READING COMPREHENSION
ASSESSMENTS
two parallel assessments
DETAILS
RATIONALE
Fully understanding text requires close, intelligent reading.
For many readers understanding doesn't come easy.
Even the seemingly best readers have some difficulties.
We need in-depth data about a student's ability to understand text.
An assessment's results should be used to help determine teaching.
PURPOSE
PROBE is primarily designed to be a controlled in-depth interview
to help teachers achieve a greater understanding of:
• how readers engage with text.
• what specific teaching is required.
SUITABLE FOR USE
BY
• specialists
• classroom teachers
WITH
• seven-year-olds to adults – wherever English is being read.
• younger students who decode well.
• students learning to read English as a second language.
SETTING
Individual
CONTENTS (of each kit)
BOOK 1: MANUAL [Guide, Determiner, Answers, Copymasters]
BOOK 2: STUDENT TEXTS [Students' Guide, Determiner, Texts & questions]
OPTIONS FOR USE
OPTION 1: As an Informal Reading Inventory
OPTION 2: Silent Reading Comprehension
OPTION 3: Listening Comprehension
KEY FEATURES
• Forty original texts (no extracts or retold stories)
• Twenty levels (5 to 15.5 years with 6 month overlaps)
• Fiction and non-fiction at every level
• Targeted, defined comprehension questions (see below)
LANGUAGE FEATURES
To reduce bias and enable the assessor to more accurately evaluate the reader’s ability
to draw on the information contained in the texts, they are, as much as possible:
• written in Standard International English.
• culturally and geographically non-specific.
As this is an assessment of a reader’s ability to decode and comprehend text, there are:
• no pictures
• limited title clues.
FAR MORE THAN A NUMERICAL RESULT
If used correctly, PROBE can not only provide raw numerical results,
it can indicate whether a student successfully comprehends at,
above, or below a specific level.
Results can indicate how well a student:
• interprets different question types
• locates and reorganises information
• forms mental images that are close to the author’s intent
• makes simple & complex inferences
• uses context to determine the meaning of specific words
QUESTION TYPES
To read effectively, students must be able to reorganise information,
comprehend the underlying inferences, infer the meaning of unfamiliar
or unknown words from context, evaluate the text by extending
beyond what is given and express an opinion based on the information given.
PROBE has six specific question types that address these areas.
literal
reorganisation
inference
vocabulary
evaluation
reaction
Finding information that is given directly in the text.
Reconstructing two or more literal pieces of information.
Deducing information not given directly in the in text
Determining the meaning of unknown words from context.
Gathering information and drawing inferences.
Expressing an opinion based on the information in the text.
VIEW: VIDEO ABOUT TAXONOMY
View a five-minute video from the online PROBE COURSE
defining the six question types and showing their relationship.
READ: ARTICLES ON BEST PRACTICE
Link to articles on best practice using PROBE [in the TRIUNE POST]
SHARE: PROBE STUDENT GUIDE
Pre-assessment slideshow to share with students (as a group) before they are asssessed.
info on changes, events, etc.
PROBE GREY & PROBE BLUE
are the same in every respect
other than having
different stories
Purchase them separately
or as a companion set.
Referred to as a
PROBE DUO
SAMPLE PAGES
PROBE GREY
PROBE BLUE
PROBE GREY
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READ ARTICLES ON:
best practice (using resources)
our perspectives on
learning and behaviour
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