Thinkfinity Literacy Network: Assessment Across the Life Span

Achieving Literacy Across the Lifespan

The Life Span Literacy Matrix outlines literacy outcomes, appropriate instruments for measuring the outcomes, and effective research-based practices that enable programs and individuals to increase literacy development across the life span.

The Matrix includes information about assessments and key instructional practices for early literacy, elementary school, middle and high school, and adult literacy. It also provides a research base for parent involvement practices in early literacy and K-3 programs. Programs and schools can use the information in the Matrix to ensure that their literacy practices are focused on what has been proven to be most effective to increase learner outcomes.

Click here to download the Life Span Literacy Matrix.

Or, read below to learn about the standardized assessments described in the matrix.

Children's Early Literacy Measures

Battelle Developmental Inventory - Second Edition - The BDI-2 is an individualized assessment that may be used for a variety of purposes, including diagnosis, eligibility, determination of discrepancies, reevaluation, and instructional planning. Download

Clay's Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement (Revised, Second Edition) — The Observation Survey is designed to help classroom teachers become better observers of young childre who are learning to read and write. Download

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamental - Preschool - Second Edition — CELF Preschool-2 is a language assessment to comprehensively test the language skills of preschool children who will be in an academic-oriented setting. Download

Developing Skills Checklist (DSC) — The DSC evaluates the skills that children develop from Prekindergarten through the end of kindergarten to help determine appropriate instructions for individual children, as well as for groups. It also involves parents in assessment, planning and instruction. Download

Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test - 2000 Edition — The EOWPVT (2000) measures a child's verbal expression of language by asking the child to make word-picture associations. Download

Get Ready to Read! Screening Tool — GRTR is an easy-to-use, 20 question screening tool that helps pinpoint a child's readiness to learn to read and write. Download

Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test — The LAC-3 measures the ability to distinguish and manipulate sounds which is required for success in reading and spelling. Download

MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories — The CDI-Second Edition is a standardized, parent-completed report form designed to focus on children's current behaviors and salient emergent behaviors that parents can recognize and track. Download

Oral and Written Language Scales — The OWLS is designed to assess the receptive and expressive language of children and young adults and can be used to assess learning disabilities. Download

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - Fourth Edition — The PPVT-4 measures receptive (hearing) vocabulary for standard American English. Download

Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening - PreK — PALS-PreK is a scientifically based phonological awareness and literacy screening that measures preschoolers' developing knowledge of important literacy fundamentals. Download

Preschool Language Scale - Fourth Edition — The PLS-4 is administered individually and assesses children's auditory comprehenison and expressive communication skills. Download

Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale — The Scale assesses prevrbal and verbal areas of gesture, pragmatics, interaction and attachment, play, language comprehenison and language expression. Download

Sequenced Inventory of Communication Development - Revised — The SICD-R is individually administered and assesses both receptive and expressive communication. Download

Tesf of Early Reading Ability - Third Edition — Rather than assesseing children's readiness for reading, the TERA-3 assesses their mastery of early developing reading skills. Download

Test of Language Development - Primary - Third Edition — The TOLD-P:3 is individually administered and is designed to measure different components of spoken language through nine subtests. Download

Test of Phonological Awareness - Second Edition: Plus — The Topa-2+ is a group administered measure of children's phonological awareness. There is a version for kindergarten and an early elementary version. Download

Test of Preschool Early Literacy — The TOPEL evaluates the print knowledge, definitional vocabulary, and phonological awareness fo children entering kindergarten or first grade. Download

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test - Revised Normative Update — The WRMT-R/NU is used to identify, specific children's strengths and weaknesses in reading skills, ascertain students' difficulties and their root causes to plan targeted remediation. Download

Elementary School Literacy Measures

Clay’s Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement (Revised, Second Edition) — The Observation Survey is designed to help classroom teachers become better observers of young children who are learning to read and write. Download

Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) — The CTOPP is designed to identify individuals who are significantly below their peers in phonological abilities. Download

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) — The DIBELS measures were specifically designed to assess phonological awareness, alphabetic principle and fluency with connected text. Download

Expressive Vocabulary Test — Second Edition (EVT-2) — The EVT-2 is an individually administered, norm-referenced instrument that assesses expressive vocabulary and word retrieval for children and adults. Download

Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests – Fourth Edition (GMRT) — The GMRT are norm-referenced tests for measuring reading achievement from pre-reading abilities through adult reading. Download

Gray Oral Reading Tests – Fourth Edition (GORT-4) — The GORT-4 helps identify students who are below their peers in oral reading proficiency, diagnose specific reading strengths and weaknesses, and document student reading growth as a result of special intervention. Download

Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) — GRADE helps teachers assess pre-emerging reading and core-reading skills, plan focused instruction, and document progress. Download

Metropolitan Achievement Test – Eighth Edition (MAT 8) — MAT 8 measures the spectrum of important reading components, from recognizing sounds to word identification, from vocabulary skills to comprehension. Download

Neale Analysis of Reading Ability – Third Edition (NARA) — The Neale Analysis is an individually administered standardized diagnostic reading test. Download

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – Fourth Edition (PPVT-4) — The PPVT-4 measures receptive (hearing) vocabulary for standard American English. Download

Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening – Kindergarten (PALS-K) — The major purpose of the PALS-K is to identify students who are below grade-level expectations in several important literacy fundamentals and thus are at risk of reading difficulties and delays. Download

Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screening – 1st - 3rd Grade (PALS-1-3) — PALS 1-3 measures young children’s knowledge of important literacy fundamentals. Download

Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test — Fourth Edition (SDRT-4) — The SDRT-4 provides group administered diagnostic assessment of the essential components of reading in order to determine students’ strengths and needs. Download

TerraNova, The Second Edition (formerly The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills) — TerraNova, The Second Edition, is designed to assess academic achievement in reading/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies through multiple measures. Download

Test of Phonological Awareness – Second Edition: Plus (TOPA-2+) — The TOPA-2+ is a group administered measure of children’s phonological awareness. Download

Woodcock Johnson III NU Complete — WJ III NU provides a comprehensive system for measuring general intellectual ability, specific cognitive abilities, scholastic aptitude, oral language, and academic achievement. Download

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test–Revised Normative Update (WRMT-R/NU) — The WRMT-R/NU provides thorough coverage of reading readiness, basic skills and comprehension. Download

Adolescent Literacy Measures

Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) — The CTOPP is designed to identify individuals who are significantly below their peers in phonological abilities. Download

Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests – Fourth Edition (GMRT) — The GMRT are norm-referenced tests for measuring reading achievement from pre-reading abilities through adult reading. Download

Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) Levels M, H — GRADE helps teachers confidently assess pre-emerging reading and core-reading skills, plan focused instruction, and document progress. Levels M and H target middle school and high school. Download

Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) — The ITBS Word Analysis test assesses students’ phonological awareness and understanding of word parts. Download

Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test – Third Edition (LAC-3) — The LAC-3 is an individually administered, norm-referenced assessment that measures an individual’s ability to perceive and conceptualize speech sounds using a visual medium. Download

Nelson-Denny Reading Test — The Nelson-Denny Reading Test, Forms G and H, is a reading survey test for high school and college students and adults. Download

Peabody Individual Achievement Test – Revised-Normative Update (PIAT-R/NU) — The primary purpose of the PIAT-R/NU is to evaluate students referred for special education. Download

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – Fourth Edition (PPVT-4) — The PPVT-4 measures receptive (hearing) vocabulary for standard American English. Download

Slosson Oral Reading Test – Revised (SORT-R3) — The SORT-R3 identifies individuals from pre-school to adult with reading disabilities. Download

Stanford Achievement Test – Tenth Edition (Stanford 10) — The Stanford 10 Achievement Test is designed to measure students’ achievement in reading, language, spelling, study skills, listening, mathematics, science and social studies. Download

TerraNova CAT (Terra Nova, The Second Edition) Survey (formerly the California Achievement Test (CAT)) — The TerraNova CAT Survey is designed to provide a general measure of achievement in minimum testing time. Download

Test of Reading Comprehension – Third Edition (TORC-3) — The TORC-3 is designed to measure students’ reading comprehension ability. Download

Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) — The TOWRE measures word reading accuracy and fluency. Download

Wide Range Achievement Tests – Third Edition (WRAT-3) — The WRAT-3 is used to measure the basic codes used to learn reading, spelling and arithmetic. Download

Woodcock Johnson III Diagnostic Reading Battery (WJ-III DRB) — The WJ-III DRB assesses specific attributes of reading achievement and important abilities related to reading. Download

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test–Revised Normative Update (WRMT-R/NU) — The WRMT-R/NU provides thorough coverage of reading readiness, basic skills and comprehension. Download

Adult Learners in Basic Education and Literacy Program Measures

Comprehensive Adult Literacy Assessment System (CASAS) - CASAS is the most widely used system for assessing adult basic reading, math, listening, writing and speaking skills. CASAS has developed more than 180 standardized assessment instruments and can customize assessment to measure specific competencies. Download

Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) - The CTOPP test assesses phonological awareness, phonological memory and rapid naming. It is helpful in assessing individuals who are significantly below their peers in phonological abilities. Download

Gray Oral Reading Tests (GORT - 4) - This widely used assessment helps to identify students who are below their peers in oral reading proficiency. It also aids in the diagnosis of oral reading difficulties. Download

Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test (LAC-3) - The LAC-3 is an individually administered assessment that measures an individual's ability to perceive and conceptualize speech sounds using a visual medium. Download.

Nelson-Denny Reading Test, Forms G and H - This test is used to assess achievement and progress in vocabulary, comprehension, and reading rate. Download.

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition (PPVT-4) - The PPVT-4 is used to assess vocabulary acquisition by measuring understanding of the spoken word in Standard American English. Download.

Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Forms 9 & 10 - TABE 9 & 10 assesses basic reading, mathematics, and language skills, and included optional spelling, vocabulary and language mechanics tests. Download.

Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) - The TOWRE measures word reading accuracy and fluency. It provides an efficient means of monitoring the growth of two kinds of reading skills that are critical in the development of overall reading abilities. Download.

Wide Range Achievement Test - Third Edition (WRAT-3) - The WRAT-3 is used to measure the basic codes used to learn reading, spelling and arithmetic. Download.

Woodcock Reading Mastery Test–Revised Normative Update (WRMT-R/NU) -The WRMT-R/NU is a comprehensive individual assessment of reading ability. Download

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