(1974) Revised

With all standardised reading tests it is essential that there is no teaching to the test.   None of the words should be taught in preparation for the test.  
Each child is tested individually on the Burt Reading Test.

Instructions

·        Administer the test in a quiet area away from other children.
·        Child starts at the top and reads words from left to right.
·        Stop after 10 consecutive errors (or earlier if struggling).

Recording

While the child is reading the words on the printed sheet, the teacher should record the responses on a separate sheet (a photocopy of the test works well).   The recording should not be made so obvious as to distract the child.   At the same time the recording should be carefully and systematically done for each pupil.   Do not try to count orally the number of words correctly (or incorrectly) read by the child, and do not try to score on odd bits of paper.   A convenient way of recording is to make a tick (? ) or to circle each word correctly read.
If a pupil reads too fast for the purpose of recording, he may be asked to read more slowly, or to reread a word which the teacher was not sure about.

During the test

·        The child's original response should be accepted but spontaneous corrections should be allowed.
·        The child should not be told whether his responses were correct or not; if he asks, only general encouragement should be given.
·        Asking for a repetition of the word should be used only when the examiner is not sure of what the pupil has said.   If the word is clearly said wrongly, e.g. 'know' instead of 'known' then there is no need to ask for a repetition.  
·        The pupil should be allowed to read at his own speed.   Some pupils are very slow and show a fairly well developed power of word analysis and synthesis if given sufficient time.   The pupil should not be hurried, and self-corrections should be counted as correct.
·        Guessing is allowed; indeed a child should be encouraged to guess rather than omit words that he does not know.
·        Words should not be pronounced for pupils even when they stumble over them.   Usually when a child is unable to say the word, the injunction, "We will leave that one.   Let's go to the next word," is sufficient.
·        The usual pronunciation of words should be accepted.   Local variations occur and these should be allowed for in deciding on the correctness or otherwise of responses.
·        Any attempt at coaching or teaching the difficult words to pupils should be studiously avoided


*    Note that it is advisable to wait at least 6 months before testing a child again on this test.

Burt Reading Test
   to    is    up    he

 

 

    at
   for
    my
    sun
    one

 

 

    of
  
  big
   
    some
   
    his
  
   or

   an
   went
    boys
    that
    girl

 

 

    water
   just
    day
    wet
    pot

 

 

    things
   no
    told
    love
    now

 

 

    sad
   nurse
    carry
    quickly
    village

 

 

    scramble
   journey
    terror
    return
    twisted

 

 

    shelves
   beware    explorer    known

 projecting

 

 

    tongue
   serious

   domineer

 

    obtain
    belief

 

 

   luncheon

 
   emergency
    events   steadiness
  nourishment

 

 

    fringe
   formulate
    scarcely    universal
  commenced

 

 

   overwhelmed
  circumstances    destiny    urge
 labourers

 

 

    exhausted
   trudging
  refrigerator
 melodrama
  
encyclopaedia    
  apprehend
   motionless
    ultimate   atmosphere    reputation

 

 

    binocular
   economy
    theory    humanity
  philosopher  contemptuous
autobiography
   excessively   

champagne

 terminology
 perambulating
efficiency
 unique
 perpetual
 mercenary
 glycerine
influential
 atrocious
 fatigue
 exorbitant
 physician
microscopically contagion renown hypocritical
fallacious
phlegmatic
 melancholy
 palpable
 eccentricity
constitutionally
alienate                
phthisis           
poignancy          
ingratiating        
subtlety                       


End of Burt Test..................................

Scoring the results

Count the words that have been read correctly. This will give you a ‘raw score’ which you can convert into a ‘reading age’ by consulting the attached table. For example, a score of 54 gives a reading age of 8.7 (ie, eight years and seven months – the reading ages are given in years and months, not years and tenths of a year).

Table: Conversion of ‘raw score’ to equivalent ‘reading age’ (norms)

Locate the child’s raw test score in the table below and read down to find their ‘reading age’.

Reading ages are represented in years and months, separated by a point (.). For example, the notation 7.5 stands for 7 years 5 months, not 7 years 6 months.

 

Test score

27

28

29

30

Reading age

6.4 *

6.5

6.6

6.7

Test score

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Reading age

6.8

6.9

6.10

6.10

6.11

7.0

7.1

7.1

7.2

7.3

Test score

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

Reading age

7.5

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

7.10

7.11

8.0

8.2

8.3

Test score

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

Reading age

8.4

8.5

8.6

8.7

8.9

8.10

8.11

9.0

9.1

9.2

Test score

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

Reading age

9.3

9.4

9.6

9.7

9.8

9.9

9.10

9.11

10.0

10.2

Test score

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

Reading age

10.3

10.4

10.5

10.6

10.7

10.9

10.10

10.11

11.0

11.1

Test score

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

Reading age

11.2

11.3

11.4

11.6

11.7

11.8

11.9

11.10

11.11

12.0

 

What do the scores mean?

When you have a score, and have converted it to a ‘reading age’ by looking at the table you can compare this with the actual age of the child.

However, do not be too quick to rush to judgement. Within any group of children there will always be a wide distribution of ability, and this test can only be a guide.

If your student is under their reading age by more than 2 years please talk with your teacher.