Set the purpose
Tell your child this is a short sample that helps you choose the next practice. It is not a test of intelligence and does not decide a school grade. Sit beside the child with the passage easy to see.
Choose a reasonable starting passage
Use the child’s school grade only as a starting suggestion. You can move to an easier or harder passage before timing begins. The passage band describes the text used, not a permanent label 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.
- Pause only for an outside interruption and record that the sample was paused.
- At 60 seconds, identify the last word reached.
Review before saving
Check the last word and every suspected miscue. Mark self-corrections consistently. The app’s saved score should come from the adult’s confirmed marks, never from an unreviewed speech transcript.
Ask two short questions
Ask the authored comprehension prompts aloud and mark each answer. Choose Not asked if you did not ask them. The result should not display zero when understanding was not measured.
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 to choose practice, not to diagnose.