Preparing Reading Questions: Assessing Reading Skill
Bottom-up: strategies for processing seperate letters, words, and phrases
Top-down: conceptually driven strategies for comprehension
Content and Formal Schemata: background information and cultural experience.
Genres of Reading
Academic Reading
General interest articles (in magazines, newspapers, etc.)
Technical reports (e.g., lap reports) professional journal articles
Reference Material (dictionaries)
Textbooks, theses
Essays, papers
Test directions
Editorials and opinion writing
Job-related Reading
Messages (phone msg)
Letters/emails
Memos (interoffice)
Reports (job evaluations, project reports)
Schedules, labels, signs, announcements
Forms, applications, questionaires
Financial documents (bills, invoices, etc.)
Directories (telephone, office, etc.)
Manuals, directions
Personal Reading
Newspapers and magazines
Letters, emails, greeting cards, invitations
Messages, notes, lists
Schedules (bus, train, plane, etc.)
Recipes, menus, maps, calendars
Advertisements (commercials, want ads)
Novels, short stories, jokes, drama, poetry
Financial documents (checks, tax forms, loan applications)
Forms, questionaires, medical reports, immigration documents
Comic strips, cartoons
Microskills for Reading
Dicriminate among the distinctive graphemesand orthographic patterns of English.
Retain chunks of language of different lengths in short-term memory.
Process writing at an efficient rate of speed to suit the purpose.
Recognize a core of words, and interprete word order patterns and their significance.
Recognize grammatical word classes (noun, verbs, etc.) systems (tense, agreement, pluralization) patterns, rules, and elliptical forms.
Recognize that a particular meaning may be expressed in different grammmatical forms.
Recognize cohesive devices in written discourse and their role in signaling the relationship between and among clauses.
Macroskills
Recognize the rhetorical forms of written discourse and their significance for interpretation.
Recognize the communicative functions of written texts, according to form and purpose.
Infer context that is not explicit by using background knowledge
From events, ideas, etc. infer links, and connections between events, deduce causes and effects, and detect such relations as main idea, supporting idea, new information, given information, generalization, and exemplification.
Distinguish between literal and implied meaning.
Detect culturally specific references and interpret them in a context of the appropriate cultural schemata.
Develop and use a battery of reading strategies, such as scanning and skimming, detecting discourse markers, guessing the meaning from context, and activating schemata for the interpretation of texts.
Strategies for reading comprehension
Identify your purpose of reading a text.
Apply spelling rules and conventions for bottom-up decoding.
Use lexical analysis (prefixes, roots, suffixes, etc.) to determine meaning.
Guess at meaning (of words, idioms) when you arent certain.
Skim the text for the gist and for main idea.
Scan the text for specific information (names, dates, key words)
Use silent reading techniques for rapid processing.
Use marginal notes, outlines, charts, semantic maps for understanding and retaining infoύmation.
Distinguish between literal and implied meanings.
Capitalize on discourse markers to process relarionships.
Types of reading
Perceptive: preceptive reading tasks involveattending to the components of larger stretches of discourse: letters, words, punctuation, and other graphemic symbols. Bottom-up processing is implied.
Selective: this category is largely an artefact of assessment formats. In order to ascertain ones reading recognition of lexical, grammatical, or discourse features of language within a very short stretch of language, certain typical tasks are used: picture-cued tasks, matching, true-false, multiple-choice, etc. Stimuli include sentences, brief paragraphs, and simple charts and graphs. Brief responses are intended as well. a combination of bottom-up and top-down processing may be used.
Interactive: included among interactive reading types are stretches of language of several paragraphs to one page or more in which the reader must, in a psycholinguistic sense, interact with the text. That is, reading is a process of negotiating meaning; the reader brings to the text a set of schemata for understanding it, and the intake is the product of that interaction. Typical genres that lend themselves to interactive reading are anecdotes, short narratives and descriptions, excerpts form from longer texts, questionaires, memos, announcements, directions, recipes, and the like. The focus of an interactive task is to indetify relevant features (lexical, symbolic, grammatical and discourse) within texts of moderately short length with objecitve of retaining the information that is processed. Top-down processing is typical of such tasks, although some instances of bottom-up performance may be necessary.
Extensive: includes texts of more than a page, professional articles, essays, technical reports, short stories and books. (usually read outside the class hour). The purposes of assesssment usually are to tap into a learners global understanding of a text, as opposed to asking testees to zoom in on small details. Top-down processing is assumed for most extensive tasks.
