Survey of elementary reading assessments for children who are deaf or hard of hearing

The purpose of this research was to explore the nature of reading assessment in elementary school classrooms (K-5) for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. A social constructivist lens was used to frame the study, and assessment practices were examined in relation to linguistic features (semantics, syntax, and graphophonics). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via an online survey and teacher interviews. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted on 10 assessment measures and six modifications to running records to determine the degree to which deaf and hearing teachers with varied communication policies used assessment results when making instructional decisions. Results showed that classroom teachers used alternative assessment measures, particularly observational checklists and anecdotal records, more than conventional or informal measures. One-way analysis of variance tests revealed significant relationships between some assessment measures and the teachers' hearing status and primary communication mode of the classroom. Implications include rethinking the traditional practice of modifying existing assessments, which were developed for hearing children, in favor of supporting the creation and implementation of unique reading assessments for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Those measures would take into consideration the particular challenges these children bring to the task of learning to read.