Cross-validation of new oral reading fluency criteria based on empirical data from Icelandic elmentary students

• Main Authors: Orri Gautur Finnbogason 1999-, Óliver Haraldsson 1999-
• Other Authors: Háskólinn í Reykjavík
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Sálfræði; Lesfimi; Grunnskólanemar; Leshraði; Psychology; Oral reading > Ability testing; School children; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/44771

The present study aimed to create new criteria for Icelandic elementary students’ oral reading fluency (ORF), and to compare the new criteria to the present goal-oriented criteria (GOC). The new criteria were empirical based criteria (EBC). Data were provided by The Directorate of Education in Iceland. The data consisted of scores from reading fluency tests that are part of an assessment tool from the Directorate, Lesferill. Lesferill uses words read correctly per minute (WCPM) to measure ORF. Every able student takes the ORF test in Iceland, the results from 2015-2019 were used to create the EBC, and results from 2021-2022 were used to cross-validate the fit of the EBC. Overall, there were 396.751 measures, 351.306 measures from 2015-2019, and 129.349 measures from 2021-2022. The cross-validation suggested that the EBC provided a better fit for the student population, a higher proportion of students met the EBC compared to the GOC. Supporting the use of the EBC rather than the GOC, however, the results were limited due to how small and homogenous the population of Iceland is. The EBC could be useful to assess ORF among students in Iceland but might not be appropriate to improve reading capabilities of students. Keywords: oral reading fluency, Icelandic elementary students, reading fluency criteria, words read correctly per minute Markmið rannsóknarinnar voru að skapa ný lesfimiviðmið fyrir íslenska grunnskólanemendur og bera nýju viðmiðin saman við núverandi væntingaviðmið (GOC). Nýju lesfimiviðmiðin (EBC) voru byggð á empírískum gögnum sem fengin voru frá Menntamálastofnun. Gögnin innihéldu niðurstöður úr lesfimiprófinu Lesferill, sem er lagt fyrir nemendur á landsvísu. Lesferill mælir lesfimni með rétt lesnum orðum á mínútu (WCPM). Niðurstöður Lesferils frá 2015-2019 voru nýttar til að skapa EBC, niðurstöður frá 2021-2022 voru notaðar til samanburðar á EBC. Mælingar voru alls 396,751, það voru 351,306 mælingar úr gagnasettinu frá 2015-2019 og 129,349 mælingar frá 2021-2022. Samanburður gaf til kynna að EBC ...