Ave Maria Language Institute -

Academic English Program Reading Rubric

Reading Rubric
Criteria

Items

Knowledg
e of the
texts

4
Outstanding
Reader Demonstrates
Familiarity of
concepts,
themes, and
arguments and
shows
awareness of
key ideas
presented.

Concepts

Reader Demonstrates
Critical thinking
by presenting
concepts
logically and
Uses accurate
references to
the text.

Connectio
ns and
Schemata

Reader shows
Evidence of
critical thinking
by making
connections to
previous
knowledge
and/or
predictions
which are fully
supported.

3
Good
Reader Demonstrates
Satisfactory
Familiarity of
concepts, themes,
and arguments
and shows
acceptable
awareness of key
ideas presented.
Reader Demonstrates
Satisfactory
Critical thinking by
presenting
concepts logically
and Uses some
accurate
references to the
text.
Reader shows
Satisfactory
evidence of critical
thinking by making
connections to
previous
knowledge and/or
adequate
predictions which
are general and
somewhat
supported.

2
Needs improvement

1
Minimum progress

Reader Demonstrates
Limited familiarity of
concepts, themes, and
arguments and shows
limited awareness of
key ideas presented.

Reader Demonstrates
Little of no
knowledge of
concepts, themes,
and arguments and
shows lack of
awareness of key
ideas presented.

Reader Demonstrates
Evidence of limited
critical thinking by
presenting concepts
not in a logical order
and Uses limited and
inaccurate references
to the text.

Reader Demonstrates
Evidence of little or
no critical thinking
by not addressing
concepts logically
and uses inaccurate
references to the
text.

Reader shows
Limited evidence of
critical thinking by
making some
connections to
previous knowledge
and/or adequate
predictions which are
general and partially
supported.

Reader shows
Little or no critical
thinking by making
few or no
connections to
previous knowledge
and/or predictions
which are not
supported or are
insufficient to the
text.

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Communi
cation
skills

Reader expresses
Ideas clearly, in
a well-organized
manner and
using the proper
language
conventions.

Academic English Program Reading Rubric

Reader expresses
Ideas somewhat
clearly, in an
adequatelyorganized manner
and using
adequate
language
conventions.

Reader expresses
Unclear or confusing
ideas which lack
organization and
interfere with
meaning. Also, reader
demonstrates limited
knowledge in
language conventions.

Reader expresses
Ideas in a confusing
manner, lacks
organization and
interferes with
meaning. Also,
reader uses
language
conventions
inappropriately.

Benchmark for task specific assessment:

Sco
re
4
3

Rating
Outstandi
ng
Good

Needs
Improvem
ent
Minimum
Progress

Rubric Descriptor
Definition
The outstanding reader understands the text and concepts; makes connections to previous information
and new information; and uses language accurately to communicate thoughts.
The good reader understands most of the information in the text and concepts; makes substantial
connections to previous and new information; and uses language with a few inaccuracies to
communicate thoughts without interfering with the message.
The elementary reader attempts a clear approach to understanding the texts and concepts; makes
inaccurate connections to previous knowledge and predictions are limited; and uses inaccurate
language conventions to communicate the message.
The basic reader fails to understand the text or concepts; fails to connect previous knowledge or to
predict new information; and uses inaccurate language conventions.