100 Questions on Standardized ELA Assessment Tests

100 Questions on Standardized ELA Assessment Tests

100 Questions on Standardized ELA Assessment Tests

After having been an ELA teacher for 10 years, and then an assessment writer contracted with multiple Ed-Tech companies (while running my store Loving Language Arts) for about 10 years, I know all about what questions appear on English Language Arts standardized tests (not just in the spring, but all year long). You may be in one of the 41 states that adopted Common Core (College and Career Ready Standards) or not. Either way, these questions will surely appear on ELA assessment tests. I recommend having students practice answering them all year long. The questions are arranged by the target (demonstrable skill). They are based on K-12 anchor standards in reading, literacy in content areas, writing, language, and speaking & listening.
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Table Of Contents

Citing Textual Evidence In Reading:

  1. Which [detail/sentence/line] from the text [indicates/best supports] [provide inference or conclusion based on the text]?
  2. Which [detail/sentence/line] from the text best supports this [inference/conclusion] OR best shows [provide inference or conclusion]?
  3. The reader can [infer/conclude] [provide inference or conclusion based on the text]. Which [detail/sentence/line] from the text best supports this [inference/conclusion] OR best shows [provide inference/conclusion]?
  4. The author/narrator [infers/concludes] that [provide inference/conclusion based on the text]. Which [detail/sentence/line] from the text best supports this [inference/conclusion] OR best shows [inference/conclusion]?
  5. Read this [inference/conclusion].
    [provide inference or conclusion based on the text].
    Which [detail/sentence/line] from the text best supports this [inference/conclusion]?
  6. Which [details/sentences/lines] from the text [indicate/best support] [provide inference or conclusion based on the text]? Select [two /three] answers.

Elaborating on Ideas in Writing Using Evidence and Details:

