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At-a-Glance Guide to Sections in the
Roe/Burns, Informal Reading Inventory, Eighth Edition
Student Booklet Form B

Section One
Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Background Information ...................... 1
Teacher Booklet Form B
What Is an IRI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
What Can an IRI Tell Teachers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
What Are Flexible Ways to Use an IRI? . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
How Do IRIs Fit into Literature-Based
Worksheet for Word Recognition
Programs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Who Needs to Take This Informal Reading
Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis of
Inventory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
When Should the Inventory Be Administered? . . . 11
How Long Does the Inventory Take to Student Booklet Form C
Administer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Who Can Administer the Inventory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Teacher Booklet Form C
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Additional Readings ............................... 12
Section Two
Instructions for Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
How Is the Inventory Administered? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis of
How Is the Inventory Scored and Interpreted? . . . 21 Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
What Are Some Frequently Asked Questions Student Booklet Form D
About the IRI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
A Case Study in Scoring and Interpretation . . . . . . 34
Key to Symbols on Passages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Teacher Booklet Form D
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Additional Readings ............................... 47 Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Placement Word Lists Worksheet for Word Recognition
Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Student Word List 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Teacher Word List 1 ............................. 57 Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Student Word List 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Teacher Word List 2 ............................. 69 Appendix A
Graded Passages Choosing Books to Develop and Support

Children’s Reading Proficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Student Booklet Form A Considerations in Using the Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Books Appropriate for Each Reading Level
in the IRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Teacher Booklet Form A
Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Appendix B
Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 How the Inventory Was Constructed . . . . . 229
Worksheet for Word Recognition Constructing the Word Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Constructing the Passages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis of Development of Sections One and Two
Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 and Appendix A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Copyright 2011 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
08946_00_IFC.indd ii 13/04/10 9:58 AM

Informal
Reading
Inventory
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd i 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Informal
Reading
Inventory
Preprimer to Twelfth Grade
Betty D. Roe
Professor Emerita, Tennessee Technological University
Paul C. Burns
Late of University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Eighth Edition
Australia • Brazil • Japan • Korea • Mexico • Singapore • Spain • United Kingdom • United States
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd iii 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Informal Reading Inventory: Preprimer to © 2011, 2007 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Twelfth Grade, Eighth Edition
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright
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08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd iv 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Student Word List 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Teacher Word List 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Section One
Graded Passages
Background Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What Is an IRI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Student Booklet Form A
What Can an IRI Tell Teachers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
What Are Flexible Ways to Use an IRI?. . . . . . . . . . 6
Teacher Booklet Form A
How Do IRIs Fit into Literature-Based
Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Programs?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Who Needs to Take This Informal Reading
Inventory?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
When Should the Inventory Be Administered?. . . 11 Worksheet for Word Recognition
Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
How Long Does the Inventory Take to
Administer?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis of
Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . 108
Who Can Administer the Inventory?. . . . . . . . . . . 11
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Student Booklet Form B
Additional Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Section Two Teacher Booklet Form B

Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Instructions for Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . 141
How Is the Inventory Administered? . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
How Is the Inventory Scored and Interpreted? . . . . 21 Worksheet for Word Recognition
What Are Some Frequently Asked Questions Miscue Tally Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
about the IRI? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis
A Case Study in Scoring and Interpretation . . . . . 34 of Uncorrected Miscues in Context. . . . . . . . 144
Key to Symbols on Passages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Student Booklet Form C
Additional Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Teacher Booklet Form C

Placement Word Lists
Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Student Word List 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Teacher Word List 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd v 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Appendix A
Worksheet for Qualitative Analysis of Choosing Books to Develop and Support
Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . 180 Children’s Reading Proficiency . . . . . . . . . 219
Student Booklet Form D Considerations in Using the Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Passages PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Books Appropriate for Each Reading Level
in the IRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Teacher Booklet Form D
Passages and Questions PP to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Appendix B
Summary of Quantitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . 215
How the Inventory Was Constructed . . . . 229
Summary of Qualitative Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Constructing the Word Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Constructing the Passages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Development of Sections One and Two
and Appendix A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Uncorrected Miscues in Context . . . . . . . . . . 218
vi ◆ CONTENTS
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd vi 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Preface
administration of the oral passages to a fourth-

Audience and Purpose grade boy and the administration of a complete
inventory to a second-grade girl.
The Roe/Burns Informal Reading Inventory, Eighth Through a numbered and clearly labeled format,
Edition, is designed for use by several different samples of completed Worksheets and a Summary
groups: pre-service college students who are learn- Form walk the student through an explanation of
ing about informal reading inventories in reading the scoring and interpretation of the test. The Sum-
methods courses; special reading teachers who, as mary Form allows for inclusion of all important
part of their training or their everyday work, need data and highlights both quantitative and quali-
an easily administered assessment instrument for tative information. The two Worksheets facilitate
their students; and in-service classroom teachers calculation and recording of results.
in workshops dealing with reading methods or The rest of the book consists mainly of word
with informal assessment measures. lists and graded passages from preprimer through
This test should prove to be a useful tool for twelfth grade with accompanying questions that
college-level reading methods classes, elementary can be used with a range of children, in order to
and secondary school classrooms, resource rooms, determine appropriate levels of reading materials
and reading clinics. Because it includes detailed and each student’s areas of strength and weak-
instructions, a wide variety of school personnel ness. All passages have been chosen to fit the
should be able to use it with success. Teachers readability level for the grade, as measured by the
who have worked with similar assessment pro- Spache Readability Formula for preprimer level
grams should be able to use the test even without through grade 3 and the Fry Readability Graph
practice sessions. Those who have not had prior for grades 4 through 12.
experience with informal reading inventories There are two equivalent sets of graded word
should practice using the materials with a num- lists and four equivalent forms of graded passages
ber of children, referring to the instructions in for each of the levels. The availability of so many
the text as necessary. forms enables the teacher to choose the material
that is most appropriate for a particular assess-
ment. Students can also be retested at intervals as
such assessments are needed.
Features and Description Appendix A, “Choosing Books to Develop and
Support Children’s Reading Proficiency,” provides
The first two sections of the inventory contain an extensive list of leveled trade books for pre-
background information about different aspects primer through grade 12. These books can be
of testing word recognition and comprehension used to develop and support children’s reading
as well as specific step-by-step directions on how proficiency through recreational reading or class-
to administer, score, and interpret an informal room instruction.
reading inventory. To illustrate the process of Appendix B describes the construction of this
scoring and interpreting the inventory, case study instrument for readers who are interested in the
information is presented for two situations: the origins of the word lists and graded passages.
vii
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd vii 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Question construction is discussed in detail. Field material. I would also like to offer grateful recog-
testing of the inventory is also briefly discussed. nition to the following reviewers whose construc-
Field testing for the passages in this edition was tive advice and criticism over several editions has
coordinated by Sandra H. Smith, Associate Profes- helped me shape the revisions:
sor of Curriculum and Instruction and Director
James Javorsky, Oakland University
of Teacher Education at Tennessee Technological
Hanfu Mi, SUNY-Oneonta
University.
Joanne Rossi, Notre Dame De Namur University
Marilyn Scott, Ursuline College
Claire Sibold, Biola University
Marilyn Stepnoski, Palm Beach Atlantic
New to the Eighth Edition University
Several key updates and improvements have been Appreciation is also expressed to those who have
made to the Eighth Edition, including these: granted permission to use sample materials or
quotations from their works. Credit for these con-
• A new tabbing system has been designed to tributions has been given in the source lines.
mark the various sections of passages and Special recognition goes to Sandra H. Smith,
forms in an effort to increase the utility and the colleague who implemented the field testing of
navigation of this tool. the passages in this edition. Without her assistance
• The appendix of leveled trade books has been I would have been unable to field test materials
expanded, thus providing a valuable resource easily in multiple school settings. My appreciation
for teachers planning instruction following for this mammoth task is great.
administration of this tool. I also wish to acknowledge that some work of
Paul C. Burns, a colleague and friend who was my
coauthor for the first edition, still remains in this
edition. His death in the summer of 1983, before
Acknowledgments the second edition was begun, was a loss to all of
us in the field of reading education.
The author is indebted to many people for their Finally, I want to thank my husband Mike for
assistance during the preparation of this book. all the assistance that he gave me with proofread-
Although it is impossible to name them all, I ing and computer problems.
would like to acknowledge the many teachers
and students involved in the field testing of the Betty D. Roe
viii ◆ PREFACE
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd viii 14/04/10 9:58 AM

Informal
Reading
Inventory
08946_00_FM_pi-x.indd ix 14/04/10 9:58 AM

SECTION ONE
Background Information
This section answers the following questions:

• What is an IRI?
• What can an IRI tell teachers?
• What are flexible ways to use an IRI?
• How do IRIs fit into literature-based programs?
• Who needs to take this informal reading inventory?
• When should the inventory be administered?
• How long does the inventory take to administer?
• Who can administer the inventory?
students’ specific reading problems. As Johnson,

What Is an IRI? Kress, and Pikulski (1987, p. 2) state, “The use of
IRIs is aided by a series of guidelines for their con-
An informal reading inventory (IRI) is a type of struction, administration, scoring, and interpre-
informal reading test designed to provide teach- tation. However, use of these inventories is not
ers with a variety of information. It can help a bound by formal directions, defined time lim-
teacher discover the levels of reading material its, or a restricted set of materials or procedures.
pupils can read both with and without teacher Finally, the results of IRIs do not match an
assistance, the reading levels at which pupils individual’s performance against standardized or
should not be asked to function, and the levels at normed scores. Instead, the individual is evalu-
which they can comprehend material that is read ated against preestablished standards, which
to them. It serves as a placement and monitoring must be met if that individual is to become a
tool for teachers and measures students’ perfor- successful, accomplished reader of the materi-
mances against established criteria, not against als ultimately determined appropriate for use in
the performances of other students. Invernizzi classroom instruction. The emphasis is not upon
and colleagues (2005) point out that teachers comparing the performance of someone who is
often prefer to have the specific instructional taking an IRI with others who have taken such
information provided by such tests. Teachers inventories; instead, the emphasis is on learn-
know that numerical scores alone “usually don’t ing about the skills, abilities, and needs of the
provide a complete picture of what children know individual in order to plan a program of reading
and can do” (Wilson, Martens, and Arya, 2005). instruction that will allow a maximum rate of
Thus, the qualitative analyses of the IRI provide progress.” As Invernizzi and colleagues (2005,
far more insight into students’ progress, and p. 611) point out, “teachers want assessments that
they can also help teachers diagnose some of the are instructionally useful in the here and now.”
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 1 13/04/10 7:01 AM

