Going FAR: Build More Effective Reading Interventions

This is the third part in a series on the Feifer Assessment of Reading™ (FAR). Catch up on the first part here and the second part here. 

The Feifer Assessment of Reading stands out from other reading tests not only because it measures several aspects of reading and identifies likely dyslexic subtypes, but also because it provides targeted interventions based on a student's strengths, weaknesses, and age.   

I can play into a student's strengths with knowledge from the FAR

The FAR™ is able to say, this is what the kid is really good at in the area of reading, so that tells us we can play into their strengths to help them compensate for their weaknesses,  said Angela Hodges, EdS, NCSP, a school psychologist from Aiken, South Carolina. It gives a much better diagnostic and even research-based assessment of reading than just basic reading comprehension or reading fluencies or word recognition.  

The FAR features 15 subtests that measure various aspects of reading, from vocabulary and phonological awareness to word memory and reading fluency. Detailed interpretations of index, index discrepancy, and subtest scores are provided in the FAR Interpretive Report, available on PARiConnect, along with targeted reading interventions based on current reading research. 

We know what to focus on in the IEP 

It helps me tell the team what to focus on in the special education IEP, said Angela Hoffer, PsyD, NCSP, a school psychologist. Sometimes, the recommendations or interventions become so general when you say it's a reading disability. Knowing how they perform qualitatively on specific subtests on the FAR can help me with recommendations.  

The big thing about the FAR is it gives so much more information about the different processes in reading, Hodges said. The more you know about the deficit, the easier it is to intervene. 

It helps teachers know where the gaps are and where they need to drill into those developing skills versus a universal screener, which just places a child in a ranking, she added, and gives us a clearer picture of the specific areas where the child needs help.  

A FAR Screening Form and FAR Screening Form Remote are also available.