  1. Writing Explanatory Brief Text: A student is writing a [insert type of text] about [insert purpose or topic of text]. Read the draft of the text and complete the task that follows. [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words].The student does not have a [good/effective] or is missing a(n) [good/effective/clear] [introduction/conclusion]. Write an introduction that provides a clear [controlling idea/thesis]…OR Write a conclusion that [follows logically from the information OR is appropriate for the audience and purpose.
  2. Writing Explanatory Brief Text: A student is writing a[n] [insert type of text] about [insert purpose or topic of text]. Read the draft of the text and complete the task that follows [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words, underlining sentences where elaboration is needed. Add student notes @ 70-80 words]. The student wants to develop more support for the [controlling idea/thesis/topic, etc.]…Use information/evidence/facts/examples, etc. from the student notes to [complete/develop/continue] the paragraph that begins with the underlined sentence.
  3. Writing Explanatory Brief Text: Choose [information/evidence/facts/examples, etc. depending on content of student notes] from the student notes and write a paragraph to develop the underlined [idea/topic, etc.]. [for stimuli structured as simple cause/effect, pro/con, compare/contrast, problem/solution] Using [relevant/appropriate] information from the student notes, write a paragraph to be added after the underlined sentence that develops [information on the effect of ; the cons of ; the solution to ; OR a comparison between (or contrast to) , etc.].
  4. Writing Explanatory Full Text: Create an explanatory writing assignment that flows naturally from the research scenario given in the Student Directions. An explanatory assignment must provide the following information:
    A purpose for writing
    Development of the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
    A clear direction driven by a thesis/controlling idea supported by evidence from the sources about the topic, body paragraphs that develop the topic, and a concluding statement or section that follows from the information
  5. Writing Narrative Brief Text: A student is writing a [narrative/story] for the [insert where it will be read] about [insert purpose or topic of text].Read the draft of the [narrative/story] and complete the task that follows. [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words, underlining sentence(s) where elaboration is needed]. The student wants to make the story more [exciting/interesting/descriptive, etc.]. Add dialogue [and/or description] to [replace/to come after] the underlined part of the story to show [what happens during that part of the story, what happens between two characters or events, etc. OR to develop the part about , etc.]. Add details [and/or dialogue] after the underlined part of the story [showing or describing , OR to develop the part about , etc.].
  6. Writing Narrative Brief Text: A student is writing a [narrative/story] for [insert where it will be read] about [insert purpose or topic of text]. Read the draft of the [narrative/story] and complete the task that follows. [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words] STEMS: The student’s [narrative/story] does not have a [good/effective] [or is missing a] [beginning/ending]. Write a beginning* for the [narrative/story] that [sets up the action to come, and/or shows what is going on at the beginning of the narrative, and/or explains/introduces who the characters is/are, or what the setting or mood is]. Write an ending* for the story that solves [or finishes the story by solving] the problem in the story. Write an ending* to the narrative that [follows logically from and/or reflects on, OR provides closure for and/or reflection on] the [events/experiences] in the narrative.
  7. Writing Narrative Full Text: Create a narrative writing assignment that flows naturally from the research scenario given in the Student Directions. A narrative assignment must provide the following information:
    A purpose for writing
    A conflict or “jumping-off” point
    In-depth description, narrative techniques (such as dialogue), and a resolution
  8. Writing Argumentative Brief Text: A student is writing a[n] [argumentative topic] for the [newspaper/mayor/school board/town/city council/principal, etc.] about…Read the draft of the and complete the task that follows. [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words – no student notes for organization] …The text does not have [or is missing] an [appropriate/effective] [introduction/conclusion]…Write an introduction to the [argumentative topic] that [establishes, introduces, and/or sets up the context for] a clear claim about…Write a conclusion that [follows logically from the argument/is appropriate for the audience of] the [argumentative topic]…
  9. Writing Argumentative Brief Text: A student is writing a[n] [argumentative topic] about…for the [newspaper/mayor/school board, town/city council/principal, etc.]. Read the draft of the and complete the task that follows. [Insert stimulus @ 200-250 words, underlining sentences where elaboration is needed. Add student notes @ 70-80 words] The student wants to develop more [support for the claim/evidence to address the counterclaim] in the [argumentative] . Use [information/evidence/facts/details, etc. depending on content] from the student notes to develop a supporting paragraph that begins with the underlined sentence. Choose relevant evidence [and examples/facts, etc. depending on the content of the student notes] from the student notes and write one or two paragraphs to [further develop the underlined (claim/reason, etc.) OR address the underlined counterclaim]. Using information in the student notes, [write a paragraph to be added after the underlined sentence OR continue the paragraph that starts with the underlined sentence] that states [and argues against/addresses] the [counterclaim, or opposing point of view].
  10. Writing Argumentative Full Text: Create an argumentative writing assignment that flows naturally from the research scenario given in the Student Directions. An argumentative assignment must provide the following information:
    A purpose for writing
    A description of the audience
    A topic with multiple sides, one of which the student can argue supported by evidence from the sources about the topic.

Determining Central Ideas and Supporting Details in Reading:

 

  1. Which [sentence/statement] best [identifies/expresses/shows] the [theme/central idea] of the text?
  2. Which [sentence/statement] best [identifies/expresses/shows] the [theme/central idea] of the [story/poem] told by the [narrator/speaker]?
  3. Which [sentence/statement] best [identifies/expresses/shows] [the author’s/character’s name’s] message about [provide theme/central idea]?
  4. Read the [sentences/lines/paragraph(s)]. [excerpt from text]
  5. What is the [theme/central idea] of the [sentences/lines/paragraph(s)]?
  6. Which [sentences/lines/paragraph(s)] from the text best [identify(ies)/express(es)/show(s)] the [theme/central idea]?
  7. Which sentence best summarizes the [first paragraph/introductory paragraph]?
  8. Read the [sentences/lines/paragraph(s)]. [excerpt from text] Which sentence best summarizes the [sentences/lines/paragraph(s)]?
  9. Which sentence best summarizes the text?
  10. Which sentence best summarizes what happens after [provide plot]?
  11. Read this summary.
    [summary of a section of the text; one key detail/event is missing] Which [key detail/event] is missing from the summary?
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Analyzing How Ideas are Developed and Elaborated in Reading:

 

  1. How does the author’s inclusion of paragraphs [insert paragraph numbers] contribute to the text? NOTE: Item must focus on the
    interaction between elements
  2. How do [events/people/ideas/topics] develop over the course of the text?
  3. What does the use of [development/description of events/people/topics] show about [description of idea/content of text]?
  4. Which statement best describes how the use of [events/people/ideas/topics] affects both texts?
  5. How does the author’s inclusion of [provide individuals/events/ideas/etc.] add to the development of the text?
  6. How do(es) the [provide individuals/events/ideas/etc.] change the text?
  7. Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)].
    [Provide excerpt from text] How does the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] add to the development of the text?
  8. How does the author’s inclusion of [provide individuals/ideas/events/etc.] add to the development of the text? Select [two/three] options.

Determine Word and Phrase Meanings (Including Domain-Specific, Figurative Language, and Nuances in Language):

  1. Read the sentence(s).
    [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined] What is the meaning of the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”]?
  2. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined]. What does the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] most likely [suggest/mean]?
  3. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s)from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined]. Which [word(s)/phrase] best state(s) the meaning of [targeted word/“targeted phrase”]?
  4. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined] What does the use of the [word/phrase] suggest?
  5. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined]. The [word/phrase] [targeted word/phrase] has multiple meanings. What does the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] most likely suggest about [idea/event/topic/etc.] in the text?
  6. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word underlined] A(n) [antonym/synonym] is a word that means the [opposite/same or nearly the same] of another word. What is the [antonym/synonym] of [targeted word]?
  7. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word underlined] An analogy is a comparison between two things. What is the analogy of the [provide targeted word]?
  8. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined]. Select the [word/phrase] that best defines [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] as it is used in the sentence(s).
  9. Read the sentence(s) [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word/phrase underlined]. What does the author communicate to the reader with the use of [targeted word/“targeted phrase”]?
  10. Read the dictionary entry.
    (part of speech) 1. [definition]
    Which [word/phrase] in the text best matches the dictionary entry?
  11. Read the sentence(s). [Provide directly excerpted sentence(s) from text, with targeted word underlined]. What does the [root/affix] in the word [targeted word] mean?
  12. [Provide directly quoted sentence(s)/paragraph(s) from text, with targeted word or phrase underlined] What effect does the author create by using the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”]?
  13. Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)]. [Provide directly quoted sentence(s)/paragraph(s) from text, with targeted word or phrase underlined]. Which statement best describes what the [provide figurative language] in the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)] adds to meaning of the text?
  14. Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)]. [Provide directly quoted sentence(s)/paragraph(s) from text, with targeted word or phrase underlined] How does the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] affect the reader’s interpretation of the meaning of the text?
  15. How does the author’s use of the word/phrase [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] help the reader understand [the author’s/quoted person’s] [feelings/opinion/belief(s)] about [provide idea]?

Analyzing Text Structure:

  1. What effect does [provide text structure/format/feature/etc.] have on the meaning of the text OR reader’s understanding of [provide element affected by structure, such as the structure of the central idea, presentation of information, or the structure of events in the text]?
  2. What is the most likely reason the author [used/included] [provide text structure/format/feature/etc.] in the text?
  3. The author [used/included] [provide text structure/format/feature]. What is the most likely reason the author structured the text this way?
  4. The author [used/included] [provide text structure/format/feature/etc.]. How does this structure affect [provide element affected by structure, such as central idea, presentation of information, or events]?
  5. How does the [first paragraph/first section/introduction] about [provide content in text] [add to/affect] [provide element affected by structure, such as central idea, presentation of information, or events]?
  6. How do(es) the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] about [provide content in text] [add to/affect] [provide element affected by structure, such as central idea, presentation of information, or events]?
  7. [Provide direct excerpt] Which of these best describes why the author [began with/ended with/used] [this/these] [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/heading(s)/question(s)/quotation(s)/etc.] in the text?
  8. [Provide direct excerpt] Why is the difference between [this/these] [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] and the one(s) that came [before it/after it] important to the text?
  9. [Provide direct excerpt] Select the statement that best explains why the author chose to include [this/these] [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)].
  10. Why did the author choose to [begin/end] the text with [provide structure (paragraph/section/event/feature/etc.)?
  11. Why is using [provide text structure] important to understanding [the author’s point of view/author’s purpose/specific information/events/etc.] in the text?
  12. What does the author accomplish by [using/beginning with/ending with/including] [provide structure] in the text?

