Post on 02-Jul-2018
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
GuidanceGuidance document no: 131/2014 Date of issue: November 2014
Audience Local authorities, schools.
Overview The National Reading Tests were designed to allow as many learners as possible to have access to them. The tests have been standardised against the population in Wales and will therefore provide a useful baseline to identify learners that are falling behind.
This guidance provides advice on how the National Reading Tests can be used as an initial diagnostic tool to identify learners who may have specific learning difficulties (SpLD) and who may require additional support.
Action Mainstream teachers to use the advice to help analyse the results required of National Reading Test questions to identify learners who may be
at risk.
Further Enquiries about this document should be directed to:information Paul Jones Support for Learners Division Department for Education and Skills Welsh Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: 029 2082 3003 e-mail: Additionallearningneedsbranch@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Additional This document can be accessed from the Learning Wales copies website at learning.wales.gov.uk
Related National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (2013) documents National Support Programme (2013) National Literacy Programme (2012)
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
Digital ISBN 978 1 4734 1024 4 © Crown copyright 2014 WG21387
Introduction 2
Using the National Reading Test questions as an initial indicator for SpLD 3
2013 Reading test – EA1 5
2013 Reading test – EB1 7
2013 Reading test – EC1 9
2013 Reading test – ED1 11
2014 Reading tests 13
Contents
2
Introduction
The philosophy behind the Welsh Government’s National Literacy Programme (Welsh Government, 2012) is that all learners should be taught well the first time, but if learners start to fall behind, each school should have a contingency plan in place to support those who require additional support to catch up. Much of this catch up will be possible within regular learning and teaching and will involve:
• identifying the particular literacy issue that the learner is finding difficult• providing opportunities for the learner to focus on and resolve the issue by means of
practising and reinforcing the skill in different contexts• re-evaluating whether the learner continues to find skill acquisition difficult despite
suitable practise and reinforcement• identifying other ways that a learner might approach skill acquisition, e.g. by having
access to coping strategies.
The National Literacy Programme identifies two significant innovations that are intended to improve standards of literacy in Wales. The National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (Welsh Government, 2013) was developed as a planning tool to help teachers identify the requirements of high-quality teaching and to set year-on-year expectations. The year-on-year expectations will help teachers identify learners who are falling behind in specific aspects of literacy and numeracy, so that catch-up procedures can be focused and quickly implemented.
The National Reading and Numeracy Tests, designed for learners in Years 2 to 9 in all maintained schools in Wales, were implemented on a statutory basis in May 2013. They were designed to support both pedagogy and school improvement, generating data from which teachers can gain an accurate picture of where a learner is in terms of their skills.
The National Reading and Numeracy Tests have been developed to allow as many learners as possible to have access to them and there is, therefore, an expectation that the great majority of learners will do so. The tests have been standardised against the population in Wales and because of this will provide a useful baseline to identify where learners are falling behind and to help the teacher identify how best to support them.
There is much to be said for teachers using the tests as a diagnostic or screening tool. Analysis of learner errors can be very informative to the mainstream teacher as a means of identifying specific issues that can be addressed in the classroom or that need further investigation. This guidance focuses on identifying the question types within the National Reading Tests that could be used as an initial indicator that a learner might have specific learning difficulties (SpLD) and may require further support.
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
3
Using the National Reading Test questions as an initial indicator for SpLD
Part of the role of the teacher is to observe learner behaviour in an informed and sensitive way in order to identify difficulties that might already be emerging as part of classroom teaching. Teachers are considered to be good judges of learner progress and can pick up when a learner is struggling with a particular aspect of literacy development. However, some of the issues experienced by learners who have SpLD will not directly relate to reading and comprehension per se; instead, they will focus on additional issues which if not recognised might impede the learner’s general progress.
The grids on pages 5–20 focus on the potential issues that learners with SpLD might experience when sitting the tests. These potential issues have been organised around the following broad descriptions.
Phonological awareness
The ability to identify the sounds in words and manipulate them.
Working memory
The ability to temporarily store multiple pieces of information in the mind.
Verbal memory
The ability to retain, in the very short term, words heard, read and thought.
Fine motor movement/hand–eye coordination
The ability to both coordinate information received through the eyes and to perform muscle acts that together produce controlled movements such as writing and drawing.
Sequencing/organisation
The ability to effectively arrange words in order of succession.
Social imagination
The ability to see a situation from an alternative point of view.
Comprehension
The ability to perceive and understand the meaning or importance of something.
Attention and concentration
The ability to selectively focus on one aspect of work while ignoring other things. This issue is not directly addressed in the grids, but is an observable behaviour that should also be considered.
