DIRECTIONS AND SCORING THE

SLOSSON ORAL READING TEST

Case Student 2
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Slosson Oral Reading Test
Directions
This test is to be given individually and is based on the ability to pronounce words at different levels of difficulty. The words have been taken from
standardized school readers and the Reading Level obtained represents median or standardized school achievement. A correlation of .96 (variability
on a group of 108 children from first grade thrugh high school) was obtained with the Standardized Oral Reading Paragraphs by William S. Gray.

1. Allow the child to read from one sheet while you keep score on another. At the start, say the 4. When a child reads very slowly and takes more than 5 seconds on each and every word,
following: “I want to see how many of these words you can read. Please begin here and read move him along by saying “blank” or “skip it” for him. Still another plan is to use a small
each word aloud as carefully as you can.”. (Indicate at what list to start). “When you come to a card or piece of paper, covering up a word after a 5” exposure.
difficult word, do the best you can and if you can’t read it, say “Blank” and go on to the next
one. 5. Count as an error each mispronounced or omitted word, s well as any word which takes
more than 5” to pronounce. You a minus or x (x) after missed words or errors, or a plus
2. Start with a list where you think he can pronounce all 20 words correctly. Note that each list is sign (+) after correct words.
graded. List P (primer) is for the first few months of first grade, List 1 is for the balance of first
grade. List 2 is for second grade, etc. If the starting list is too difficult, and the child makes 6. To find a raw score for reading, count the total number of words correct. Look up the
even one mistake, go back until you reach an easy level where he can pronounce all 20 words value of this level in the table. A simple way to determine the reading level is to take half
correctly. the raw score. For example, if the raw score were 46, half of this number would be 23 and
the reading level would be 2.3 or the 3rd month of second grade.
3. After you have found the starting list, go on to more advanced lists until you find the stopping
list, where he mispronounces all 20 words. When you reach a point where the words are very
difficult, say: “Look quickly down this list and read the words you think you know”.

Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade
0-1 0.0 26-27 1.3 52-53 2.6 78-79 3.9 104-105 5.2 130-131 6.5 156-157 7.8
2-3 0.1 2829 1.4 54-55 2.7 80881 4.0 106-17 5.3 132-133 6.6 158-159 7.9
4-5 0.2 30-31 1.5 56-57 2.8 82-83 4.1 108-109 5.4 134-135 6.7 160-161 8.0
6-7 0.3 32-33 1.6 58-59 2.9 84-85 4.2 110-111 5.5 136-137 6.8 162-163 8.1
8-9 0.4 34-35 1.7 60-61 3.0 86-87 4.3 112-113 5.6 138-139 6.9 164-165 8.2
10-11 0.5 36-37 1.8 62-63 3.1 88-89 4.4 114-115 5.7 140-141 7.0 166-167 8.3
12-13 0.6 38-39 1.9 64-65 3.2 90-91 4.5 116-117 5.8 142-143 7.1 168-169 8.4
14-15 0.7 40-41 2.0 66-67 3.3 92-93 4.6 118-119 5.9 144-145 7.2 170-171 8.5
16-17 0.8 42-43 2.1 68-69 3.4 94-95 4.7 120-121 6.0 147-147 7.3 172-173 8.6
18-19 0.9 44-45 2.2 70-71 3.5 96-97 4.8 122-123 6.1 148-149 7.4 174-175 8.7
20-21 1.0 46-47 2.3 72-73 3.6 98-99 4.9 124-125 6.2 150-151 7.5 176-177 8.8
22-23 1.1 48-49 2.4 74-75 3.7 100-101 5.0 126-127 6.3 152-153 7.6 179-179 8.9
24-25 1.2 49-50 2.5 76-77 3.8 102-103 5.1 12-129 6.4 154-155 7.7 180-200 H.S.
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Name ____Ahiya: Case 1_____________ Date ____________ Examiner ___________

Grade Placement _______________ Raw Score _____________ Grade Equivalent _________________