They need specific information about features of passages (referred to in this text as the placement
word recognition and comprehension that can level). This estimate may have to be revised after
guide them to appropriate instructional choices. the first passage has been administered, but it is
IRIs can provide this information. a tentative indicator that may save the teacher
Although IRIs were originally teacher-made, some time by eliminating the tendency to begin
they are time-consuming and difficult to con- the passages at too low a level.
struct. For this reason, published inventories,
such as this one, have been developed. The
■ Graded Passages
goals for our inventory are the same as those for
teacher-made IRIs. Directions for use, based on This IRI contains a series of carefully graded read-
experience, research, and field testing, are offered, ing passages for all reading levels from preprimer
but teachers with experience are encouraged to through twelfth grade. Each selection has been
use the materials flexibly to fit individual needs. checked for difficulty with a well-known readability
According to Barr, Blachowicz, and Wogman- formula and has been found to be at the designated
Sadow (1995, p. 265), a commercial “informal level. The Spache Readability Formula was used to
reading inventory has many advantages over a check selections for preprimer through grade 3, and
diagnosis based on oral reading of a single passage. the Fry Readability Graph was used to check selec-
It allows for the comparison of silent and oral tions for grades 4 through 12. Because formulas do
reading and for an assessment of fluency and word not take into consideration many factors related to
recognition proficiency at various levels of diffi- reading difficulty, during the field testing these pas-
culty. These comparisons make it possible for you sages were checked for increasing difficulty in word
to determine more precisely the level of materi- recognition and comprehension. The passages also
als that a student should read under various con- were chosen primarily from graded materials in
ditions. Perhaps its greatest strength lies in the basal readers and literature books actually used in
assessment of listening comprehension, which schools with students at that grade level. They in-
allows a more definitive conclusion to be drawn clude both fiction and nonfiction passages, because
regarding the influence of word recognition on a students are expected to read both types of passages
student’s comprehension.” in school. This choice of selections was made to
Most commercial IRIs have graded word ensure that the IRI presented the students with
lists that function as placement tools to help realistic reading tasks.
the teacher decide where to start administering Following each selection is a group of ques-
the graded passages that provide the bulk of the tions designed to measure many types of com-
diagnostic information. In addition, an analysis of prehension strategies. Appropriate answers to
errors on the graded word lists can give the teacher the questions are provided for the convenience
information about phonics and structural analy- of the examiner.
sis skills that need attention. Word recognition Four selections (four forms) are provided at
is a valid and reliable measure of overall reading each reading level to facilitate pre- and post-testing.
ability, because automatic word recognition frees Most clinicians and some teachers like to use both
the student to focus attention on comprehension an oral and a silent reading measure at each level
(Invernizzi et al., 2005). The graded word lists and and look at the combined results. This is the most
graded passages in this IRI are discussed below. desirable method, because it yields the most infor-
mation for diagnostic purposes. In such a situation,
two forms of the test are available for pre-testing
■ Graded Word Lists
and two forms for post-testing. In the interest of
Two lists of twenty words from each reading level time, some teachers prefer to administer only an
(preprimer, primer, first reader, second grade, oral reading passage, or in some cases only a silent
third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade, reading passage, at each level. In these instances,
seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade, tenth the user of this IRI has available, in essence, four
grade, eleventh grade, and twelfth grade) are equivalent forms for use.
provided in this IRI. No pictures accompany the graded passages in
The primary function of these lists is to pro- this IRI because it was felt that the possible use of
vide the teacher with an indication of the level at picture clues to obtain meaning from the para-
which the administration of the graded passages graphs would lessen the accuracy of the test in
should be started. The highest level at which the determining the reader’s ability to comprehend
pupil knows all of the words on the list should printed language. Students may be able to read
be the starting point for administration of the more difficult material when picture clues are
2 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 2 13/04/10 7:01 AM

added to the context. Not all classroom reading same time, Ekwall (1974) presented evidence that
tasks are accompanied by pictures, however, so the Betts criteria should be maintained, with rep-
testing performance without availability of pic- etitions counted as errors, in order to determine
ture clues seemed to be most helpful to teachers. the frustration level accurately. That position also
If pictures are included in classroom material, seems to agree with Johnston’s idea that repeti-
many children will be able to handle material tions are “indicators of difficulty” (Johnston, 1997,
that is a grade level above the test result. p. 213). Taking these findings into account, we have
utilized the criteria presented in Table 1–1. The set
of criteria for the reading levels are basically those
proposed by Johnson, Kress, and Pikulski (1987),
What Can an IRI Tell Teachers? with an adjustment suggested by Powell (1970) for
word recognition for grades 1 and 2.
Two major types of information can be obtained
from the use of this IRI: quantitative information Independent Reading Level ■ The independent
expressed in grade equivalent scores to indicate reading level is the level at which a person can
the reader’s independent reading level, instruc- read with understanding and ease, without assis-
tional reading level, frustration level, and listening tance. The reader has 99 percent or better word
comprehension level; and qualitative information recognition (misses no more than one word in a
concerning the reader’s word recognition and com- hundred) and 90 percent or better comprehen-
prehension strengths and difficulties. These two sion (misses no more than one question in ten).
categories of information are briefly explained as At this level, reading is not accompanied by inap-
follows. propriate habits (finger pointing, etc.) or signs of
nervous tension (facial tics, frowning, etc.).
Material at a student’s independent level is ap-
■ Quantitative Information propriate for homework assignments and recre-
To analyze the results of an informal reading in- ational reading. The directions for class work to
ventory in order to find a student’s different read- be completed without teacher assistance should
ing levels, an examiner must use predetermined be written at this level.
criteria. The criteria used are percentage of word
recognition accuracy and percentage of correct Instructional Reading Level ■ The instructional
answers to comprehension questions. reading level is the level at which a person can read
Various writers in the field suggest slightly dif- with understanding with the teacher’s assistance.
fering percentages for independent, instructional, The reader has 85 percent or better word recogni-
frustration, and capacity levels. The original criteria tion (misses no more than fifteen words in a hun-
for establishing the levels were developed by Betts dred) as a first or second grader or 95 percent or
(1946). Powell (1970) and Powell and Dunkeld better word recognition (misses no more than five
(1971) have suggested that the numerical stan- words in a hundred) as a third grader or above, and
dard used for determining the instructional level he or she has 75 percent or better comprehension
is too stringent, particularly at lower levels. At the (misses no more than two questions out of eight).
Material at a student’s instructional level
should be used for teaching reading strategies.
TABLE 1–1 IRI Criteria It should be used during “reading class,” where
Word the teacher is available to support the students as
Level Recognition Comprehension they work with the written passages.
Independent 99% or higher and 90% or higher
Frustration Level ■ The frustration level is the level
Instructional 85% or higher and 75% or higher at which a person is unable to function adequately
(grades 1–2)
because the reading material is too difficult. The
95% or higher
(grades 3–12) reader has either less than 85 percent word recog-
nition (misses more than fifteen words in a hun-
Frustration below 85% or below 50% dred) as a first or second grader or less than 90
(grades 1–2)
below 90%
percent word recognition (misses more than ten
(grades 3–12) words in a hundred) as a third grader or above, or
has less than 50 percent comprehension (misses
Listening 75% or higher
more than five of ten comprehension questions)
Comprehension
as a student in any grade. At this level, attempts
SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 3
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 3 13/04/10 7:01 AM

to read may be accompanied by finger pointing, administered, teachers should record word rec-
frowning, squirming, facial tics, and other inap- ognition miscues for use in determining reading
propriate habits and signs of nervous tension. skill strengths and weaknesses. The skill determi-
No student should be asked to read material nations can be used in setting up instructional
written at his or her frustration level. Nothing groups or for individual instructional planning.
can be learned from such material, and the expe- The types of miscues made may provide the
rience can lead to negative attitudes toward both teacher with information about how the reader
reading and school in general. decodes words and about the reader’s phonics
For a full explanation on what to do when a and structural analysis skills.
student’s scores are not high enough for the instruc- Teachers should not overgeneralize from the
tional level, but not low enough to be at the frustra- results of an analysis of miscues on the word lists,
tion level, see FAQ 1 on page 32 of Section Two. however, for students’ miscues on words in isola-
tion often differ significantly from those on words
Listening Comprehension Level ■ The listening in context. Readers tend to read words in context
comprehension level (sometimes referred to as more accurately than words in isolation (Allington
capacity level or potential level) is the level at which and McGill-Franzen, 1980). This finding should
a person adequately comprehends material that not be surprising, because more information is
is read by the teacher. The student has 75 percent available to assist in decoding words when they
comprehension of the material read. are in context. In fact, comparison of the types of
This level is the one at which the student miscues made on words in isolation and words in
would probably be able to read if no limiting fac- context may alert teachers to needed instructional
tors were present. Limiting factors could include procedures. For example, if the two types of pre-
physical or emotional disabilities, lack of motiva- sentations result in identical miscues, the student
tion, or inadequate instruction. Comparing the is probably not making use of the semantic and
student’s listening comprehension level with his syntactic information provided by the context.
or her instructional level can indicate potential for Such a student may be too bound to phonic and
improvement. For example, a child who has an in- structural analysis techniques and may not be
structional reading level of 2.0, but a listening com- willing or able to use available context clues.
prehension level of 6.0, has an excellent chance of The word recognition miscues in the oral
improvement with a good program of instruction. reading passages should be considered in terms
In contrast, a child with an instructional level of of those that change meaning and those that do
2.0 and a listening comprehension level of 3.0 has not. Even good adult readers often do not read the
less potential for advancement, but could improve exact words when their minds are moving beyond
some. It is generally possible to obtain a listening the material that is being spoken. They often
comprehension level by reading to the student translate the material into different words that
passages from successively higher grade levels, after mean the same thing as the words in the text. For
the frustration level has been found. example, a reader may read “I will speak to him”
Some teachers use the word lists to make quick as “I will talk to him,” if talk is the word that seems
approximations of students’ reading levels. How- more natural for the reader and if the reader’s eyes
ever, because they involve only word recognition are ahead of the voice, taking in different words
and not comprehension, word lists are not the that must be processed. Such a change obviously
best tool for determining levels. Still, comparison does not change the meaning and therefore is not
of the levels obtained from the word lists and the a serious miscue. In contrast, if the reader reads
graded passages can provide some useful informa- “I will speed to him,” the miscue disrupts the
tion. If students’ levels are much higher on the meaning, although not the syntax, and the mis-
word lists than on the passages, teachers can ex- cue can go unnoticed, leaving the reader with a
pect that instruction in comprehension and use misleading impression. If the reader reads, “I will
of context clues is needed more than instruction spinach to him,” the miscue results in nonsense
in sight words, phonics, and structural analysis.
1
Miscue is a term that has grown out of the research of
Kenneth Goodman and his associates. It is used to describe
■ Qualitative Information the unexpected responses students give when they misin-
terpret clues in the language that could help them decode
Word Recognition Miscue Analysis1 ■ Both when words. Some people continue to use the term errors, but
the graded word lists are administered and when this term implies random response (Johnson, Kress, and
the informal reading inventory oral selections are Pikulski, 1987).
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 4 13/04/10 7:01 AM

