners explain their choices.
Generally, this blazon of questions may have one correct answer
when it targets the literal comprehension. Actually, a multiple-selection
format with "wh" question is easier than no-option "wh " question
considering it pushes learners to bank check the text to know if any of the choices
are discussed.
xi.7. Gapped Texts
This kind of reading comprehension test includes texts or
diagrams from which unmarried words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs are
deleted .These filling the gaps tasks can also be used in testing grammar
and vocabulary.
In some tasks, learners accept to determine what should fill in the gap,
while in some others, they are given a series of alternatives for pick
.Where words, sentences, or paragraphs are removed, at that place is an particular
amid the given alternatives that is odd to the text.
Gapped texts offer a task that can be used in testing or assessing
learners‟ reading skills. It can be applied to all types of texts and can be
included in lower-level exams and for learners with low-level
performance.
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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140
11.eight. Proofreading
This kind of tasks includes deliberate errors or mistakes of
different types in the text provided. Despite the fact the proofreading
activities brand part of grammar and vocabulary tests, they tin can also be
used in reading comprehension assessments .In fact, the texts can exist of
whatsoever blazon and, in most cases, is formed of numbered lines .Some lines
may involve an extra, or a misspelt word, or an mistake of punctuation,
while the other lines are correct .At this level, learners demand to read the
text, mark the correct lines, remove the extra words, and correct the
spelling and punctuation errors.
12. Conclusion
Assessment is aimed to maximize and better the teaching-
learning procedure past providing copious opportunities for learners to
discover their weaknesses and to raise their learning standards. This tin
be reached past linking assessment results to classroom instruction and by
providing constructive activities that truly adapt to learners‟ needs.
This study attempted to explore the importance of assessment in
EFL classrooms. Actually, it aimed at bringing some details about the
process of assessment and specifically focused on reading
comprehension as an essential skill in English linguistic communication educational activity. In fact,
it showed that teachers need to assess this skill accurately and fairly
in club to get a articulate view nearly their lea rners‟ needs. Therefore, the
assessment practices should depend on clear criteria so as to indicate and
inform perfectly both teachers and learners virtually their achievements.
Every bit far every bit reading comprehension is concerned, at that place is an
increasing demand for thoughtful and acceptable assessment plans that
include advisable methods and useful tools that determine the learners‟
needs and aid them understand the expectations of their learning. In
other words, this kind of assessment should be considered as a
comprehensive approach that is tailored to the objectives of the
classroom instruction.
Indeed, reading comprehension is a complex procedure that gathers
several inseparable skills which require sufficient time so as to be
perfectly taught and assessed.
Habib, Thou. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Cess of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
141
Acknowledgment
I acknowledge that this paper entitled "Assessment of Reading
Comprehension: Case of EFL students" is original and part of my
previous research nigh cess of reading comprehension skills.
Bibliography
Airasian, P.W. (1994). Classroom Assessment , (2nd edition). New York:
McGraw.
Andeson, North.J. (1999). Exploring 2nd Language Reading: Issues and
Strategies. Boston: Heine and Heinle.
Black, P., & William, D. (1998). Equallysessment and Classroom Learning.
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Do, 5(ane): 7, 74.
Black, P.J. (1995). Tin Teachers Use Assessment to Improve Learning?
British Periodical of Curriculum and Assessment, v(2): five – 11.
Carr, J.F., & Harris, D.Eastward. (2001). Succeeding with Standards
LinkingCurriculum, Assessment, and Action Planning. Alexandria:
Clan for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Gardner, R. C. (1974). Effects of attitudes and motivation on educatee
stereotypes. Alberta Journal of Educational Inquiry, 20, 270-277.
Gipps, C. (1994). Beyond Testing: Towards a Theory of Educational activity Assessment.
London: The Falmer Press.
Grabe, W. (1991). Current Development in Second Language Reading
Inquiry. Tesol Qurterly, 25(iii): 375-406. DOI: x.2307/3586977
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the linguistic communication classroom . Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Mc Donough, J., & Mc Donough, S. (1997). Research Methods for English
Language Teachers. London: Arnold.
Nunan, D. (1991 ) . Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers.
Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall International.
Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning,
Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Polit, D.F. (2001). Essentials of nursing enquiry: Principles and methods.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &Williams.
Sally, B., & Katie, H. (2008). How to Teach for Exams. United kingdom: Longman.
Susan, M., et al. (2005). How to Assess Student Performance in Science: Using
Classroom Assessment to Enhance Learning. (1st edition). Carolina:
SERVE Center.
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8(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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Urquhart, South., & Weir, C. (1998). Reading in a second Language: Process,
Product, and Practise. London: Longman.
