TAKS Test CONSTRUCTION

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TAKS TestCONSTRUCTION
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Important WORD

• TRIPLET

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What is a triplet?

• Triplet three
• Three reading selections linked by a common
  theme.
• Consists of
• a literary piece
• an expository piece
• a viewing and representing piece

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What is a literary piece?

• A short story or chapter from a novel
• Fiction

Piece 1
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What is an expository piece?

• Informational such as an essay or a magazine
  article
• Non-fiction

Piece 2
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What is a viewing and representing piece?

• Visual Representation
• Examples
• an advertisement
• a web page
• a cartoon
• a chart or a graph

Piece 3
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Important WORD

• TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

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What is textual evidence?

• Textual
• From the text (from your reading)
• Evidence
• To support with testimony
• Used for your multiple choice AND short essay
  answers

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Finding textual evidence

• You will not be able to find textual evidence by
  skimming the reading.
• You will need to read the entire reading
  selections.
• Sometimes you may have to re-read.
• Sometimes you may have to re-read again.

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Sections of the Test

• Easy as 1234

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Section 1Reading Multiple Choice Questions

• 28 questions
• Basic Understanding
• Literary Elements and Techniques
• Analysis and Critical Evaluation

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Section 2Short Answer Essays

• You will have three short answer essays on the
  TAKS test.
• The three essays cover
• The literary piece
• The expository piece
• A crossover essay
• Will either compare or contrast the literary and
  expository pieces
• You must have evidence from both reading pieces

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Short Answer Essays (cont.)

• It is the best practice to use embedded direct
  quotes to answer these essays.
• Possible scores 0, 1, 2, 3

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Important WORD

• EMBEDDED QUOTES

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Embedded Quotes

• Definition Using a direct quotation from the
  reading piece and incorporating, or embedding,
  the textual evidence into a sentence containing
  your own words.
• your words direct quotation

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Embedded Quotes Example

• Example
• He is so successful in what he does that at
  this point, there arent enough seats in Madison
  Square Garden to contain all the people he has
  written for.
• Your words
• He is so successful in what he does that
• Direct quotation (from the text)
• at this point, there arent enough seats in
  Madison Square Garden to contain all the people
  he has written for.

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Section 3Essay Prompt

• You will have pages to brainstorm what you will
  write in your essay.
• Use them.
• Thinking maps, outlines, lists
• You will have pages to write a rough draft of
  your essay.
• Use them.
• This seems like more work, but it is worth the
  effort.
• You will have two pages to write an essay over
  the prompt. There is nothing that says you have
  to use them both, but most of you will.

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Essay Prompt Rubric

• The essay written about the prompt is evaluated
  by the following
• Focus and coherence
• Organization
• Development of Ideas
• Voice
• Conventions

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Essay Prompt Rubric

• The essay written about the prompt is evaluated
  by the following
• Focus and coherence
• Know what the prompt is asking for
• Stay on topic
• Avoid fluff
• Organization
• Present ideas clearly and effectively
• Development of Ideas
• Thorough and specific development of each idea
• Thoughtful and insightful
• Voice
• Authentic and original
• Clear expression of individuality and unique
  perspective
• Conventions

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Essay Prompt Grading

• The essay is graded holistically.
• Possible scores 1, 2, 3, 4
• You must get at least a 2 on this essay to pass
  the English TAKS test.

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Section 4Revising and Editing (Multiple Choice)

• 20 questions
• 2 peer-editing selections

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Revising and Editing (Multiple Choice) (cont.)

• Adding, deleting, or rearranging sentences to
  improve organization and development
• Adding appropriate transitions
• Recognizing correct and effective sentences
• Correcting grammar, usage, spelling,
  capitalization, and punctuation errors
• Replacing vague or informal words or phrases with
  more specific or appropriate language

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Test Objectives

• 1-6

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Test Objectives 1-3

• 1. The student will demonstrate a basic
  understanding of culturally diverse written
  texts. (Multiple Choice)
• 2. The student will demonstrate an understanding
  of the effects of literary elements and
  techniques in culturally diverse written texts.
  (Multiple Choice and short essay)
• 3. The student will demonstrate the ability to
  analyze and critically evaluate culturally
  diverse written texts and visual representations.
  (Short essay)

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Test Objectives 4-6

• 4 5. The student will, within a given context,
  produce an effective composition for a specific
  purpose that demonstrates a command of the
  conventions of spelling, capitalization,
  punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence
  structure. (Essay Prompt)
• 6. The student will demonstrate the ability to
  proofread to improve the clarity and
  effectiveness of a piece of writing. (Multiple
  Choice)

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Review Questions

• What is a triplet?
• What is textual evidence?
• What is an embedded quote?
• How many sections are there on the test?
• What must you make on the essay prompt to pass
  the entire test?