Practical Issues in Field Based Testing of Oral Reading Fluency at Upper Elementary Grades
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2012
Originally Published In
Studies in Educational Evaluation
Volume Number
38
Issue Number
3-4
Page Numbers
121–126
Abstract
In this series of studies, we explore the ideal frequency, duration, and relative effectiveness of measuring oral reading fluency. In study one, a sample of 389 fifth graders read out loud for 1 min and then took a traditional state-level standardized reading test. Results suggest administering three passages and using the median yields the highest predictive validity. Study two compared oral reading fluency rates at 30 and 60 s for 815 elementary and middle school students on the same passage. Results indicate that the 30 s measures yield a comparable score. Study three found relatively similar predictive validity of oral reading fluency for 67 fourth- and 125 sixth-grade students on Aimsweb, EasyCBM, and DIBELS. Implications for practice are discussed.
