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Conventional Assessment – Reading and Writing with Comprehension

The Conventional Literacy assessment consists of 4 tasks:

  1. Word Identification
  2. Listening Comprehension
  3. Reading Comprehension
  4. Three writing samples assessed with the Writing with All Tools Continuum (Farrall, 2022)

The conventional assessment uses Cunningham’s (1993) Whole-To-Part model to determine what is holding each student back from reading with comprehension at one grade level higher.  The assessment is developed by the Centre for Literacy and Disability Studies and consists of four tasks.  The first three tasks use the Basic Reading Inventory (Johns, 2012) as the source for word lists and passages.

Overall Information

The conventional literacy assessment is completed with the student present. On the instruction sheet you will find information on how to complete the assessment. The Word Identification task has two versions – a version with single words for use with verbal students and a version with four words per slide for use with students with Complex Communication Needs (CCN). The Listening and Reading Comprehension tasks have two options – using open ended questions or using multiple choice questions. The open ended questions are for verbal students and students using a robust AAC system. The open ended questions are for students who have complex communication needs who don’t have a robust AAC system. The open ended questions only go to Year 2 – by that period the student should have access to a comprehensive communication system and should be able to answer the open ended questions. There is a student record form for the open ended questions and a separate record form for the multiple choice questions.

Downloads and Materials
Word Identification Resources
Reading and Listening Comprehension Resources
Writing
Document about interpreting the results