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The State of Illinois TAP Exam for Illinois Educators. Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Development. Preparation is the Key to Success. “What I do is prepare myself until I know I can do what I have to do.”- Joe Namath
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The State of Illinois TAP Exam for Illinois Educators Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Development
Preparation is the Key to Success • “What I do is prepare myself until I know I can do what I have to do.”- Joe Namath • “If you’re not prepared, it’s not pressure you feel, it’s fear.” – Bruce Bochy • “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” – Henry Ford
Preparing Yourself Strategically • Most readers are not flexible; they read everything the same way. The reading comprehension portion of the state of Illinois basic skills exam requires the ability to comprehend challenging material and therefore can not be read in the same way you would read a novel or a magazine article.
Preparing Yourself Strategically: Previewing the Material • Initially, it is important to see “the big picture” in order to gain an overall impression of the reading selection. Think of this as looking at the picture on the front of a jigsaw puzzle box before you begin to and while you assemble the various puzzle pieces.
Preparing Strategically: Reading the Comprehension Questions • Initially, read the reading comprehension questions to determine what will ultimately be expected of you. • By utilizing the “next” command, at the bottom of your computer screen, you will be able to fast-forward through all the questions. By utilizing the “previous” command, you can return to the beginning of the task.
Preparing Strategically:Reading the Title • You probably do this anyway before reading, but as a step to previewing, be alert for what you can learn from the title: • The author’s subject • How the author feels about the subject
Preparing Strategically: Reading the Introductory Paragraph (s) An introductory paragraph (s) can be very informative: • Primarily, it will state the topic of the selection and the author’s approach to the topic. • Additionally, it may capture the audience’s attention, give background on the topic, and develop the audience’s interest in the topic by telling an anecdote, presenting interesting facts, explaining a history, offering a definition, utilizing a quote, explaining the topic’s significance, or posing a question.
Preparing Strategically :Reading the Conclusion • The conclusion of the reading selection is often a gold mine of information. Not only does it often restate the main idea of the entire selection, but it also can • Emphasize the main ideas of the selection • Draw conclusions • Evaluate what has been done or determine the significance of what has been said • Echo the introduction • Offer a solution • Offer encouragement • Offer a course of action
Reading the Body Paragraphs’ Topic Sentences • A body paragraph contains a topic sentence that can be in locations other than the first sentence. • The topic sentence previews the content of the body paragraph. • The topic sentence may even indicate how the paragraph is going to be developed: narration, description, examples, process analysis, comparison/contrast, division/classification, definition, causal analysis or a combination.
Preparing Strategically: Reading the Selection and Marking • After reading the reading comprehension questions and previewing the selection, be prepared to read the selection and utilize your laminated boards. • Utilizing the boards, improves concentration and attention because it focuses more of your faculties, encourages thinking about the text, improves memory, and helps locate key material more easily.
Preparation Strategically:Using the Author’s Signs and Symbols • Be aware of the author’s use of numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), letters (a,b,c, etc.), or words and phrases indicating sequence, enumeration, or relative importance (first,next, finally, before). • Be aware of the author’s use of typographic abnormalities such as bold face, italic, or any other unusual font; boxes; small or large print; indentations; or color changes. All of these are requests to the reader to take special note of the content. • Be aware of transition words of all sorts: forward signals (furthermore, in the same way, additionally), counter signals (contrastingly, nevertheless, on the contrary), summary signals (therefore, consequently, thus) and terminal signals (as a result, finally, in conclusion). • Be aware of words that are repeated or their synonyms – particularly in the introduction and the conclusion.
Just a Word about Building Vocabulary • The use of contextual aids and familiarity with affixes and roots are two aids for promoting word growth. Many times when reading the selection, you may be tempted to skip unfamiliar words. If done too often, this may affect your comprehension.
Vocabulary:Context Clues • Definition:Formal definition: Horology is the science of measuring time. • Definition:Indirect definition: Hypochondria, excessive worry over one’s health, afflicts many Americans over the age of forty. • Example: Toxic materials, such as, arsenic, asbestos, pesticides, and lead can cause permanent bodily damage. • Contrast: During the concert the audience was quiet, but afterward the crowd became boisterous. • Inference: My father is a versatile man: he is a successful business man, sportsman, author, and sports car mechanic.
Vocabulary :Affixes and Roots • By utilizing your knowledge of common prefixes, roots, and suffixes sometimes you are able to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. For example, look at the word “ biography”. “bio” = “life” “graph” = write Biography means, literally, to write about life.
Finally, Answer the Questions • Read the questions very carefully. • Before reading the possible responses, think of your response. • Read ALL the possible responses carefully. • Try to eliminate incorrect alternatives rather than looking for the “right” answer. • Answer the easy questions first, then the moderately difficult ones, and finally the most difficult questions.
Preparation:Physical • Get plenty of sleep. • Practice relaxation. Breathe • Dress in layers. • Eat well: Fresh fruit and vegetables help reduce stress; caffeine, sugar, and junk food aggravate the situation. • Have your picture-ID with your signature. • Relieve the monotony of the reading comprehension test and improve your concentration by interspersing it with other portions of the exam. If the reading exam is the only one you are taking, take a break after every third selection.
Preparation: Emotional • Maintain a positive attitude. • Get acquainted with the test by visiting the state of Illinois website for sample reading passages, questions, and answers. • Simulate the testing environment. • Ask questions of others who have taken the exam or faculty members, but try to avoid excessive negative, counter-productive chatter. • Utilize good luck charms or any other token that helps you to be confident. • Remember some anxiety is helpful- a little bit of nervousness will keep you alert. Accept this as natural and helpful.
