Analyzing tests When we analyze a test, we look at the question stem and decide what aspect of comprehension it takes to answer the question. What we have discovered is that many require inference. EX- many questions in a narrative pertain to the character. To be able to answer most character questions, the reader must infer about the character through actions, speech, feelings. description, etc. The reader has to go back into the text and find the supporting evidence. Then using that inference, the reader infers what the character was thinking, why he did an act, or how he feels, etc. If you analyze what thinking is involved is cause and effect, main idea, summarization, drawing conclusions, you will see that they require higher level thinking as well. Then, taking that information, we make a table of the what type of thinking was required. We also match it to the particular state skill (TEK) to see how it correlates to that skill. Whne you analyze your thinking as task analysis, you see the layers that are required. As for benchmarks. being a Texas school, we have been through the agony of how much testing is too much testing. Our district does a short (2 - 3 passages) test in the middle of October to see where the students are and who needs support. This helps with our long term planning. Schools with lots of need have the option of another short test in Dec. In the middle of January we do a released test to see where we are for the real TAKS. So most schools have one short test in the fall, one long test in the winter, and the real test in the spring. We use this data to hone in on the TEKS that need emphasis. Using data properly is very important or all the testing is for nothing. It is more than who passed. My personal philosophy with testing is that if we apply the thinking behind reading for depth, then a test passage is just one more form of text to use. The difference is the questions at the end, which is another specialized skill to teach. I have the students answer the question without looking at the answer choices first and then match their answer to one of the choices. That way they are really thinking and not using a gimmick to answer the question. We also use QAR. Finally, our benchmarks have open-ended questions on them also. This is a very short answer to many topics, but I hope it helps. Marsha _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
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