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Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Madani HABIB

Abstract and Figures

This study attempts to shed lite on the concept of assessment as an essential pedagogical do for the improvement of the teaching-learning procedure. Particularly, it stresses the strategies and the techniques that should be used in assessing reading comprehension with reference to EFL classrooms. Information technology describes the kinds of tasks that actually reveal students' reading comprehension abilities and needs. Moreover, this newspaper aims to illustrate the types and the advantages of assessment for both teachers and learners. More than importantly, this report tries to bring equitable evidence of how reading comprehension can be adequately assessed. The findings showed that assessment of reading comprehension is primal to English education as it provides teachers with essential data about students' weaknesses, needs, obstacles, and deficits. Thus, teachers can implement the appropriate techniques and utilise the cess results to amend their classroom instruction and heighten the learning abilities.

Classroom Assessment Cycle (Susan et al, 2005: 3)

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Revista Românească pentru

Educaţie

Multidimensională

2016, Volume 8, Outcome 1, June, pp. 125-147

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Madani HABIB

Doi : http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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How to cite: Habib, Thousand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension . Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie

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DOI: ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

125

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Madani HABIB1

Abstract

This study attempts to shed light on the concept of cess equally an essential

pedagogical practice for the improvement of the teaching-learning process. Peculiarly,

it stresses the strategies and the techniques that should exist used in assessing reading

comprehension with reference to EFL classrooms. Information technology describes the kinds of tasks that

actually reveal students' reading comprehension abilities and needs. Moreover, this

paper aims to illustrate the types and the advantages of assessment for both teachers

and learners. More importantly, this report tries to bring equitable testify of how

reading comprehension can be adequately assessed. The findings showed that

assessment of reading comprehension is central to English language language didactics as it

provides teachers with essential information about students' weaknesses, needs,

obstacles, and deficits. Thus, teachers can implement the appropriate techniques and

use the cess results to amend their classroom educational activity and raise the

learning abilities.

Keywords

assessment, reading comprehension, EFL classrooms.

1 Assistant Professor PhD, department of English, University of Tiaret, Algeria.

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/x.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Revista Romaneasca pentru

Educaţie Multidimensională

126

1. Introduction

Assessment is viewed as 1 of the vital pedagogical practices to

both pedagogy and learning. It entails a sum of instruments and

techniques which are used in classrooms and help teachers accurately

ascertain their learners‟ needs and competencies. In other words, information technology is a

pedagogical and instructive activity needed to gather information about

learners and so as to properly identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Broadly speaking, assessment offers opportunities for teachers to

pinpoint their educational activity goals and to know the extent to which the

expected goals are attained. Essentially, it renders the instruction-learning

process more effective and reliable as teachers can adjust their

instruction and link information technology to the assessment results and student‟due south needs. In

other words, cess is an essential component of classroom

instruction that is designed to detect students‟ weaknesses and demands

in any learning subject. Appropriately, teachers can brand the right

decisions and provide constructive feedback to their learners.

More than importantly, classroom assessment should due eastntail effective

techniques and tools that vary according to the teaching subjects and

grades. Certainly, it needs to chronicle to the previously offered courses

considering it should aim to maximize and enhance students‟ skills and

abilities. Actually, it is aimed to reveal what students accept grasped and

what they still need to learn.

As for the assessment of reading comprehension, it involves

several methods and procedures that are intended to display how

adequately leaners are able to read, comprehend, interpret, and analyze

unlike types of texts. In this respect, specific reading comprehension

activities can be introduced in the EFL classrooms in order to know how

well students are able to build a sound text‟s understanding. Certainly,

reading comprehension assessment should be based on rational criteria

and useful measures.

2. Assessment Defined

Assessment is seen every bit the practice of detecting and defining the

students‟ cognition, understandings, abilities, and skills. Information technology is a

classroom activity used to stimulate learning by collecting data and

offering constructive feedback (Blackness &Westwardilliam, 1998). In other words,

assessment is the process of knowing about how students are

progressing in their learning to brand the right decision in designing and

Habib, Yard. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Madani HABIB

127

planning classroom teaching. In this sense, it is defined past Palomba

and Banta equally follows:

Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and utilise of information

near educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving learning

and development.

(Palomba and Banta , 1999 : iv)

Definitely, collecting information about students, analysing show, and

refining pedagogy are assessment stages by which teachers can increment

the learning outcomes.

Generally speaking, assessment is considered as a task which

consists of a set of activities that teachers and learners carry out to get

information that can be used diagnostically to correct both instruction and

learning (Black & William, 1998). According to Carr and Harris

(2001:35): "

Assessment is an integral role of pedagogy…constructive

classroom cess is relevant to immediate learning."

