TAKS Reading OpenEnded Questions

1
TAKS Reading Open-Ended Questions

• Texas Assessment Conference
• 2005

307 Stirrup Dr. Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Authentic Learning Technologies

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
of Academic and Professional Standards
Phone [phone] Fax [phone] E-mail
patjacoby_at_authenticlearning.com
2
Response to Reading
3
Lexicon

• Open-ended response
• Free response
• Constructed response
• Literary response
• Story response
• Response to reading
• Synthesis response

• Literature response
• Performance assessment
• Alternative assessment
• Reading prompts
• Evidence based assessment
• Text-based essay
• Multi-genre assessment

4
Objectives for Pre-Conference

• Improving student performance on the TAKS
  open-ended reading questions for Grades 9-11
• Instructional strategies
• Effective professional development
• Teacher resources

5
Objectives for Pre-Conference

• Strategies
• Improving performance for struggling readers and
  writers
• Scoring at the highest level on the reading
  rubric
• Implementing a K-12 literary response program
  using constructed responses for classroom
• Assessing ELA objectives
• Using reading rubrics for Grades K-8
• Writing high quality open-ended questions.

6
Three Types of Responses

• Multiple Choice Justification
• Open-Ended Questions
• Text-based Essay

7
What is a response to reading?

•   1. Evidence of clear thinking about text(s).
• Active writing helps students think and
  better understand text(s).

8
What is Response to Reading? (Contd)

• 2. More than a summary or a retelling.
• Response focuses on analysis and
  interpretation of the text(s).

9
What is Response to Reading? (Contd)

• 3. Establish enough context so that anyone (not
  just the teacher who gave the assignment) can
  make sense of the piece and follow the readers
  thinking.
• Context includes the most important
  information about the situation, event,
  problem, or idea.

10
What is Response to Reading? (Contd)

• 4. The response always uses a controlling idea to
  analyze some aspect of the text(s).
• After analysis of the idea, a statement is
  made in the context of the situation and has
  strong textual support.

11
What is Response to Reading? (Contd)

• 5. The response elaborates on the controlling
  idea with frequent references to text(s), using a
  direct quotation, paraphrase, or synopsis.
• These textual references should be skillfully
  interwoven into the response.

12
Multi-Genre Literacy
Where is response to reading used in the real
world?

• Analyze multiple texts
• Integrate text and media
• Evaluate content validity
• Make decisions

13
Construction vs. Selected Items
Ask How do we know what students know?

• Constructed Items
• Can students analyze text(s)?
• Can students integrate sources?
• Can students find multiple meanings?
• Can students provide textual support for their
  ideas?

• Selected Items
• Can students select a correct answer?
• Does the selected answer prove that students
  understand the text?
• Did students analyze the text, respond from
  memory or guess?

14
What are Justifications for Multiple Choice?

• Language that proves that the selected answer
  makes sense
• Evidence that students have returned to the
  text(s) to reread and analyze
• Evidence that students are applying higher-order
  thinking skills

15
Q2 Question the Question

• 1. What is this question asking me to do?
  (statement about the situation, problem, focus,
  or understanding of the task)
• 2. What is this question testing? (Standard
  Label the TEKS - concept, content, or process)
• 3. How will I know my answer makes sense? (use
  ideas, skill labels or textual support to justify
  your answer)

16
Q2 Examples 1. What is this question asking me
to do?

• find the best meaning
• determine common theme in the passages
• how does the character's point of view help the
  understanding
• examine the author's view of ____________
• determine how an idea is supported
• determine the underlying message
• compare information in two passages

17
Q2 Examples 2. What is this question testing?

• multiple meanings of words
• author's purpose
• author's point of view
• main idea
• summary

18
Q2 Examples 3. How will I know my answer makes
sense?

• v
•    Refer to text place question number by text
  or paragraph in passage
• Your idea of why the answer is the best
•   Label the skill and include a phrase from the
  text
•   Explain vocabulary plus include a phrase from
  the text
•    Explain how meaning was made
•    Draw a graphic picture or web
•   Disprove incorrect answers