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Determining Author’s Point of View or Purpose:

  1. What does the information in the [first paragraph/first section/introduction] of the text reveal about the author’s [point of view/purpose]?
  2. How does the author’s inclusion of paragraphs [insert paragraph numbers] contribute to the text? NOTE: Item must focus on the
    author’s point of view or purpose
  3. Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)]. [Provide excerpt from text] What does the information presented in the text reveal about the author’s [point of view/purpose]?
  4. PART A: Which of these inferences (or conclusions) about the [provide author’s point of view/author’s purpose] is supported by the text? PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best support(s) your answer in PART A?
  5. PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the
    PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best [show(s)/tell(s)/describe(s)] the [inference made/conclusion drawn] in PART A?
  6. PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the author’s opinion of [provide key individual/event/idea in the text]?
  7. What is most likely the author’s intent by mentioning [provide focused detail] in the text?
  8. Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)]. [Provide excerpt from text] What does the information presented in the text tell the reader about the author’s [point of view/purpose]?

Evaluating Visuals and Media:

 

  1. What effect does [provide feature/etc.] have on the meaning of the text OR reader’s understanding of [provide element affected by feature]?
  2. How does [provide feature/etc.] affect [or add to] the reader’s understanding of the text?
  3. What information does the reader learn in the [media or visual] that was not expressed in the text?
  4. How does the author use [media or visual element] to develop ideas [or a concept] in the text?
  5. What is the most likely reason the author [used/included] [provide text feature/etc.] in the text?
  6. The author [used/included] [provide feature]. What is the most likely reason the author [used/included] [provide feature]?
  7. The author [used/included] [provide feature/etc.]. How does this [provide feature/etc.]. affect [provide element affected, such as central idea, presentation of information, or events]?
  8. Why is using [provide text feature] important to understanding [the author’s point of view/author’s purpose/specific information/events/etc.] in the text?
  9. What does the author accomplish by [using/beginning with/ending with/including] [provide feature] in the text?
  10. PART A: Which of these inferences (or conclusions) about [provide how media is used] is supported by the text? PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best support(s) your answer in PART A?
  11. PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about [provide how media is used]? PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best [show(s)/tell(s)/describe(s)] the [inference made/conclusion drawn] in PART A?

Evaluating Arguments, Claims, and Reasoning:

  1. What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.]? Explain using key evidence from the text to support your answer.
  2. What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.]? Explain using key evidence from the text to support your answer.
  3. Based on the text, [what conclusion can be drawn/what can a reader conclude] about [the author/the speaker/the narrator/or provide individual’s name]’s [thoughts/beliefs] about [provide individual’s name/provide information about individual/idea/event in the text]? Explain using key evidence from the text to support your answer.
  4. PART A: Which of these inferences (or conclusions) about how [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.] is supported by the text?
  5. PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about how [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.]?
  6. PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best support(s) your answer in Part A? OR Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best [show(s)/tell(s)/describe(s)] the [inference made/conclusion drawn] in Part A?
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Comparing Two or More Texts & Perspectives:

  1. How does author #1’s viewpoint about…compare or contrast to author #2’s viewpoint on the same topic?
  2. Read the [sentence(s)/line(s)/set of lines/paragraph(s)] from [title text #2]. [excerpt from text] Based on this information, [what inference can be made/what can a reader infer OR what conclusion can be drawn/what can a reader conclude] about [the author/the speaker/the narrator/or provide individual’s name]’s [thoughts/beliefs] about [provide individual’s name/provide information about individual/idea/event] in [title text #1]? Explain using key evidence from [title text #1/both texts] to support your answer.
  3. PART A: Which of these inferences (or conclusions) about how the [provide key individual/event/or idea is introduced/illustrated/elaborated; OR author’s point of view/author’s purpose/relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc OR conflicting viewpoints.] is supported by the text?
  4. PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the author’s opinion of [provide key individual/event/idea in the text]?
  5. PART A: What is most likely the author’s intent by mentioning [provide focused detail] in the text?
  6. PART A: Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from [title text #2]. [Provide excerpt from text]. Based on this information, [what inference can be made/what can a reader infer OR what conclusion can be drawn/what can a reader conclude] about how the [provide key individual/event/or idea is introduced/illustrated/ elaborated OR author’s point of view/author’s purpose/relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc OR conflicting viewpoints.] in [title text #1]?
  7. PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best support(s) your answer in Part A?

Reading Literary Nonfiction and Complex Texts in Content Areas:

  1. The author uses a common literary theme to report on an event which is the theme of [theme such as “man versus nature”]. Select two details the author uses to develop this theme in the text.
  2. The author uses parallel structure in this excerpt. What is the author’s purpose for using this structure?
  3. The author uses loaded language to describe…What are some examples of loaded language the author uses?
  4. The author uses figurative language to describe…How does the author describe the same thing through facts elsewhere in the text?
  5. Which of the following details from the text are hyperbole (exaggerations) that are not meant to be taken literally?
  6. What effect does the author create with the use of [literary device]?

Since teaching ELA for 10 years, I’ve been a contracted learning resource and assessment writer while running my store “Loving Language Arts.” I know how to align to standards like the back of my hand, yet I always aim to make resources high-interest to motivate reluctant readers and writers.

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The 10 Reading Informational Text Assessment Test Targets (Progressing from Grades 4 to 12)

The 10 Reading Informational Text Assessment Test Targets (Progressing from Grades 4 to 12)

The 10 Reading Informational Text Assessment Test Targets (Progressing from Grades 4 to 12)

No matter which state (or U.S. Territory) you live in, your state’s ELA standards include these 10 Reading Informational Text Assessment Test Targets. It’s important to know what they are, and how they progress through the grades, because the items in your state’s ELA assessment tests are aligned to them! (Check out these 100 Standardized ELA Test Questions.)
Maybe you live in one of the 41 states that adopted the Common Core State Standards (and renamed them, by the way). They’re often called the College and Career Ready Standards. Or maybe you don’t live in one of those states (or territories), but, either way, these 10 targets will be on English Language Arts reading assessment tests EVERYWHERE – no matter where you reside. And, I’m not talking just in the spring season. I’m talking all year round (they never end!).
I am an experienced English teacher, as well as an experienced ELA Assessment Writer, so I want to share with you what I’ve learned !
the 10 reading informational text assessment test targets shown progressing
The states that adopted the Common Core State Standards are shown below. Those states are likely to call the Reading Informational Text “RI” Standards (RI.1, RI.2, etc.). But if you’re in a different state, such as Texas for instance, they’re called something else (such as LA.6.6.C in Texas). Either way, they all target the same skills. I am going to show you the top 10 targets for reading informational text in grades 4-12 and how each target progresses logically from 4th to 12th grade.
states and territories that have adopted the Common Core State Standards
How are these top 10 targets assessed? They used to be assessed mainly by PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) or SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium). But, currently, only about 1/3 of the states use one of their assessments. (California is one that uses SBAC and calls their standards the Common Core State Standards.) The other 2/3 of the states have developed their own tests. 
But, as an experienced assessment writer who has written tests for states across the nation (they pay me to write tests!), I can tell you that all reading tests are EXTREMELY SIMILAR. They use similar targets (what they want students to demonstrate) and similar stems (how questions are asked). And I’m here to tell you the targets and stems most commonly used.
Here are the 10 Reading Informational Text Assessment Targets that are assessed on ELA assessment tests WORLDWIDE, based on the College and Career Ready Standards.
Below you will see a tab for each target, showing the progression of the target from Grade 4 up to Grade 12, . The target is the skill the student should demonstrate. 

