Navigating the Course of Change

1. Navigating the Course of Change TAKS Information Booklets

2. Objectives for this session: • Become familiar with the TAKS Information Booklets • Develop strategies for developing a deeper understanding of the booklets • Become aware of the personal consequences to students if we fail to respond appropriately to the TAKS challenge • Be proud of what we are about to accomplish for our students and for our communities

3. Specifically: • Give educators the information to check on and promote alignment. • Alignment of instruction to TAKS specifications is critical: • content • cognitivelevel • context.

4. We have a choice. Actions to take prior to the assessment to ensure student success Actions to take after the assessment to deal with the failures Proactive Reactive To ensure student success, districts adopt a proactive stance.

5. Disclaimer • This is what we think we know today. • More information and clarification is coming. • There will be changes. • Educators have a responsibility to: • Read and review • Discuss and ask questions • Get more information • Stay informed • Share • www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/

6. TAKS Information Booklets • 10 booklets • Each with 2-5 sections • 6 critical types of information • Posted on the TEA website as they are produced • http://www.tea.state.tx.us/studentassessment/taks/booklet • Adobe Acrobat Reader

7. Who are the TAKS Information Booklets for? Educators Students Parents Other Stakeholders

8. 10 Booklets – Grade Spans • Reading, Grades 3-6 • Reading, Grades 5-8 • Writing, Grades 4 and 7 • Reading, Grade 9 and ELA, Grades 10 and 11 • Spanish – All Subjects, Grades 3-6

9. 10 Booklets – Grade Spans • Mathematics, Grades 3-6 • Mathematics, Grades 5-9 • Mathematics, Grades 8-11 • Science, Grades 5, 10, and 11 • Social Studies, Grades 8, 10, and 11

10. Information Booklets are NOT • Intended to replace the teaching of the TEKS curriculum. • To provide the basis for the isolated teaching of skills in the form of narrow test preparation. • To serve as the single information source about every aspect of the TAKS program. So, what do the booklets do?

11. TAKS Information Booklets DO Provide Critical Information: • Clarification about how to read the TEKS • Overview of the subject area in context of the TEKS • Objectives and TEKS student expectations • Reasons each objective and TEKS student expectation are critical to student success • Additional information about an objective to understand how it might be assessed • Sample items, reading selections, and writing prompts showing how objectives might be assessed

12. Side-by-Side • www.esc20.net/TAKS/supplemental_materials.htm

13. TAKS vs. TAAS • TAKS includes more of the TEKS than TAAS has. • TAKS attempts to ask questions in more authentic ways than the TAAS. • TAKS has been developed to: • Better reflect good instructional practice • More accurately measure student learning

14. All Booklets for All Teachers • The TEKS are vertically aligned. • The TAKS are based on the TEKS only – no other sources. • Therefore, the TAKS are vertically aligned. • TEKS and TAKS are “back-loaded” from the exit, or graduation, level expectation. • To know your place, you have to see the big picture.

15. All TEKS for All Students We cannot and will not test every TEKS, but EVERY TEKS IS ESSENTIAL, so WE MUST TEACH EVERY TEKS.

16. TAKS Objective Statements • TAKS Objectives • Umbrella statements that serve as headings under which student expectations from the TEKS can be meaningfully grouped • Broad statements useful in reporting to parents and others • Are NOT translations or rewordings of the TEKS • Generally the same for grades 3-8 and 9-11

17. TEKS Expectations Statements: Key to Understanding TAKS Objectives Objective 1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of numbers, operations, and quantitative reasoning. (4.2) Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student describes and compares fractional parts of whole objects or sets of objects. The student is expected to (B) model fraction quantities greater than one using [concrete materials and] pictures;

18. TEKS: Important Vocabulary • “Such as”is followed by: • Examples, or representative illustrations, that teachers may choose to use but are not required to use • Other examples may be used. • “Including” is followed by: • Specific examples that must be taught • Other examples may also be used.

19. TAKS Objectives: Clarifying Information

20. TAKS ObjectivesClarifying Information - Examples • Reading, Objective 1, Grade 3: • Use sample dictionary entry to answer multiple meaning items • Mathematics, Objective 1, Grade 4: • Use pictorial representations to determine a missing factor • Writing, Objective 1, Grade 7: • Express personal voice in the composition (formulaic writing discouraged)

21. Reading Objectives Grades 3-8 The student will: • Demonstrate a basic understanding of culturally diverse written texts • Apply knowledge of literary elements to understand culturally diverse written texts • Use a variety of strategies to analyze culturally diverse written texts 4. Apply critical-thinking skills to analyze culturally diverse written texts

22. Reading Selections Grades 3-8 • Narrative – fictional stories, letters, diary entries • Expository – informative selections, noteworthy people, events, topics related to content areas • Mixed selections – two types on one passage – narrative, expository, functional • Paired selections – two selections to be read together – to demonstrate understanding of connectedness across texts (for example, two points of view)

23. Reading Selections Grades 3-8 • Word counts: • Grades 3-4: 500-700 words • Grade 5: 600-900 words • Grades 6-8: 700-1,000 words • Paired selections will be comparable to singly developed selections. • Spanish selections may be “somewhat longer.” • Paragraphs will be numbered, if possible. • Each selection will have a title and may have an introduction.

24. Reading Objectives Grades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) The student will demonstrate: 1. A basic understanding of culturally diverse written texts. 2. An understanding of the effects of literary elements and techniques in culturally diverse written texts. 3. The ability to analyze and critically evaluate culturally diverse written texts and visual representations.