? I guessed. Its the best answer. It made
sense. I just know it. Its the longest or
shortest answer. It was in my notes. Too
long, didn't want to read the passage. Because
we studied this in class. Repeat of
question. Repeat of answer.
19
Brain vs. Book Contd
Idea Development vs. Textual Support
20
Relevant Textual Support

•  1. Direct quote ".............."
•  2. Paraphrase reword relevant selections from
  text
•  3. Synopsis focused, specific summary
• What a synopsis is
• list of relevant events to support statement
• summary of many events
• What a synopsis is not
• general summary
• general citation not allowed reference to 8
• Citations (reference to 8) are acceptable
  when included with one of the three types of
  textual support.

21
Examples of Complex Direct Quote

• Modification of Quote
• He cant go out like that, Ana cringes as the
  sight of her Papi who just doesnt get it and
  maybe never will.
• Embedded Quote, Word Clip and Paraphrase
• Harcourt comes across as a red-faced, happy
  dreamer, his nose stuck in a book with no thought
  of the outward effect of his shabby looks.
• John is humiliated by his inability to rise above
  his dreadful uneasiness.
• She gets perturbed at her fathers tacky
  clothes but overcomes those feelings when she
  remembers the sacrifices he made on her behalf,
  giving up a stellar business career to take his
  family to freedom.
• Ellipsis
• She respects him for boldly leaving Communist
  Cuba...to start a new in freedom.

22
Examples of Paraphrase

• John also is cold when he shifts his gaze when
  his father and him almost make eye contact.
• She cringes at his choice in clothing and
  considers him well-meaning but clueless.
• John doesnt want to be publicly embarrassed by
  his fathers shabbiness.

23
Examples of Synopsis

• Three pieces of textual support describe the
  sharp contrast between the crowd and Grace.

Other shoppers in the crowded store have hot red
faces and are getting en each others
way, ...with her expression of cool
independence... She was so sure of herself, her
relation to the people in the aisles.
Three pieces of text that show why Ana cringes
at the sight of Papi.
Anas father wears nylon socks with rubber
sandals, white shorts that look like underwear,
thinking he looks just fine.
24
Types of Literary Open-Ended Questions

• Theme, character trait, conflict, or change
• Literary technique or figurative expression

25
Theme

• Theme is the underlying meaning of the story, a
  universal truth, a significant statement the
  story is making about society, human nature, or
  the human condition. In truly great works of
  literature, the author intertwines the theme
  throughout the work and the full impact is slowly
  realized as the reader processes the text.
• Concept the fall of man, passion vs. reason, the
  need for love,
• or the power of nature
• Point of view Today is the first day of the rest
  of your life.
• Lesson Dont cry over spilled milk. or Friends
  are a person's most valuable possession.

26
Theme (Contd)

• Examples
• How is the idea of __ important in both stories?
• How is __ an important theme in both stories?
• How does the idea of __ apply to both stories?
• How is the concept of __ important in both
  stories?

27
Character Trait

• Character traits are revealed through attitudes,
  motivations, actions, feelings, mannerisms,
  physical appearances, speech, and personality
  traits.
• Examples
• Who do you think is the wisest character?
• Which character to you think is the snob?
• What is one characteristic that makes __
  successful?
• What is one significant difference between __ and
  __
• What is one characteristic shared by __ and
  (character)?

28
Conflict

• Conflict is a struggle experienced by one or
  more characters.
• Internal conflict is a struggle within a single
  character man versus self
• External conflict is a struggle between
• two characters man versus man
• characters and the society in which they
  live man versus society
• characters and a force of nature man versus
  nature

29
Conflict (Contd)

• Examples
• What is one conflict that __ faces?
• What is the major conflict that __ experiences in
  the story?
• How does the reader know that __ is upset with __
  for __?

