Match Between Assessment and Instruction

The newer forms of assessment are designed to bring about alignment and congruence between enlightened concepts of what reading is and how it should be taught and the assessment of reading (Lamme & Hysmith, 1991; Mitchell, 1992; Wiggins, 1992). If assessment continues to advance, teachers should no longer feel compelled to "teach to tests" since tests will be in harmony with good teaching practices. In the past, there was clear evidence that teachers frequently narrowed their curriculum to improve test scores (Herman & Golan, 1991; NAEP Reading Consensus Project, 1992; Shepherd, 1991; Smith & Rottenberg, 1991).

Students who are engaged in programs of instruction using quality literature as a basis for reading, comparing, reflecting, and writing will clearly have an advantage on new forms of reading assessment. Emphasis is no longer on choosing a single answer from a multiple-choice format. Emphasis is on reading. There is good evidence that students who engage in extensive reading and writing achieve better in literacy (Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding, 1988).

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