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
4
These descriptions are not sufficiently focused to support diagnosis of SpLD, but can be used in the context of the reading tests to help identify learners who may be ‘at risk’ of falling behind and who may require additional support. It should be noted that while these issues have been defined separately, they may co-occur and the severity of an issue can only be judged on an individual basis. An uneven profile of skills can also be an indicator of possible SpLD. It is important to be aware that learners with SpLD may, due to the specific nature of their difficulties, have strengths in some of the elements examined by the test.
The grids on pages 5–20 identify the issues that do not relate to reading and comprehension per se, but are additional issues that learners with SpLD might face. The first column of the grid provides a broad description of potential SpLD issues, such as poor phonological awareness or poor working memory. The second column in each grid provides a summary of possible learner errors that might occur in relation to particular question types and the third column identifies the questions that demonstrate a specific issue.
It is expected that teachers will use this analysis of the 2013 and 2014 National Reading Tests to identify the question types that are likely to cause learners with SpLD the most difficulty. If on analysis of the different question types a teacher finds that a learner has experienced specific difficulties then this will be an indication that further investigation, support and monitoring is required.
If intervention strategies are implemented to support the learner who is experiencing a particular issue, it is hoped that the issue will be resolved. However, if the problem persists after significant intervention then referral to a specialist practitioner may be required.
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
5
2013
Rea
ding
tes
t –
EA1
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Phon
olog
ical a
war
enes
sTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f que
stio
ns fo
cus
on b
eing
abl
e to
dec
ode
wor
ds. T
he
chal
leng
e of
dec
odin
g co
mes
whe
n qu
estio
ns u
se w
ords
:
• be
ginn
ing
with
the
sam
e le
tter (
‘bur
n’, ‘
blue
’, ‘b
ulb’
)p.
4, q
.1;
• w
ith th
e sa
me
prefi
x (‘e
xact
’, ‘e
xcite
’, ‘e
xit’)
p.5,
q.8
;
• w
ith th
e sa
me
suffi
x (‘s
lurp
ing’
, ‘sli
ppin
g’, ‘
sleep
ing’
)p.
4, q
.4;
• w
ith th
e sa
me
root
(‘sin
g’, ‘
sang
’, ‘s
ong’
, ‘sin
ging
’)p.
5, q
.7;
• th
at a
re p
olys
yllab
ic (‘i
ntel
ligen
ce’,
‘inst
rum
ents
’, ‘in
stru
ctio
ns’)
p.5,
q.1
0;
• th
at s
ound
the
sam
e, b
ut a
re s
pelle
d di
ffere
ntly
(‘bea
dy’,
‘gre
edy’
).p.
13, q
.10
Wor
king
mem
ory
The
maj
ority
of ‘
find
and
copy
’ que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
beca
use
of th
e ne
ed to
rem
embe
r and
tran
sfer
the
shap
e of
lette
rs, t
he o
rder
of
lette
rs a
nd th
e or
der o
f wor
ds.
p.7,
q.c
; p.9
, q.2
; p.
10, q
.3; p
.11,
q.6
; p.
12, q
.7
The
maj
ority
of t
rue/
false
que
stio
ns re
quire
lear
ners
to s
can
the
text
and
th
en in
terp
ret a
nd re
mem
ber t
he c
orre
ct a
nsw
er. S
omet
imes
the
ques
tions
ar
e ph
rase
d in
a d
iffer
ent w
ay (i
nste
ad o
f tru
e/fa
lse th
e qu
estio
n m
ight
re
quire
lear
ners
to id
entif
y w
hat i
s ‘ea
sy to
see
’ or ‘
diffi
cult
to s
ee’).
p.7,
q.d
; p.8
, q.1
; p.
19, q
.9
Verb
al m
emor
yTh
e re
adin
g te
st it
self
does
n’t r
equi
re v
erba
l mem
ory,
but w
hen
aske
d to
id
entif
y rh
ymes
the
lear
ners
nee
ds to
be
able
to h
ear t
he s
ound
s ‘ou
t lou
d’
or ‘i
n th
eir h
ead’
.
p.13
, q.1
0
Fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘m
atch
ing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
n.p.
7, q
.f; p
.10,
q.4
; p.
18, q
.7
Sequ
encin
g/or
gani
satio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘se
quen
cing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
and
com
preh
ensio
n.p.
