Reading Speed Test for Kids: Free 1-Minute WCPM Check

A one-minute read-aloud check for grades 1 to 6. Your child reads a short story; you mark errors and the last word read. This is a screening idea for parents, not a diagnosis.

How to use the reading speed test

You need about five minutes and a quiet spot. You run the test; your child just reads.

Choose the grade and time of year. Each grade has its own story, written for this test, so your child won’t have seen it before. Fall means the start of the school year, winter the middle, spring the end.
Decide what your child reads from. They can read from the screen while you sit next to them, or you can press “Print child’s copy” and keep the screen for yourself. With a paper copy, your child won’t see your marks.
Say something like: “Please read this story out loud. Do your best reading. If you get stuck, I’ll help.” Don’t ask your child to read fast.
Press Start the moment your child reads the first word. The story appears and the timer counts down one minute.
Tap each word your child misreads. Tap it again if you change your mind. If your child is stuck on a word for about 3 seconds, say the word, tap it as an error and point to the next one.
When the time is up, tap the last word your child read. You can still fix errors afterwards. If your child reaches the end of the story early, press “Child read to the end”: the score is scaled to one minute.

What counts as an error

a word read wrong or replaced by another word;
a skipped word;
words read in the wrong order;
a word you had to say after a pause of about 3 seconds.

These are not errors: a mistake your child fixes on their own, repeating a word, adding a word, or saying a word differently because of an accent or dialect. These are the usual rules for school reading checks of this kind.

What the test measures

The score is words correct per minute (WCPM): words read in one minute minus errors. Schools call this an oral reading fluency check. In the US it is used to find children who may need extra help with reading and to track progress during the year.

The tool compares your child’s score with the oral reading fluency norms compiled by Jan Hasbrouck and Gerald Tindal at the University of Oregon. Their 2017 update combines three common US reading tests (DIBELS 6th Edition, DIBELS Next and easyCBM), about 6.9 million scores from grades 1 to 6. A percentile shows where a score sits among other children: at the 25th percentile, about 25 out of 100 children in that grade and season read more slowly and about 75 read faster.

For the full chart by grade and age, see Average Reading Speed by Age and Grade.

What it can’t tell you

It is a screening idea for parents, not a diagnosis. In schools, a low score is a reason to take a closer look, not a conclusion. The same is true at home.

Our stories are not the school test passages. The norms were built on the passages of the school tests, read under standard conditions. Our stories are written to fit each grade, but any passage can be a little easier or harder than another. Treat the comparison as approximate.

One reading can be off. A hard word, a nervous child or a noisy room can lower the score. Read Naturally, which publishes these norms for teachers, recommends using the average of two unpracticed readings. For a second reading, use a new grade-level text and the method in the guide above.

Speed is not understanding. A child can read fast and still miss what the story is about. After the reading, ask “What was that story about?” and listen to the answer.

Common questions

How many words per minute should my child read?

It depends on the grade and the time of year. For example, the median for 2nd grade is 50 WCPM in the fall, 84 in the winter and 100 in the spring. The tool shows the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles for the grade and season you choose.

Why are there no norms for 1st grade in the fall?

The 2017 norms don’t include a fall benchmark for 1st grade, so the tool gives a score without a comparison. You can check again in winter. By then your child will know our 1st-grade story, so a new text they haven’t read gives a fairer score: the norms are based on unpracticed passages.

What if my child is above the median?

That’s good news, and there is no need to push for more speed. Fluent, accurate reading with good understanding matters more than going faster.

What if my child is well below the median?

Check again with a second unfamiliar text on another day. If the average is still more than about 10 words below the median, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask which reading checks the school uses and bring your two home scores.

Can I use it outside the US?

Yes, but keep in mind that the norms come from US schools. Choose the US grade that matches your child’s age; the guide above has a table of typical ages.

Reading speed test for kids

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