Resource 5 - Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery. (2012). Reading recovery. Retrieved from: https://www.readingrecoveryworks.org

        The South Australian Department of Education and Child Development Consultative Draft on ‘Engaging in and Exploring Assessment Tools in Literacy’ provides a current and valuable resource with regard to literacy assessment. This document outlines various literacy assessment tools for the assessment of reading development, the results of which can be used to implement programs for reading development. The focus of the assessment is primarily based on oral language, print knowledge, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, conventions, fluency, and comprehension.

        The assessment tools are comprehensively outlined within this resource, with the use of tables to foster better understanding. The assessment tools are designed to allow for differentiation within programs with tailored intervention or additional support being determined from reading assessments. The document discusses the need for both formal assessment tools and informal assessment tools and when these assessments should be implemented. Information about the acquisition of the assessment tools, together with the provision of further resource papers with regard to literacy assessment in the areas of writing, spelling, phonics, and reading, are outlined within the resource.

        The Australian English Curriculum Content Descriptors with regard to the Literacy Strand involves ‘interpreting, analysing, and evaluating’ and the tools discussed within this resource would assist students of all year levels in these areas. The Content Descriptors for Foundation Year to Year 4 - ACELY1649, ACELY1659, ACELY1669, ACELY1679, ACELY1691, ACELY1650; ACELY1660, ACELY1670; ACELY1680; and ACELY1692 – indicate the validity of the assessment tools outlined throughout the document. This resource correlates tools of assessment to the resources such as ‘Meaning Maker’ and ‘Code Breaker’ from the Four Resources Model, and at the same time has the capacity to align with the ‘Learning by Design’ pedagogy. The fact that this document has been created for the education system within Australia, its accuracy and validity for the assessment of reading in line with the Australian Curriculum, renders this a resource of great value