New Salford Sentence Reading Test

SubscalesⓘList of subscales (if applicable)

N/​a

Publisher

RS Assessment from Hodder Education

Test source

https://www.risingstars-uk.com/series/salford-sentence-reading-test

Guidelines available?ⓘAdministration guidelines available to the review team

Yes

Norm-referenced scores

Yes

Age rangeⓘSpecific population and age range that publisher states the test is intended/​suitable for. 

5;06 – 13 years

Key Stage

Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3

UK standardisation sample

Yes

Publication date

2012

Re-norming date

N/​a

Additional information about what the test measures

Reading attainment based on reading accuracy and comprehension (literal, inferential).

Are additional versions available?

Revision of the Salford Sentence Reading Test (1976). Three equivalent/​parallel forms.

Can subtests be administered in isolation?

Yes — can ommit the comprehension questions.

Administration Group Size

Individual

Administration duration

4 – 5 minutes

Description of materials needed to administer test

Manual, record sheet, reading test card, comprehension test questions.

Any special testing conditions?

Not stated

Is any prior knowledge/training/profession accreditation required for administration?

Not stated (no)

Is administration scripted?

N/​a

Rating Construct

Does it reflect the multidimensionality of the subject?

Specific literacy measure — reading accuracy and comprehension.

Construct validity comments (and reference for source)

The updated test was based heavily on a previous, established measure. Little discussion of how it aligns to current curriculum or theory. Nonetheless, the test distinguishes between reading accuracy (decoding) and comprehension successfully. No coefficients are presented for the present version, however the manual reports that the original 1976 Salford manual reported excellent correlations of >.9 between contemporarily published tests of reading and spelling. No details are provided about the studies, or which specific measures were correlated, but authors do comment that sample sizes were quite small. Pearons correlation with age >.7 (see p19 of manual).

Rating Reliability

Summarise available comparisons

Internal consistency on each form is excellent (Cronbach’s alpha .99).90% confidence bands +/-4.94 – 4.99. Equivalence reliability appears good. The manual reports that all pupils in the standardisation trial completed Form A and then either B or C (within a fortnight). Pearsons correlations with age, Cronbach’s alpha and confidence bands are very similar on all forms (see p19 of manual). Equipercentile equating showed Forms B and C to be harder than Form A, which have been accounted for in the norms. The manual also reports that the original 1976 Salford manual reported high equivalence reliability with correlations of >.95 between forms A, B, and C. No details are provided about the studies but they comment that sample sizes were quite small. Test-retest and inter-rater reliability are not assessed.

Sources

Bookbinder, G. E., McCarty, C., & Lallaway, M. (2012). New Salford Sentence Reading Test Manual: RS Assessment from Hodder Education.