Weir, C.J. (2005). Linguistic communication Testing and Validation: An Bear witness-Based
Approach. England: Palgrave Mac Millan.
Appendices
APPENDIX 1
Due southtudents' Questionnaire
Love students,
Y'all are kindly requested to answer the post-obit questions. This
questionnaire aims at gathering information about your views apropos
the reading comprehension assessment. It, also, aims to give you the
opportunity to show your wants and preferences.
.Full Name: …………………………………………
.Age: ..... ……………………………………….....….
.Yr: ………………………………………..........…
.School: ………………………………….........……..
1. How long have you been learning English?
07years 08 years 09 years more
ii.Do you lot call up that reading is an of import skill?
Aye
No
Why?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………..
Habib, Thou. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
143
three. How do yous find the reading material in course?
good Interesting complicated
iv.Do you call back assessment is essential to your learning?
Yep
No
Why?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………..
five. How practice y'all feel when yous are assessed?
At ease annoyed Stressed
Why?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………..
half-dozen. How practise y'all want to be assessed?
Tests and exams Homework Continuous classroom activities
Projects
Delight justify your reply:
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
……………………
7. Does assessment develop your reading comprehension skills?
Yes No I exercise not know
Justify:
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(ane), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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eight.What kind of tasks do your teachers use in assessing your reading
comprehension?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………….
9. Please, land your stance almost the cess of reading
comprehension in the classroom.
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
……………………
Habib, Chiliad. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
eight(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
145
APPENDIX 2
Teachers' Questionnaire
Love teachers,
You are kindly requested to answer the post-obit questions
related to the cess of your learners „reading comprehension skills.
You are also requested to requite your proposals and suggestions well-nigh the
approaches and the strategies which are used to assess reading.
Full Proper noun: …………………
Gender: ……………………
1. How long have you lot been teaching English?
Years
3. What are the advantages of assessment?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………
4. What kind of assessment tools do you prefer?
A-Tests
B-Classroom activities
C-Project
D- Multiple tools
Eastward-Portfolios
5. What test techniques do you apply to assess reading comprehension?
Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/x.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
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A-Multiple choice questions
B-Filling the gaps activities
C-Asking the learners to write summaries
D-Request the learners to explain and discuss the master idea
Due east-Focusing on the reading comprehension questions
F-Focusing on words‟ meanings
6. When yous assess reading comprehension, what kind of difficulties and
obstacles exercise your learners generally come across?
A-Lack of motivation in class
B-Lack of the reading fluency
C-Lack of vocabulary and comprehension
Others:…………………………………………………………………
………
seven. Exercise you apply the cess results in designing your courses?
Yes Sometimes Never
Please, justify your reply:
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………….
8. Equally a teacher of English language, what techniques do you suggest for assessing
the reading comprehension skill?
…………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………….
................................................................................................................................
Thank you so much for your help.
Habib, Yard. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
Assessment of Reading Comprehension
Madani HABIB
147
Biodata
Assistant professor PhD Madani HABIB
I am Madani Habib, assistant professor of English language
at the department of English at the University of
Tiaret in Algeria. At the same time, I am conducting
a doctoral research at the University of Tlemcen in
Algeria. I am interested in pedagogy English every bit a
foreign language at university level. Particularly, I am interested in
teaching the English language linguistic communication skills including grammar, reading,
speaking, writing, and listening.
Habib, Grand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,
8(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08
... Ciertamente, la comprensión es united nations proceso cognitivo muy complejo, como el proceso de medición de la comprensión lectora también lo es (Fletcher, 2006). Sin embargo, se ha medido a través del tiempo por diferentes técnicas: entre las más conocidas y utilizadas se mencionan las de Opción múltiple, Preguntas verdadero-falso, Cuestionario, Preguntas abiertas, Recuerdo libre, Cloze o Resumen (Habib, 2016;Ibáñez, 2012;Pérez, 2005;Rupp, Ferne & Choi, 2006). ...
... La evaluación, a su vez, es una práctica pedagógica ineludible en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. Pero usualmente se utiliza para reorientar las actividades de enseñanza y reconocer el grado de aprendizaje de los alumnos (Habib, 2016), no obstante, poco se percatan de las habilidades y estrategias que los alumnos tienen para comprender un texto escrito. ...
