MEASURING SUBSKILLS OF READING: INTERCORRELATIONS BETWEEN STANDARDIZED READING TESTS, TEACHERS’ RATINGS, AND READING SPECIALISTS’ RATINGS

Abstract

The study examined the convergent and discriminant validity of three methods for assessing three subskills of reading: word analysis, vocabulary, and comprehension. These three subskills were measured by teachers’ ratings, specialists’ ratings, and standardized tests. Correlations of all three skills, each measured by the three different methods, were studied by the multi‐trait‐multimethod procedure. Although there was some support for convergent validity, the study revealed a total lack of discriminant validity for any of the three subskills of reading.