Mico University To Launch Second Edition Of Diagnostic Reading Test In February

The Mico University College Child Assessment and Research in Education Centre (Mico CARE) will launch the second edition of its Mico Diagnostic Reading Test (MDRT-II) in February, at its head office on Manhattan Road in Kingston.

School Psychologist, Dr. Shauna Miller, who spearheaded the research and development of the new MDRT-II, told JIS News that the test was originally developed in 1995 by staff at the Centre, as a testing instrument to assess reading, using material that is familiar to Jamaican/Caribbean students.

She pointed out that most of the testing instruments that are used in the Centre to assess children with learning problems were developed in the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK), which means they tend to reflect their cultures and not Jamaican/Caribbean culture.

“So, this test was developed using materials that are more familiar to our children,” she added.

For the past few years, Mico CARE has been working on updating the first edition of the MDRT to come up with this new version of the test, which is being described as an updated, upgraded and refined version.

Outlining the work that went into the development of this revised version of the test, Dr. Miller said: “One of the benefits of this version, because we are looking at a number of different areas of reading, is that we can be much more targeted in the recommendations that we are creating for teachers, diagnosticians and other professionals”.

According to Dr. Miller, the MDRT-II reflects contemporary research on reading development to guide the format of the test.

“The test, which is normed in a number of Caribbean Countries, including Jamaica, is a measure for assessing the reading competence of children from kindergarten to grade 10 in high schools,” she said.

Dr. Miller further added that it is appropriate for use in a clinical setting by reading specialists, resource room teachers or reading teachers, guidance counsellors, and psychologists, and will allow examiners to better assess the nature of a student’s reading ability and their need for intervention.

The New Mico Diagnostic Reading Test – Second Edition is available now. For further information persons may contact The Mico CARE Centre 876-929-7720-2 or by email at care_centre@cwjamaica.com.