CHAPTER IV


 ASSESSING FOR INSTRUCTION



 Matching methods, materials, and students is a key to effective
 instruction. The teacher meeting any adult literacy class must rapidly
 determine the specific training needs, and specific techniques that may
 be needed for each pupil. To do this, two types of instruments are
 helpful. These are Informal Reading Inventories and standardized oral
 and silent reading tests. From these instruments, four levels of read-
 ing may be determined. These levels are the present potential level,
 the instructional level, the independent level, and the frustration
 level. This must be done before instructional materials are selected
 and groups are formed. The teacher must also quickly evaluate those
 who enter after the initial class is formed, and perform a regular
 assessment of all pupils in order to determine their rate of progress
 and further needs.

 The Present Potential Level is the highest level of graded
materials that the student can comprehend when material is read to him.
The rationale behind this concept is that writing is merely printed
speech. If the listener can understand what is read to him, then he
will be able to read with understanding at that level once he has
acquired the needed reading skills. The present Potential Level test
is sometimes considered to be a safer test to use in estimating adult
capacity for learning to read than a verbal intelligence test. Many
who are enrolled in literacy classes are culturally deprived. Intelli-
gence tests tend to give a false picture of their capacities. The
measurement of the Present Potential Level should be repeated at
frequent intervals, since improvement of general communication skill may
occur with further schooling.

 To determine the Present Potential Level one should use reading
materials that have been carefully graded in terms of readability.
These graded materials can be found in Diagnostic Reading Scales
(California Test Bureau), Durrell Analysis of Reading Difficulty
(Psychological Corporation), Gilmore Oral Reading Test (Bobbs-Merrill
Co.). The instructions for administering listening tests are given in
the first two tests mentioned. The other two can be used as listening
tests. The teacher reads the graded paragraphs to the student and asks
him questions about them. The level below which he fails to adequately
comprehend the content of a paragraph (selection) is his Present Poten-
tial Level. Those who do not have access to the materials mentioned can
make a Present Potential Test by selecting 150-200 word selections from
graded readers or other sources that give the readability level of the
material. These may be bound in a loose leaf notebook and used as
needed.

 If the Present Potential Level is very low, investigate other
factors before you give up. If the person is severely deprived


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