A web-based assessment tool for reading skills

Abstract

The goal of the present experiment is to test a new French web-based assessment, Tinfolec (Test informatisé d’évaluation de la lecture), whose aim is to evaluate reading abilities of children in primary grades. Nine hundred and forty-six children from grades 2 to 5 were asked to complete five tasks designed to assess the efficiency of the two procedures used to identify written words, the orthographic route (with two tasks) and the phonological decoding, plus the associated reading skills such the correspondences letter-sound and phonological abilities. Overall, findings indicated an effect of grade level on the performances obtained at each task. A good reliability is also observed. To conclude, some assets of this tool for reading assessment are highlighted such as the accuracy of measures, the quality of ergonomics which allows an easy and quick evaluation of different reading skills. Finally, this computerized test enables speech therapists to engage targeted remediation with children who experience difficulties in reading processes.