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![Eugenio Elías León Islas]()
- Marisol May López
- Jorge Antonio Chi Tamay
El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el nivel de comprensión de lectura y medición de fluidez en universitarios de origen maya. La muestra se conformó de xxx alumnos, 19 hombres y 11 mujeres. Del total, 36.7% es bilingüe y 63.3% únicamente habla castellano. La media en edad es xx.53 años. Todos cursan el primer semestre de universidad. El nivel de comprensión de lectura se mide mediante un texto de 699 palabras. Se utilizó el coeficiente de correlación lineal. Se obtuvo un coeficiente de r = .862 entre la velocidad de comprensión lectora y la fluidez. Se obtuvo, además, un coeficiente de correlación de r = -.864, entre la fluidez en la lectura y el tiempo de lectura. El idioma de los sujetos no influye en el nivel de comprensión y fluidez. El género influye en el nivel de comprensión, pero no en la fluidez.Recibido: 28 de agosto de 2018Aceptado: 26 de diciembre de 2018
... Specific reading comprehension activities can be introduced in the EFL classroom in social club to know how well students are able to empathize a text. A reading comprehension assessment should be based on rational criteria and useful measures (Habib, 2016), who suggested the following assessment questions: Yes-No questions, True-Simulated questions, Matching, WH questions, Open-Ended questions, Multiple-Pick questions, Gapped text, and Proofreading. ...
- Luis Eduardo Prado-Yépez
- Walter Santiago Mayorga-Benavides
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![Miguel Roman]()
- Magali Janeth Arévalo-Arteta
El siguiente estudio de investigación bibliográfica está orientado a presentar una revisión de la influencia del método de aula invertida en la comprensión lectora y producción oral en el idioma inglés. Este método demuestra brindar mejores oportunidades para que los estudiantes maximicen su aprendizaje en el aula de English language equally a Foreign Language / English as a 2nd Linguistic communication, especialmente en lo que respecta al desarrollo de su pensamiento crítico, niveles de comprensión lectora, desarrollo de la fluidez lectora y motivación, también les brinda a los estudiantes más oportunidades para participar en clase, les ayuda a aumentar su confianza en sí mismos y un efecto positivo en la capacidad de comunicación oral en inglés de los participantes. Además, el desarrollo de la fluidez lectora es fundamental para que los estudiantes obtengan información para mejorar su comprensión lectora y su rendimiento oral. Finalmente, los hallazgos de los artículos revisados indican una influencia positiva de la implementación del método de aula invertida en estudiantes de English language as a Foreign Language / English as a 2nd Language.
... In other words, this kind of cess should be 12 considered as a comprehensive approach that is tailored to the objectives of the classroom instruction. Indeed, reading comprehension is a complex process that gathers several inseparable skills which require sufficient fourth dimension so as to be perfectly taught and assessed (Habib, One thousand. 2016). ...
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Testing Reading Comprehension Skills. A report paper submitted to the Academy of Karbala. College of Instruction, English department about assessing students reading skills. NOTE: Please cite equally: Mostafa Sadik (2020). Testing Reading Comprehension. University of Karbala. College of Instruction, English department. DOI: x.13140/RG.2.two.26720.71687
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![Paul J Black]()
This article discusses two different purposes of assessment: formative cess is designed to back up pupils' learning, whilst summative assessment is designed to review what has been learnt, perhaps to record it in certificates or diplomas. Formative assessment is concerned with the frequent interactions between instructor and pupils which are essential if the teacher's plans can be matched to the learning needs of the pupils. Teachers who are accustomed to only telling pupils, rather than engaging them in dialogue, find it difficult to change. Pupils too have to alter from passive reception to agile engagement in the learning. Formative work can be undermined if pupils or teachers are worry likewise much virtually summative tests; such worry tin can lead them to focus entirely on practising for the tests and non on the good habits of learning which would in fact exist the all-time training for doing well in them.
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![William Grabe]()
Both reading research and exercise have undergone numerous changes in the 25 years since TESOL was first established. The last decade, in particular, has been a time of much first and second language research, resulting in many new insights for reading education. The purpose of this article is to join that research and its implications for the classroom. Current reading research follows from certain assumptions on the nature of the reading procedure; these assumptions are reviewed and general perspectives on the reading process are presented. Specific attention is then given to interactive approaches to reading, examining enquiry which argues that reading comprehension is a combination of identification and interpretation skills. Reading inquiry in second language contexts, notwithstanding, must also have into business relationship the many differences between L1 and L2 reading. From the differences reviewed here, information technology is evident that much more second language reading research is needed. Five of import areas of current research which should remain prominent for this decade are reported: schema theory, language skills and automaticity, vocabulary development, comprehension strategy training, and reading-writing relations. Implications from this research for curriculum evolution are briefly noted.
- P W Airasian
Airasian, P.W. (1994). Classroom Assessment, (two nd edition). New York: McGraw.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304528118_Assessment_of_Reading_Comprehension
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