Cer tainly , classroom assessment is connected to teaching and

learning for information technology heightens the quality of instruction and raises the students

„attainments. In practice, donkeyessment depends on different ways to

make the students truly reveal what they have acquired and what they

even so demand to develop. This tin be done through gathering information

through tests and exercises, providing useful feedback, setting sound

classroom activities, and weaving the instruction according to students‟

needs. The following figure describes the process of assessment:

Figure ane. Classroom Assessment Cycle (Susan et al, 2005: 3)

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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Educaţie Multidimensională

128

This cycle shapes the classroom assessment procedure which

focuses on enhancing students‟ performance. It denotes that assessment

comprises four key steps: clarifying the learning objectives, gathering

information in a diverseness of ways, scrutinizing cess information, and

adjusting education. Indeed, teachers should employ the evidence to

monitor progress, increment performance, and improve didactics.

Besides, assessment involves the process of evaluating, marking,

and grading students‟ operation. It is viewed equally a method of

collecting, synthesising, and interpreting information in order to

diagnose students‟ problems, to judge their bookish performance, to

plan classroom educational activity, and to respond to students‟ needs (Airasian,

1994). In brief, assessment is defined every bit being diagnostic, formative, and

summative. These 3 components are the statesed together to assist both

teachers and learners determine what should be done to enhance the

educational activity input and the learning outcomes.

3. Assessment VS Evaluation

Assessment is a classroom action conducted to gain information

and to offer a valuable feedback so as to improve teachers‟ didactics

and students‟ learning achievements. It includes learners‟ response which

helps the instructor know about their learning needs and abilities.

In contrast, evaluation is understood every bit a process of using tests‟

techniques and other measures to gauge the students‟ attainments for the

purpose of grading, ranking, and reporting. In other words, it is a

summative activity which occurs through exams or quizzes at the end of

a term or a year and ends up with ranks and marks.

4. Types of Cess

Assessment tin can be conducted for different purposes. In fact,

there are three main types of cess which occur in unlike times,

at dissimilar levels, and in different forms to accomplish multiple

purposes.

4.1. Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic assessment is the process of diagnosing learners‟

strengths and weaknesses in the very beginning of a foreign language

course. It greatly facilitates teachers‟ task to tailor instructions, meet the

Habib, G. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

eight(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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129

learners needs, and helps them program classroom activities appropriate for

their level.

Certainly, teachers use this type of assessment to reveal students‟

abilities in a item skill or a program. It identifies for both

teachers and learners the needs and demands that should be met in any

area of knowledge. The strengths lead to a formal consideration and

should be explored in addressing the weaknesses.

Generally, diagnostic assessment occurs when learners movement to a

new learning plan. It happens at the offset of a course or a

programme in order to develop plans and make links so as to gear up the

next steps. It is, in another sense, a holistic process during which a

picture should exist built up virtually the private‟s achievements, interests,

skills, and wants. This evidence can exist translated to teaching practices

and used for planning the courses that all-time suit the learners. Moreover, it

helps teachers to identify the goals and to cull the techniques and the

strategies that enable them to reach these goals.

Additionally, diagnostic cess deeply looks at the specific

needs of learners as the diagnostic feedback needs to be descriptive and

interpretable so that it can help learners have actions to close the gap

between their current competency level and their desired learning goals

(Black & William 1998).

In short, diagnostic cess is an educational strategy used by

teachers to make up one's mind the learning and the instructional goals. It paves

the style to a continuous formative assessment.

4.2. Formative Cess

Formative assessment can be referred to as continuous,

interactive, and dynamic. It occurs and should be carried out in means that

help learners make a real progress in their learning. Information technology is also an ongoing

generative process which is designed to back up learning. Therefore, this

procedure includes several strategies such equally sharing the learning goals and

the assessment criteria with learners.

The distinguishing characteristic of formative assessment is that

its evidence is used by both teachers and learners (Blackness 1995). This

means that information technology aims at knowing about how learners are progressing and

where they are having troubles. Information technology as well helps teachers to make the

necessary instructional adjustments then as to offer more opportunities to

practice.

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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Formative assessment involves designing goals, providing

teaching, measuring outcomes, and giving useful feedback. Really, it

includes the procedure of appraising, judging, or evaluating students‟ piece of work

or performance and using this to shape and improve students‟

competence (Gipps, 1994).

That is to say, formative assessment is a process which requires

expert teachers who can improve elicit and interpret information for the

interest of their learners to improve both the teaching and learning

strategies. It is characterised by its progressive nature every bit it can happen at

any menstruation of time. Information technology, also, can exist planned or unplanned, proactive or

reactive, formal or informal. As for breezy assessment, it is a style of

collecting data nearly learners‟ performance in normal classroom

atmospheric condition. This can be done without establishing test weather every bit it is

done over a period of time. In dissimilarity, formal assessment is carried out

through tests which are used to find out about the learners‟ suitability to

follow a course of a study and to know how learners are progressing in

order to place trouble areas. Through tests teachers tin can know how

much learners take learned during the course or during the academic

year.

