The Thunder Bolt

We know that understanding all the different assessments your children take can sometimes feel confusing. Here at Concordia International School Hanoi, we're committed to making that as clear as possible. You've likely heard us talk about two key assessments: Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth testing and MAP Reading Fluency Testing. They're both tools from the same organization, NWEA, but they serve different, specific purposes.

What is MAP Growth Testing? 

First, let's talk about the assessment you're probably most familiar with: MAP Growth, or what we often just call "MAP testing." This is our primary, big-picture tool for measuring your child's academic growth.

What it measures: MAP Growth is a broad, comprehensive assessment that covers core subjects like reading, mathematics, and language usage (and sometimes science, depending on the grade). It’s designed to answer the question: "What is your child ready to learn next?"

How it works: This is a computer-adaptive test. That means the questions change based on your child's answers. If they get a question right, the next one gets a little harder. If they get one wrong, the next one is a little easier. This process helps us get a super-precise snapshot of your child's current knowledge and skills. It’s not about passing or failing; it's about finding their just-right learning level.

Who takes it: We use MAP Growth for students from Grade 3 all the way through Grade 11. It's a great way to track their progress over time, from one year to the next.

The big-picture purpose: MAP Growth provides a long-term view of your child’s academic journey. By taking the test two times a year, we can see how much they’ve grown and where they stand compared to other students nationally and globally. The results help us make sure our curriculum is aligned with their needs, and it gives teachers the data they need to create personalized learning plans and set realistic goals.

MAP Growth Testing at Concordia International School Hanoi

 

 

What is MAP Reading Fluency Testing? 

Now, let's look at the other MAP assessment: MAP Reading Fluency Testing. This assessment is much more targeted and specific towards reading fluency.

What it measures: MAP Reading Fluency focuses on the early stages of reading development. It assesses three key areas:

• Oral Reading Fluency: How accurately and quickly a student reads a passage out loud.
• Foundational Skills: For our very young learners, it checks essential pre-reading skills like phonological awareness (hearing sounds in words) and phonics (connecting letters to sounds).
• Literal Comprehension: It checks if a student understands what they just read.

How it works: Your child uses a headset with a microphone and reads aloud. The test uses advanced speech recognition technology to automatically score their reading, providing instant feedback on how they're doing. This saves teachers a ton of time and allows us to get data for an entire class in about 20 minutes. Teachers then listen to and assess each student’s recording so they can identify ways to help each student individually progress.

Who takes it: We use MAP Reading Fluency primarily with Grades 2 through 5. It's a quick and efficient way for us to identify students who may need extra support in reading, including those who may be at risk for reading difficulties.

The big-picture purpose: This test provides real-time, actionable data for our teachers. It helps them pinpoint exactly why a student might be struggling with reading. Is it a problem with decoding words? Is it that they’re reading too slowly? Or are they having trouble understanding the meaning of what they've read? The data allows teachers to intervene quickly and provide targeted support, making sure no child falls behind.

MAP Reading Fluency at Concordia International School Hanoi

We have just begun to use MAP Reading Fluency as an assessment tool. Due to the individual nature of MAP Reading Fluency testing and reporting, since each student is assessed based on their current proficiencies and not against any standard, there are no grade level or school-wide scores to share. MAP Reading Fluency will always be a tool to better help our teachers provide for each individual student and their unique needs. 

 

MAP Growth and MAP Reading Fluency Differences: A Quick-Reference Chart 

Feature	MAP Growth	MAP Reading Fluency
Main Purpose	Measures academic growth and achievement over time.	Measures specific reading skills and identifies students at risk.
Subject	Reading, Mathematics, Language Usage, and Science.	Focused exclusively on reading (oral fluency, foundational skills, comprehension).
Grade Levels	K-12 (from early elementary through high school).	Pre-K through 5th grade, and sometimes older students who need extra reading support.
How it Works	Computer-adaptive test with multiple-choice questions.	Student reads aloud into a microphone; uses speech-recognition technology.
Time to Complete	About 45-60 minutes per subject.	About 20 minutes for a full class screening.
Data Provided	RIT scores showing growth and achievement over time.	Real-time reports on reading speed, accuracy, and foundational skills.
Big Question	"What is my child ready to learn next?"	"How well is my child reading, and why?"

Why We Use Both Assessments 

You might be asking, "Why do we need two different tests?" The answer is simple: they complement each other beautifully!

MAP Growth gives us the macro-level view of your child’s academic journey. MAP Reading Fluency, on the other hand, gives us the micro-level data for a specific skill that is the foundation for all academic success: reading. 

By using both, our educators have a powerful, holistic understanding of your child's learning. We can see if they are making solid progress in reading, math, and language usage, and if we spot a potential issue with reading, we can use the more specific Reading Fluency test to get to the root of the problem and provide the right support.

Ultimately, these assessments are tools for us to better understand, celebrate, and support your child's unique learning journey. If you have any questions about your child's scores or these assessments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to their teacher.