7, q
.e; p
.13,
q.1
1;
p.16
, q.4
;
Som
e di
agra
ms/
tabl
es re
quire
seq
uenc
ing/
orga
nisa
tion.
p.18
, q.8
6 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Socia
l im
agin
atio
n (in
cludi
ng ta
king
thin
gs
liter
ally)
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
the
use
of in
fere
nce
(the
text
doe
sn’t
men
tion
‘spa
de’)
(the
phra
se ‘I
t’s th
e SE
A,’ h
e sa
ng, I
t’s th
e SE
A!’ i
ndica
tes
that
the
turtl
e is
happ
y) (‘
hand
was
hing
’ is
impl
ied)
(the
text
ask
s w
hich
of t
he a
nim
als
‘are
eas
y to
see
’/‘di
fficu
lt to
see
’, bu
t all
the
anim
als
are
easy
to s
ee in
th
e pi
ctur
es p
rovi
ded)
p.14
, q.1
; p.1
3, q
.9;
p.17
, q.6
; p.1
9, q
.9;
• un
ders
tand
the
idio
m (‘
full
of li
fe’).
p.15
, q.3
Com
preh
ensio
n/
effe
ctiv
e co
mm
unica
tion
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• di
stin
guish
bet
wee
n di
gits
and
num
bers
writ
ten
in te
xt (s
teps
1–7
, m
illio
ns o
r thr
ee).
p.16
, q.5
Addi
tiona
l iss
ues
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• re
ad w
hite
text
on
blac
k an
d re
ad te
xt a
t an
unco
nven
tiona
l ang
lep.
8, q
.1;
• un
ders
tand
cer
tain
con
vent
ions
suc
h as
why
text
mig
ht b
e w
ritte
n in
bo
ld fo
nt. T
hey
will
also
be
requ
ired
to d
istin
guish
bet
wee
n bo
ld a
nd
regu
lar f
onts
.
p.15
, q.2
7
2013
Rea
ding
tes
t –
EB1
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Phon
olog
ical a
war
enes
sTh
e te
xt a
nd q
uest
ions
requ
ire le
arne
rs to
dec
ode
effic
ient
ly. Th
e ch
alle
nge
of d
ecod
ing
occu
rs w
hen
ques
tions
use
:
• co
nson
ant b
lend
s (tc
h- ‘t
witc
hes’
, ght
- ‘m
idni
ght’)
(tch
- ‘pi
tch’
) (tc
h-
‘twitc
h’, ‘
itch’
)p.
6, q
.5; p
.6 q
.7;
p.6,
q.8
;
• sim
ilar s
ound
, diff
eren
t spe
lling
(ch-
‘pin
ch’,
‘sna
tche
s’) (
s- ‘f
ascin
atin
g’,
‘impr
essiv
e’, ‘
simpl
y’)
p.9,
q.3
a; p
.10,
q.8
;
• w
ith th
e sa
me
suffi
x (‘s
tayin
g’, ‘
findi
ng’)
p.10
, q.5
;
• us
e of
pol
ysyll
abic
wor
ds (‘
impr
essiv
e’, ‘
inno
vatio
n’).
p.10
, q.5
Wor
king
mem
ory
The
maj
ority
of ‘
find
and
copy
’ que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
beca
use
of th
e ne
ed to
rem
embe
r and
tran
sfer
the
shap
e of
lette
rs, o
rder
of l
ette
rs
and
orde
r of w
ords
.
p.2,
q.c
; p.
5, q
.2 a
nd q
.4;
p.6,
q.7
and
q.8
; p.
9, q
.3b
and
q.4;
p.
10, q
.6b
and
q.8;
p.
13, q
.1; p
.14,
q.6
;
The
maj
ority
of t
rue/
false
que
stio
ns re
quire
lear
ners
to s
can
the
text
and
th
en in
terp
ret a
nd re
mem
ber t
he c
orre
ct a
nsw
er.
p.2,
q.d
; p.7
, q.9
; p.
11, q
.10
Fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘m
atch
ing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
n.p.
3, q
.f; p
.6, q
.5;
p.13
, q.3
Sequ
encin
g/or
gani
satio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘se
quen
cing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
and
com
preh
ensio
n.p.
3, q
.e; p
.14,
q.8
8 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Socia
l im
agin
atio
n (in
cludi
ng ta
king
thin
gs
liter
ally)
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
use
of s
imile
s (‘l
ike
a su
nny
day
umbr
ella
’) (‘b
lack
as
pitc
h’)
(‘dar
k as
the
big
blac
k clo
ak o
f Dra
cula
’)p.
5, q
.4; p
.6, q
.7;
• un
ders
tand
use
of i
diom
s (‘a
s ha
ppy
as L
arry
’) (‘o
ver t
he m
oon’
)p.
6, q
.8;
• un
ders
tand
the
use
of im
ager
y (‘t
hey
seem
ed to
hav
e lig
hts
in th
em’)
p.13
, q.4
;
• un
ders
tand
the
use
of in
fere
nce
to d
eter
min
e th
e co
rrect
ans
wer
.p.