A common misconception is held by teachers and learners alike,

is that a test is something which is done at learners rather than

something which is done past them and for them. In fact, formal testing

should be seen as a complement to other forms of assessment. In cursory,

formative assessment brings the assessor and the learner together in a

process of continual reflection past making clear judgements about the

learning gains.

4.3. Summative Cess

While formative assessment is for learning, summative

assessment is of learning. It provides evidence of what learners got at the

terminate of a specific term of learning. Furthermore, information technology marks the important

stages of learners‟ development and should be formally recorded in the

course of scores and marks. More importantly, information technology should be planned in

advance and so that learners can have enough time to prepare themselves

and gain confidence in whatever area they are assessed in or nearly. In

improver to this, information technology is more often than not used to discover what a learner has

achieved during the program of the study. It is carried out at or towards

the end of the course for the sake of knowing if learners accept acquired

Habib, M. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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131

the target skill asouth it gives an overall picture of learners‟ performance. The

following table illustrates the difference between formative and

summative cess:

Table 1. Some Distinguishing Features of Formative and

Summative Assessment.

-is prepared and carried out by

the course teacher as a routine

part of teaching and learning.

-is specifically related to has

been taught ,i.east. content is in

harmony with what has been

taught.

-the information from the

assessment is used

diagnostically; information technology is focused on

the individual learner‟due south specific

strengths and weaknesses,

needs, etc.

-is not necessarily prepared and

carried out past the class instructor.

-does not essentially relate

immediately to what has been

taught.

-The judgement about a learner‟south

functioning is probable to feed into

record-ke eping and be used for

administrative purposes , e.g.

checking standards and targets.

-is frequently externally imposed,

e.grand. past in institution or a ministry building

of didactics.

Actually, formative assessment is related directly to students‟

learning progress asouth information technology aims at providing constructive feedback according

to their weakness and needs. However, summative assessment isouthward

concerned with the measurement of the final achievements and levels.

In the form of tests or exams, summative every bitsessment aims at

raising the standards of learning as information technology indicates the extent of success and

the points of failure. It is carried out at the end of a menstruum of instruction

so that to brand clear judgements virtually where learners are successful and

where they are non in any area of knowledge. In short, the nigh powerful

evidence of learners‟ progress is provided when teachers combine information

from pre-tests and post-tests and provide a summative assessment.

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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v. Reading Comprehension Defined

Reading comprehension is not simply a procedure of decoding texts

and building a particular understanding. It tin can exist viewed every bit a process

which involves skills and strategies by which the reader reconstruct

equitably the message encoded past the author. Grabe describes reading

every bit:

An active process of comprehending where students demand to

be taught strategies to read more than efficiently ( e.grand. guess from

context, define expectations, make inferences near the text,

skim ahead to fill in the context, etc ).

(Grabe, 1991:377)

That is to say that reading comprehension is a alloy of

identification and construal skills. In fact, information technology is an interactive process

betwixt the reader and the text which lead to a specific comprehension.

In this process, the reader interacts dynamically with the text in order to

appropriately elicit thursdayeastward meaning and the ideas entailed in this text.

Co-ordinate to Urquhart and Weir (1998: 22): «

Reading is the

process of receiving and interpreting data encoded in

language grade via the medium of print».

This means that the

message conveyed by the text is decoded and interpreted through the

vocabulary items, the grammatical points, and the rhetorical construction of

the text. Besides, Anderson (1991) views reading as an dynamic fluent

process which involves the reader and the reading materials in edifice

meaning.

In addition, reading can exist viewed every bit a receptive skill in

understanding the words in a written form. It is believed that

understanding the purpose of someone is non simply in spoken class only

as well in reading. Reading is the side by side step in writing considering through it

learners can understand what someone wants to talk something.

Co-ordinate to Nunan (1991:70): "

Reading is a dynamic process in

which the text elements interact with other factors exterior the text,

in this case most peculiarly with the reader'southward knowledge of

content of the text".

That is to say that comprehension does not relate

only on the text content, but also on the reader‟southward own literacy and

feel. Co-ordinate to Hedge (2000), in society to make sense, learners

demand to combine the following types of knowledge:

Habib, M. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(ane), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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- Syntactic noesis: knowing the functions of verbs, nouns,

manufactures, modals, etc.

- Morphological knowledge: knowing near words formations

including prefixes, suffixes, morphemes, etc.

- Genre noesis: knowing about texts‟ types and genres such

every bit scientific and literary genres.

- Full general world noesis: this includes groundwork

knowledge, topic cognition, and sociocultural knowledge

about the reading topic.

More chiefly, comprehension is the ultimate aim of reading.

Information technology contains a number of cognitive processes that assistance students brand

sense of what they read. Indeed, they need to decode words, chronicle

sentences, and use their background cognition so that they can accomplish

an appropriate text comprehension.

6. Research Aims

Assessing reading comprehension skills is an integral part of the

English linguistic communication pedagogy. Therefore, this paper tries to show and

explicate how reading comprehension can be successfully assessed and to

display the methods and the means that tin be used in this kind of

assessment. Moreover, this research aims to observe the chief difficulties

and the obstacles that hamper students‟ text comprehension.

