The Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT)
The Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT) is a crucial instrument for reading assessment that aids teachers in gauging their students' reading proficiency and identifying those who need extra support.
A test protocol is typically carried out to determine whether the test is successful in achieving the anticipated objectives. To ascertain the validity and reliability of GORT, Hall and Tannebaum performed a test evaluation. 2556 students from 33 states who had demographics that matched the region as a whole took the exam.
In order to evaluate the validity of the test results, five different correlation coefficients, i.e. alternative forms, were computed. (delayed administration), alternate forms (immediate administration), test-retest, coefficient alpha, and interscorer reliability. The average coefficient alphas for both forms of the test in all the age intervals was more than 90, which is considerably high.
Other tests also revealed a high consistency among scores obtained from the GORT which means that test users can have high levels of confidence in the test results. With regards to validity, the authors also determined that the test provides extensive evidence on three different types of validity – content, construct, and criterion. However, they suggest that the validity of GORT can be strengthened by conducting studies on the response processes of students and examiners (Hall and Tannebaum 8).
The Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
The Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) is usually used to assess a student's word level reading efficiency. This test was evaluated by Hayward, Stewart, Phillips, Norris, and Lovell to determine its reliability and validity as a measure of reading efficiency.
The reliability of TOWRE was determined using three tests: internal consistency of items, test-retest, and inter-rater. In all the cases, it was found that the average coefficients of the scores obtained from the test were above 90 which indicates a significantly high level of reliability.
The validity of the test was assessed in three areas: content, criterion, and construct. In all three cases, the test demonstrated a high level of validity, including reduced instances of bias and a better reflection of small improvements compared to other tests, such as GORT. However, it was noted that stronger relationships were demonstrated between whole word readings skills and text reading and comprehension compared to decoding skills (Hayward et al. 4).
Works Cited
Hall, Anna H., and Rory P. Tannebaum. Test Review: JL Wiederholt & BR Bryant.(2012). Gray Oral Reading Tests—Fifth Edition (GORT-5). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. (2013): 516-520.
Hayward, D. V., et al. "At-a-glance test review: Test of word reading efficiency (TOWRE)." Language, Phonological Awareness, and Reading Test Directory (2008): 1-4.
