This is an evaluation method in which students can peruse a couple of reading materials and answer the questions that follow. Through this, a teacher would be able to assess the methodology the students use in reading, pick out important reading materials, know their students’ strengths/weaknesses, and check out three levels of student reading. Whereas formally and infrequently given standardized reading tests produce comparative scientific data for researchers, policymakers, and schools, informally and regularly given IRIs help teachers keep instruction and assessment aligned all year long. The IRI is an ongoing assessment, and teachers should complete it several times throughout a kid’s schooling. In kindergarten, it should be done twice per year. Teachers should conduct the informal reading inventory three times each year in the first and second grades.
The key benefits of using IRIs include:
Identifying different levels of student reading: Reading educators use diverse comprehension questions and reading passages in IRIs to understand which texts learners can read on their own (independent-level texts). At this level, pupils independently read texts for enjoyment and to improve reading speed, expression, accuracy, or fluency. IRIs also help identify challenging texts that pupils can read with instructional help (instructional-level texts). At this level, pupils read texts to develop vocabulary and reading skills further and to learn content. Lastly, IRIs help teachers identify which texts to avoid because they’re too difficult for learners to read even with help (frustration-level texts). This information helps instructors of all subjects cater to students’ individual reading levels within and across classrooms by stocking libraries with reading materials at different reading levels that teach the same skills and content.
Reading comprehension: Professionals use IRIs frequently and informally to evaluate the development of different reading comprehension skills. For instance, strong readers make inferences that aid them in interpreting and understanding what they read. On the other hand, weak readers might be on autopilot when they read, failing to establish meaningful relations between what they already know about the topic and the page. Students’ answers to after and before reading questions in IRIs help reading specialists and teachers spot such issues so they can target instruction.
Reading fluency: Reading experts utilize error analysis tools, timed reading passages, and word lists to initially evaluate and keep track of how pupils are reading. Disfluent readers don’t effortlessly and accurately recognize enough words in texts. Struggling with the English language’s code distracts them from making meaning of what they read. IRI results can help teachers isolate fluency and phonics problems for special attention.