7. Enquiry Methodology

In this study, ii broad approaches of research were used:

qualitative research method and quantitative research method .As for the

qualitative enquiry method, it is favored past many researchers and has

been adopted in the field of human being sciences .It is an arroyo which is

based on making enquiries ,exploration, and discovery. Every bit McDonough

(1997:53) stated: "Qualitative research normally gathers observations,

interviews, field data records, questionnaires, transcripts, and and then

on". Actually, the results, in this approach, address and illuminate the

"why" and endeavor to find answers and solutions.

With respect to the quantitative research method, it is an

approach which is preferred by the fundamental sciences. In fact, information technology

involves the construction of hypotheses that tin can exist measured by

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Revista Romaneasca pentru

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134

gathering evidence and evaluating it in an experimental mode .It is based

on statistical analyses of big book of information.

This research was conducted in the form of case study. The main

inquiry instruments in this report accept been questionnaires .One of

these questionnaires was designed to arm-twist the views of thirty students

from Bouguirat Secondary School. The students‟ questionnaire entails

questions that sought to gather information nigh learners‟ attitudes, beliefs, and

needs. The focus of the st udents‟ questionnaire is to accomplish an overview

and to find out a clear information almost the assessment of reading

comprehension skills.

The second questionnaire was devoted to ten EFL teachers from

unlike secondary schools .This questionnaire entails questions that

aimed to collect teachers‟ opinions, worries, and proposals about the

assessment of reading comprehension.

eight. Sample Population

The informants are considered as the most of import elements

of any enquiry work. According to Gardner (1974), population is a

group of individuals who share common characteristics. Polit (2001)

defines population every bit an aggregation of cases that meet specific criteria.

In this study, the researcher involved two groups of participants; EFL

teachers and secondary school students.

The start group of informants entails ten EFL teachers from

different secondary schools. Seven of them are females and three are

males. Most of them have taught English for more than than five years. The

2nd group of informants involves thirty students from Bouguirat

Secondary School. Twenty of them are females and 10 are males. Their

historic period is between 18 and twenty. They were randomly selected in order to brand

the research more reliable and objective.

ix. Chief Results Estimation

The results revealed that the majority of learners are enlightened about

the importance of assessment in improving their reading comprehension

equally they argue that it helps them discover their real abilities. Some of

them feel the stress whenever they are assessed. In this respect, the fact

that tests or exams cause fear to learners cannot exist considered as a

astringent problem but as a natural instance. Every bit a solution, teachers can prepare

learners for cess in order to assist them overcome their fear and

Habib, Thou. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(i), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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135

hesitation. Moreover, they tin can create a suitable atmosphere past guiding

and advising their learners. In this regard, information technology is necessary to avert the

cess tools that disturb learners and practise non lead them to

demonstrate their true abilities. Therefore, it is useful to ask them about

their preferable assessment means. The students showed their

preferences of the continuous classroom activities as useful assessment

tools. This is due to the fact that this strategy does not impose test

conditions and assistance students learn without fear or stress.

Undoubtedly, introducing simple classroom activities is an

effective strategy that helps both teachers and learners know the causes

of failure and the way to success without giving marks or rankings. In

fact, through these activities, teachers can alter and improve their

educational activity according to the assessment results and learners‟ needs.

Furthermore, although they are considered as evaluation tools, tests and

exams are essential ingredients to whatsoever cess procedure considering they

lead learners to consider the importance of learning and increase their

seriousness to be committed to attain amend results. In addition,

assessing learners through tests and exams brand them stand at their

levels and motivate them to go beyond these levels by making more

efforts to reach higher ones.

Notwithstanding, in assessing reading comprehension, most of the teachers

use multiple exam techniques in society to have a articulate view about their

learners‟ capacities. In this respect, multiple choice questions, gaps filling,

comprehension questions, and writing summaries are the mostly used

activities.

Actually, the application of multiple strategies in the continuous

cess offer to both teachers and learners the essential information

most the level of comprehension that learners are able to reach and help

them to discover the weaknesses, the difficulties, and the obstacles of

learners. In this business organisation, many of the informants mention several types

of reading comprehensionorth difficulties that are frequently faced by the

students. The main obstacle that causes reading failure, according to

EFL teachers, is that learners do not possess enough and acceptable

vocabulary knowledge that helps them achieve a good text

agreement.

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

eight(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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10. Summary of the Main Results

This study revealed that assessment of reading comprehension is

a vital educational activity activity which can be conducted for the benefit of both

teachers and learners. Certainly, it involves a number of methods and

strategies that impulse students to disclose their learning skills to their

teachers. Besides, it makes learners aware about their weaknesses and

strengths and helps them to seek the solutions to improve their reading

comprehension skills.

