Validity of a reading comprehension test for Portuguese students

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The Teste de Compreensão da Leitura (TCL) is a reading comprehension assessment designed for second, third, and fourth graders.
• Assessing reading comprehension is crucial for academic success and early identification of learning difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather construct and criterion-related evidence of validity for the TCL.
• To validate three vertically scaled forms of the TCL for elementary students.
• To establish the TCL as a reliable measure of reading comprehension in young learners.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the test dimensionality in a sample of 1,229 students.
• Concurrent and predictive validity were assessed through correlations with other reading tests and academic achievement in a separate sample of 402 students.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure for the TCL.
• Correlation coefficients between the TCL and other reading tests were significant, ranging from low to moderate.
• The TCL demonstrated strong predictive validity, accurately forecasting reading comprehension as evaluated by teachers and national exam results.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide empirical support for the validity of the TCL forms.
• The TCL is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing reading comprehension in elementary students.
• The study contributes to the literature on reading assessment for young learners.