What task is included in the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test for reading comprehension?

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) is designed to assess an individual's academic skills, including reading comprehension. One of the key tasks for measuring reading comprehension involves the participant reading passages and then answering questions about those passages. This method evaluates not just the ability to read, but also to comprehend, interpret, and analyze the text.

Oral questioning about reading passages allows the assessor to gauge how well the individual understands the material, which is essential for determining reading comprehension skills. This approach requires more than just recognizing words; it involves critical thinking and the ability to articulate understanding based on the reading material.

While matching words to definitions, decoding nonwords aloud, and summarizing text are all important components of reading and literacy development, they do not specifically measure comprehension in the same direct manner as responding to questions about a reading passage. Matching focuses on vocabulary knowledge, decoding looks at phonetic skills, and summarizing tests the ability to capture main ideas, but they do not evaluate the comprehension process as effectively as orally answering questions regarding specific content from a reading passage.