The Practical Help This Book Offers -- Ch. 1. Using Informal Devices in Assessing Reading and Writing Ability -- Pt. 1. Assessing Competencies and Weaknesses in Reading -- Ch. 2. Using Checklists and Other Informal Devices to Assess Competencies and Weaknesses in Visual Perception Ability, Emergent Literacy Skills, Word-Identification Skills, and Oral Reading -- Ch. 3. Using Checklists and Other Informal Devices to Assess Competencies and Weaknesses in Vocabulary, Comprehension Skills, the Basic Study Skills, and Silent Reading -- Ch. 4. Using Miscue Analysis in Assessing Competencies and Weaknesses in Reading -- Ch. 5. Variations of the Individual Reading Inventory -- Ch. 6. Using Informal Inventories and Other Informal Assessment Devices in the Word-Identification Techniques -- Ch. 7. Additional Alternative Ways of Assessing Reading Skills and Attitudes -- Pt. 2. Assessing Competencies and Weaknesses in Writing and Spelling -- Ch. 8. Using Checklists to Assess Competencies and Weaknesses in Drawing, Writing, and Spelling -- Ch. 9. Using Holistic Scoring and the Informal Writing Inventory to Assess Writing -- Ch. 10. Other Alternative Means of Assessing Writing and Spelling Ability -- Pt. 3. Portfolio Assessment -- Ch. 11. Using Portfolio Assessment in Any Literacy Program -- Pt. 4. Closing Thoughts -- Ch. 12. Closing Thoughts