Reading Test

Specifying what the students should be

able to do 1- Operations:

- Reading seems to be an easy skill to test. It is not true all the time. WHY?**

- So ??? What is the solution ?****

Generally speaking: reading operations depends on the purpose of reading. It can be

A) Expeditious reading Operations

This refers to quick and efficient reading.

•Skimming

•Scanning

B) Careful Reading Operations

It refers to slow and careful reading.

•Identify topic sentence/outline ideas/…etc

•Make inferences (words/answering wh-questions..etc)

2- Text (WHY ?)

• Text type.

• Text forms

• Graphic features

• Topics

• Style

• Intended readers

• Length

• Range of vocabulary/grammar

Setting the tasksSelecting a text

(Read page 142)

• Writing items

• Possible techniques

Take a minute and think of the different types of questions we can use in a reading

test

Multiple choice items Choose the correct answer:

………………………………………

a) b) c) d)

OR

Choose the picture (A,B,C,D) that this sentence describes “ ……..”.

True and false

Short answer1- Comprehension questions

2- Find a synonyms/ antonym

3- Identify facts and opinions

4- Inferences questions (write about the implication of what you read)

5- Find a suitable title

(Check pages 144-148 for further examples)

Gap filling

It is a good technique to test :

- details presented in the text

- scanning

- summary cloze

Practical advice on item writing

In scanning, present items in the same order they are presented in the text.

Don’t write questions for which the correct answer can be found without understand the text.

Don’t include items that calls for general knowledge more than reading comprehension

Make the items independent of each other. (fresh starts)