Abstract
An effective reading comprehension measurement demands robust psychometric tools that allow teachers and researchers to evaluate the educational practices and track changes in students’ performance. In this study, we illustrate how Rasch model can be used to attend such demands and improve reading comprehension measurement. We discuss the construction of two reading comprehension tests: TRC-n, with narrative texts, and TRC-e, with expository texts. Three vertically scaled forms were generated for each test (TRC-n-2, TRC-n-3, TRC-n-4; TRC-e-2, TRC-e-3 and TRC-e-4), each meant to assess Portuguese students in second, third and fourth grade of elementary school. The tests were constructed according to a nonequivalent groups with anchor test design and data were analyzed using the Rasch model. The results provided evidence for good psychometric qualities for each test form, including unidimensionality and local independence and adequate reliability. A critical view of this study and future researches are discussed.
Highlights
When developing robust reading comprehension tests, researchers must consider the specific challenges concerning the assessment of a skill that is expected to develop over the course of schooling (Taylor et al 2005; Taylor & Pearson, 2005) and that is directly related to the development of other skills, including listening comprehension, word reading, vocabulary knowledge and general cognitive abilities (Cain, 2010)
The goal of this study was to provide an application of the Rasch model analyses in the construction of two reading comprehension tests with vertically scaled test forms
Through the Rasch model analyses, in conjunction with the analysis of the items’ content, it was possible to select to each test a set of items with good psychometric characteristics
Summary
When developing robust reading comprehension tests, researchers must consider the specific challenges concerning the assessment of a skill that is expected to develop over the course of schooling (Taylor et al 2005; Taylor & Pearson, 2005) and that is directly related to the development of other skills, including listening comprehension, word reading, vocabulary knowledge and general cognitive abilities (Cain, 2010). For those reasons, to improve reading assessment quality, it is recommended that reading assessment should allow for the monitoring of the students’ progress across grade levels and the diagnosis of reading difficulties (Cain, 2010). These two reading comprehension tests were constructed taking into account the recommendations of Santos et al Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica (2016) 29:38 several authors (e.g., Afflerbach, 2004; Eason et al 2012; Hess, 2007; Sweet, 2005) to allow comparisons of results across grades (intraindividual level), as well as within each grade (interindividual level)
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