and as such is a serious impediment to the read- 4. A sequence question requires knowledge of
er’s comprehension. The fact that a word does not events in their order of occurrence.
fit the syntax of a sentence should prevent such 5. A cause-and-effect question names a cause and
miscues, but if syntactic clues are ignored, serious asks for its effect or mentions an effect and
miscues can result. asks for its cause.
When analyzing miscues of different types, 6. A vocabulary question asks for the meaning of
teachers should not worry about planning skill a word or phrase used in the selection.
lessons for miscues that do not change the mean-
The question types used in this inventory cor-
ing of the passages; such miscues are likely due to
respond to areas of comprehension addressed in
the internal translation process of the reader, and
instructional materials that are used in schools.
not to the reader’s inability to decode the words
Analysis of the types of questions most frequently
in question. Miscues that change meaning should
missed can help teachers decide what specific
be examined more carefully. If students do not
lessons are needed to alleviate comprehension-
recognize the inappropriateness of miscues that
skill deficiencies. Teachers should be careful to
produce nonsense, they should be given lessons
avoid drawing conclusions from extremely lim-
that encourage the use of context clues.
ited samples, however. If only four questions of a
When meaning is disrupted, a reader who is
particular type have been asked and the student
monitoring his or her comprehension may return
has missed two, deciding that this is a problem
to the point of confusion, reexamine the text,
area may be inappropriate. Deciding that more
and correct the miscue. Such self-correction is a
assessment may be needed in this area is more
good sign, showing that the reader is demanding
reasonable. On the other hand, if a student has
meaning from the text. Two important strategies
been asked ten questions of a particular type and
for readers to acquire are self-monitoring and self-
missed nine, an instructional decision would be
correction. Self-corrected miscues are not counted
warranted.
in miscue totals for determining reader levels,
Main Idea Questions. Main idea questions are
because they are considered positive evidence of
asked primarily to determine whether the reader is
reading skill. However, the repetitions of reading
able to obtain the central thought or topic of a pas-
material that occur when the self-corrections are
sage. As Harris and Hodges (1981, p. 188) indicate,
made should be counted in the miscue total for de-
“[t]here is little agreement on what a main idea
termining reader level. This decision is based on
is.” In beginning reading instruction, students are
the results of a convincing study (Ekwall, 1974)
often taught to recognize the topic of a passage,
indicating that repetitions should be counted
whereas at more advanced levels they are often
as errors if the criteria for levels that are used in
asked to formulate a more complete statement
this test are to be appropriate. The placement
of the central thought or message of the passage.
of students in materials is likely to be too high
Harris and Hodges (1995, p. 148) offer four defi-
if repetitions are not counted as errors. Such
nitions of main idea that range from “the chief
artificially high placement could force students to
topic” to the “central thought” of a passage.
try to read material that causes them discomfort
A major problem in testing for knowledge of
and frustration.
the main idea is that of phrasing the question
The teacher can obtain a measure of the read-
in a way students can understand. Many young
er’s sight vocabulary from the graded word lists
children are not familiar with the term main idea
when a more extensive testing procedure is not
and therefore cannot simply be asked what the
desired. Having two forms of the word lists facili-
main idea of a passage is. The question “What is
tates retesting.
this story about?” often will elicit the main idea
from such children; however, it may also elicit
Comprehension Question Analysis ■ Following each
a summary of the entire story. The teacher may
reading selection is a set of comprehension ques-
wish to follow a summary-type response with the
tions. The following types of questions are used:
question “Could you tell me what it is about in
1. A main idea question asks for the central just one sentence?” or, for first graders who do
theme of the selection. not yet have a concept of sentence, “Could you
2. A detail question asks for bits of information tell me what it is about in a shorter way?” The
directly stated in the material. way children respond to main idea questions will
3. An inference question asks for information depend on their grasp of the terminology used in
that is implied, but not directly stated, in the the questions and on what they have been taught
passage. about main ideas. A teacher giving this inventory
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 5 13/04/10 7:01 AM

will want to take both factors into account and and times of day (morning, afternoon, evening,
adjust evaluations of student responses to the etc.). Sequence questions are designed to determine
questions accordingly. whether or not students are using this knowledge
Detail Questions. Detail questions, which are when they read.
the kind of question most often asked by teach- Cause-and-Effect Questions. Causes and effects
ers, are important; they provide the building are important elements in the development of
blocks from which answers to higher-order ques- events in plots of narratives and in expository
tions are constructed. However, they can easily materials in areas such as science, health, and
be overemphasized. This inventory includes not social studies. Causes and effects may be directly
only detail questions (which are easy to formulate stated (i.e., be details) or may be implied (i.e., re-
and relatively easy to answer), but also higher- quire inferences). Both types are found in materi-
order questions that require manipulation of als that students are asked to read in school, and
information and integration of ideas. Teachers it is helpful for teachers to know how well stu-
should check the performance of students both dents are able to identify causes and effects. Both
on detail questions and on questions that require types of cause-and-effect questions are found in
more advanced thought processes and then com- this inventory. Sometimes causes and effects are
pare the results. Children in the United States signaled by words such as because and since, but
tend to perform better on detail questions (on often they are not. As with other types of infer-
which they receive much more classroom prac- ences, students need to use their background
tice) than on higher-order questions (which are knowledge to discern causes and effects that are
sometimes neglected in the classroom). implied rather than directly stated.
Inference Questions. Inference questions are Vocabulary Questions. Understanding the vocab-
among the higher-order questions that require ulary in a reading selection is essential to compre-
students to assemble clues from the reading hension of the selection. A vocabulary question in
material to determine information that is im- this inventory may ask for the meaning of a word
plied in the passage. To answer such a question, a that is important to comprehension of the selec-
reader must sometimes use information from his tion, even if there are no clear-cut context clues
or her background of experience. For example, if to the meaning. Although these questions are by
the text says, “The sun was directly overhead,” nature passage independent, they nevertheless
and the question is, “At what time of day did the illuminate the readers’ comprehension of the pas-
event occur?” in order to answer the question sage. Other vocabulary questions may have con-
correctly the reader must know that the sun is text clues that will help students discern their
directly overhead at noon. Students who have meanings. An attempt was made to include in
broad backgrounds of experience therefore are the vocabulary questions words that had multiple
likely to do better on inferential questions than meanings that might cause misinterpretation.
are students with meager backgrounds of expe-
rience. However, on the basis of the answers to
questions, teachers can often detect a lack in expe-
riential background and can plan future instruc-
tion and choice of reading materials accordingly.
What Are Flexible Ways
Making inferences is essential to comprehending to Use an IRI?
text (Valencia and Pearson, 1987). Applegate,
Quinn, and Applegate (2002) point out that IRIs The previous sections explain traditional use of
need to include assessment of thoughtful literacy. IRIs. However, because IRIs are informal tests, their
Use of inference questions at all inventory levels, use does not have to be limited to a restricted
as well as inclusion of main idea questions, is an set of procedures. Teachers may vary their use
attempt to meet such purposes of the IRI. of the materials in this IRI to fit their individual
Sequence Questions. Recognition and understand- classroom needs. Following are some suggestions
ing of sequences is important, both in following the concerning flexible use of the IRI.
plots of narrative materials and in comprehending
expository material in areas such as social studies
■ Retelling
and science. In order to follow sequences, students
must be able to respond to clues in the text such Some educators feel that more complete data
as the terms first, second, third, next, then, finally, be- on comprehension can be gained from eliciting
fore, and after. They must also use their knowledge retellings of the selections than from merely asking
of sequences of dates, months of the year, seasons, comprehension questions. Johnston (1983, p. 54)
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 6 13/04/10 7:01 AM

