1 in 5 students have a learning difficulty which can affect their reading and/ or numeracy skills. In today's educational landscape, ensuring that every student gets the necessary support tailored to their needs is paramount to their success and development. Educators can use many assessment tools on the market to discover where difficulties lie and how to support them. However, one of the most respected tools for this is the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement (UK/Ireland edition). This blog post will dive deep into how these tests can be used to support students' reading and maths skills.
1. What is the Woodcock-Johnson IV?
The Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJIV) Tests of Achievement is a comprehensive set of standardised tests designed to evaluate students' academic achievement and cognitive abilities. The large selection of tests available within the WJ battery enables educators to drill down into a student's strengths and areas of need, pinpointing where the difficulty lies and selecting areas to target for intervention and support.
2. What Makes a Good Reader?
When we say someone is a good reader, we don’t mean they can just read words off a page. We mean that they can read and understand text with ease and fluency. There are many different skills required to become a ’good’ reader. These skills include being able to hear the sounds in words (phonological awareness);
- link written letters to sounds (phonics);
- recognise familiar sight words quickly and accurately (word reading);
- gain meaning from words and text (comprehension), and
- read accurately at pace and with understanding (fluency).
The WJIV has five different reading tests, offering educators detailed insights into the different strands or areas of students' reading skills. It assesses multiple aspects of reading, such as :
- Letter-word identification (word reading)
- Word Attack (phonics/ reading unfamiliar words)
- Passage comprehension (reading comprehension)
- Oral Reading (reading with tone and accuracy)
- Reading fluency (reading and understanding at pace)
By understanding where a student stands in each of these domains, educators can easily identify where any weaknesses (or strengths) lie, allowing them to design targeted and focused interventions. This saves time and makes the intervention much more effective and easier to measure progress. Watch a free webinar recording on the WJIV here.
4. Identifying Reading Interventions with the WJIV
Once specific areas of need are identified using the WJIV, targeted reading interventions can be recommended. For example, a phonics-based intervention might be suitable if a student struggles with word decoding. On the other hand, if comprehension is a challenge, strategies focusing on questioning, summarising, or making connections could be more effective.
5. Maths Development
Mathematics is a hierarchical subject. Basic concepts like number sense lay the foundation for more advanced topics like algebra and calculus. As students progress, recalling basic facts quickly (fluency), problem-solving, and thinking critically becomes essential.
6. Maths and the WJIV
Like reading, the WJIV enables educators to drill down into the different components of student's math skills. It helps evaluate three key areas of maths:
- Computation (from basic number sums to more complex sums);
- Problem-solving (language-based math problems)
- Maths fluency (solving basic sums quickly)
By teasing apart these three key maths competencies, the WJIV helps educators pinpoint where a student might face challenges and thus help design targeted interventions to drive success and learning.
7. Importance of Fluency
Fluency in reading and math refers to processing information quickly and accurately. A fluent reader can understand texts effortlessly, and a fluent math student can solve problems without getting bogged down by basic calculations. Fluency becomes crucial as students age, and difficulties will likely impact overall maths development. Without fluency, students' ability to accurately complete multi-step maths problems and their ability to solve more complex problems can become challenging as the student's cognitive load increases.
8. Identifying Maths Interventions with the WJIV
Based on WJIV results, educators can recommend targeted math interventions. For instance, drills and memorisation techniques might be beneficial if a student is struggling with math facts. Strategy instruction and hands-on manipulatives could be the way forward for those struggling with problem-solving.
Conclusion
The WJIV Tests of Achievement are more than just assessment tools. They provide a window into students' academic world, revealing their strengths and areas of need. By leveraging the insights from these tests, educators can implement targeted interventions to support every student in their reading and math journeys, ensuring that they achieve academic success and develop a lifelong love for learning.
Take Action Now: If you're an educator looking to offer the best academic support for your students, the Woodcock-Johnson IV is an invaluable asset. Learn more about the WJIV and how it can benefit your educational setting today!