1) Perceptive Reading Assessment Tasks
Written Response
Multiple Choice
1) Memorizing is easier when the material to be learned is .
a) in a foreign language
b) already partly known
c) unfamiliar but easy
d) of no special interest
Picture Cued Items
True/False or Not Given
Matching
Headings
Paragraph Letters
Short Answers
Q: What is the relationship between X and Y
A: husband and wife
2) Selective Reading
Multiple-Choice: for form-focused criteria
Vocabulary-Grammar
1. Hes not married. Hes .
a) young
b) single
c) first
d) a husband
2. If theres no doorbell, please .. on the door.
a) kneel
b) type
c) knock
d) shout
3. The bank robbbery occured .. I was in the restroom.
a) during
b) while
c) which
d) that
Contextualized multiple-choice vύcabulary/grammar tasks
1. Oscar: Do you like champagne?
Lucy : No, I cant . it?
a) stand
b) prefer
c) hate
2. Manager: Where did you put the Johnson file?
Secretary: I think . is on your desk.
a) you were the file looking at
b) the you were looking at file
c) the file you were looking at
Multiple-choice cloze vocabulary/grammar questions
Ive lived in the United States (21) three years. I (22) live in Costa Rica. I (23) .. speak any English. I used to (24) .. homesick, but now I enjoy (25) here. I have never (26) . back home (27) . I came to the US, but I might (28) . to visit my family soon.
21. a) since
b) for
c) during
22. a) used to
b) use to
c) was
23. a) couldnt
b) could
c) can
24. a) been
b) be
c) being
25. a) live
b) to live
c) living
26. a) be
b) been
c) was
27. a) when
b) while
c) since
28. a) go
b) will go
c) going
He showed his suitcase (29) .. me, but it wasnt big (30) .. .. to fit all his clothes. So I gave him my suitcase, which was (31) .
29. a) for
b) from
c) to
30. a) so
b) too
c) enough
31 a) larger
b) smaller
c) largest
Matching
Exhausted a. unhappy
Disappointed b. understanding of others
Enthusiastic c. tired
Emphatic d. exited
1. At the end of the long race, the runners were totally
2. My parents were .. with my bad performance on the final exam.
3. Everyone in the office was .. about the salary raises.
Disappointed
Exhausted
Enthusiastic
Editing
Multiple-choice grammar editing questions
Choose the letter of the underlined word that is not correct.
The abrasively action of the wind wears away the softer layer of rock.
A B C D
2. There are to way of making a gas condence: cooling it or putting it under pressure. A B C D
3. Researchers have discovered that the application of bright light can sometime be uses
A B C
to overcome jet lag.
D
Diagram labeling questions
See the diagram/picture/graphic
Label the diagram/picture/graphic with the number of the corresponding item described below:
1. wire supports extending from the hub of a wheel to its perimeter.
2. a long, narrow support pole between the seat and the handlebars.
3. a small, geared wheel concentric with the rear wheel.
4. a long, linked, flexible metal device that propels the vehicle.
5. a small rectangular lever operated by the foot to propel the vehicle.
6. a tough but somewhat flexible rubbet item that circles each wheel.
Gap filling Questions
Oscar: Doctor, what should I do if I get sick?
Doctor: It is best to stay home and ..
If you have a fever
You should drink as much .
The worst thing you can do is
You should also .
3) Interactive Reading Questions (meaning or form focused)
Cloze Test Questions (fixed-ratio deletion) every 7th word.
The recognition that ones feeling of (1) .. and unhappiness can coexist much like (2) .. and hate in a close relationship (3) . offer valuable clues on how to (4) a happier life. It suggests, for (5) . , that changing or avoiding things that (6) you miserably may well make you (7) .. miserable but probably no happier.
Cloze Test Questions (rational deletion) (prepositions and conjunctions)
The recognition that ones feeling (1) .. happiness (2) .. unhappiness can coexist much like love and hate (3) . a close relationship may offer valuable clues (4) how to a happier life. It suggests, (5) . example, that changing (6) avoiding things that you miserably may well make you less miserable (7) .. probably no happier.
C-Test Procedure
The recognition th-- ones feel--- of happ----- and unhap------ can coe---- much lilove a-- hate i- a cl--- relati------ may of--- valuable cl--- on h-- to le-- a hap---- life. I- suggests, f-- example, th-- changing o- avoiding thi--- that ma-- you mise----- may we-- make yless mise----- but prob---- no hap----.
Cloze-elide Procedure
The recognition that ones now feeling of happiness and unhappiness can under coexist much like love and hate in a close then relationship may offer valuable clues on how to lead a happier with life. It suggests, for example, that changing or avoiding my things that make you miserably may well make you less miserable ever but probably no happier.
Open-ended Reading Comprehension Questions
What do you think the main idea of this passage is?
What would you infer from the passage about the future of air travel?