30
Change

• Questions involving change require students to
  analyze how changes occur during the story.
  Analysis of a change in the beginning, middle, or
  end of the story must be accompanied with textual
  support.
• Examples
• How does __ change from the beginning to the end
  of the story?

31
Literary Technique

• Literary techniques are analyzed to evaluate how
  the author uses methods to shape a readers
  understanding of characters, events, and theme.
• Examples
• Why do you think the author waits until the end
  of the story to reveal the truth about __?

32
Figurative Expression

• Figurative expressions include metaphors,
  similes, and personification.
• Examples
• How does __ use language to __?
• Why does the author use the language __ in the
  story?

33
History of Literary Questions

• 9th 2003 How does __ change from the beginning
  to the end of __?
• 9th 2004 In __, what does __ learn from his
  experience with __?
• 10th 2003 What is one conflict that __ faces in
  __?
• 10th 2004 What is the major conflict that __
  experiences in __?
• 10th MU 2004 In __, what do the __ learn from
  their experiences at the __?
• 11th 2003 In __, why does __ keep the record
  for __?
• 11th 2004 In __, which character do you think
  is the __?

34
TAKS Literary Response Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  In exemplary responses, the student
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful theme, character trait, conflict, or
  change and strongly support it with
  accurate/relevant textual evidence
•  
• In addition, exemplary responses show strong
  evidence of the students depth of understanding
  and ability to effectively connect textual
  evidence to the idea, analysis, or evaluation.

35
TAKS Literary Response Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  In exemplary responses, the student
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful analysis of a literary technique or
  figurative expression and strongly support it
  with accurate/relevant textual evidence
•  
• In addition, exemplary responses show strong
  evidence of the students depth of understanding
  and ability to effectively connect textual
  evidence to the idea, analysis, or evaluation.

36
Literary Response Score 0

• The father because if you came out looking like
  he did, you dont think highly of yourself. In
  paragraph two, he didnt have a haircut and how
  he was wearing his glasses, his jacket and two
  button on his vest was undone.

37
Literary Response Score 0
38
Literary Response Score 1

• The snob is John because he is ashamed of his
  father. He acts as if he is too good to speak to
  his father and thats being a snob. There was
  rising in him uneasiness something very precious
  that he wanted to hold seemed close to
  destruction.

39
Literary Response Score 1
40
Literary Response Score 2

• I believe that Harcourt is the snob. He is the
  one who is ashamed of his father and of the
  common man. He thinks his hair was too long,
  and in his rather shabby clothes he looked very
  much like a working man, a carpenter perhaps.
  Thats what his father is. He just cant accept
  that.

41
Literary Response Score 2
42
Literary Response Score 3

• I believe that the snob is John because he is
  too ashamed about his fathers appearance to let
  his upper-class girlfriend meet him. John tries
  to justify his reason for not introducing
  Grace by saying that itll only embarress his
  dad to see Grace when in reality, it will only
  embarress himself. John also is cold when he
  shifts his gaze when his father and him almost
  make eye contact. That is why I believe John is
  the real snob.

43
TAKS Literary Response Score 3
44
Types of Expository and Crossover Questions

• Analysis or evaluation of a characteristic of the
  text
• Conclusion, interpretation, or prediction

45
Characteristic of Text

• Questions about a characteristic of the text may
  include analysis of the authors style or intent
  or an evaluation to make a decision about the
  authors style or message.
• Examples
• Why is __ a good title for this selection?
• Why does the author include so many references to
  __?
• What impact does the point of view have in both
  stories?
• How does the authors attitude toward __ change
  from the beginning to the end of the selection?

46
Conclusion

• Inferential questions require students to go
  beyond the literal statements in the text make
  decisions.
• Examples
• Why are the memories of __ important to __?
• What is one significant difference between __ and
  __?
• Who do you think is more unforgettable?