sees retelling as “the most straightforward assess- Brown and Cambourne (1987) believe that
ment . . . of the result of text-reader interaction.” a retelling procedure will not work effectively in
The student retells the selection in his or her classrooms that do not have a whole language/
own words when a retelling, or free recall, technique natural-learning climate. They see such classrooms
is used to assess comprehension. The retelling may as having friendly, supportive, nonthreatening
be written or oral. The teacher may have a list of social interactions and unpressured retelling oppor-
the points that should be included in the retelling tunities, perceived as relevant to the students’ needs.
and may mark them off as they are mentioned by Brown and Cambourne used retelling as a learning
the student. After the student completes the retell- procedure, rather than as a testing procedure, and
ing, the examiner may ask questions to probe for therefore allowed student discussion of retellings,
the information that is not provided by the student rather than just having teacher evaluation.
during the initial telling. The student can be given Different methods have been devised to guide
credit for each point recalled. This procedure takes the assessment of retellings by teachers. A num-
more time than direct questioning, but it may be ber of the systems of analysis of retellings are
chosen if the teacher wants to obtain an idea of the complicated and unmanageable for many class-
student’s verbal facility. room teachers. One of the less complicated sys-
There are possible problems with diagnostic tems is shown in Figure 1–1; another is found in
use of the free recall process (Barr, Blachowicz, and Figure 1–2.
Wogman-Sadow, 1995; Morrow, 1985; Morrow, Nevertheless, retellings can offer teachers
1988; Stein and Glenn, 1979; Bridge and Tierney, insights both into students’ ability to organize
1981; Brown and Cambourne, 1987). Students the material read in a coherent manner and into
may have trouble with the process until they be- students’ recall of passage content. Moss (2004)
come familiar with it through repeated attempts. suggests having a student predict what the mate-
Morrow (1988, p. 128) points out that “[r]etelling rial will be about based on the title, before reading
is not an easy procedure for students, no matter takes place. In the passages for this IRI, a user who
what their ages and especially if they have no prior wants to incorporate this feature of testing could
experience.” Anthony and others (1991) caution include a title for each passage derived from the
that students must become familiar with what is answers suggested for the main idea questions, to
expected from them in a retelling and must prac- provide an opportunity for prediction. Personal
tice the procedure before it is used for assessment response questions can also be added after the re-
purposes. telling is done, to discover how much the student
Students also may not respond to directions is making connections between the selection and
as expected. For example, if the student knows his or her own life experiences, attitudes, inter-
that the examiner has read the selection, he or ests, and needs.
she may leave out important information on the When retelling is to be used, the students
assumption that the examiner knows it. This situ- should be informed before they start reading a
ation would be particularly likely if the passage selection that they will be asked to retell it. The
were one that the student had just read orally teacher should encourage each student to retell
to the teacher. For that reason, retelling may be as much of each selection as he or she can. The
more effective after silent reading of passages teacher may say something similar to “Retell
than after oral reading. this selection for someone who has not read it,
The quality of the free recall may be an indi- so that the person would understand it as well
cation of the verbal skills the student possesses as you do.” As the student retells the selection,
as much as it is an indication of his or her com- the teacher may offer encouragement to continue
prehension. Written retellings may be affected by when the student pauses, by saying, “Can you tell
spelling and mechanical problems as much as, anything else that it said?” After the student fin-
or more than, by comprehension difficulties. For ishes retelling, the teacher can probe further by
that reason, oral retellings may be less demand- asking the comprehension questions that were
ing for certain students. not answered in the retelling. (There is, of course,
More information may be remembered in no need to ask those questions that were clearly
response to questions than can be remembered answered in the retelling.) Teachers can figure the
in free recall. Because poor readers have a greater comprehension based on the percentage of ques-
tendency to provide additional information in tions answered under either condition. In making
response to questioning than good readers do, the qualitative analysis, they can also consider the
poor readers need questioning in order to dem- student’s grasp of the organization of the mate-
onstrate their comprehension more effectively. rial as indicated by the order of retelling. Much
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 7 13/04/10 7:01 AM

FIGURE 1–1 Free Recall Processing Checklist
Answer each of these questions according to the 8. _____ Did the student use the
following scale: organizational pattern used by the author?
5 Yes, very well 9. _____ Did the student elaborate appropriately?
4 Yes, more than adequately 10. _____ Did the student know how to adjust
3 Yes, adequately strategies to the purpose given?
2 No, not too well What effective comprehension processes were
1 No, poorly evident in the student’s recall?
NA Not applicable or can’t tell What comprehension processes were not evident,
or seemed to be causing problems?
1. _____ Did the student recall a To what extent was the student’s performance as
sufficient number of ideas? just described affected by each of the following?
2. _____ Did the student recall the 1. Limited prior knowledge or vocabulary.
ideas accurately? 2. Limited motivation or interest.
3. _____ Did the student select the 3. Cultural differences.
most important details to recall? 4. Decoding problems.
5. Difficulties in the text.
4. _____ Did the student understand 6. Social context.
explicit pronouns and connectives? 7. Discomfort with the task.
5. _____ Did the student infer 8. Other environmental influences.
important implicitly stated information?
Source: From Judith Westphal Irwin, Teaching Reading
6. _____ Did the student include the
Comprehension Processes, 2d ed., p. 202. Copyright
explicitly stated main points?
© 1991. Published by Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA.
7. _____ Did the student create any Copyright © 1991 by Pearson Education. Reprinted by
new summarizing statements? permission of the publisher.
FIGURE 1–2 Rubric for Oral or Written Retelling of a Narrative
3 2 1
Characterization
Accurately recalls both primary and Accurately recalls only primary or Incorrectly identifies the characters
secondary characters secondary characters, not both
Uses vivid, appropriate descriptive Provides limited, correct Provides no descriptions or inaccurate
words when discussing the characters descriptions of the characters descriptions of the characters
Setting
Recalls the setting: both place Recalls only the time or the Provides minimal information or
and time place, not both inaccurately describes the setting
Plot
Recalls the action or plot in correct Describes some of the events Inaccurately describes events as they
sequence as it happens in the story as they occur in the story happen in the story sequence or
sequence describes events out of sequence
Conflict/Resolution
Accurately discusses both the conflict Discusses only the conflict or Discusses fragmented sections of the
and the resolution the resolution, not both story with little mention of a conflict
or problem with a resulting resolution
Name of student: ________________________________________________

Story: _________________________________________________________
Circle type of response: Written Oral
Source: From Betty D. Roe, Sandy H. Smith, and Paul C. Burns, Teaching Reading in Today’s Elementary Schools, 10th ed.,
p. 50. Copyright © 2009, by Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Reprinted with permission.
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 8 13/04/10 7:01 AM

judgment goes into the final analysis of the stu- instructional level only, by using just the portions
dent’s reading, and the data from the retelling can of the material that are needed. Teachers may do
be useful in forming that final judgment. this to find out whether a written work that they
Recordings of retellings can make analysis of plan to use for homework or in the class (and
them easier for the teacher, who can listen again to for which they have a grade level designation)
any parts that are confusing or that the student pre- is likely to be at an independent, instructional,
sented very quickly. Overreliance on recording slows or frustration level for the students who will be
down the assessment, so recording may simply serve asked to read it.
as a backup to be used in special cases, rather than as Many secondary teachers feel that only a
a regularly analyzed aspect of each session. silent reading assessment is appropriate for stu-
Teachers who wish to use a retelling compo- dents in grades 7 through 12, and many primary
nent for assessment may want to consult some grade teachers feel that an oral assessment will
writings on this topic for help in implementing a give them the best picture of performance if they
personally effective procedure (Clark, 1982; Irwin have limited time available. Not every assess-
and Mitchell, 1983; Kalmbach, 1986a; Kalmbach, ment has to be a complete assessment. Indeed,
1986b; Barr, Blachowicz, and Wogman-Sadow, classroom teachers would be hard-pressed to ad-
1995; Morrow, 1985; Morrow, 1988; Stein and minister complete assessments to all of their stu-
Glenn, 1979; Bridge and Tierney, 1981; Brown dents without some additional assistance, such
and Cambourne, 1987). Given the current lack as a paraprofessional to oversee other activities
of generally accepted criteria for evaluating retell- while the assessments are being done. As Barr,
ing, most teachers will probably be more comfort- Blachowicz, and Wogman-Sadow (1995) have in-
able with the standard questioning procedure. dicated, teachers must be familiar with the pro-
cedures for a complete assessment, but they also
should know when following only a portion of
■ Assessing Use of Context Clues
these procedures is appropriate.
The use of context clues is an aspect of comprehen- Users whose purpose is to analyze the word
sion that can sometimes be more easily ascertained recognition miscues carefully to decide what strat-
by examination of word recognition miscues made egies are being used may administer the word lists
while reading the passages than by examination and oral passages only and compare the word rec-
of question responses or retellings. Students who ognition strategies used in isolation with those
make miscues that fit the context and do not used in context, but some teachers may not use
distort meaning are using context clues to good the word lists, because students are not generally
advantage; in contrast, students who make mis- asked to read words out of context in authentic
cues that distort meaning or result in nonsense literacy activities.
and who fail to correct these miscues need help Instead of doing a standard complete inven-
with using context clues. tory, some teachers may administer two different
forms to compare the results of having the stu-
dents read orally at sight and having them read
■ Reading Rate
orally after they have read silently. This oral read-
The measurement of reading rate is not essential to ing after silent preparation may be used primarily
obtaining accurate results from the inventory, but to assess oral reading fluency.
information about rate can be beneficial to teach-
ers in a number of ways. First, rate is an important Cautions about Partial Assessments ■ One cau-
part of fluency, because slow, laborious reading tion is that administration of a single passage
lacks proper phrasing and intonation. Second, the will not give a definitive level for instructional
slow rate overtaxes memory and thereby reduces purposes. Students must have a chance to read
comprehension. Third, too fast a rate may also progressively difficult passages to determine the
impede comprehension because it often results in highest level at which the criteria for a specific
careless reading that may result in misconceptions. level are met.
Another caution is that any one passage may
give a misleading level because background of
■ Partial Assessments
experiences and interests strongly influence com-
This instrument can also be used to obtain more prehension. Some students will perform abnor-
limited information than administration of the mally well on some passages because of extensive
complete inventory would provide, such as silent background on the topic. Similarly, some students
reading independent level only or oral reading may perform abnormally low on some passages
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 9 13/04/10 7:01 AM

because of lack of background about the topic or independent reading of literature from trade
lack of interest in the topic. books.
Winograd, Paris, and Bridge (1991, p. 110)
encourage teachers to “[c]larify the purpose of
an assessment and then select the tools most
appropriate for that purpose.” An informal read-
How Do IRIs Fit into ing inventory meets the requirements for assess-
Literature-Based Programs? ments that are designed to diagnose instructional
needs of students and to place the students in
Norton (1992, p. 107) points out that IRIs “are materials that are on appropriate levels. Other
especially valuable for assessing the reading ability tests may be more appropriate for meeting other
of students in literature-based programs because assessment goals.
the IRIs can be constructed from passages and Strategic readers “are able to handle a variety
questions that are similar to those in the mate- of authentic texts for a variety of different pur-
rials read by the students.” Literature-based pro- poses, . . . and they are adept at planning their
grams generally focus on having students interact approach to reading depending upon their pur-
with larger chunks of language than the single, pose, their familiarity with the topic, the type
isolated sounds, words, and sentences often used of text, and so forth” (Winograd, Paris, and
for assessment in traditional standardized tests. Bridge, 1991, p. 112). This inventory provides
Informal reading inventories provide students varying topics and types of text, both fiction and
with more connected text to read, and facility nonfiction, that are typical of ones the students
with individual skills can be determined from the might encounter in classroom instruction, to
analysis of the students’ performance when read- facilitate decisions about students’ ability to han-
ing connected text. dle them.
The format of the reading passages in an infor-
mal reading inventory is more like the text found
in books that the children read than is the format
of traditional, multiple-choice-type standardized
tests. In fact, the passages in this inventory come
Who Needs to Take This
primarily from actual materials that students Informal Reading Inventory?
are asked to read in school. They are not pas-
sages designed only to highlight particular skills. Ideally, every student would be given the
Anthony and others (1991, pp. 68–69) point out informal reading inventory so that the tea-
that “the teacher needs to know how well chil- cher could place him or her at the correct level
dren can cope with real texts.” in the reading program, supply appropriate
Informal reading inventories are not timed content-area reading material, and recommend
tests that put unnatural time constraints upon recreational reading. Because an all-inclusive
decoding and understanding text. The untimed assessment is not likely to be possible for class-
nature of these tests allows students the freedom room teachers, at least pupils known to have
to use strategies, such as rereading to utilize con- reading problems and pupils for whom reading
text clues, that are often not encouraged by timed skills information is not available should be as-
tests. sessed. Students who score low on standardized
Open-ended questions, as opposed to mul- reading achievement tests are appropriate can-
tiple-choice items, require more than random didates for assessment, as are students who ar-
choices for answers. This inventory includes not rive from other schools without accompanying
only open-ended questions, but also a mixture records. The administration of an informal read-
of literal and higher-order questions, in order ing inventory provides a unique opportunity for
to get a more complete picture of the students’ close pupil–teacher contact. This may increase
comprehension. the teacher’s chances of providing effective re-
Emphasis is on what levels of material are best medial assistance.
for individual students and what instructional Teachers will also find inventory results for
needs the students have, instead of on compari- gifted students to be helpful in planning instruc-
sons with other students. The IRI provides spe- tion. They can determine the level of advanced
cific information about each individual student’s material that can be used to challenge these
reading strategies that can provide a base for de- students and keep them interested in school
veloping instructional activities and assigning assignments.
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 10 13/04/10 7:01 AM

