Cloze test in elementary school: evidence of criterion validity

Abstract

This research aimed at finding evidence of validity of criteria of a Cloze test for elementary school and identifying the reading level of the participants. 359 students from the 1st to 9 th years of public elementary school in the states of Paraná and São Paulo participated. The Cloze test in its traditional version was collectively applied, where all fifth words are omitted. The text presented approximately 103 words and 15 omissions. The results indicated that as there is progress in the school year there is also a gradual increase in the Cloze test scores, and the difference between the school years was statistically significant. The discussion of the data points to the possibility of using the Cloze test as a measure to assess reading comprehension in elementary school students