Directions for Sentence Comprehension Administration

Materials Needed

WRAT4 Sentence Comprehension Sample Card

WRAT 4 Sentence Comprehension Test Form (blue or green)

WRAT 4 Sentence Comprehension Card (blue or green)

Place marker (optional)

Pen/pencil for examiner

Determining Starting Point- A table on the front page of the Sentence Comprehension Test Form lists the ranges of Part 2: Word Reading raw scores, the Starting Point corresponding to each range, and the sample items to be administered. It is important to remember that the Sentence Comprehension subtest should be administered only to those students who obtained a score of 5 or more on Part 2: Word Reading of the Word Reading subtest. Also, the student must be at least 6 years old or in Grade 1 or higher.

Note: If you do not want to use the Word Reading Raw Score to determine the Sentence Comprehension starting point, it is permissible to have the student start at Item 1, regardless of his or her reading ability, and continue until he or she responds incorrectly to 7 consecutive items.

Prompting and Questioning Responses- All of the test items can be answered correctly with a one-word response; however, students may sometimes give two- or three-word responses. When the first two-word response is given, say, Can you think of just one word that goes in the blank space? Although credit is given for all correct two-word responses, you should prompt the student once to reinforce the preferred method of responding. If the student gives a three-word response, say, Can you think of just one word that goes in the blank space? If the student does not say an acceptable one-word response and the three-word response is acceptable in the sentence, say, I can allow you to give a three-word response just his once, but after this I cannot accept three words. You must try and think of just one word that fits in the blank space. For subsequent three-word responses, ask for a one-word response. If the student does not give an acceptable one-word response, score the response as incorrect.

Sometimes a student may fill in the blank by repeating a word that is already used in the sentence. If so, say, Can you think of another word? That word is already in the sentence. Responses that are repetitions of words that are already in the sentence are scored as incorrect.

On the list of correct responses some responses are preceded by Q. Such responses are incorrect by themselves and need clarification. Probe such response by asking Can you give me a different word? If the student does not supply an acceptable alternative, score the response as incorrect.

5/7 Rules If the student does not answer the first 5 items administered correctly, test backwards from the starting item until he or she obtains 5 consecutive correct answers. Then return to the last item administered before starting to test backwards and administer the next item. Continue testing, one item at a time, until the student answers 7 consecutive items incorrectly or completes item 50. When the student answers 7 consecutive incorrectly, testing is discontinued.

Specific Administration Instructions

Scripted instructions for each starting point are provided on the Sentence Comprehension Test Form. Follow the appropriate instructions as you administer the test.

Scoring Instructions

You may choose to record the student’s response in the blank space within each sentence in the item column on the Sentence Comprehension Test Form or simply circle the word from the correct or incorrect response list.

Then, if a correct response is given, circle the “1” in the Score column, and if an incorrect response is given circle the “0” in the Score column. The main criterion for evaluating the correctness of a response is whether the response shows that the student understands the meaning of the sentence. Failure to use correct grammar, standard usage, or exactly the right word does not automatically result in the response being scored as incorrect. If the intended meaning of the response is clear and appropriate for completing the meaning of the sentence, then errors of these types are not penalized.

The Sentence Comprehension Total Raw Score is obtained by counting the number of items scored as correct and then adding the number of items considered correct because they occur before the first item in the earliest set of five consecutive items answered correctly.