Abstract
Assessing the readability of text requires a careful look at both the text and the reader. Older students with language learning disabilities often lack the reading and language skills and the background knowledge to handle the demands of the higher-level text they encounter at school. Analyzing the oral reading of these students can help the speech-language pathologist (SLP) provide focused instruction at trouble spots in text to improve their fluency and comprehension. It also can help the SLP anticipate problems and reduce unnecessary complexity in text while students are building their word recognition skills.