however, if the teacher cannot administer the
When Should the Inventory inventory, he or she should still be able to ac-
Be Administered? cumulate sufficient data about the student by
studying the record and discussing it with the
Probably the best time for administering a read- administrator. Thus, the assessment could be
ing assessment is at the beginning of the school administered by a reading teacher or other person
year. However, there are other times when it can who has the necessary skill; it need not always be
be equally useful, such as when a child is having done by the classroom teacher.
difficulty with classroom reading material, after Prospective teachers are frequently taught to
a student’s prolonged absence from school, or administer informal reading inventories in meth-
when a new student transfers into the classroom. ods courses that deal with developmental reading
For students with notable reading difficul- and/or focus on diagnosing and correcting class-
ties, two or more forms of the inventory may be room reading problems. Although this is valuable
administered at various times during the year. preparation, much additional practice in admin-
Thus it is possible to measure the progress made istering and scoring an inventory is needed before
in eliminating problems discovered during the a valid administration can be ensured. Practice in
first assessment. scoring recordings of students reading aloud is
helpful. After the scoring, these recordings can be
replayed so that the markings can be checked for
accuracy.
How Long Does the Inventory

Take to Administer?
Administration of this reading inventory will take a REFERENCES
bit longer the first few times than after the adminis-
Allington, Richard L., and McGill-Franzen, Anne.
trator has gained some experience. Administration “Word Identification Errors in Isolation and in
of an abridged form of the inventory (for example, Context: Apples vs. Oranges.” The Reading Teacher,
a word list plus only oral selections) usually takes 33 (April 1980): 795–800.
only twenty to thirty minutes. For the complete Anthony, Robert J., Johnson, Terry D., Mickelson,
form, including administration of both oral and Norma I., and Preece, Alison. Evaluating Liter-
silent passages and a measure of listening compre- acy: A Perspective for Change. (Portsmouth, NH:
hension, an experienced inventory user often needs Heinemann, 1991).
forty to fifty minutes. The time required will vary Applegate, Mary DeKonty, Quinn, Kathleen Benson,
from student to student. and Applegate, Anthony J. “Levels of Thinking
Required by Comprehension Questions in Infor-
Some ideal times for an assessment session are
mal Reading Inventories.” The Reading Teacher, 56
during supervised study periods or during regu-
(October 2002): 174–180.
larly scheduled reading classes, if another capable Barr, Rebecca, Blachowicz, Camille L. Z., and Wogman-
person is available either to administer the inven- Sadow, Marilyn. Reading Diagnosis for Teachers: An
tory or to teach the class. It is not necessary to Instructional Approach. (White Plains, NY: Longman,
administer the inventory in one sitting. 1995).
Betts, Emmett A. Foundations of Reading Instruction. New
York: American Book Co., 1946.
Bridge, C. A., and Tierney, R. J. “The Inferential
Operations of Children across Text with Narra-
Who Can Administer the tive and Expository Tendencies.” Journal of Reading
Inventory? Behavior, 13 (1981): 201–214.
Brown, Hazel, and Cambourne, Brian. Read and Retell.
The person who will be working most closely (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1987).
Clark, Charles H. “Assessing Free Recall.” The Reading
with the student in reading instruction, content
Teacher, 35 (January 1982): 434–439.
areas, and recreational reading is the best one to
Ekwall, Eldon E. “Should Repetitions Be Counted as
administer the inventory, because much may be Errors?” The Reading Teacher, 27 (January 1974):
observable that is not readily recordable—and, of 365–367.
course, firsthand observation is likely to be more Harris, Theodore L., and Hodges, Richard E. (eds.), A
revealing than a study of the record alone. Nor- Dictionary of Reading and Related Terms. (Newark,
mally, the administrator is the classroom teacher; DE: International Reading Association, 1981).
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 11 13/04/10 7:01 AM

Harris, Theodore L., and Hodges, Richard E. (eds.), The Stein, N. L., and Glenn, C. G. “An Analysis of Story
Literacy Dictionary: The Vocabulary of Reading and Comprehension in Elementary School Children.”
Writing. (Newark, DE: International Reading Asso- In R. O. Freedle (ed.), Advances in Discourse Pro-
ciation, 1995). cesses, vol. 2: New Directions in Discourse Processing.
Hunt, Lyman C., Jr. “The Effect of Self-Selection, (Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1979).
Interest, and Motivation upon Independent, Instruc- Valencia, Sheila W., and Pearson, P. David. “Reading
tional, and Frustration Levels.” The Reading Teacher, Assessment: Time for a Change.” The Reading
50 (December 1996/January 1997): 278–282. Teacher, 40 (April 1987): 726–732.
Invernizzi, Marcia A., Landrum, Timothy J., Howell, Wilson, Pat, Martens, Prisca, and Arya, Poonam.
Jennifer L., and Warley, Heather P. “Toward the “Accountability for Reading and Readers. What the
Peaceful Coexistence of Test Developers, Policy- Numbers Don’t Tell.” The Reading Teacher, 58 (April
makers, and Teachers in an Era of Accountability.” 2005): 622–631.
The Reading Teacher, 58 (April 2005): 610–618. Winograd, Peter, Paris, Scott, and Bridge, Connie.
Irwin, Judith Westphal. Teaching Reading Comprehen- “Improving the Assessment of Literacy,” The Read-
sion Processes. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, ing Teacher, 45 (October 1991): 108–116.
1991).
Irwin, Pi A., and Mitchell, Judy Nichols. “A Procedure
for Assessing the Richness of Retellings.” Journal of
Reading, 26 (February 1983): 391–396.
Johnson, Marjorie Seddon, Kress, Roy A., and Pikulski,
ADDITIONAL READINGS
John H. Informal Reading Inventories, 2nd ed. (Newark,
DE: International Reading Association, 1987). Bear, Donald R., and Barone, Diane. Developing Literacy:
Johnston, Peter H. Knowing Literacy: Constructive Literacy An Integrated Approach to Assessment and Instruction.
Assessment. (York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, 1997). (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998).
Johnston, Peter H. Reading Comprehension Assessment: A Cagney, Margaret A. “Measuring Comprehension:
Cognitive Basis. (Newark, DE: International Reading Alternative Diagnostic Approaches.” In Susan
Association, 1983). Mandel Glazer, Lyndon W. Searfoss, and Lance M.
Kalmbach, James R. “Evaluating Informal Methods for Gentile (eds.), Reexamining Reading Diagnosis: New
the Assessment of Retellings.” Journal of Reading, Trends and Procedures (pp. 81–93). (Newark, DE:
30 (November 1986a): 119–127. International Reading Association, 1988).
Kalmbach, James R. “Getting at the Point of Retellings.” Christie, James F. “The Qualitative Analysis System:
Journal of Reading, 29 (January 1986b): 326–333. Updating the IRI.” Reading World, 18 (May 1979):
Morrow, Lesley Mandel. “Retelling Stories: A Strategy for 393–399.
Improving Young Children’s Comprehension, Con- Ekwall, Eldon E. “Informal Reading Inventories: The
cept of Story Structure, and Oral Language Complex- Instructional Level.” The Reading Teacher, 29 (April
ity.” Elementary School Journal, 75 (1985): 647–661. 1976): 662–665.
Morrow, Lesley Mandel. “Retelling Stories as a Diag- Forell, Elizabeth. “The Case for Conservative Reader
nostic Tool.” In Susan Mandel Glazer, Lyndon W. Placement.” The Reading Teacher, 38 (May 1985):
Searfoss, and Lance M. Gentile (eds.), Reexamin- 857–862.
ing Reading Diagnosis: New Trends and Procedures Goodman, Yetta M. “Reading Diagnosis—Qualitative or
(pp. 128–49). (Newark, DE: International Reading Quantitative?” The Reading Teacher, 50 (April 1997):
Association, 1988). 534–38.
Moss, Barbara. “Teaching Expository Text Structures Morrow, Lesley Mandel. “Using Story Retelling to
Through Information Trade Book Retellings.” The Develop Comprehension.” In K. Denise Muth (ed.),
Reading Teacher, 57 (May 2004): 710–718. Children’s Comprehension of Text: Research into Prac-
Norton, Donna E. The Impact of Literature-Based Reading. tice (pp. 37–58). (Newark, DE: International Reading
(New York: Merrill, 1992). Association, 1989).
Powell, W. R. “Reappraising the Criteria for Interpreting Pikulski, John J. “Informal Reading Inventories.” The
Informal Reading Inventories.” In J. DeBoer (ed.), Reading Teacher, 43 (March 1990): 514–516.
Reading Diagnosis and Education. (Newark, DE: Inter- Rubin, Dorothy. Diagnosis and Correction in Reading
national Reading Association, 1970). Instruction. (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and
Powell, William R., and Dunkeld, C. G. “Validity of the Bacon, 1996).
IRI Reading Levels.” Elementary English, 48 (October Smith, G. G., and Keister, D. “Learning about Literacy
1971): 637–642. Through Retelling.” In M. D. Collins and B. G.
Roe, Betty D., Smith, Sandy H., and Burns, Paul C. Teach- Moss (eds.), Literacy Assessment for Today’s Schools
ing Reading in Today’s Elementary Schools, 10th ed. (pp. 16–31). (Pittsburg, KS: College Reading Associa-
(Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2009). tion, 1996).
08946_01_Sec-1_p001-012.indd 12 13/04/10 7:01 AM