25. Reading Selections – Triplets Grades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • Triplets • A published literary selection • A published expository (informational) selection and • A one-page viewing and representing piece • Published works will not be from state-adopted textbooks. • Triplets will be thematically linked with a strong connection across all three pieces. • Students will not read random selections requiring them to “shift gears.” • Triplets will provide “rich, built-in context” and a “basis for focused and unified test.”

26. Viewing and RepresentingGrades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • One page with minimal text • Focus on media literacy • May include, but not limited to: • Created advertisement • Created or published cartoon • Page from created website • Photograph • Chart • Other graphic piece

27. Reading SelectionsGrades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • Word counts for triplets (combined): • Grade 9: 2500-3000 words • Grades 10-11: 3000-3500 words • Paragraphs will be numbered. • Readability will be appropriate for the grade level. • Culturally diverse means “pertaining to a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.”

28. Open-Ended ItemsGrades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • Objectives 2-3 only • Literary and expository selections only • Short responses: • 5 lines provided if only addressing one selection • 8 lines if addressing two selections • Clear, reasonable ideas and support with relevant evidence required • Evidence may be: • Specific synopsis • Direct quotation • Paraphrase • Unambiguous citation, for example, “as in paragraph 5”

29. Open-Ended Items – ScoringGrades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • Scoring based on content • Writing conventions “not taken into consideration unless the frequency and/or severity of errors causes clarity problems.” • Possible scores: • 0 – insufficient • 1 – partially sufficient • 2 – sufficient • 3 – exemplary

30. Writing Curriculum Grades 3-8 • Only a portion of writing TEKS are assessed at only two grade levels • For students to be successful at those grade levels, all the writing TEKS must be taught at all grade levels: • Other content areas • Many opportunities to practice • Practice with and without prompts

31. Writing Objectives Grades 4 and 7 Assessed through a composition, the student will: • Within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose 2. Produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure.

32. TAKS Composition: General Guidelines • Written composition: • Student selects approach • Must use standard English prose • 4 point scale • Focused, holistic scoring using a rubric • Use of standard English integral part of rubric • Expectations appropriate for grade level and testing situation

33. Grade 4, write to: Express Develop Reflect on ideas Problem solve Inform (explain, describe, narrate) Entertain (short stories) Grade 7 – write to do all of Grade 4 plus: Influence (persuade, argue, request) Inform – report Use appropriate voice and style Use literary devices Demonstrate cohesion and coherence Writing Prompts and Purposes

34. Dictionary Use: • Not allowed at Grade 4 • Grade 7: • English • Both parts of the test • All students, minimally, one dictionary for every five students. • District’s or student’s

35. Writing Objectives Grades 4 and 7 (cont’d) Assessed in a peer editing context, the student will: • Recognize appropriate organization of ideas in a written text • Recognize standard usage and appropriate word choice in a written text • Proofread for correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in a written text.

36. Writing Objectives Grades 10 & 11 The student will: 4. Within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose 5. Produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of: spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, sentence structure 6. Demonstrate the ability to revise and proofread to improve the clarity and effectiveness of a piece of writing

37. Writing Prompts and PurposesGrades 10&11 • The prompt will be thematically linked to the triplet, but “students are not required to address the triplet.” • The student will “choose the approach that best expresses his or her ideas about the topic.” • Students will “choose their own purpose or combination of purposes for writing.”

38. Dictionary UseGrades 9 (Reading) and 10 & 11 (ELA) • Grade 9 Reading • Grades 10&11 ELA: • Reading and writing • A minimum of one dictionary for every five students • The dictionary may be the district’s or student’s. • More current dictionaries “should be spread out across classes and grade levels.”

39. Example of Peer Editing Format

40. Peer Editing Passage Vocabulary Revise, revising, revision Edit Peer-editing Organization Improve Combine Complete sentence Delete Add Insert

41. Mathematics Objectives Grades 3-8 The student will demonstrate an understanding of: 1. Numbers, operations, and quantitative reasoning 2. Patterns, relationships, and algebraic reasoning 3. Geometry and spatial reasoning

42. Mathematics ObjectivesGrades 3-8, continued The student will demonstrate an understanding of: 4. Concepts and uses of measurement 5. Probability and statistics 6. Mathematical processes and tools used in problem solving

43. High School Mathematics Objectives

44. High School Mathematics Considerations • Some of the high school TAKS mathematics objectives contain student expectations from eighth grade. • No student expectations from the geometry curriculum are included in the TAKS objectives until the eleventh grade exit level test.

45. Mathematics Objectives Grades 9-11 The student will: 1. Describe functional relationships in a variety of ways 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the properties and attributes of functions 3. Demonstrate an understanding of linear functions 4. Formulate and use linear equations and inequalities

46. Mathematics Objectives Grades 9-11 (cont’d) The student will: 5. Demonstrate an understanding of quadratic and other nonlinear functions 6. Demonstrate an understanding of geometric relationships and spatial reasoning 7. Demonstrate an understanding of two- and three-dimensional representations of geometric relationships and shapes

47. Mathematics Objectives Grades 9-11 (cont’d) The student will: 8. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and uses of measurement and similarity 9. Demonstrate an understanding of percents, proportional relationships, probability, and statistics in application problems 10. Demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical processes and tools used in problem solving

48. Mathematics Item Formats • Most items multiple choice with 4 choices • “Not here” may be a choice. • Any item may include application context and extraneous information.

49. 3rd Grade 4th Grade 6th Grade 9th Grade Griddable Item Format

50. Mathematics Charts • Grade 3: Measurement Conversions • Grades 4-8: • Measurement Conversions on front • Formulas on back • Grades 6-11: • Formulas appropriate to grade level TEKS • Metric and customary form rulers on sides of front of chart • Grades 9-11 will use the same chart.