ISSUES IN READING-COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENT - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS AND CLASSROOM TESTS

Second language (L2) reading researchers utilize a variety of comprehension assessment procedures that may not be comparable. Without comparability of findings, research can neither facilitate theory development nor inform educators as to appropriate testing procedures. Unfortunately, L2 reading research has shown that learners' performance on comprehension tasks varies according to the task used. Such variation can be attributed to two factors: the type of task used to assess comprehension and the language in which the task is presented and carried out. This article examines the effects of some of the testing procedures used in current L2 reading research on learners' performance on these tasks and suggests guidelines for developing future research instruments and classroom reading comprehension tests.