Measures reading achievement.

The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests measure reading achievement in grades K-12. The GMRT is a timed multiple-choice test administered in groups. It is used to place students in remedial or accelerated reading programs, evaluate the programs themselves, and aid in advising students and monitoring their progress. There are seven different levels covering grades 1-12 and two additional early levels for kindergarten and first grade. Level PRE (Pre-Reading evaluation) can aid in identifying concepts with which beginning readers may need extra help. It provides scores in five areas including Literacy Concepts, Oral Language Concepts, and Letters and Letter-Sound Correspondences. Level R is designed to assess the reading skills of children who make less than average progress in reading by the end of the first grade. Level R scores include Initial Consonants, Final Consonants, Vowels, and Use of Context. Test results for these early levels can help in making decisions about whether a child will benefit from a modified reading program and also aid in choosing reading materials and instructional methods for an entire reading group. Levels 1 through 10/12 have three scores each: Vocabulary, Comprehension, and a Total Score. These levels can identify which children need special help with comprehension, vocabulary, or other aspects of reading, and/or further evaluation.

For Further Study

Books

Hart, Diane. Authentic Assessment: A Handbook for Educators. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., 1994.

McCullough, Virginia. Testing and Your Child: What You Should Know About 150 of the Most Common Medical, Educational, and Psychological Tests. New York: Plume, 1992.