What part of informal reading assessment identifies a student's error patterns and fluency?

The running record is a powerful tool in informal reading assessments, specifically designed to capture a student's reading behavior, including their error patterns and fluency. By observing a student as they read aloud, the teacher can note mispronunciations, omissions, and insertions, providing insight into the student's reading strategies and level of understanding. Additionally, running records include timing the student's reading, which allows for the assessment of fluency—how smoothly and quickly a student can read a passage. This combination of accuracy and fluency data helps inform instruction and identifies areas where a student may need additional support.

The other options focus on different aspects of reading assessment. A fluency check typically evaluates reading speed and smoothness but may not provide the in-depth analysis of error patterns that a running record offers. A comprehension test assesses a student's understanding of what they’ve read but does not directly measure their reading fluency or pinpoint specific reading errors. A reading inventory generally evaluates a broader range of skills and preferences but lacks the detailed analysis of a student's reading behaviors that a running record provides.