If you go to the CA website for the STARS test, you can download released questions for previous versions of the test. There are between 65 and 90+ questions. You can give this to the students and find out what areas they had most difficulty with and focus remedial work on those areas. The language of the test is the problem for many students.
If you make up questions using the language of the test, and discuss why questions are right or wrong, it helps. Also, kids love to be the test-makers too. Give them a question and ask them to write 4 possible answers (only 1 being correct) that they think other students might choose. After that, you can ask them to totally make up their own questions. As part of their test-making strategy, they have to defend their answers. This works well in spelling, vocabulary, and grammar. One of the things to look for in the released test items, in addition to the language of the test, is also the emphasis. What skills get the most "bang for your buck or time" when reviewing for the test? My kids also love "I Doubt It" which is a game I made up for test review. Whatever answer they give, I respond with those three words. They talk together in a group for a minute and have to prove to me that their answer is right. ----- Original Message ----- From: Stephanie Perry<mailto:[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 9:36 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] reading tests I also teach in California with most of my class being ELL's. What I have found is that most grasped the strategy work we did, they did not transfer the skills because they didn't understand the test language. With ELL's, you should show them how the question will be asked on the test, relate that question with your strategy work, and teach the test vocab (i.e. Words like passage, statement, evidence). I highly recommend using the STAR released test questions at cde.ca.gov. They can help to show those first year test takers what to expect. Hope that helps! Stephanie 3rd/CA On 3/11/09, Brenda White-Keller <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > Our district has formative and summative tests for reading which includes > phonics, written conventions, and comprehension. My students, 14 are ELL's > and 8 are below grade level, did poorly. Only 45% passed if you look at the > test overall. Some of their mistakes were careless, but I know the > principal is really anxious for the students to pass the Calif. state test > in the spring (yes, we test 2nd graders...go figure). I guess I'm looking > for encouragement because I know you're all positive thinkers. I'm trying > to decide what to do with the info. I spend time on comprehension > strategies...predicting, visualizing, etc. but maybe I need to change my > focus. They are improving in the comprehension area. Ok, help!!! > Thanks, > Brenda > Ca/2 > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org<http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org>. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive<http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive>. > > -- Sent from my mobile device _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org<http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org>. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive<http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive>. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
