The suffolk reading scale : an item anallytic study and a validfation on maltese primary school children

Abstract

This dissertation encompasses the standardisation of the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Level 1 for Maltese Primary School children. It comprises of two parts, an item analytic study of the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Level 1 and a correlation study of children's National Annual English Reading Examination with the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Level 1. The standardisation sample consisted of 306 children with precisely equal numbers of boys and girls from each age group; six and a half years, eight and a half years and ten and a half years. Item analysis for all test items was carried out and each item's facility and discrimination indices were recorded and evaluated within the Maltese setting at all three age groups. This revealed which test items possessed the better characteristics for the different ages. A correlation study was carried out on Year 4 and Year 5 pupils' performance on Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Level 1 and National Reading Examination. This study supports the use of the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Level 1 in the Maltese context and makes some suggestions about the order of the items presented and the appropriateness the items for the different age groups studied.