According to the results, assessment of reading comprehension

tin be conducted in the form of tests, projects, and daily classroom

activities. Indeed, the construction of simple and well-organized tests

which entail various tasks and activities is of import for this type of

assessment in order to address students‟ texts comprehension. According

to the responses, near teachers use activities that include multiple-choice

questions, filling the gap exercises, and reading comprehension

questions.

Moreover, this research shows that assessment has many

advantages. Actually, information technology informs teachers about the learning capacities of

their learners and helps them to offer valuable instruction to run into their

needs. Besides, information technology helps students to discover their competencies and leads

them to seek useful means to ameliorate their own learning.

Finally, it is worthy to notation that learners and EFL teachers gave

of import proposals and views apropos the procedure of cess

and put their recommendations about the role of cess in

enhancing the whole teaching-learning process.

11. Recommendations for Assessing Reading

Comprehension

In order to assess reading comprehension, teachers should use

several methods and no unmarried technique can truly measure students‟

reading skills. A reading comprehension test may subsume activities such

as: gap filling, short questions, multiple choice questions, true or false

questions, and yeah-no questions.

The advantages of using short-reply questions based on a

reading passage in testing reading comprehension is that the answers

should exist sought and expressed by the learner rather than being offered.

This can ease the testing at higher gild skills, such equally estimation and

evaluation, and gives the assessor the opportunity to assume reasonably

Habib, Thou. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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137

that the learner truly put the answer for no reason other than he has

actually comprehended the text .

The main goal of reading comprehension tests is, according to

(Weir, 2005), to measure reading mastery without stressing grammar or

spelling. Yet, in assessing reading, failure to take errors in language

utilise into consideration may lead to the perception that spelling, grammar,

and punctuation are not essential to language learning. Therefore,

reading comprehension cess should target not just students‟

comprehension of a text but also the factors that facilitate or impede this

comprehension .

In order to really bank check students‟ comprehension of texts,

various types of questions should be used. In fact, approaches to the

evaluation of reading comprehension have tried to introduce interactive

activities and tasks .The utilise of questions is an integral part of these

activities and well-designed questions would assist learners better interact

with the text to build upwards meaning. Indeed, a combination of

comprehension activities helps learners respond to various types of

comprehension. In that location are numerous methods and forms of reading

comprehension tasks that can exist used in assessing students‟

comprehension and stimulating their understanding of a text. These

techniques may have formal or informal forms. Sally and Katie (2008 )

state some of these tasks:

11.1. Yes-No Questions

These are questions that should exist answered with either aye or

no. However, teachers are recommended to follow upwards these questions by

other types of questions to make sure that students have understood the

text equally Yes/No questions can be answered correctly past take a chance.

xi.two. True or False questions

This is another type of a reading examination that is familiar to most

learners .It consists of a text accompanied by a series of statements.

Learners demand to decide and mention whether the given statements are

true or false co-ordinate to the text.

This kind of reading comprehension questions providesouthward learners

with a gear up of sentences or statements. For answering these questions,

learners are required to read the text and find the truthful and the imitation

statements without giving answers in a complex written response .They

Habib, Yard. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/x.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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are expert activities for retentivity of literal details in the text simply they are

limited in assessing specific comprehension skills such as making

inferences and meanings. More importantly, teachers should non rely

exclusively on them because, like Yes/No questions, learners can give

right answers by chance without knowing why these answers are correct.

True or False questions need to be advisedly designed because the

fake answers should target the potential misunderstandings of a text.

Besides, the false answers that sound evidently incorrect exercise not assistance

teachers appraise learners‟ comprehension because learners practice not need to

understand the text to recognize them as incorrect.

xi.3. Matching

This blazon is likely to be less familiar to learners, merely increasingly

common. They are used by many assessors. Some of reading

comprehension tests designers may include more than one matching task

in their tests.

For doing a matching task, learners need to cull from a listing of

prompts. These prompts may be statements, headings, or question

completion .For case, learners tin exist asked to match a clarification to

the appropriate paragraph, or to match words and phrases to their

meanings.

11.4. WH questions

Wh questions are questions that begin with Wh such equally: "where",

"why", "who", "when", and "how". These questions are useful in

providing learners with literal understanding of a text and assist them

recognize information in the text and make evaluations and personal

predictions.

11.5. Open -Ended Questions

These questions are used in standardised assessments .They are

useful in assessing the component skills of comprehension such as the

ability of learners to make inferences from the text .In fact, learners are

asked different questions for the reason of testing their retentiveness and

their comprehension of the text .Even so, it is important to mention

that this course of assessment may have some weaknesses because learners

take to formulate verbal or written responses which may underestimate

their comprehension because of their language deficits .

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

eight(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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139

11.half-dozen. Multiple-Choice Questions

This type of the reading task is the most familiar to learners. It is

composed of a text which can be of whatsoever blazon accompanied by i or

more than multiple selection items. These choices may be in the form of

statements, a question with answers, or incomplete statements with a

selection of phrases or words .Generally, there are three or four options

and merely one of them is the right 1 .Information technology is important to have statements

corresponding to specific paragraphs or sections of the text, simply there

may be statements that assess comprehension of the whole text .

