Assessing Reading Stamina in the Learning Media Assessment

This morning, Jen and I had a great conversation with one of our colleagues around some of the common assessment protocols used during the Learning Media Assessment process. Specifically, we did some preliminary planning for a continuing LMA that Jen and I will be consulting on later this month. The student is at the secondary level and has experienced a decrease in visual functioning that is making the use of print as a primary learning medium increasingly unsustainable. Since the student has an established set of literacy skills, we will be conducting a continuing assessment. One of our assessment questions is around reading stamina and whether or not enlarged print should be the student's primary format to access classroom materials moving forward. 

Depending on the assessment questions guiding the LMA process, reading stamina can be an important source of information on how sustainable a particular font size/type is for the learner. Assessing reading stamina involves measuring the student's fluency over successive intervals of sustained reading (e.g., at the 5-, 10-, 15-minute mark) across different font sizes (e.g., Arial 18, Arial 20, Arial 22). 

The Paths to Literacy site has some great resources and videos on assessing reading fluency. You can also find a step-by-step procedural guide there as well. 

About the author

Adam Wilton

I have been fortunate to learn and grow with students with visual impairments since 2007, working as a teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI), Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) and most recently as the Program Manager of PRCVI and ARC-BC. I completed a PhD in Special Education at the University of British Columbia in 2017 where my research focused on the administrative determinants of workloads for itinerant TSVIs.   

One of my favourite aspects of my current role is delivering outreach support to my colleagues and their students from across British Columbia. I've been fortunate to have many exciting adventures in schools and communities across the province and I hope you enjoy following along through #outreaching!

When I'm not on the road, I enjoy learning to play the violin, collecting antique books, and spending time surrounded by trees. 

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