In order to discuss Provinha Brasil, an exam which evaluates the performance of Brazilian children who are learning how to read and write, we have studied the relationships between instruction and performance on Provinha. During a school year, we observed classes in twelve 2nd grade classrooms of public schools of three cities and we analyzed students' performance on Provinha at the beginning and at the end of the school year. We found out that reading comprehension instruction seldom took place in many of the classrooms we observed and that reading abilities taught were not those evaluated by Provinha. We also found a strong variation in class groups' performances inside the same school and between schools, as well as a variation in the complexity of the items used by the test in each of its editions. Thus, we concluded that it is necessary to discuss the Brazilian reading instruction curricula and the abilities measured by Provinha. It is also necessary to involve teachers in the development and use of that exam.
Provinha Brasi; reading instruction; evaluation
