Development and Validation of BaReSDI: A Diagnostic Tool for Primary Remedial Reading Programs

This study aims to develop the Basic Reading Skills Diagnostic Instrument (BaResDI) for Primary School Remedial Education Program. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research designs was employed in the study. The qualitative approach was used to develop the BaResDI, while the quantitative approach was utilized to assess the validity and reliability of the BaResDI. The study was guided by the five steps in Cognitive Diagnostic Model (Nichols, 1994). These five steps include substantive construct theory, design selection, test administration, response scoring and test review. The construction and development of BaResDI items were carried out qualitatively using a library research approach, referencing credible and authoritative sources from the Ministry of Education Malaysia. The study sample comprised five experts with experience in special remedial education, eight remedial teachers, and 30 remedial students from eight primary schools in Sarawak. The findings showed that BaResDI had a high content validity with a content validity coefficient of 0.96. BaResDI was then administered to 30 remedial students in Sarawak during the pilot phase. The pilot findings were analysed to evaluate the internal consistency of BaResDI. The internal consistency evaluation revealed that BaResDI had a high reliability level with a KR-20 value of 0.98. In conclusion, the development and validation of BaResDI align with the steps of Cognitive Diagnostic Model (Nichols, 1994) and positively impact the quality of teaching and learning of the Malay language in the context of primary school remedial education. This study contributes to the improvement of diagnostic assessment tools in literacy education, particularly in the Malay language context.