Fragile Evidence: A Critique of Reading Assessment

Rating:
Summary: Fragile conclusions
Review: The authors clearly care a great deal about how children are educated and evaluated. However, the conclusions that are drawn go too far. While these are steeped in much current literary theory, that theory itself is still very speculative with little firm research to support it. Furthermore, although the book roundly condems most current types of reading tests, no promising alternatives are put forth. The main mission of Fragile Evidence is not to reform standardized reading tests or tackle the difficult task of improving them, but rather to just get rid of them altogether. Still, there are a number of good points raised about test validity, reliability, and perhaps most importantly the poor uses to which tests are put.

Rating:
Summary: The emperor is naked
Review: This book does an excellent job of pointing out internal and external validity and reliability issues with a wide range of standardized tests used to assess reading. I found it remarkable to note that most of these tests seldom (if at all) ask readers to read real connected text. The authors do point to some alternatives for reading assessment. Most knowledgeable literacy educators will already have a wide array of means for developing a full picture of any child's literacy development. This book opens the doors wide toward having a conversation around the reductionistic perspectives represented by standardized reading assessments, the purposes they are used for, and the impact they can have on children's literacy.