Our Assessment Program Overview

Assessment is a necessary component to instruction. Assessment tools are used to determine what is working and what should be taught. Reading A-Z provides a collection of easy-to-use assessment tools in several key areas of reading--alphabet, phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, fluency, and comprehension. These tools are designed to help diagnose a student's instructional needs and the effectiveness of the instruction delivered. Reading A-Z also provides a collection of benchmark books with accompanying running record forms to help determine a student's reading instruction level. In addition to the assessment tools offered in this section of the website, there is a Comprehension Quick Check to accompany each leveled book. These quizzes are on the landing page of each leveled book.

Alphabet Assessment Forms

There are four alphabet assessments. Three forms assess recognition of uppercase and lowercase letters. The fourth is a matching exercise where children match uppercase letters with lowercase letters.

The Lowercase and Uppercase Letter Naming assessment includes a graph for plotting the number of letters read correctly by the student. The graph is an excellent resource to track student progress, as well as to build student motivation and self-confidence as gains are made. After each completed assessment, use the alphabet flashcards to provide student practice with identifying alphabet letters before repeating the assessment. The flashcards are provided in both D'Nealian and Zaner-Bloser formats.
Alphabet Assessment Forms

Assessing with Benchmark Books

Running Records and Benchmark Quick Check comprehension quizzes accompany Benchmark Books and are used to assess students' reading skills with instructionally appropriate texts. Use Running Records to record reading behavior. Use Quick Checks as oral assessments to determine students' comprehension. Quick Checks include text-based, inferential, and critical response questions. Reward students' progress with our Benchmark WOWzers.

Comprehension Quick Checks

The comprehension Quick Check is a fast, easy way to assess how well students are absorbing their reading. The Quick Check is a multiple-choice and essay quiz that tests how well students remember and understand the book. Multiple-choice questions cover facts, inferences, and essential comprehension skills such as sequencing and identifying main ideas. Essay questions encourage critical and inferential thinking and often allow students to make personal connections with the text. The Quick Checks will accompany every leveled book from Level C to Level Z and the Monsters and the Hoppers serial books.

High-Frequency Word Assessment Forms

There are two high-frequency word assessments. Both assess a child's ability to recognize and read high-frequency words. The first assessment targets the top 32 high-frequency words, and the second assessment targets high-frequency words 33 through 69.

An accompanying graph is included for use with both high-frequency assessments. The graph is used to plot the number of high-frequency words read correctly. It is an excellent resource to track student progress, as well as build student motivation and self-confidence as gains are made. After each completed assessment, use the flashcards accompanying each form to provide students with extra practice before repeating the assessment.
High-Frequency Word Assessment Forms

Fluency Assessment Forms

There are two types of fluency assessments. The first type has a child perform a timed reading of a series of sentences and then answer true/false statements about the sentences. There are three of these assessments, each with more difficult sentences than the preceding one. The second type of fluency assessment is a one-minute timed reading of a passage to measure the number and accuracy of words read. There is a fluency passage for each level, F through Z.
Fluency Assessment Forms

Phonics Assessment Forms

There are two types of phonics assessments offered. The first type assesses a child's ability to associate a sound with a given symbol, and the second type assesses a child's ability to decode nonsense words. The nonsense word assessments progress from decoding common sounds to less common sounds. For example, the first assessments cover decoding simple CVC words. The later assessments cover blends, long vowels, digraphs, and diphthongs.
Phonics Assessment Forms

Phonological Awareness Assessment Forms

There are several phonological awareness assessments in which children listen for, identify, discriminate, and produce sounds.
Phonological Awareness Assessment Forms

Retelling Rubrics

The Retelling Rubrics allow quick and easy assessment of comprehension. Reading A-Z offers a Fiction Retelling Scoring Form and a Nonfiction Retelling Scoring Form.

Other Assessment Tips

In addition to the assessment forms above, Reading A-Z offers the following techniques for assessment: