The research findings have implications for teaching practice, student literacy achievement, and for choosing school based resources. The researchers included the classroom teachers in the assessment training and provided them with the assessment materials. This allowed them to gain familiarity with informal reading inventories which are convenient and easy to use in any classroom. The researchers hoped that these materials would be useful. The grade four teachers, at the research school, are assessing individual children in their classrooms with this inventory even though they are no longer participants in the project. Subsequently, the results of the assessment may enhance student literacy achievement as teachers are better able to match students with the appropriate level of reading materials. For example, the books selected for literature circles and read aloud sessions reflect the literacy levels of the students in their classroom.
Issues Remaining
The analysis of the data to date is focused on the three general reading levels:
Independent, Instructional, and Frustration as well as reading behavior and
reading attitude. Data was also collected on other interesting
factors such as reading rate, miscue analysis, and correction strategies. This
data may be analyzed at a future
time.