General Questions |
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What is PAR: The Predictive Assessment of Reading? |
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PAR is a test administered to students in grades K - 3 which accurately gauges their phonemic awareness, fluency, single word reading and vocabulary knowledge. Vocabulary knowledge evaluation is a unique feature of PAR and make possible long term reading level predictions including comprehension.
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Can the test be given to students in grades 4 and up? |
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Yes, but the scoring must be adjusted for these grades. The web-based scoring module is accurate only for students in K-3 grade. Raw scores for older students must be submitted by secure email, fax, or phone to Child'sMind Publishing for scoring.
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How accurate are the assessments of PAR? |
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PAR is extremely accurate with reliability 90%.
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Test Administration |
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Do I need a stop watch to administer the test? |
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The test does have timed sessions. A stopwatch is preferred, but a watch or clock with a second hand will suffice.
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How long does it take to administer an individual test? |
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PAR takes approximately 15 minutes per student to administer.
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How should I fill in the blanks on the score sheet? |
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Use a "1" for a correct answer and a "0" for an incorrect answer. Sum the total number of correct responses and enter that number in the box. Try to be discrete when making your markds, and don't let the student focus on whether he or she is giving correct responses.
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If a student misses an answer, can he or she return to that question later? |
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Students may go back ONLY within a column of any subtest. Once the column has been completed, the student may not return to it.
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Must I fill in the ethnicity portion of the score sheet? |
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Each school or school system decides whether to track students' ethnicity. Please follow your school's guidelines about tracking ethnicity.
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On the picture naming portion of the test, may cues be given? |
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The cues listed on the score sheet are the only cues that should be given.
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Should all student answers be given in English? |
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Yes. PAR predicts English language proficiency, and thus all answers should be given in English, even if English is not the child's native language.
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Should I give credit for mispronunciations? |
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If you can understand the child's response, give credit, even if the answer is affected by the child's regional speech patterns. The child should only not be given credit if you can not understand his or her answer.
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What should I put in the "concerns" portion of the score sheet? |
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You should note only those health, speech, attention, or behavior problems that significantly impair the student's ability during the test administration. For example, you should note if a child becomes too nauseated to complete the test, or if a student's behavior is so oppositional that he or she is unable to complete the test. Minor attention deficiencies should not be noted. It is best to complete this portion of the score sheet after the test administration is completed.
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What should I use as the student ID number on the score sheet? |
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Your school should determine a consistant numbering system for identifying students. Many schools use lunch ID numbers, or the last four digits of the student's social security number.
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PAR Scoring |
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How quickly will I receive results and intervention recommendations? |
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Prioritized remediation recommendations and overall and specific scores are immediately available for Letter-Word Calling, Vocabulary, Phonemic Awareness and Rapid Naming through a secure web site.
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