10, q
.7; p
.11,
q.9
Com
preh
ensio
n/
effe
ctiv
e co
mm
unica
tion
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• di
ffere
ntia
te m
eani
ngs
of s
imila
r-sou
ndin
g w
ords
(‘di
p’, ‘
loop
’, ‘z
ip’,
‘sw
oop’
)p.
5, q
.2;
• un
ders
tand
that
a c
olle
ctio
n of
wor
ds c
an b
e su
mm
arise
d by
a s
ingl
e ph
rase
(‘sw
ift a
nd e
nerg
etic’
des
crib
es ‘d
ip’,
‘loop
’, ‘z
ip’,
‘sw
oop’
)p.
5, q
3;
• un
ders
tand
com
plica
ted
phra
sing
(‘wor
k ou
t the
sol
utio
ns to
som
e ve
ry
com
plica
ted
prob
lem
s’ is
the
sam
e as
’the
y ca
n so
lve
prob
lem
s’).
p.9,
q.1
Addi
tiona
l iss
ues
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• di
stin
guish
bet
wee
n fo
nts
p.13
, q.2
;
• un
ders
tand
cer
tain
con
vent
ions
suc
h as
:
–th
e fre
quen
t use
of i
mag
ery
and/
or rh
yme
in p
oetry
p.5,
q.4
; p.
6, q
.7 a
nd q
.8;
–no
vel w
ays
to e
nd a
text
p.11
, q.9
;
–w
hy it
alics
mig
ht b
e us
ed in
an
intro
duct
ion.
p.13
, q.2
9
2013
Rea
ding
tes
t –
EC1
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Phon
olog
ical a
war
enes
sTh
e te
xt a
nd q
uest
ions
requ
ire le
arne
rs to
dec
ode
effic
ient
ly. Th
e ch
alle
nge
of d
ecod
ing
occu
rs w
hen
ques
tions
use
:
• ha
rd- a
nd s
oft-s
ound
ing
lette
rs (g
- ‘fra
gran
t’, ‘s
age’
, ‘gi
nger
’)
(c- ‘
delic
ious
’, ‘c
ubes
’, ‘s
pice
s’)
p.5,
q.3
;
• w
ords
with
com
plex
spe
lling
s (‘r
ecip
e’) (
‘thym
e’) (
‘equ
ipm
ent’,
‘s
auce
pan’
, ‘sie
ve’,
‘kni
fe’)
(‘ecs
tasy
’) (‘e
ther
eal’)
(‘sil
houe
tte’)
p.5,
q.1
; p.5
, q.3
; p.
6, q
.6; p
.10,
q.7
; p.
13, q
.5; p
.14,
q.6
;
• do
ublin
g le
tters
for p
rese
nt/p
ast c
ontin
uous
ver
bs (‘
chop
ping
’, ‘c
uttin
g’)
p.6,
q.9
;
• us
e of
pre
fixes
(‘un
wan
ted’
, ‘un
dese
rved
’, ‘u
nhur
ried’
, ‘un
expe
cted
’)p.
10, q
.8;
• po
lysyll
abic
wor
ds (‘
impo
rtant
’, ‘p
repa
ratio
n’, ‘
ingr
edie
nts’
) (‘o
ccas
iona
lly’,
‘con
tinuo
usly’
).p.
7, q
.10;
p.7
, q.1
1
Wor
king
mem
ory
The
maj
ority
of ‘
find
and
copy
’ que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
beca
use
of th
e ne
ed to
rem
embe
r and
tran
sfer
the
shap
e of
lette
rs, o
rder
of l
ette
rs
and
orde
r of w
ords
.
p.2,
q.c
; p.6
, q.6
; p.
10, q
.7; p
.13,
q.1
;
The
maj
ority
of t
rue/
false
que
stio
ns re
quire
lear
ners
to s
can
the
text
and
th
en in
terp
ret a
nd re
mem
ber t
he c
orre
ct a
nsw
er. S
omet
imes
the
ques
tions
ar
e ph
rase
d in
a d
iffer
ent w
ay (‘
True
’/’Fa
lse’)
(‘pos
itive
’/’ne
gativ
e’).
p.2,
q.d
; p.5
, q.1
; p.
9, q
.4
Fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘m
atch
ing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
n.p.
3, q
.f; p
.11,
q.1
0;
p.14
, q.6
Sequ
encin
g/or
gani
satio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘se
quen
cing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
and
com
preh
ensio
n.p.