Developing a practiced multiple-choice question needs a conscientious

consideration. In fact, a question with 4 choices works best for

learners with low proficiency in the target language, and 1 of the four

choices should sound the right and the desiscarlet answer. Literal

comprehension tin can be checked more effectively by the use of multiple-

choice questions. Besides, they tin also be used for prediction and

evaluation. However, these questions need to be followed by other

activities to make learners explain their choices.

Generally, this blazon of questions may take 1 right respond

when it targets the literal comprehension. Actually, a multiple-choice

format with "wh" question is easier than no-choice "wh " question

considering it pushes learners to check the text to know if any of the choices

are discussed.

11.7. Gapped Texts

This kind of reading comprehension examination includes texts or

diagrams from which unmarried words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs are

deleted .These filling the gaps tasks can also be used in testing grammar

and vocabulary.

In some tasks, learners accept to make up one's mind what should fill in the gap,

while in some others, they are given a series of alternatives for selection

.Where words, sentences, or paragraphs are removed, there is an item

among the given alternatives that is odd to the text.

Gapped texts offer a chore that tin be used in testing or assessing

learners‟ reading skills. It can exist applied to all types of texts and can exist

included in lower-level exams and for learners with low-levefifty

operation.

Habib, Grand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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eleven.8. Proofreading

This kind of tasks includes deliberate errors or mistakes of

different types in the text provided. Despite the fact the proofreading

activities make office of grammar and vocabulary tests, they can also be

used in reading comprehension assessments .In fact, the texts tin can exist of

any type and, in nigh cases, is formed of numbered lines .Some lines

may involve an extra, or a misspelt word, or an error of punctuation,

while the other lines are correct .At this level, learners need to read the

text, mark the right lines, remove the extra words, and right the

spelling and punctuation errors.

12. Decision

Assessment is aimed to maximize and improve the teaching-

learning process by providing copious opportunities for learners to

discover their weaknesses and to enhance their learning standards. This can

be reached by linking assessment results to classroom teaching and by

providing constructive activities that truly conform to learners‟ needs.

This study attempted to explore the importance of assessment in

EFL classrooms. Really, information technology aimed at bringing some details nigh the

procedure of assessment and specifically focused on reading

comprehension every bit an essential skill in English linguistic communication teaching. In fact,

it showed that teachers demand to assess this skill accurately and adequately

in order to get a clear view about their lea rners‟ needs. Therefore, the

assessment practices should depend on clear criteria then as to indicate and

inform perfectly both teachers and learners almost their achievements.

Every bit far as reading comprehension is concerned, at that place is an

increasing demand for thoughtful and adequate cess plans that

include advisable methods and useful tools that decide the learners‟

needs and help them sympathise the expectations of their learning. In

other words, this kind of assessment should be considered as a

comprehensive approach that is tailored to the objectives of the

classroom didactics.

Indeed, reading comprehension is a circuitous process that gathers

several inseparable skills which require sufficient time so as to be

perfectly taught and assessed.

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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141

Acknowledgment

I acknowledge that this paper entitled "Assessment of Reading

Comprehension: Case of EFL students" is original and role of my

previous research well-nigh assessment of reading comprehension skills.

Bibliography

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McGraw.

Andeson, North.J. (1999). Exploring Second Language Reading: Bug and

Strategies. Boston: Heine and Heinle.

Blackness, P., & William, D. (1998). Assessment and Courseroom Learning.

Assessment in Educational activity: Principles, Policy and Exercise, 5(1): vii, 74.

Blackness, P.J. (1995). Tin can Teachers Utilise Cess to Improve Learning?

British Periodical of Curriculum and Assessment, 5(2): 5 – 11.

Carr, J.F., & Harris, D.E. (2001). Succeeding with Standards

LinkingCurriculum, Assessment, and Action Planning. Alexandria:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gardner, R. C. (1974). Effects of attitudes and motivation on educatee

stereotypes. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 20, 270-277.

Gipps, C. (1994). Beyond Testing: Towards a Theory of Pedagogy Assessment.

London: The Falmer Press.

Grabe, W. (1991). Current Evolution in Second Language Reading

Research. Tesol Qurterly, 25(iii): 375-406. DOI: 10.2307/3586977

Hedge, T. (2000). Education and learning in the language classroom . Oxford:

Oxford University Printing.

Mc Donough, J., & Mc Donough, South. (1997). Inquiry Methods for English language

Language Teachers. London: Arnold.

Nunan, D. (1991 ) . Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers.

Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall International.

Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning,

Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Polit, D.F. (2001). Essentials of nursing research: Principles and methods.

Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &Williams.

Emerge, B., & Katie, H. (2008). How to Teach for Exams. United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland: Longman.