SECTION TWO
Instructions for Use
This section answers the following questions:

• How is the inventory administered?
• How is the inventory scored and interpreted?
• What are some frequently asked questions about
the IRI?
FIGURE 2–1 Basic Procedures

How Is the Inventory
Set the stage for the testing
Administered? (choose appropriate location, establish rapport,
inform the student about procedures).
■ Overview of Basic Procedures
Figure 2–1 provides an overview of the procedures Administer Graded Word Lists for placement
that are followed when a complete inventory is (or choose starting passage in some
administered. other manner).
As this figure shows, the administrator of the
assessment must first set the stage for the test-
ing, including choosing an appropriate location Administer Graded Passages
(alternating oral and silent passages, starting with
and establishing rapport; then decide upon a
either oral or silent, depending upon the
starting level for administration of the inventory, student), including comprehension questions for
using the Graded Word Lists or another method; each passage to discover independent,
administer the Graded Passages, alternating oral instructional, and frustration levels.
and silent passages (or the reverse), asking com-
prehension questions about each passage admin-
istered until independent reading, instructional Administer listening passages
to determine listening comprehension level.
reading, and frustration levels have been located;
read higher-level passages to the student and
ask accompanying comprehension questions
Analyze the findings.
until the listening comprehension level has been
located; analyze the findings; and interpret the
results qualitatively and quantitatively to help
Interpret the results
make instructional decisions. If the administrator
(qualitatively and quantitatively).
has prior knowledge of a level at which the stu-
dent is likely to meet with success, which is likely
if the administrator is the classroom teacher, he isolation is desired. If any administrator feels that
or she may dispense with administration of the there is insufficient time available to administer
word lists unless a measure of word knowledge in both the word lists and the graded passages, he or
13
08946_02_Sec-2_p013-048.indd 13 13/04/10 7:17 AM

she may simply start administration of the pas- may not be reproduced in any form for any other
sages at the level two grades below the student’s purpose without written permission from the
grade placement. This placement procedure has copyright owner.
not consistently proven to be as accurate as use
of the word lists, in the author’s personal expe-
■ Graded Word Lists
rience, but both procedures are only approxima-
tions. Therefore, if the administrator is willing The general procedure for administering the word
to adjust the passage administration downward lists is shown in Figure 2–2. For students who have
if the initial passage is too difficult, starting had little reading experience, individual words
two grade levels below the grade placement is printed on index cards may be used instead of the
a feasible procedure, and it sometimes does save a complete twenty-word lists as they appear in this
significant amount of time. book. The words should be printed in good man-
uscript handwriting in black ink, and the cards
should be numbered and arranged in the same
■ Setting the Stage
order as the words on the test sheet. The examiner
The place used for testing should be quiet and will have a copy of the test sheet on which to keep
free from distractions. A child who can see or a record of words missed. When the test sheet is
hear other children playing games while he or she used, the student should have a cardboard marker
is being tested is unlikely to give the examiner to place under each word as he or she proceeds
undivided attention. down the page. Both the pupil and the examiner
In each testing situation, time should be pro- should have copies of the test sheet. (The teacher’s
vided for establishing rapport before the assess- copies may be duplicated for this purpose.)
ment starts, if the administrator has not already When administering the word list portion of
established rapport with the student. Students re- the test, the examiner should follow these steps:
spond best if they are at ease.
1. Tell the student to read each word, even if
The student should be informed that the
it is a difficult one. If the correct response
administrator will be taking notes; even so, all
is given, the examiner should draw a line
note-taking should be done unobtrusively. Some
through the word on his or her test sheet
administrators have found it effective to audio
or video record students’ test performances,
replaying them later to note the word recognition FIGURE 2–2 Administration of Graded Word Lists
miscues and comprehension errors. If the session for Placement
is recorded, there will be less need for the ad- Begin by presenting the student with the word list
ministrator to write while the student is reading. that is two years below his or her grade
Furthermore, replaying the recording as needed placement level (grade level in school).
when the analysis of errors is done will increase
the accuracy of documentation and interpreta-
tion. If the session has been video recorded, the Tell the student to read each word.
recording can be examined for such things as
signs of tension or fatigue in the student.
If the session is to be recorded, the administra- Mark correct responses and miscues for each word.
tor should spend some time desensitizing the stu-
dent to the presence of the recorder. For example,
the teacher might record the student reading a Drop to an easier list if there are any miscues on
paragraph or two unrelated to the test and have this list, and continue to drop to easier lists until one
on which the student makes no errors is located.
him or her listen to and/or watch the playback.
The student also should be told the purpose of
the recording and should indicate a willingness to
Continue to the next higher list until a list is found
be recorded. Recording can make some students on which the student makes at least one error.
nervous enough to affect the test results. Stop after administration of the list on which one
It is a good idea to laminate both the student or more errors is found.
versions of the word lists and passages (so that
they can be used a great many times) and the
teacher passages (to facilitate note taking, clean- The highest level list on which the student had no
errors is the placement level, the level at which the
ing, and reusing). The lists and passages may be
administration of graded passages should begin.
reproduced for classroom or clinic use, but they
14 ◆ SECTION TWO ◆ INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
08946_02_Sec-2_p013-048.indd 14 13/04/10 7:17 AM

(or place a checkmark on the line beside the this purpose, the teacher should have the stu-
word, if that seems easier). dent read from increasingly difficult lists until at
2. If the student mispronounces a word and least five words are missed. The level at which the
does not correct the pronunciation, the ex- student misses no more than two out of twenty
aminer should record the student’s miscue on words is probably his or her independent reading
the test sheet and should not give credit. level; three or four errors on a list indicate the
3. If the pupil mispronounces a word but then probable instructional reading level; and five or
corrects it before going on, the examiner more errors identify the level at which reading
should record the miscue on the test sheet material is likely to be too difficult.
and write a C in front of the word to indicate The marking of a graded word list is illustrated
that the miscue was corrected. Credit is given in Figure 2–3. This sample list was administered
for this word. to a fourth-grade student named Jason. Jason was
4. If the student mispronounces a word and a boy who changed schools when he went to live
gives more than one mistaken word before with a relative in a different town. His previous
getting the correct pronunciation, no credit school records were slow in arriving at his new
should be given. The examiner should record school, and he did not appear comfortable with
all erroneous responses for later analysis. the fourth-grade reading material that his new
5. If the student makes no effort on a word for teacher first gave him, so the teacher administered
ten seconds, the examiner should point to or
present the next word. “Don’t know” should
be written on the test sheet, and no credit FIGURE 2–3 Sample Marking of a Word List
should be given.
6. The student’s score is the number of words
lined through (or checkmarked) or marked LEVEL 4
with a C.
1. amused ______________
The teacher should start administering the 2. ancient ______________
test with a list that is at least two years below the
student’s grade placement level. If the student 3. award ________________
mispronounces and does not correct any words 4. cemetery _____________
on the initial list, the teacher should drop to
easier lists until no errors are made. The highest 5. echo _________________
level list on which the student makes no errors is 6. elastic _______________
the level at which the teacher should start admin-
istering graded passages. These lists are included 7. flock _________________
with the inventory mainly to provide a tool for 8. government __________
placement in the graded passages, allowing teach-
ers to bypass the administration of passages that 9. invade _______________
are much too easy for the students. The word lists 10. jealous _______________
are not infallible guides to placement, however,
because they contain no measure of comprehen- 11. lizard ________________
sion. Therefore, if it becomes clear that adminis- 12. mechanic ____________
tration of the passages has been started too high
on the basis of the word list administration, it is 13. mysterious ___________
important for the administrator to drop back to a 14. portion ______________
lower level.
The use of word lists is an unreliable means 15. savage _______________
of determining independent, instructional, and 16. scarlet _______________
frustration levels when compared with the use of
graded passages, in part because word list scores 17. signal ________________
may be inflated for children who have good pho- 18. statue ________________
nics and structural analysis skills and less devel-
oped comprehension skills. Nevertheless, word 19. stout_________________
lists are used by some teachers to get extremely 20. vicious _______________
rough estimates of independent, instructional,
and frustration levels. When using the lists for
SECTION TWO ◆ INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE ◆ 15
08946_02_Sec-2_p013-048.indd 15 13/04/10 7:17 AM

Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
How the Lord Cromwell[2006] exalted
from meane estate, was after by the
enuie of the Bishop of Winchester,
and other his complices, brought to
vntimely end, Anno Dom. 1540.
1.
“Wak’d, and trembling betwixt rage and dread

With the loud slander (by the impious time)
That of my actions euery where is spread,
Through which to honor falsely I should clime,
From the sad dwelling of th’vntimely dead,
To quit me of that execrable crime,
Cromwell appeares his wretched plight to show,
Much that can tell, one much that once did know.[2007]
2.
Roughly not made vp in the common mould,

That with the vulgar vilely I should die,
What thing so strange of Cromwell is not told?
What man more prais’d? who more condemn’d then I?
That with the world when I am waxed old,
Most t’were vnfit that fame of me should lie
With fables vaine my historie to fill,
Forcing my good, excusing of my ill.
3.
You, that but hearing of my hated name,
Your ancient malice instantly bewray,
And for my sake your ill deserued blame
Vpon my legend publikely shall lay:
Would you forbeare to blast me with defame,
Might I so meane a priuiledge but pray,
He that three ages hath endur’d your wrong,
Heare him a little that hath heard you long.
4.
Since Rome’s sad ruine heere by me began,

Who her religion pluckt vp by the root,
Of the false world such hate for which I wan,
Which still at me her poisned’st darts doth shoot:
That to excuse it, do the best I can,
Little, I feare, my labour me will boot:
Yet will I speake my troubled heart to ease,
Much to the mind, her selfe it is to please.
5.
O powerfull number, from whose stricter law

Heart-mouing musicke did receiue the ground
Which men to faire ciuilitie did draw
With the brute beast when lawlesse he was found:
O, if according to the wiser saw
There be a high diuinitie in sound,
Be now abundant prosp’rously to aide
The pen prepar’d my doubtfull case to pleade.
6.
Putney the place made blessed in my birth,