3, q
.e; p
.6, q
.7;
p.11
, q.9
;
Som
e di
agra
ms/
tabl
es re
quire
seq
uenc
ing/
orga
nisa
tion.
p.10
, q.5
10 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Socia
l im
agin
atio
n (in
cludi
ng ta
king
thin
gs
liter
ally)
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
com
plex
phr
asin
g (‘Y
ou w
on’t
belie
ve it
unt
il yo
u se
e it,
but
on
ce y
ou s
ee it
you
’ll n
ever
forg
et it
’)p.
15, q
.12;
• un
ders
tand
use
of i
diom
s (‘g
ood
for n
othi
ng’,
‘not
hing
wro
ng w
ith y
our
eyes
’)p.
9, q
.4;
• in
terp
ret m
ovem
ent/a
ctio
ns (‘
appr
oach
ed’,
‘wen
t out
’, ‘le
ft fo
od’,
‘bac
k in
side’
, ‘en
tere
d’).
p.11
, q.9
Com
preh
ensio
n/
effe
ctiv
e co
mm
unica
tion
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
alte
rnat
ive
mea
ning
s of
wor
ds (‘
mon
oton
y’/’b
ored
’) (‘f
urtiv
e’/’u
neas
y’) (
‘hap
py’/’
elat
ed’)
p.10
, q.5
; p.1
0, q
.6;
p.10
, q.7
;
• un
ders
tand
cha
lleng
ing
voca
bula
ry (‘
furti
ve’)
(‘ecs
tasy
’) (‘e
ther
eal’)
p.10
, q.6
; p.1
0, q
.7;
p.13
, q.5
Addi
tiona
l iss
ues
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
cer
tain
con
vent
ions
suc
h as
: –ho
w th
e st
ruct
ure/
focu
s of
text
s he
lps
to d
eter
min
e th
e au
dien
ce a
nd
purp
ose
of th
e te
xtp.
11, q
.11;
p.1
4, q
.7a,
q.
7b a
nd q
.8;
–us
e of
labe
ls.p.
15, q
.10
11
2013
Rea
ding
tes
t –
ED1
National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Phon
olog
ical a
war
enes
sTh
e te
xt a
nd q
uest
ions
requ
ire le
arne
rs to
dec
ode
effic
ient
ly. Th
e ch
alle
nge
of d
ecod
ing
occu
rs w
hen
ques
tions
use
:
• co
mpl
ex w
ord
spel
lings
(‘sc
ent’)
(‘he
ritag
e’) (
‘ben
ign’
, ‘ed
ifice
’) (‘h
ygie
nic’
) (‘d
roug
ht’)
(‘pio
usly’
)p.
5, q
.4; p
.6, q
.6;
p.9,
q.2
; p.9
, q.4
; p.
10, q
.6; p
.14,
q.6
;
• su
ffixe
s (‘c
arel
ess’
, ‘ca
refre
e’)
p.5,
q.3
;
• po
lysyll
abic
wor
ds (‘
over
whe
lmed
’).p.
6, q
.7
Wor
king
mem
ory
The
maj
ority
of ‘
find
and
copy
’ que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
beca
use
of th
e ne
ed to
rem
embe
r and
tran
sfer
the
shap
e of
lette
rs, o
rder
of l
ette
rs
and
orde
r of w
ords
.
p.2,
q.c
; p.5
, q.2
;
The
maj
ority
of t
rue/
false
que
stio
ns re
quire
lear
ners
to s
can
the
text
an
d th
en in
terp
ret a
nd re
mem
ber t
he c
orre
ct a
nsw
er. S
omet
imes
the
ques
tions
are
phr
ased
in a
diff
eren
t way
(‘Tr
ue’/’
False
’) (‘f
act’/
’opi
nion
’) (‘a
gree
’/’di
sagr
ee’).
p.3,
q.d
; p.7
, q.9
; p.
10, q
.8;
p.11
, q.9
; p.1
5, q
.10;
p.
15, q
.12
Sequ
encin
g/or
gani
satio
nTh
e m
ajor
ity o
f ‘se
quen
cing’
que
stio
ns re
quire
wor
king
mem
ory
and
com
preh
ensio
n.p.
3, q
.e;
p.7,
q.1
1;
Som
e di
agra
ms/
tabl
es re
quire
seq
uenc
ing/
orga
nisa
tion.
p.11
, q.1
0
12 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
ons
Socia
l im
agin
atio
n (in
cludi
ng ta
king
thin
gs
liter
ally)
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
idio
ms
(‘pay
sm
all f
ortu
nes’
)p.