List P List 1 List 2 List 3 List 4

see _+__ with _-__ game _____ safe _____ harness _____
look __+__ friends __-_ hide ______ against ______ price ______
mother_ -__ came _-___ grass ______ smash ______ flakes ______
little __lot_ horse _-___ across ______ reward ______ silence ______
here __/huh/ ride _-____ around ______ evening ______ develop ______
can __+__ under _-____ breakfast ______ stream ______ promptly ______
want __-__ was _-____ field ______ empty ______ serious ______
come __+__ what _-____ large ______ stone ______ courage ______
one __-__ bump _-____ better ______ grove ______ forehead ______
baby __-__ live _-____ suddenly ______ desire ______ distant ______
three __-__ very _-____ happen ______ ocean ______ anger ______
run __+__ puppy _-___ farmer ______ bench ______ vacant ______
jump __-__ dark _-____ river ______ damp ______ appearance ______
down _duh__ first _-____ lunch ______ timid ______ speechless ______
is __+__ wish _-____ sheep ______ perform ______ region ______
up __+___ basket _-____ hope ______ destroy ______ slumber ______
make _mom_ food _-____ forest ______ delicious ______ future ______
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ball __bag_ road _-___ stars ______ hunger ______ claimed ______
help __he__ hill _-____ heavy ______ excuse ______ common ______
play __-___ along _-____ station ______ understood ______ dainty ______

Name _________________ Date ____________ Examiner ___________

Grade Placement _______________ Raw Score _____________ Grade Equivalent _________________

List 5 List 6 List 7 List 8 High School

cushion ____ installed ______ administer ______ prairies ______ traverse ______
generally ______ importance ______ tremor ______ evident ______ affable ______
extended ______ medicine ______ environment ______ nucleus ______ compressible ______
custom ______ rebellion ______ counterfeit ______ antique ______ excruciating ______
tailor ______ infected ______ crisis ______ twilight ______ pandemonium ______
haze ______ responsible ______ industrious ______ memorandum _____ scrupulous _____
gracious ______ liquid ______ approximate ______ whimsical ______ primordial ______
dignity ______ tremendous ______ society ______ proportional ______ chastisement ______
terrace ______ customary ______ architecture ______ intangible ______ sojourn ______
applause ______ malicious ______ malignant ______ formulated ______ panorama ______
jungle ______ spectacular ______ pensive ______ articulate ______ facsimile ______
fragrant ______ inventory ______ standardize ______ depreciate ______ auspicious ______
interfere ______ yearning ______ exhausted ______ remarkably ______ contraband ______
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marriage ______ imaginary ______ reminiscence ______ contrasting ______ envisage ______
profitably ______ consequently______ intricate ______ irrelevance ______ futility ______
define ______ excellence ______ contemporary ______ supplement ______ enamoured ______
obedient ______ dungeon ______ attentively ______ inducement ______ gustatory ______
ambition ______ detained ______ compassionate______ nonchalant ______ decipher ______
presence ______ abundant ______ complexion ______ exuberant ______ inadequacy ______
merchant ______ compliments ______ continuously ______ grotesque ______ simultaneous ______
List P List 1 List 2 List 3 List 4

see with game safe harness

look friends hide against price
mother came grass smash flakes
little horse across reward silence
here ride around evening develop
can under breakfast stream promptly
want was field empty serious
come what large stone courage
one bump better grove forehead
baby live suddenly desire distant
three very happen ocean anger
run puppy farmer bench vacant
jump dark river damp appearance
down first lunch timid speechless
is wish sheep perform region
up basket hope destroy slumber
make food forest delicious future
ball road stars hunger claimed
help hill heavy excuse common
play along station understood dainty
List 5 List 6 List 7 List 8 HS .
cushion installed administer prairies traverse
generally importance tremor evident affable
extended medicine environment nucleus compressible
custom rebellion counterfeit antique excruciating
tailor infected crisis twilight pandemonium
haze responsible industrious memorandum scrupulous
gracious liquid approximate whimsical primordial
dignity tremendous society proportional chastisement
terrace customary architecture intangible sojourn
applause malicious malignant formulated panorama
jungle spectacular pensive articulate facsimile
fragrant inventory standardize depreciate auspicious
interfere yearning exhausted remarkably contraband
marriage imaginary reminiscence contrasting envisage
profitably consequently intricate irrelevance futility
define excellence contemporary supplement enamoured
obedient dungeon attentively inducement gustatory
ambition detained compassionate nonchalant decipher
presence abundant complexion exuberant inadequacy
merchant compliments continuously grotesque simultaneous