Whose meanest cottage simplie me did shrowd,
To me as dearest of the English earth:
So of my bringing that poore village prou’d,
Though in a time when neuer lesse the dearth
Of happie wits, yet mine so well allow’d
That with the best she boldly durst confer
Him that his breath[2008] acknowledged from her.
7.
Twice flow’d proud Thames, as at my comming wood,

Striking the wondring borderers with feare,
And the pale genius of that aged flood
Vnto my mother[2009] labouring did appeare,
And with a countenance much distracted stood,
Threatning the fruit her pained wombe should beare:
My speedie birth being added thereunto,
Seem’d to foretell that much I came to do.
8.
That[2010] was reserued for those worser daies,

As the great ebbe vnto so long a flow,
When what those ages formerly did raise,
This, when I liu’d, did lastly ouerthrow,
And that great’st labour of the world did seaze,
Only for which immedicable blow
Due to that time, me dooming heauen ordain’d,
Wherein confusion absolutely raign’d.
9.
Vainly yet noted this prodigious signe,

Often predictions of most fearefull things,
As plagues, or warre, or great men to decline,
Rising of commons, or the death of kings:
But some strange newes though euer it diuine,
Yet forth them not immediatly it brings,
Vntill th’effects men afterward did learne,
To know that me it chiefly did concerne.
10.
Whil’st yet my father by his painfull trade,

Whose laboured anuile only was his fee,
Whom my great towardnesse strongly did perswade
In knowledge to haue educated mee:
But death did him vnluckily inuade,
Ere he the fruits of his desire could see,
Leauing me yong, then little that did know
How me the heauens had purpos’d to bestow.
11.
Hopelesse as helpelesse most might me suppose,

Whose meannesse seem’d their abiect breath to draw:
Yet did my breast that glorious fire inclose,
Which their dull purblind ignorance not saw,
Which still is setled vpon outward showes,
The vulgar’s iudgement euer is so raw,
Which the vnworthiest sottishly do loue
In their owne region properly that moue.
12.
Yet me my fortune so could not disguise,

But through this cloud were some that did me know,
Which then the rest more happie or more wise,
Me did relieue when I was driuen low,
Which, as the staier, by which I first did rise,
When to my height I afterward did grow,
Them to requite my bounties were so hie,
As made my fame through euery eare to flie.
13.
That height and godlike puritie of minde

Resteth not still, where titles most adorne
With any, nor peculiarly confinde
To names, and to be limited doth scorne:
Man doth the most degenerate from kinde,
Richest and poorest both alike are borne:
And to be alwaies pertinently good,
Followes not still the greatnes of our blood.
14.
Pitie it is, that to one vertuous man

That marke him lent to gentrie to aduance,
Which first by noble industrie he wan,
His baser issue after should inhance,
And the rude slaue not any good that can,
Such should thrust downe by what is his by chance:
As had not he been first that him did raise,
Nere had his great heire wrought his grandsire’s
praise.
15.
How weake art thou that makest it thy end

To heape such worldly dignities on thee,
When vpon fortune only they depend,
And by her changes gouerned must bee?
Besides the dangers still that such attend,
Liuel’est of all men purtraied out in mee,
When that, for which I hated was of all,
Soon’st from me fled, scarse tarrying for my fall.
16.
You that but boast your ancestors proud stile,

And the large stem whence your vaine greatnes grew,
When you your selues are ignorant and vile,
Nor glorious thing dare actually pursue,
That all good spirits would vtterly exile,
Doubting their worth should else discouer you,
Giuing your selues vnto ignoble things:
Base I proclaime you though deriu’d from kings.
17.
Vertue, but poore, God in this earth doth place

’Gainst the rude world to stand vp in his right,
To suffer sad affliction and disgrace,
Not ceasing to pursue her with despight:
Yet when of all she is accounted base,
And seeming in most miserable plight,
Out of her power new life to her doth take,
Least then dismai’d when all do her forsake.
18.
That is the man of an vndaunted spirit,

For her deare sake that offereth him to dye,
For whom, when him the world doth disinherit,
Looketh vpon it with a pleased eye,
What’s done for vertue thinking it doth merit,
Daring the proudest menaces defie,
More worth then life, how ere the base world rate him,
Belou’d of heauen, although the earth doth hate him.
19.
Iniurious time, vnto the good vniust,

O, how may weake posteritie suppose
Euer to haue their merit from the dust,
’Gainst them thy partialitie that knowes!
To thy report, O, who shall euer trust,
Triumphant arches building vnto those
Allow’d the longest memorie to haue,
That were the most vnworthie of a graue?
20.
But my cleere mettle had that powerfull heat,

As it not turn’d with all that fortune could:
Nor when the world me terriblest did threat,
Could that place win[2011] which my hie thoughts did
hold,
That waxed still more prosperously great,
The more the world me stroue to haue control’d,
On my owne columnes constantly to stand,
Without the false helpe of another’s hand.
21.
My youthfull course thus wisely did I steere,

T’auoid those rockes my wracke that else did thret:
Yet some faire hopes from farre did still appeere,
If that too much my wants me did not let:
Wherefore my selfe aboue my selfe to beare,
Still as I grew, I knowledge stroue to get,
To perfect that which in the embryon was,
Whose birth, I found, time well might bring to passe.
22.
But when my meanes to faile me I did finde,

My selfe to trauell presently betooke,[2012]
As much distastfull[2013] to my noble minde,
That the vile world into my wants should looke,
And of my selfe industriously[2014] inclinde,
To measure other’s actions with my booke,
I might my iudgement rectifie[2015] thereby,
In matters that were difficult and hie.
23.
When, loe, it hapt that fortune, as my guide,

Of me did with such prouidence dispose,
That th’English merchants then, who did reside
At Antwerpe, me their secretarie chose,
(As though in me to manifest her pride)
Whence to those principalities I rose,
To pluck me downe, whence afterward she fear’d
Beyond her power that almost she had rear’d.
24.
When first the wealthie Netherlands me traind

In wise commerce, most proper to the place,
And from my countrie carefully me wain’d,
That with the world did chiefly winne[2016] me grace,
Where great experience happily I gaind:
Yet here I seem’d but tutor’d for a space,
For hie imploiment otherwise ordaind,
Till which the time I idely entertaind.
25.
For hauing Boston businesse in[2017] hand,

The charge thereof on Chambers being laid,
Coming to Flanders, hapt to vnderstand
Of me, whom he requested him to aid:
Of which, when I the benefit had scand,
Weighing what time at Antwerpe I had staid,
Quickly me wonne[2018] faire Italy to trie,
Vnder a cheerefull and more luckie skie:
26.
For what the meanest cleerely makes to shine,

Youth, wit, and courage, all in me concurre
In euery proiect, that so powerfull trine
By whose kind working brauely I did sturre,
Which to each hie and glorious designe
(The time could offer) freely did me spurre,
As forcing fate some new thing to prepare
(Shewing successe) t’attempt that could me dare.
27.
Where now my spirit got roomth it selfe to show,

To the fair’st pitch doth make a gallant flight,
From things that too much earthly were and low,
Strongly attracted by a genuine light,
Where higher still it euery day did grow:
And being in so excellent a plight,
Crau’d but occasion happily to proue
How much it sate each vulgar spirit aboue.
28.
The good successe th’affaires of England found,

Much prais’d the choice of me that had been made:
For where most men the depth durst hardly sound,
I held it nothing boldly through to wade
My selfe, and through the strait’st waies I woond:
So could I act, so well I could perswade,
As meerely iouiall, me to mirth applie,[2019]
Compos’d of freedome and alacritie.
29.
Not long it was ere Rome of me did ring

(Hardly shall Rome so full daies see again)
Of freemen’s catches to the pope I sing,
Which wan much licence to my countrimen,
Thither the which I was the first did bring,
That were vnknowne to Italy till then:
Light humours, them when iudgement doth direct,
Euen of the wise win plausible respect.
30.
And those, from whom that pensions were allow’d,

And heere[2020] did for intelligence remaine,
Vnder my power themselues were glad to shroud,
Russell and Pace, yea, oftentimes were faine,
When as their names they durst not haue auow’d,
Me into their societie t’retaine,
Rising before me, mightie as they were,
Great though at home, yet did they need me there.
31.
In forraine parts nere friends I yet forsake,

That had before been deeply bound to mee,
And would againe I vse of them should make,
But still my starres command I should be free,
And all those offers lightly from me shake,
Which to requite, I fettred else might bee,
And though that oft great perils me oppungne,
And meanes were weak, my mind was euer strong.
32.
And[2021] those great wants fate to my youth did tie

Me from delights[2022] of those rich countries driue,
Thereby inforc’d with painfull industrie
Against affliction manfully to striue,
Vnder her burthen faintly not to lie,
But since my good I hardly must deriue,
Vnto the same to make my selfe a way[2023]
Through all the power against me she could lay.
33.
As a comedian where my[2024] life I led,

For so a while my need did me constraine,
With other my poore countrimen (that plai’d)
Thither that came in hope of better gaine,
Whereas when fortune seem’d me low to tread
Vnder her feet, she set me vp againe,
Vntill the[2025] vse me bad her not to feare
Her good and ill that patiently could beare.
34.
Till Charles the fift th’emperiall power did bend

’Gainst Rome, which Burbon skilfully did guide,
Which sore declining[2026] Italy did rend:
For th’right that him her holinesse denide,
Wholly her selfe enforced to defend
Gainst him that iustly punished her pride,
To which my selfe I lastly did betake,
Seeing[2027] thereof what fortune ment to make.
35.
And at the siege with that great generall seru’d,

When he did[2028] girt her stubborne waste with steele,
Within her walles who well neer being staru’d,
And that with faintnes she began to reele,
Shewing her selfe a little as she swaru’d:
First her then noting I began to feele,
She whose great power so far abroad did rome,
What in her selfe she truly was at home.
36.
That the great schoole of the false world was then,

Where her’s their subtill practises did vie,
Amongst that mightie confluence of men,
French plots propt vp by English policie,
The German powers, false shuffling, and agen
All countermin’d by skilfull Italy,
Each one in possibility to win,
Great rests were vp and mightie hands were in.
37.
Here first to worke my busie braine was set,

(My inclination finding it to please
This stirring world which strongly still did whet)
To temper in so dangerous assaies,
Which did strange formes of policies beget:
Besides in times so turbulent as these,
Wherein my studies hopefully did[2029] bend
Vnto that point the wisest[2030] made their end.
38.
And my experience happily me taught