10, q
.6;
• un
ders
tand
var
iatio
ns o
f com
mon
idio
ms
(‘tha
t is
not t
he w
ay it
is’)
(‘we
do fo
r ani
mal
s w
hat w
e ha
ve d
one
for o
urse
lves
…’)
p.14
, q.7
; p.
15, q
.11;
• un
ders
tand
that
the
text
is im
plyin
g a
diffe
rent
mea
ning
(‘an
imal
s in
the
wild
are
“ha
ppy”
bec
ause
they
are
“fre
e”’ h
as th
e op
posit
e in
tent
ion)
p.13
, q.5
;
• (‘w
e ca
ll it
wat
er’ i
s m
eant
to s
urpr
ise th
e re
ader
) (‘w
ater
see
m d
ull a
nd
unin
tere
stin
g’ h
as th
e op
posit
e m
eani
ng).
p.10
, q.5
; p.
10, q
.7
Com
preh
ensio
n/
effe
ctiv
e co
mm
unica
tion
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
alte
rnat
ive
mea
ning
s of
wor
ds (‘
dead
ly’, ‘
leth
al’,
‘mur
dero
us’)
(‘bra
nche
s’, ‘
limbs
’)p.
9, q
.2; p
.13,
q.3
;
• un
ders
tand
cha
lleng
ing/
tech
nica
l voc
abul
ary
(‘sta
te’/‘
form
s’) (
‘pol
lute
d’,
‘hyg
ieni
c’, ‘
deca
ying’
, ‘de
stru
ctiv
e’) (
‘pio
usly’
) (‘c
ompr
esse
d te
rrito
ry’).
p.9,
q.3
; p.9
, q.4
; p.
14, q
.6; p
.14,
q.9
Addi
tiona
l iss
ues
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
cer
tain
con
vent
ions
suc
h as
how
the
stru
ctur
e/fo
cus
of te
xts
help
s to
det
erm
ine
the
purp
ose
of th
e te
xt.
p.13
, q.1
13National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
2014
Rea
ding
tes
ts
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Phon
olog
ical
aw
aren
ess
Th
e ab
ility
to id
entif
y th
e so
unds
in w
ords
and
m
anip
ulat
e th
em.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
dec
ode:
• w
ords
that
beg
in w
ith th
e sa
me
lette
r •
polys
yllab
ic w
ords
with
com
plex
spe
lling
s, e.
g.
hard
‘g’ i
n ‘m
anag
er’ a
nd ‘c
h’ w
hich
sou
nds
like
a ‘k
’ in
‘mec
hani
cal’.
The
doct
or g
ave
me
____
____
___
to m
ake
me
feel
bet
ter.
man
ager
____
____
med
icine
____
____
m
emor
ial_
____
___
mec
hani
cal_
____
___
mea
sura
ble_
____
___
(EA2
, p.4
, q.6
)
• w
ords
with
dou
ble
lette
rs, e
.g. ‘
toba
cco’
, ‘c
essp
its’,
‘alle
rgie
s’•
soft-
soun
ding
lette
rs, e
.g. ‘
cess
pits
’, ‘a
llerg
ies’
• vo
wel
ble
nds,
e.g.
‘med
ieva
l’, ‘e
xhau
st’
• w
ords
end
ing
in ‘e
’, e.
g. ‘f
umes
’•
plur
al e
ndin
gs, e
.g. ‘
alle
rgie
s’.
Com
plet
e th
e ta
ble
belo
w to
sho
w w
heth
er th
e fo
llow
ing
heal
th is
sues
men
tione
d in
the
text
re
late
to m
edie
val t
imes
or m
oder
n tim
es.
Med
ieva
lM
oder
n
toba
cco
smok
e
over
flow
ing
cess
pits
dust
alle
rgie
s
open
fire
s
exha
ust f
umes
(ED2
, p.5
, q.3
)
14 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Wor
king
mem
ory
The
abili
ty to
tem
pora
rily
stor
e m
ultip
le p
iece
s of
in
form
atio
n in
the
min
d.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• re
mem
ber a
nd tr
ansf
er th
e sh
ape
of le
tters
, the
or
der o
f let
ters
and
wor
dsLo
ok a
t the
who
le s
ea s
hant
y.
• re
view
the
who
le te
xt, w
hich
inclu
des
turn
ing
over
pag
es, t
o fin
d th
e in
form
atio
nFi
nd a
nd c
opy
two
plac
es w
here
Cap
tain
Ca
rado
g sle
pt.
(EA2
, p.2
1, q
.8)
• sc
an th
e te
xt a
nd th
en in
terp
ret a
nd re
mem
ber
the
corre
ct a
nsw
er.
Put t
icks
to s
how
whi
ch s
tate
men
ts a
re tr
ue a
nd
whi
ch a
re fa
lse.