Susan, One thousand., et al. (2005). How to Assess Student Performance in Scientific discipline: Using

Classroom Assessment to Enhance Learning. (1st edition). Carolina:

SERVE Center.

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Educaţie Multidimensională

142

Urquhart, Due south., & Weir, C. (1998). Reading in a second Language: Process,

Production, and Practise. London: Longman.

Weir, C.J. (2005). Language Testing and Validation: An Evidence-Based

Arroyo. England: Palgrave Mac Millan.

Appendices

APPENDIX 1

Students' Questionnaire

Dear students,

Y'all are kindly requested to answer the following questions. This

questionnaire aims at gathering information about your views apropos

the reading comprehension assessment. It, likewise, aims to give you the

opportunity to show your wants and preferences.

.Full Name: …………………………………………

.Age: ..... ……………………………………….....….

.Yr: ………………………………………..........…

.School: ………………………………….........……..

1. How long have you lot been learning English?

07years 08 years 09 years more

2.Do you retrieve that reading is an important skill?

Yep

No

Why?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………..

Habib, M. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

Madani HABIB

143

iii. How do you find the reading textile in class?

good Interesting complicated

four.Practise you recall cess is essential to your learning?

Yes

No

Why?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………..

five. How do you feel when you are assessed?

At ease bellyaching Stressed

Why?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………..

half dozen. How do you lot want to be assessed?

Tests and exams Homework Continuous classroom activities

Projects

Delight justify your answer:

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

……………………

7. Does assessment develop your reading comprehension skills?

Yeah No I do non know

Justify:

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………

Habib, M. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(one), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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8.What kind of tasks do your teachers use in assessing your reading

comprehension?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………….

9. Please, country your opinion about the assessment of reading

comprehension in the classroom.

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

……………………

Habib, 1000. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

viii(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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145

APPENDIX 2

Teachers' Questionnaire

Dear teachers,

You are kindly requested to reply the following questions

related to the assessment of your learners „reading comprehension skills.

Yous are as well requested to give your proposals and suggestions about the

approaches and the strategies which are used to assess reading.

Total Name: …………………

Gender: ……………………

1. How long have yous been education English?

Years

three. What are the advantages of assessment?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………

iv. What kind of assessment tools do you prefer?

A-Tests

B-Classroom activities

C-Project

D- Multiple tools

Eastward-Portfolios

5. What test techniques do you apply to appraise reading comprehension?

Habib, One thousand. (2016). Assessment of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

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A-Multiple choice questions

B-Filling the gaps activities

C-Request the learners to write summaries

D-Request the learners to explain and discuss the master thought

E-Focusing on the reading comprehension questions

F-Focusing on words‟ meanings

6. When you assess reading comprehension, what kind of difficulties and

obstacles do your learners generally run across?

A-Lack of motivation in class

B-Lack of the reading fluency

C-Lack of vocabulary and comprehension

Others:…………………………………………………………………

………

7. Do you employ the assessment results in designing your courses?

Yes Sometimes Never

Delight, justify your answer:

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………….

viii. Every bit a instructor of English, what techniques practise yous propose for assessing

the reading comprehension skill?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………….

................................................................................................................................

Thanks then much for your assistance.

Habib, Thou. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

8(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

Assessment of Reading Comprehension

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Biodata

Banana professor PhD Madani HABIB

I am Madani Habib, assistant professor of English

at the department of English at the University of

Tiaret in Algeria. At the same time, I am conducting

a doctoral research at the University of Tlemcen in

Algeria. I am interested in pedagogy English as a

foreign linguistic communication at academy level. Particularly, I am interested in

education the English language skills including grammar, reading,

speaking, writing, and listening.

Habib, Yard. (2016). Cess of Reading Comprehension. Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala,

eight(1), 125-147. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ten.18662/rrem/2016.0801.08

... Ciertamente, la comprensión es un proceso cognitivo muy complejo, como el proceso de medición de la comprensión lectora también lo es (Fletcher, 2006). Sin embargo, se ha medido a través del tiempo por diferentes técnicas: entre las más conocidas y utilizadas se mencionan las de Opción múltiple, Preguntas verdadero-falso, Cuestionario, Preguntas abiertas, Recuerdo libre, Cloze o Resumen (Habib, 2016;Ibáñez, 2012;Pérez, 2005;Rupp, Ferne & Choi, 2006). ...

... La evaluación, a su vez, es una práctica pedagógica ineludible en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. Pero usualmente se utiliza para reorientar las actividades de enseñanza y reconocer el grado de aprendizaje de los alumnos (Habib, 2016), no obstante, poco se percatan de las habilidades y estrategias que los alumnos tienen para comprender un texto escrito. ...

