Die ontwikkeling van die ESSI-lees- en speltoets

The ESSI reading and spelling test (Afrikaans and English) was developed to replace the well-known UCT reading and spelling test standardized in 1944. This measuring instrument was developed in four phases. This article deals with the development work performed during the first three phases. During phase 1, support teachers were involved so that provisional vocabulary lists could be drawn up. Next, these vocabulary lists were presented to experts in the field of support teaching for their comments, after which they were finalised. Phase 2 was used to perform item analyses on the vocabulary lists, with assistance of item-response theory (IRT). On the basis of these findings, the final tests (vocabulary lists) were drawn up. During phase 3, tables of norms were drawn up. The tables of norms were made available per term so that the test could be taken throughout the year. To promote the utility value of the tests, screening tests were also drawn up, and the words included in the vocabulary lists could also be used to perform assessments of reading and spelling errors. Only registered psychologists and support teachers are allowed to administer the test and interpret test results. (South African Journal of Education: 2002 22(2): 144-148