Set the purpose
Tell your child this is one short reading sample, not a test of intelligence or a decision about school grade. Sit beside the child with the passage easy to see.
Choose a reasonable grade starting point
Use the child’s school grade only as a starting suggestion when creating the profile. The selected grade guides which passage appears; it is not a permanent label or official placement for the child.
Keep the minute consistent
- Start when the child says the first word.
- Follow along and tap any word you want to review.
- Do not teach or coach during the timed minute.
- If an outside interruption occurs, restart rather than treating a partial sample as complete.
- At 60 seconds, identify the last word reached.
Review before saving
Check the last word and every suspected error mark. The app’s saved score comes from the adult’s confirmed marks, not from speech recognition or an audio transcript.
Read the result narrowly
WCPM and accuracy describe this passage in this setting on this day. Compare later samples only when the passage band and administration are reasonably comparable. Use the result as one observation, not a diagnosis.
Pause and seek help when needed. If reading is consistently distressing or you have ongoing concerns, talk with a teacher, reading specialist, pediatrician, or another qualified professional.