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Victoria Young Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments

STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR) Grades 3−8 Reading Grades 4 and 7 Writing English I, II, and II I. Victoria Young Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments Texas Education Agency. Reading—Structure of Reporting Categories.

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Victoria Young Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments

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  1. STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR)Grades 3−8 ReadingGrades 4 and 7 WritingEnglish I, II, and III Victoria Young Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments Texas Education Agency

  2. Reading—Structure of Reporting Categories • RC 1: Questions about vocabulary and connections across texts for grades 3−8 (vocabulary only at grade 3); high school also includes short answer questions • RC 2: Questions about single literary texts: fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, drama (drama beginning at grade 4) • RC 3: Questions about informational texts: expository and persuasive (persuasive beginning at grade 5)

  3. Reading—Assessing Details • Details in literary texts in grades 3−5 only: they must be significant and support the development of the plot, characters, or main idea/theme • Details in expository texts in grades 3−8: they must be significant and support the development of the main idea • No details assessed at any grade for persuasive texts • No details assessed for any type of text at high school

  4. Reading—Assessing Poetry • Varying types of poems being developed for STAAR but emphasis not on identification • Focus is on how poet creates meaning using stanzas, word placement or emphasis, line length, repetition/rhythm/rhyme, sound effects, sensory language • At middle and high school, how speaker’s point of view or perspective affects meaning

  5. Reading—Assessing Drama • Limited number of characters, especially at lower grades • Mostly excerpts being used—one or two scenes (dependent on length) • Focus is on how the playwright creates meaning through the dialogue—interaction between and among characters • Questions about stage directions are focused on their purpose: why they are there and how they influence the way the reader reads the scene (Stage directions = an extension of the playwright’s narrational strategies)

  6. Reading Test Design • STAAR reading assessments will emphasize students’ ability • to understand how to use text evidence to confirm the validity of their ideas • to make connections within and across texts (“across texts” begins at grade 4) • to think critically/inferentially • to “go beyond” a literal understanding of what they read

  7. Student Success in Readingand on STAAR • Students must be provided in-depth instruction in all genres represented by the ELA/R TEKS • Equal weight must be given to fiction and expository genres—the readiness genres—at elementary, middle, and high school • Instruction must emphasize critical/ inferential thinking rather than isolated skills • Students must be able to make connections between different genres (and be able to “see” the thematic links)

  8. STAAR Reading Rubrics—Text Evidence • Students must know that text evidence is always flawed when it is • only a general reference to the text • too partial to support the idea • weakly linked to the idea • used inappropriately because it wrongly manipulates the meaning of the text • Students must know that to score a 2 or 3 on short answer reading, text evidence must be considered accurate and relevant (SP 2) or specific and well chosen (SP 3)

  9. STAAR Writing DesignRevising and Editing • Revision and editing assessed separately, with increased focus on revision as students become more experienced and skilled writers • For Grade 4, 32% of multiple-choice score from revision (9 items) and 68% of score from editing (19 items) • For Grade 7, 40% of multiple-choice score from revision (16 items) and 60% of score from editing (24 items) • For English I, II, and III, 50% of multiple-choice score from revision (15 items) and 50% of score from editing (15 items)

  10. Revision and Editing Grades 4 and 7 Example of Grade 4 revision stem: David would like to improve his story by adding a strong concluding sentence after sentence 28. Which of these would be the BEST sentence to add? Example of Grade 7 revision stem: The transition between the third paragraph (sentences 13–19) and the fourth paragraph (sentences 20–25) is abrupt. Which sentence could Veronica add before sentence 20 to help with this transition?

  11. Revision and EditingEnglish I, II, and III • Examples of high school revision questions: Steven wants to more effectively establish the thesis in his paper. Which revision of sentence 5 can help him accomplish his goal? Cristina wants to strengthen the transition between the second and third paragraphs. What sentence should she add before sentence 10? (beginning of paragraph 3)

  12. STAAR Written Composition • Students will write two one-page essays (26 lines maximum) addressing different types of writing • Grade 4—personal narrative and expository • Grade 7−personal narrative (with extension) and expository • English I−literary and expository • English II−expository and persuasive • English III−persuasive and analytic • Essays will be weighted equally • No “gatekeeper” (automatic fail of the writing test for a 1)

  13. STAAR Writing Prompts • Expository, persuasive, and analytic prompts contain a stimulus and are scaffolded: Read, Think, Write, Be Sure to − • Personal narrative and literary prompts contain a stimulus and are scaffolded, though less so than other prompts • Analytic prompts contain a literary or informational text (approximately 425−500 words), which students must analyze

  14. STAAR Analytic Essay • A combination of expository writing and interpretation of one aspect of a literary or expository text • Score based on the student’s ability to interpret the text and support it with relevant textual evidence (15C) AND quality of the writing (criteria under expository writing in 15A)

  15. STAAR Writing Rubrics • A rubric is being developed for each writing type, but three overarching aspects of writing are addressed in all rubrics • Organization/Progression • Development of Ideas • Use of Language/Conventions

  16. STAAR Writing Rubrics • Organization/Progression—bullet #1: the degree to which the organizational structure is appropriate to the purpose and specific demands of the prompt. • This bullet “plays out” in slightly different ways depending on the purpose for writing, so how do we know when we see it?

  17. STAAR Writing Rubrics • Grade 7 Personal Narrative: The writer uses organizational strategies or literary devices that are particularly suited to the narrative task. The writer is able to clearly convey the experience and communicate its importance or meaning. • Grade 9 Expository: The organizational strategies the writer uses enhance the clarity and quality of the essay.

  18. STAAR Writing Rubrics • Development of Ideas—bullet #2: the degree to which the piece is thoughtful and engaging

  19. STAAR Writing Rubrics • Grade 7 Personal Narrative: The writer demonstrates a deep understanding of the writing task by establishing a believable situation, providing plausible motivations for behavior or actions, and revealing changes or insights that developed as a result of the experience. • Grade 9 Expository: The writer may approach the topic from an unusual perspective, may use his/her unique experiences or view of the world as a basis for writing, or may connect ideas in interesting ways. The writer demonstrates a deep understanding of the expository writing task.

  20. STAAR Writing Rubrics • Use of Language/Conventions—bullet #1: the degree to which word choice is thoughtful and appropriate to the purpose and tone • Grade 7 Personal Narrative: Effective diction enables the writer to recreate the experience in a way that reflects its importance or meaning. • Grade 9 Expository: Word choice strongly contributes to the clarity of the essay.

  21. TEA STAAR Resources Currently available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/ • General information about STAAR—e.g., the overall assessment design and attributes • Assessed curriculum • Test blueprints and test design schematics • Literary and expository rubrics for English I • Short answer reading rubrics for single selection and pair (called connecting selections) On the way in summer and fall 2011: • “Mini” scoring guides—English I literary and expository writing • Sample selections and items—reading and writing

  22. CONTACT INFORMATION Victoria Young Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments Texas Education Agency 512-463-9536 victoria.young@tea.state.tx.us

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