IMPACTING MIDDLE SCHOOL READING

Testing Strategies Scarlet Sink

HOW ARE THINGS GOING?

What have you noticed that is working? Not working? What do you need to move forward? What do you think your students need?

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

Teach your students that the test is a game of:

Who is smarter?

How much can the test makers trick you? How many answers can you get RIGHT?

Before the test begins Protein rich snacks peanuts or trail mix cheese sticks go-gurts

Drink water- Hydrates the brain increasing processing speeds

TESTING STRATEGIES
Q A R
Question Answer Relationships

IN THE TEXT (2 KINDS)

Right There
Answer located in the text/sentence/paragraph and is easy to find.

Reader will find some of the same words in the question that are in the text

Search and Locate

The answer is located in more than one sentence or paragraph. The reader must PUT different parts of the text TOGETHER to find the

answer.
The information is stated in the text and the reader answers the question by

PUTTING it TOGETHER.

IN MY HEAD (2 KINDS)
Author and Me
The answer in IMPLIED and is not stated in the text. The reader must access PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of INFORMATION provided

by the author and make an inference.

On My Own
The answer is not located in the text. The reader can even answer the question WITHOUT reading the text. You need to use your OWN EXPERIENCES.

TESTING STRATEGIES
Read the questions first!!!!! Decide if what kind of question it is? QAR Jail the details and slash the trash for each question-

TESTING STRATEGIES
While reading the passage:
Underline answers in the passage as you read.

Write a 2-3 word summary next to each paragraph to help you remember

what it is about.

VOCABULARY SKILLS Introduce students to elements of literature repeatedly throughout

the school year. Its helpful if you have a word bank of key vocabulary.
Metaphor Simile Personification Prefix-Suffix-Root words Non-literal language

Make a game of this! They should WANT to find these elements for you!

ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS

Have students write test questions using each of the QAR

relationships.
Play stump the teacher- Students ask questions about the text in

the hopes of stumping the teacher.

Reading response exchanges- Students write letters about the

books/stories they are reading to each other. They should ask each other questions about the reading that has them think more deeply about the content.

THANK YOU!
Thanks so much for willingly engaging in your students reading

challenges.
Please Help!
Id love to get some feedback from you. In a letter format, please let me know

how this professional development worked for you. What didnt work.
Ill be using these letters in my Product of Learning to present to my

professors next week. Your timely response is greatly appreciated.

ssink@artsbasedschool.com