You have the free manual, free test sheets, and a free program outline. Now, how do you actually administer the Holborn Reading Scale for the first time without messing it up?
Step 1: Prepare the Environment
Step 2: The Script Say: "I am going to ask you to read some stories aloud. If you get stuck on a word, I will tell it to you. After each story, I will ask you some questions. Just try your best."
Step 3: The Cold Read
Step 4: Comprehension Questions Immediately after reading, ask the prescribed questions. Do not allow them to look back at the text (Holborn measures recall, not look-back).
Step 5: Calculate Reading Age
First-time warning: Do not stop after one passage. The Holborn requires you to find the ceiling (the passage where the child makes more than 10 errors or fails comprehension). Back up one passage for their instructional level. You have the free manual, free test sheets,
If you are a student teacher or a parent looking to support a struggling reader, check your local university library. Many education departments hold copies of assessment manuals in their reference sections. While you cannot take them home, you can often photocopy the specific test sheets needed for a single assessment (checking copyright permissions first).
Assume you have gathered:
Here is how to conduct your first assessment: Step 2: The Script Say: "I am going
Important disclaimer: The Holborn Reading Scale is copyright-protected. You will not find a full, officially scanned manual for free without violating piracy laws. However, "free" can mean different things:
Many UK and Australian universities provide summaries of the Holborn administration manual to their student teachers. If you are enrolled in any education course (or even as an alum), check your library’s online portal. Search for: "Holborn Reading Scale administration guide" – these 5-10 page summaries are often free to download as PDFs.