Common Tests Used in Reading Assessments
Tests in a reading evaluation may include the CTOPP-2, TOWRE-2, WIAT-4 and Woodcock-Johnson V. Their publishers say they look at sound skills, word reading, or a wide range of school skills. These descriptions come from the publishers' own pages. DIBELS is a set of short reading checks that schools use. It is not a diagnosis.
TL;DR
- You may see the CTOPP-2, TOWRE-2, WIAT-4 or Woodcock-Johnson V named in a report. This page describes each one from its publisher's own pages. We do not rate one test as better than another.
- DIBELS is a set of short reading checks, about one minute each. Schools use it to spot children who may need a closer look. It is not a diagnosis.
- A diagnosis comes from a full evaluation by a qualified professional. It uses history, school reports and standardized tests, not one score.
A standardized reading test compares your child with many children the same age. The test was given to that big group first. The score shows where your child stands next to them.
”Standardized reading testTests you may see named
Here are some tests you may see named in a reading report.
These descriptions come from the test publishers' own pages. Publishers sell these tests. We have not read the test manuals. We do not rate one test as better than another.
CTOPP-2
The full name is the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition. Its publisher is PRO-ED.
Its publisher says it is a test of sound skills. These are skills with the sounds in spoken words. Its publisher says its first use is finding people well below others their age in sound skills.
Its parts have names like Elision, Blending Words, Sound Matching and Phoneme Isolation. It also has Memory for Digits and Nonword Repetition. It also includes naming digits, letters, colors or objects quickly.
Its publisher groups these parts into three areas. One is hearing and working with the sounds in words. One is holding sounds in memory for a short time. One is naming things quickly.
TOWRE-2
The full name is the Test of Word Reading Efficiency, Second Edition. Its publisher is also PRO-ED.
Its publisher says it measures how well a person reads words aloud. That means both correctly and quickly. It has two parts. In one, your child reads real words from a list. In the other, your child reads made-up words that can be sounded out.
Each list lasts 45 seconds. The score counts how many words were read correctly.
WIAT-4
The full name is the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Fourth Edition. Its publisher is Pearson.
The WIAT-4 covers more than reading. Its publisher lists twenty parts in reading, writing, math and spoken language.
Its reading scores include Basic Reading, Reading Fluency and Phonological Processing. Its publisher also lists scores it calls Dyslexia Index scores. If you see one on a report, ask the evaluator about it. It is one score, not a diagnosis.
Woodcock-Johnson V
The full name is the Woodcock-Johnson V. Its short name is WJ V. Its publisher is Riverside Insights.
Its school-skills tests include Letter-Word Identification, Word Attack and Passage Comprehension. They also include Sentence Reading Fluency. Other tests in the same set cover spelling, writing and math.
Its publisher says the WJ V also has separate sets of tests. One set looks at thinking skills. Another looks at spoken language.
DIBELS is not a diagnosis
DIBELS comes from the University of Oregon. The full name is Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills.
DIBELS is a set of short reading checks, about one minute each. Schools use it to spot children who may need a closer look. They also use it to track progress. It is not a diagnosis.
Its maker lists parts like reading made-up words and reading real words. Another part is reading a passage aloud. In our understanding, schools give checks like this to a whole class.
Who gives these tests
The American Psychiatric Association says a school district can arrange testing, if a child meets certain criteria. It says some parents go to a psychologist or another education specialist outside school.
Pearson sells the WIAT-4. Pearson has rules on who may buy it. One way is a master's degree in a related field. That way also needs training in testing. These rules say who may buy a test. They do not say who may diagnose.
A diagnosis comes from a full evaluation by a qualified professional. It uses history, school reports and standardized tests, not one score. A test is one part of that picture.
A school evaluation decides whether a child gets school services. A clinical diagnosis is made by a qualified clinician. For the school route, see our testing guide.
What the scores look like
A standard score compares your child with children the same age. On most tests, 100 is average. About two in three children score between 85 and 115. A standard score is not a mark out of 100.
A score is one measurement on one day. For percentiles and ranges, see our page on what an evaluation report means.
Questions to ask the evaluator
These questions are ours. Take them with you when you go over the results.
- Which tests did you use, and why those ones?
- What range does each score sit in?
- What does an age or grade equivalent on this report mean?
- What do the results suggest for teaching my child?
- What did you see while my child was working?
Key Takeaways
You may see the CTOPP-2, TOWRE-2, WIAT-4 or Woodcock-Johnson V in a report. This page describes each one from its publisher's own pages. We do not rate one test as better than another.
DIBELS is a set of short reading checks that schools use. It is not a diagnosis.
A diagnosis comes from a full evaluation by a qualified professional. It uses history, school reports and standardized tests, not one score.
Pearson's rules for buying tests like the WIAT-4 say who may buy a test. They do not say who may diagnose.
Find any report you already have. Write down the name of each test on it. Next to each name, write one question for the evaluator. Keep the list with the report.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
A set of questions you answer about what you see at home. A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing, or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too — that's the only route to those supports.
Sound-based decoding difficulty, and why it is not the letter-reversal picture.
A short reading and spelling practice. Each word appears letter by letter. The picture comes only once the word is complete. So guessing from the image is not available. It includes writing words from memory. That practices the spelling and the writing of a word at the same time.
Common questions from parents
What is the CTOPP test?
The CTOPP-2 is the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition, from PRO-ED. This description comes from its publisher's own page. Its publisher says its first use is finding people well below others their age in sound skills. It includes tasks with the sounds in words. It also includes naming digits, letters, colors or objects quickly.
What reading does the WIAT-4 test?
The WIAT-4 is the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Fourth Edition, from Pearson. This description comes from its publisher's own page. Its publisher lists twenty parts in reading, writing, math and spoken language. Its reading scores include Basic Reading, Reading Fluency and Phonological Processing. Ask the evaluator what each score on your child's report means.
What does the Woodcock-Johnson test for reading?
The Woodcock-Johnson V is from Riverside Insights. This description comes from its publisher's own pages. Its school-skills tests include Letter-Word Identification, Word Attack and Passage Comprehension. They also include Sentence Reading Fluency. Other tests in the same set cover spelling, writing and math.
What is DIBELS, and is it a diagnosis?
DIBELS is a set of short reading checks, about one minute each. Schools use it to spot children who may need a closer look. They also use it to track progress. It is not a diagnosis.
Can one of these tests diagnose dyslexia on its own?
Not on its own. A test gives you scores. A score is one measurement on one day. A diagnosis comes from a full evaluation by a qualified professional. It uses history, school reports and standardized tests, not one score. A test is one part of that picture.