True
Fals
e
All s
nake
s ar
e go
od s
wim
mer
s.
Adde
r did
not
see
wha
t the
Be
ast l
ooke
d lik
e.
Som
e of
Add
er’s
scal
es w
ere
torn
.
Adde
r hid
on
the
botto
m o
f the
st
ream
.
The
Beas
t fol
low
ed A
dder
into
th
e st
ream
.
(EC2
, p.1
1, q
.11)
15National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Verb
al m
emor
y Th
e ab
ility
to re
tain
, in
the
very
sho
rt te
rm, w
ords
he
ard,
read
and
thou
ght.
The
read
ing
test
itse
lf do
es n
ot re
quire
ver
bal
mem
ory,
but w
hen
aske
d to
iden
tify
rhym
es th
e le
arne
rs n
eeds
to:
• be
abl
e to
hea
r the
sou
nds ‘
out l
oud’
or ‘
in th
eir
head
’.Lo
ok a
t the
se w
ords
from
the
sea
shan
ty. D
raw
th
ree
lines
to m
atch
the
wor
ds th
at s
ound
the
sam
e.
Wal
es
afloa
t
boat
ga
les
slee
p de
ep
(EA2
, p19
, q.3
)
16 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Fine
mot
or m
ovem
ent/
hand
–eye
coo
rdin
atio
n Th
e ab
ility
to b
oth
coor
dina
te in
form
atio
n re
ceiv
ed th
roug
h th
e ey
es
and
to p
erfo
rm m
uscle
ac
ts th
at to
geth
er p
rodu
ce
cont
rolle
d m
ovem
ents
su
ch a
s w
ritin
g an
d dr
awin
g.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
use
:
• ha
nd–e
ye c
oord
inat
ion
Draw
thre
e lin
es to
mat
ch e
ach
ques
tion
with
its
answ
er.
How
man
y eg
gs d
oes
a pu
ffin
40
la
y at
a ti
me?
Abou
t how
man
y da
ys d
oes
a
6 pu
ffin
egg
take
to h
atch
?
Abou
t how
man
y w
eeks
doe
s a
1
baby
puf
fin s
tay
in th
e bu
rrow
?
(EA2
, p.1
1, q
.7)
• w
ritin
g sk
ills.
Look
at v
erse
thre
e.
Find
and
cop
y tw
o w
ords
or p
hras
es th
at
sugg
est t
he li
tter-p
icker
’s to
ol w
as li
ke a
real
ha
nd.
1.__
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
2.__
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
(ED2
, p.1
1, q
.7)
17National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Sequ
enci
ng/o
rgan
isat
ion
The
abili
ty to
arra
nge
wor
ds e
ffect
ivel
y in
ord
er
of s
ucce
ssio
n.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
use
:
• w
orki
ng m
emor
y (p
artic
ular
ly w
hen
turn
ing
over
th
e pa
ge)
Num
ber t
hese
sta
tem
ents
1 to
5 to
sho
w h
ow to
w
rite
a w
et p
aper
mes
sage
.
• co
mpr
ehen
sion
skill
s to
asc
erta
in th
at
‘sub
mer
ge’ c
orre
late
s to
‘soa
k’, a
nd ‘s
moo
th’
corre
late
s to
‘pla
ce’
One
has
bee
n do
ne fo
r you
.
put d
ry p
aper
ove
r wet
pap
er
____
___
soak
a s
heet
of p
aper
1
writ
e on
the
dry
pape
r __
____
_
leav
e th
e w
et p
aper
to d
ry
____
___
plac
e th
e w
et p
aper
on
a w
indo
w
____
___
(EB2
, p.1
4, q
.6)
• se
quen
cing,
wor
king
mem
ory
and
com
preh
ensio
n.Pu
t the
se e
vent
s in
ord
er b
y nu
mbe
ring
them
fro
m 1
to 6
.
Pred
ator
s ar
rived
in N
ew Z
eala
nd.
____
___
Som
e bi
rds
lost
thei
r abi
lity
to fl
y. __
____
_
Bird
s in
New
Zea
land
live
d sa
fely
w
ithou
t thr
eat.
____
___
Flig
htle
ss b
irds
wer
e at
risk
. __
____
_
Bird
s’ d
ieta
ry a
nd e
xerc
ise h
abits
ch
ange
d.
____
___
Bird
num
bers
redu
ced.
__
____
_
(ED2
, p.1
5, q
.10)
18 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Soci
al im
agin
atio
n Th
e ab
ility
to s
ee a
sit
uatio
n fro
m a
n al
tern
ativ
e po
int o
f vie
w.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
the
use
of in
fere
nce
Look
at t
he ‘J
uice
mes
sage
’ sec
tion.
