Why Assess Word Identification in Secondary School?

Prevalence of Multisyllabic Words in Secondary Content Area Texts

One chief characteristic of content area texts is the prevalence of multisyllabic words. Since the academic content areas are the heart of the secondary school curriculum, students must master multisyllabic word reading if they are to be prepared for college and career.

Some Secondary Students Require Instruction in Word Identification

Proficient readers possess skill in three distinct yet interrelated areas: word identification, vocabulary, and comprehension. When a student is struggling to read, it is often difficult for teachers to discern which of these areas may be causing the greatest difficulty. While there are many assessments for secondary teachers to choose from if they wish to measure student proficiency in vocabulary or comprehension, word identification skills are generally overlooked at the secondary level.

Word ID Assessments Are …

Easy to use
Quickly administered
Formative
Discipline-specific

CCSS aligned
Reliable
Flexible
Cost-effective

Word ID Assessments Can Be Used in …

Middle schools
High schools
Upper elementary
Tutoring centers
RtI systems

Pre-service teaching programs
Professional development courses
College developmental reading courses
College tutoring centers
Adult literacy programs

Word ID Assessments Can Be Used by …

Content area teachers
Special educators
Resource specialists
Literacy coaches
Instructional coaches

Paraprofessionals
Tutors
College reading instructors
Teacher educators
Adult education teachers
Homeschooling parents

Literacy crisis