Into the secrets of those times to see,
From whence to England afterward I brought
Those slights of state deliu’red vnto[2031] me,
In t’which were then but very[2032] few that sought,
Nor did with th’umour of that age agree,
After did great and fearfull[2033] things effect,
Whose secret working few did then suspect.
39.
When though t’were long it hapned yet at last

Some hopes me homeward secretly allur’d,
When many perils strangely I had past,
As many sad calamities endur’d
Beyond the moone, when I began to cast
By my rare parts what place might be procur’d,
If they at home were to the mightie knowne,
How they would seeme compared with their owne.
40.
Or if that there the great should me neglect,

As I the worst that vainely did not feare,
To my experience how to gaine respect
In other countries that doe hold it deare,
And now occasion seemed to reiect,[2034]
Whil’st still before me other rising were,
And some themselues had mounted to the skie,
Little before vnlike to thriue as I.
41.
When now in England bigamie with blood

Lately begot by luxurie and pride,
In their great’st fulnes peremptorie stood:
Some thereunto that diligently pri’d,[2035]
Stillie[2036] were fishing in that troubled flood
For future changes wisely to prouide,
Finding the world so rankly then to swell,
That till it brake it neuer could be well.
42.
But floting long vpon my first arriue,

Whil’st many doubts me seemed to appall,
Like to a barke that with the tide doth driue,
Hauing not[2037] left to fasten it withall,
Thus with the time by suffring I doe striue
Vnto[2038] that harbor doubtfull yet to fall:
Vntill inforc’d to put it to the chance,
Casting the fair’st my fortune to aduance.
43.
Making my selfe to mightie Wolsey knowne,

That Atlas, which the gouernement vpstai’d,
Which[2039] from meane place in little time was growne
Vp vnto him, that[2040] weight vpon him lai’d,
And being got the neerest to his throne,
He the more easly the[2041] great kingdome swai’d,
Leaning thereon his wearied selfe to breath,
Whil’st euen the greatest farre sat him[2042] beneath.
44.
Where learned More and Gardiner I met,

Men in those times immatchable for wit,
Able that were the dullest spirit to whet,
And did my humour excellently fit,
Into their ranke that worthily did get
There as their proud competitor to sit,
One excellence to many is the mother,
Wit doth,[2043] as creatures, one beget another.
45.
This founder of the palaces of kings,

Whose veines with more then vsuall spirit were fild,
A man ordained to the mighti’st things,
In Oxford then determining to build
To Christ a colledge, and together brings,
All that thereof the great foundation wills,
There me imploies, whose industrie he found
Worthie to worke vpon the noblest ground.
46.
Yet in the entrance wisely that did feare

Coyne might fall short, yet with this worke on fire,
Wherefore such houses as religious were
Whose being no necessitie require,
But that the greater very well might beare,
From Rome the Card’nall cunningly did hire,
Winning withall his soueraigne to consent,
Both colouring with so holy an intent.
47.
This like a symptome to a long disease

Was the forerunner to this mightie fall,
And but too vnaduisedly did sease
Vpon the part that ruinated all,
Which, had the worke been of so many daies,
And more againe, recouer hardly shall:
But loe, it sunke, which time did long vphold,
Where now it lies euen leueld with the mould.
48.
Thus thou, great Rome, here first wast ouerthrowne

Thy future harmes that blindly couldst not se,
And in this worke they only were thine owne,
Whose knowledge lent that deadly wound to thee,
Which to the world before had they not showne,
Nere had those secrets been descri’d by mee,
Nor by thy wealth so many from the plow
Worne those hie types wherein they florish now.
49.
After when as the cardinall againe

Into hie fauour[2044] with the king mee brought,
With[2045] whom my selfe so well I did demeane,
As that I seem’d to exercise his thought,
And his great liking strongly did retaine
With what before my master me had[2046] taught,
From whose example, by those cels were small,
Sprang the subuersion lastly of them all.
50.
Yet many a let was cast into the way,

Wherein I ran so steddily and right,
And many a snare my aduersaries lay,
Much wrought they with their power, much with their
slight,
Wisely perceiuing that my smallest stay
Fully requir’d the vtmost of their might,
To my ascendant hasting me[2047] to clime,
There as the first predomining the time.
51.
Knowing what wealth me earnestly did wooe,

Which I through Wolsey hapned had to finde,
And could the path most perfectly vntoo,
The king thereafter earnestly inclin’d,
Seeing besides what after I might doe
If so great power mee fully were assign’d,
By all their meanes against me strongly wrought,
Lab’ring as fast to bring their church to nought.
52.
Whil’st to the king continually I sue,

And in this businesse faithfully did stirre
Strongly t’approue[2048] my iudgement to be true
Gainst those who most supposed me to erre,
Nor the least meanes which any way I knew
Might grace me, or my purposes preferre
Did I omit, till wonne I had[2049] his eare,
Most that me mark’d, when least he seem’d to heare.
53.
This wound to them thus violently giuen,

Enuie at me her sharpest darts doth[2050] roue,
Affecting the supremacie of heauen,
As the first giants warring against Ioue,
Heap’d hils on hils, the gods till they had driuen
The meanest shapes of earthly things to proue:
So must I shift from them against me rose,
Mortall their hate, as mightie were my foes.
54.
But their great force against me wholly bent
Preuail’d vpon my purposes so farre,
That I my ruine scarsely could preuent,
So momentarie worldly fauours are,
That till the vtmost of their spight was spent,
Had not my spirit maintain’d a manly warre,
Risen they had when laid I had been low,[2051]
Vpon whose ruine after I did grow.
55.
When the great king their strange reports that tooke

That as[2052] pernitious as they potent were,
Which[2053] at the faire growth of my fortune strooke,
Whose deadly malice blame me not to feare,
Me at the first so violently shooke,
That they this frame were likely downe to beare,
If resolution with a setled brow
Had not vpheld my peremptorie vow.
56.
Yet these encounters thrust me not awry,

Nor could my courses force me to forsake,
After this shipwrack I againe must trie,
Some happier voiage hopefull still to make,
The plots that barren long we see did lie,
Some fitting season plentifully take,
One fruitfull haruest frankly doth restore
What many winters hindred had before.
57.
That to account I strictly call my wit

How it this while had managed my state,
My soule in counsell summoning to sit,
If possible to turne the course of fate,
For waies there be the greatest things to hit,
If men could find the peremptorie gate,
And since I once was got so neere the brinke
More then before, ’twould grieue me now to sinke.
58.
Bedford,[2054] whose life (some said) that I had sau’d

In Italy, one me that[2055] sauoured most,
And reuerend Hayles, who but occasion crau’d
To shew his loue, no lesse that I had cost,
Who to the king perceiuing me disgrac’d,
Whose fauour I vnluckily had lost,
Both with him great, a foot set in withall
If not to stay, to qualifie my fall.
59.
High their regard, yet higher was their hap,

Well neere quite sunke, recouer me that could,
And once more get me into fortune’s lap,
Which well my selfe might teach me there to hold,
Escap’d out of so dangerous a trap,
Whose praise by me to ages shall be told,
As the two props by which I only rose,
When most supprest, most trod on by my foes.
60.
This me to vrge the premunire wonne,

Ordain’d in matters dangerous and hie,
In t’which the heedlesse prelacie were runne,
That backe vnto the papacie did flie,
Sworne to that sea, and what before was done
Due to the king, dispensed were thereby,
In t’which first entring offred me the meane
That to throw downe, alreadie that did leane.
61.
This was to me that ouerflowing sourse,

From whence his bounties plentifully spring,
Whose speedie current with vnusuall force
Bare me into the bosome of the king,
By putting him into that readie course
Which soone to passe his purposes might bring,
Where those which late emperiously control’d me
Pale strooke[2056] with feare stood trembling to behold
me.
62.
When state to me those ceremonies show’d

That to so great a fauorite were due,
And fortune still with honors did me load,
As though no meane she in my rising knew,
Or heauen to me more then to man had ow’d,
(What to the world vnheard of was and new)
And was to other sparing of her store
Till she could giue, or aske I could[2057] no more.
63.
Those high preferments he vpon me laid,

Might make the world me publikely to know
Such as in[2058] iudgement rightly being wai’d,
Seemed too great for me to vndergo,
Nor could his hand from powring on be stai’d,
Vntill I so abundantly did flow,
That looking downe whence lately I was cloame,
Danger bid[2059] feare, if further I should roame.
64.
For first from knighthood rising in degree,

The office of the iewell house my lot,
After the Roles he frankely gaue to mee,
From whence a priuie counsellor I got,
Chose of[2060] the garter: and the[2061] earle to bee
Of Essex: yet sufficient these not[2062]
But to the great vicegerencie I grew,
Being a title as supreame as new.
65.
So well did me these dignities befit,

And honor so me euery way became,
As more then man I had been made for it,
Or as from me it had deriu’d the name:
Where was that man[2063] whose loue I not requit
Beyond his owne imaginarie aime,
Which had me succour’d, neerely being driuen,
As things to me that idlely were not giuen?
66.
What tongue so slow the tale shall not report

Of hospitable Friscobald and mee,
And shew in how reciprocall a sort
My thankes did with his courtesie agree,
When as my meanes in Italy were short
That me relieu’d, lesse great that[2064] would not bee,
When I of England chancellor was made,[2065]
His former bounties librally repai’d?
67.
The maner briefly gentler muse relate,

Since oft before it wisely hath been told,
The sudden change of vnauoided fate,
That famous merchant, reuerend Friscobald,
Grew poore, and the small remnant of his state

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Student Booklet Form B

Graded Passages Choosing Books to Develop and Support

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Marketing Assistant: Dimitri Hagnéré

Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions

Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson

To learn more about Wadsworth, visit www.cengage.com/wadsworth

Purchase any of our products at your local college store or at our

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Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Student Word List 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Section Two Teacher Booklet Form B

Teacher Booklet Form C

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administration of the oral passages to a fourth-

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This section answers the following questions:

students’ specific reading problems. As Johnson,

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2 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 3

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4 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 5

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6 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 7

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FIGURE 1–2 Rubric for Oral or Written Retelling of a Narrative

Name of student: ________________________________________________

8 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 9

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10 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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How Long Does the Inventory

SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION ◆ 11

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12 ◆ SECTION ONE ◆ BACKGROUND INFORMATION