  • Eugenio Elías León Islas Eugenio Elías León Islas
  • Marisol May López
  • Jorge Antonio Chi Tamay

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el nivel de comprensión de lectura y medición de fluidez en universitarios de origen maya. La muestra se conformó de 30 alumnos, 19 hombres y 11 mujeres. Del total, 36.7% es bilingüe y 63.3% únicamente habla castellano. La media en edad es 20.53 años. Todos cursan el primer semestre de universidad. El nivel de comprensión de lectura se mide mediante united nations texto de 699 palabras. Se utilizó el coeficiente de correlación lineal. Se obtuvo un coeficiente de r = .862 entre la velocidad de comprensión lectora y la fluidez. Se obtuvo, además, un coeficiente de correlación de r = -.864, entre la fluidez en la lectura y el tiempo de lectura. El idioma de los sujetos no influye en el nivel de comprensión y fluidez. El género influye en el nivel de comprensión, pero no en la fluidez.Recibido: 28 de agosto de 2018Aceptado: 26 de diciembre de 2018

... Specific reading comprehension activities tin be introduced in the EFL classroom in order to know how well students are able to understand a text. A reading comprehension cess should be based on rational criteria and useful measures (Habib, 2016), who suggested the following assessment questions: Yes-No questions, True-False questions, Matching, WH questions, Open up-Ended questions, Multiple-Choice questions, Gapped text, and Proofreading. ...

  • Luis Eduardo Prado-Yépez
  • Walter Santiago Mayorga-Benavides
  • Miguel Roman Miguel Roman
  • Magali Janeth Arévalo-Arteta

El siguiente estudio de investigación bibliográfica está orientado a presentar una revisión de la influencia del método de aula invertida en la comprensión lectora y producción oral en el idioma inglés. Este método demuestra brindar mejores oportunidades para que los estudiantes maximicen su aprendizaje en el aula de English language as a Strange Language / English as a 2nd Language, especialmente en lo que respecta al desarrollo de su pensamiento crítico, niveles de comprensión lectora, desarrollo de la fluidez lectora y motivación, también les brinda a los estudiantes más oportunidades para participar en clase, les ayuda a aumentar su confianza en sí mismos y un efecto positivo en la capacidad de comunicación oral en inglés de los participantes. Además, el desarrollo de la fluidez lectora es fundamental para que los estudiantes obtengan información para mejorar su comprensión lectora y su rendimiento oral. Finalmente, los hallazgos de los artículos revisados indican una influencia positiva de la implementación del método de aula invertida en estudiantes de English equally a Foreign Language / English equally a Second Linguistic communication.

... In other words, this kind of assessment should exist 12 considered as a comprehensive approach that is tailored to the objectives of the classroom instruction. Indeed, reading comprehension is a complex process that gathers several inseparable skills which require sufficient time so every bit to be perfectly taught and assessed (Habib, Chiliad. 2016). ...

  • Mostafa Sadik Khaleel Mostafa Sadik Khaleel
  • Khaleel ‫خليل‬
  • صادق حامد مصطفى

Testing Reading Comprehension Skills. A report paper submitted to the University of Karbala. Higher of Education, English language department near assessing students reading skills. NOTE: Delight cite every bit: Mostafa Sadik (2020). Testing Reading Comprehension. University of Karbala. College of Education, English department. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26720.71687

  • Paul J Black Paul J Black

This commodity discusses two unlike purposes of assessment: determinative assessment is designed to support pupils' learning, whilst summative assessment is designed to review what has been learnt, possibly to tape it in certificates or diplomas. Formative assessment is concerned with the frequent interactions betwixt teacher and pupils which are essential if the instructor's plans can exist matched to the learning needs of the pupils. Teachers who are accustomed to simply telling pupils, rather than engaging them in dialogue, notice information technology hard to change. Pupils also have to alter from passive reception to active engagement in the learning. Determinative work can be undermined if pupils or teachers are worry too much near summative tests; such worry tin can atomic number 82 them to focus entirely on practising for the tests and not on the skillful habits of learning which would in fact be the best preparation for doing well in them.

  • William Grabe William Grabe

Both reading enquiry and practice have undergone numerous changes in the 25 years since TESOL was first established. The terminal decade, in particular, has been a fourth dimension of much get-go and second language enquiry, resulting in many new insights for reading teaching. The purpose of this commodity is to bring together that research and its implications for the classroom. Current reading research follows from sure assumptions on the nature of the reading process; these assumptions are reviewed and general perspectives on the reading process are presented. Specific attention is so given to interactive approaches to reading, examining research which argues that reading comprehension is a combination of identification and interpretation skills. Reading research in 2nd linguistic communication contexts, however, must also take into account the many differences between L1 and L2 reading. From the differences reviewed hither, information technology is evident that much more than second language reading inquiry is needed. Five important areas of current research which should remain prominent for this decade are reported: schema theory, language skills and automaticity, vocabulary development, comprehension strategy preparation, and reading-writing relations. Implications from this inquiry for curriculum development are briefly noted.

  • P W Airasian

Airasian, P.Westward. (1994). Classroom Assessment, (two nd edition). New York: McGraw.