‘coo
k’
Why
has
this
wor
d be
en p
ut in
inve
rted
com
mas
, lik
e ‘th
is’?
beca
use
you
shou
ld n
ot e
at th
e ju
ice
mes
sage
__
____
_
beca
use
it is
not r
eal c
ooki
ng
____
___
beca
use
you
need
to b
e a
good
co
ok to
do
this
____
___
beca
use
no h
eat i
s in
volv
ed
____
___
(EB2
, p.1
4, q
.5)
• un
ders
tand
wha
t is
impl
ied
in th
e te
xt,
e.g.
the
text
doe
sn’t
say
that
the
auth
or is
the
‘nin
e-ye
ar-o
ld b
oy’.
How
old
was
the
writ
er w
hen
he
‘cau
ght’
the
octo
pus?
__
____
_
(EB2
, p.9
, q.2
)
19National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
Com
preh
ensi
on
The
abili
ty to
per
ceiv
e an
d un
ders
tand
the
mea
ning
or i
mpo
rtanc
e of
so
met
hing
.
The
lear
ner i
s re
quire
d to
:
• un
ders
tand
alte
rnat
ive
mea
ning
s of
wor
ds,
e.g.
‘jou
rney
’ has
an
equi
vale
nt m
eani
ng to
‘m
issio
n’, ‘
trave
l’ an
d ‘c
ircui
t’
Look
at t
he te
xt in
the
box
belo
w.
Und
erlin
e th
ree
othe
r wor
ds th
at a
re u
sed
inst
ead
of ‘j
ourn
ey’.
Ger
ald
did
not d
o it
alon
e. H
e w
as p
art o
f a
grou
p fo
r whi
ch h
e w
as th
e ‘fi
xer’
(org
anise
r) an
d tra
nsla
tor.
It w
as a
dau
ntin
g m
issio
n. G
eral
d ha
d es
timat
ed th
at W
ales
was
abo
ut e
ight
day
s’ tr
avel
in
leng
th a
nd fo
ur d
ays’
in b
read
th. A
com
plet
e cir
cuit
shou
ld th
eref
ore
have
take
n 24
day
s…
In fa
ct, t
he g
roup
spe
nt a
tota
l of 5
1 da
ys o
n th
e jo
urne
y, tra
velli
ng, s
topp
ing
and
rest
ing,
then
se
tting
off
agai
n. Th
e to
tal d
istan
ce th
ey ro
de o
ver
the
mud
and
sto
nes
of W
ales
was
abo
ut 1
000
mile
s, ro
ughl
y eq
uiva
lent
to ri
ding
from
Wal
es to
Ita
ly.
(EC2
, p13
, q.4
)
• un
ders
tand
met
apho
rs s
uch
as ‘s
wee
t hon
ey
from
the
ston
e’ a
nd ‘o
il fro
m th
e ro
ck’
Wha
t did
Ger
ald
pred
ict a
bout
the
futu
re?
Ever
yone
wou
ld b
e ab
le to
writ
e.
____
___
20 National Reading Test question analysis – initial indicator for specific learning difficulties (SpLD)
SpLD
des
crip
tion
s Po
ssib
le le
arne
r er
rors
in
Nat
iona
l Rea
ding
Tes
t qu
esti
on t
ypes
Ex
ampl
e qu
esti
on t
ypes
• un
ders
tand
com
plex
phr
asin
g su
ch a
s ‘na
ture
’s ric
hes
lie s
till h
idde
n’, ‘
undi
scov
ered
as
yet’,
‘c
aref
ul e
nqui
ry o
f lat
er g
ener
atio
ns’ a
nd ‘w
ill
no d
oubt
reve
al th
em’
Map
s of
his
jour
ney
wou
ld b
e ke
pt.
____
___
The
reso
urce
s of
the
earth
wou
ld
be u
sefu
l. __
____
_
Trav
ellin
g w
ould
bec
ome
muc
h
easie
r. __
____
_
(EC2
, p.1
5, q
.9)
Addi
tiona
l iss
ues
• un
ders
tand
con
vent
ions
suc
h as
ast
erisk
s.br
eam
*
An a
ster
isk(*
) has
bee
n us
ed to
sho
w…
ther
e w
ere
not m
any
brea
m
____
___
that
an
expl
anat
ion
has
been
giv
en
____
___
mor
e th
an o
ne s
pelli
ng o
f bre
am
____
___
this
is an
impo
rtant
wor
d __
____
_
(EB2
, p.9
, q.5
)