 

According to the College and Career Ready Standards, students must demonstrate that they can go back to the text to find evidence to support their inferences and conclusions. That’s what Target #1 is all about!

College and Career Ready Standard R.1 Shown progressing from grade 4 to grade 12 as TARGET 1

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

 

In grades 4 and 5, it’s called “Main Idea.” In grades 6 and up, it’s called “central idea.” It’s the central, unifying element of the story the author is trying to convey.

In addition to one main central idea, there can be more central ideas, such as the central idea of each paragraph. That’s what Target #2 is all about!

reading informational text assessment test target #2 central and main ideas

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

This target is a little harder to hit. It requires looking at the big picture to see how an author elaborates on an idea and makes connections throughout the text.

Teach students to look for the examples the author uses to explain a concept, and how the examples connect to each other or have something in common. When you provide anecdotal stories that students can analyze, it makes hitting this target easier.

reading informational text assessment test target 3 analyzing interactions

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Students must demonstrate they can determine word meanings in context by looking at the word’s root/affix, connotation, denotation, analogies, word relationships, synonyms & antonyms, and figurative meanings.

As they get older (8th grade and up), students are asked how the word choice affects meaning and tone.

Additionally, students will be assessed on their comprehension of higher-level tiers of words, which are advanced domain-specific words. See page 33 of Common Core’s Appendix A for further information.

reading informational text assessment test target #4 determine word meanings

language standards for target 4 determining word and phrase meanings

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

This standard is all about how the author has structured the text, and how that structure impacts the meaning of the text.

The student analyzes how some part (sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section) contributes to the whole.

The student may analyze how the conclusion ties to the introduction, the purpose of the sections, why a paragraph ends in a certain sentence, and more.

The student should analyze how the author presents information (and why): chronological order, compare-and-contrast, cause-and-effect, description, argumentative, anecdotal, problem-and-solution, and more.

 

reading informational text assessment test target #5 analyzing structure grades 4 to 12

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

This is another case in which students need to ask themselves why the author chose to write a certain way. The student also needs to think about why the author even wrote the piece in the first place. The student should also consider what it is about the author’s experience that has influenced his or her perspective.

The student should look for opinions and reasoned judgments. Students can look to see what information has been emphasized, and notice if it seems like any information may have been left out or repeated. The author’s purpose could be to persuade, to argue a point, to defend a position, simply describe, try to show cause and effect, influence. etc.

In the context of science and technical subjects, the student should look at why the author discussed a procedure or experiment, and again look for opinions and reasoned judgments as clues as to what their purpose is.

 

reading informational text assessment target #6 point of view and purpose

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

This is most of the students’ FAVORITE target: integrating visuals and media. This target is all about how the author incorporates visual elements into a text to add to the reader’s understanding. It is also about an author presents data. And, it’s about how the student integrates multiple sources on the same topic for a coherent understanding.

The student needs to determine how one’s understanding is enriched by the use of elements such as: graphs, charts, flowcharts, timelines, diagrams, models, tables, photographs, videos, maps, gifs, cartoons, etc.

reading informational text assessment test target #7 integrating media

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Another big shift that came with Common Core is emphasis on the rhetoric and reasoning of the ARGUMENT. In the context of reading arguments, students should be looking for claims, counterclaims that address the opposition, reasoning, evidence, facts, opinions, reasoned judgments, or lack thereof.

The makers of Common Core want students to get into the habit of questioning what people say and not just believing what they read without demanding credibilty, reliability, and logical reasoning based on factual evidence. Readers and writers must use evidence!

HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT TERMS TO KNOW:

“Credibility” is being able to be trusted & believed because you have been honest, provide evidence, and don’t abuse rhetorical persuasive techniques.

“Reliability” is proving you have the experience and knowledge to give you the authority to make statements about a topic. To learn more about the special place of argument in the Common Core Standards, please refer to the Appendix A to the standards.

“Loaded language” is another thing, especially in the content areas, that students need to be on the lookout for. Loaded language is “rhetoric used to influence an audience by using words and phrases with strong connotations associated with them in order to invoke an emotional response and/or exploit stereotypes” according to Wikipedia.

“Reasoned Judgments” should also be on the radar. In the history of reading assessments, students have been asked about facts and opinions over and over. But, something new with Career-and-College-Ready Standards is asking them about reasoned judgments. Reasoned judgments are fact/opinion hybrids. Once you learn about them, you start to notice them on television, in newspapers, on the radio, etc. like crazy.

 

reading informational text assessment test target #8 evaluate reasoning

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Commonly Used Stems:

 Here are some possible stems for short answer questions:

  • What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about the [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.]? Explain using key evidence from the text to support your answer.

  • Based on the text, [what conclusion can be drawn/what can a reader conclude] about [the author/the speaker/the narrator/or provide individual’s name]’s [thoughts/beliefs] about [provide individual’s name/provide information about individual/idea/event in the text]? Explain using key evidence from the text to support your answer.

 Here are some possible stems for Part A/Part B evidence-based questions:

  • PART A: Which of these inferences (or conclusions) about how [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.] is supported by the text?

  • PART A: What inference (or conclusion) can be made/drawn about how [provide relevance of evidence/elaboration to support claims, concepts, and ideas/etc.]?

  • PART B: Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best support(s) your answer in Part A? OR Which [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from the text best [show(s)/tell(s)/describe(s)] the [inference made/conclusion drawn] in Part A?

This standard is all about comparing how different authors present the same information or describe the same event from different points of view.

In the context of science and technical subjects, it is more about how you get more information on the same topic by delving into hands-on experiments or simulations, watching others do the experiments or simulations, watching a video, or viewing multimedia sources.

In the context of social studies and history, it is more about looking at primary sources as well as secondary sources to get a richer, more robust, possibly more accurate, representation of what really happened or how people in the past viewed the events in the context of when they lived. Some primary sources are: eyewitness accounts, news stories, letters, photos, journals, diary, etc.

In high school, students are expected to analyze seminal, foundational, seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century U.S. Documents.

 

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

 

Students should be reading “Literary Nonfiction,” which is: a type of prose that employs the literary techniques usually associated with fiction or poetry to report on persons, places, and events in the real world.

Students in content areas should be reading complex, domain-specific texts. Across the curriculum, this standard synthesizes all the other standards. But what is “text complexity band”? Please see the Appendix A to the Common Core State Standards to see how they describe it. Essentially, it is text that is challenging yet provides enough context and clues for students to apply strategies to understand it, if they are motivated enough to do so.

 

reading informational text assessment test target #10 literary nonfiction

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Click below for FREE ELA PRACTICE TESTS – each targeting specific reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening/viewing standards.

Check out the GRADE-SPECIFIC ELA TEST PREP BOOKS shown to the right in the sidebar (if desktop) and below (if mobile). The practice tests target EVERY grade-specific Reading Informational Text Standard (and more). An added bonus is that the kids LOVE the passages! Easy-print or self-grading – you decide.

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And here are some 1-pager practice tests that are FREE and aligned to specific reading targets. So, try one out today! Your students will thank you.

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Sixth Grade Teacher, Teachers Pay Teachers

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pin top 10 reading informational text assessment test targets

Since teaching ELA for 10 years, I’ve been a contracted learning resource and assessment writer while running my store “Loving Language Arts.” I know how to align to standards like the back of my hand, yet I always aim to make resources high-interest to motivate reluctant readers and writers.

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