In line 6 the word sensation is used. Form the context, what do you think this word means?
What two ideas did the writer suggest for increasing airline business?
Why do you think the airlines have recently experienced a decline?
Contextualized Grammar Editing Questions
(1) Ever since supermarkets first appeared, they have been take over the world.
A B C D
(2) Supermarkets have changed peoples life styles, yet and at the same time, changes in
A B C
peoples life styles have encouraged the opening of supermarkets. (3) As a result this, many
D A
small stores have been forced out of business. (4) Moreover, some small stores will be able to
B C D A B
survive this unfavourable situation.
C D
Sentence Ordering Questions
A it was called The Last Waltz
B the street was in total darkness
C because it was one he and Richard had learnt at school
D Peter looked outside
E he recognized the tune
F and it seemed deserted
G he thought he heard someone whistling
Sequencing of Events
Number the events in Mr. Kazis life from 1 to 7
.. He sold his first restaurant at a profit
.. He got a job as a cooks helper.
.. He bought his 168th restaurant.
... He learned to fly a plane.
... He moved to the United States.
... He became the manager of the restaurant.
... He got a job at a car rental company.
Information Transfer: Reading Charts, Maps, Graphs, Diagrams
Assessing Interpretation of Graphic Information
Read a graphic; answer simple, direct information questions.
Map: Where is the post office?
Family tree: Who is Tonys grandmother?
Statistical table: What does p<.05 mean?
Diagram of a steam engine: Label the following parts.
Read a graphic; describe or elaborate on information.
Map: Compare
Store Advertisement: Who has better deals on grapes, MIGROS or CARREFOUR?
Menu: What comes with the grilled salmon entree?
Read a graphic; infer/predict information.
Stock market report: Based on past performance, how do you think GARANTέ will do in the future?
Directions for assembling a bookshelf: How long do you think will it take to put this together?
Read a passage; choose the correct graphic for it.
Article about the size of the ozone hole in arctic: Which chart represents ..?
Passage about the history of bicycles: choose the the blah blah blah
Read a passage with an accompanying graphic; interpret both.
Article about hunger and pollution, with a bar graph: Which countries ..?
Article on number of automobiles produced and their price over a 10-year period, with a table: What is the best generalization you can make about ?
Read a passage; create or use a graphic to illustrate.
Directions from the bank to the post office.
Article about deforestation and carbon dioxide levels.
Story including members of a family.description of a class schedule.
Inferencing
At a concert in Switzerland, 50,000 people gave Vanessa Mae a twenty minute ovation, you can infer from this that ..
a) The audience loved her music.
b) The audience didnt love her music.
c) Her music was very unusual.
1) In the story, John asks his friends for information about Taiwanese customs. What can you infer about his friends?
Evidence Inference
1) Your friend doesnt answer the phone
2)You see you friend drink several glasses of water
3) . Your friend doesnt feel well.
4) .. Your friend isnt hungry.
Scanning: strategy used by all readers to identify rapidly relevant bits of information. Timing can be assessed too.
What is the population of this city? ..
Is there any information about food in this country? YES NO
Is there information about schools in this city? YES NO
4) Extensive Reading
Skimming: process of rapid coverage of reading matter to determine its gist or main idea, it is a prediction strategy giving the reader the sense of the topic, purpose of the text, organization of the text, the perspective or point of view of the writer, its ease or difficulty, and its usefulness.
What is the main idea/topic of this text?
What is the authors purpose in writing the text?
What kind of writing is this? (newspaper article, manual, novel, etc.)
What do you think you will learn from this text?
Who is the audience for this reading text?
Summarizing
Multiple Summary
Tetsuya Saruhashi is from (1) ., but he lived and studied in Canada for a year. Before he went to Canada, he spent a lot of time studying (2) .. Thats why he was able to (3) people when he got to Canada. Unfortunately, however, many Canadians (4) . Understand Tetsuya. This was because he had trouble (5) .. some sounds in English.
1) a) Japan
b) Taiwan
c) Korea
2) a) English
b) French
c) Italian
3) a) understand
b) play
c) talk
Gapped Summary
In 1979 the Geological Survey warned (1) .. to expect a violent eruption before the end of the century. The forecast was soon proved accurate. At the end of March there were tremors and clouds formed above the mountain. This was followed by a lull, but in early May the top of the mountain rose by (2) . People were (3) . From around the mountain. Finally on May 18th at (4) . Mount St.η Helens exploded.
Responding
Outlining
Free-Recall Questions
Free recall
Immediate recall
Tests
Students
Read
One
Text
Put aside
Write
All
Remember
Bachman
Palmer
1996
Exteded production response
References
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