Reading and comprehending a poem is a lot different than doing the same for a piece of fiction or an informational text. As part of a sample English language arts examination, readers put their skills to the test by reading passages in all three genres. In addition, the assessment, which is part of a larger set of standardized tests, includes two writing portions: a source-based argument and a text analysis response.

Concepts

test preparation, reading comprehension, text analysis

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Have writers compare their responses to the sample essays to see where they think they fall based on the rubric
• Allow learners to take the test in pairs or small groups and collaboratively respond to the questions

Classroom Considerations

• The conversion chart determines whether test-takers meet expectations

Pros

• Uses high-interest topics, such as self-driving cars, to make content more engaging
• Shorter text lengths make it easier to read and analyze the pieces

Cons

• Provides answers to multiple choice questions, but does not offer rationales to support the answer choices

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.6 RI.11-12.1 RI.11-12.2 RI.11-12.3 RI.11-12.4 RI.11-12.5 RI.11-12.6 W.9-10.9.a W.11-12.9.a