Reading assessment in Brazil between the years 2014-2020: instruments and skills

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a systematic review on reading assessment. The problem that inspired the research was: What parameters, criteria, and assessment conditions can be distinguished in investigations on reading assessment in Brazil? Therefore, the goal was to identify, characterize, and discuss studies that were carried out on reading assessment in Brazil between 2014 and 2020. The focus of the study was on three central aspects of the 151 selected publications, according to the strict inclusion criteria described in the method: 1) the investigated cognitive processes, 2) the measured reading skills, and 3) the testing instruments used. As a criterion for analysis, we observed the research profiles (type, year, location, institution, graduate program, authorship, database) and their contents (focus, objective, target audience, reading evaluation instrument, measured skills, results). The analysis indicated that experimental studies, aimed mainly at students in the first grades of elementary school, were the most frequent, with decoding and its related skills as the most commonly investigated cognitive processes (word recognition, lexical access, and fluency). The results also showed that, in general, authors report the research methods with little detailing, which limits the identification of arguments to guide the decisions concerning elaboration or choice of instruments used. In addition, the lack of rigor or clarity of these aspects also makes it difficult for readers to understand the development of the studies and evaluate their reliability.