47
Interpretation

• Interpretation questions require the students to
  establish meaning and explain their ideas about
  how the parts of the story fit to the whole.
• Examples
• How was the author of __ affected by the trip
  to the__?
• How can you tell that the __ in both stories care
  about their __?

48
Prediction

• Prediction questions require students to state
  what might happen next in the story.
• Examples
• What do you think might happen to the __ in the
  story?
• What affect might __ have on (character).

49
History of Expository Questions

• 9th 2003 In __, who do you think is more
  successful, __ or __?
• 9th 2004 Why do you think the author and __
  decided to leave their last __ game in a tie
  in __?
• 10th 2003 Why are the memories of __ important
  to __?
• 10th 2004 How does the authors attitude toward
  __ change over the course of __?
• 10th MU 2004 Based on your reading of __, do
  you think __ made the right decision for the
  __?
• 11th 2003 Why is __ a good title for this
  selection?
• 11th 2004 In __, how does the authors
  attitude toward __ change from the beginning to
  the end of the selection?

50
TAKS Expository Reading Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  
• In exemplary responses, the student
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful conclusion, interpretation, or
  prediction and strongly support it with
  accurate/relevant textual evidence
•  
• In addition, exemplary responses show strong
  evidence of the students depth of understanding
  and ability to effectively connect textual
  evidence to the idea, analysis, or evaluation.

51
TAKS Expository Reading Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  
• In exemplary responses, the student
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful analysis or evaluation of a
  characteristic of the text and strongly support
  it with accurate/relevant textual evidence
•  
• In addition, exemplary responses show strong
  evidence of the students depth of understanding
  and ability to effectively connect textual
  evidence to the idea, analysis, or evaluation.

52
Expository Response Score 0

• Her attitude changed after realizing her fathers
  strugle, to giving his family a new and better
  life. Even at an old age he continues to work
  hard for his family, giving her a sence of pride.

53
Expository Response Score 0
54
Expository Response Score 1

• At first, the author of Common Threads, Ana
  Veciana Suarez is embarrassed by her father. The
  feeling Suarez had seemed to have grown over
  time, starting with the embarrassment of her
  parents at an early age. However as she observes
  her father she begins to realize she shouldnt
  hang on to those negative memories, that they
  dont matter but that she actually is proud of
  and admires him.

55
Expository Response Score 1
56
Expository Response Score 2

• In the beginning of the selection, the author is
  embarrassed by her father because of his
  ridiculous outfit and all the mortifications
  of the past. However, she begins to realize how
  brave and dignified he really is. She respects
  him for boldly leaving Communist Cubato start
  anew in freedom. She admires his ability to live
  his life no matter how alien or difficult the
  circumstances.

57
Expository Response Score 2
58
Expository Response Score 3

• The authors attitude toward her father changes
  from chagrin at his appearance to appreciation
  for his inner strength. Wanting her family to fit
  in at her nephews graduation ceremony, Ana
  expects everyone to follow the request to wear
  red. When Anas father appears in tacky clothes
  with not even a touch of red, Ana cringes. At
  the ceremony, she watches her father bending
  forward to relieve the pain in his back, as he
  continues to hold his head high. When she sees
  his dignity, his ridiculous outfit that blares
  out his oddness, no longer matters to Ana. The
  man who wears it does.

59
Expository Response Score 3
60
History of Crossover Questions

• 9th 2003 Which of the siblings from __ and __
  would you like to have as a brother?
• 9th 2004 How is the idea of __ important in both
  __
• and __?
• 10th 2003 How is __ an important theme in both
  __ and __?
• 10th 2004 How is the concept of __ important in
  both __ and __?
• 10th MU 2004 How is the __ in __ similar to __
  in __?
• 11th 2003 What is one characteristic shared by
  __ and __?
• 11th 2004 Do __ in __ and the author of __
  share a similar concern?

61
TAKS Crossover Reading Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  
• In exemplary responses, the student
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful conclusion, interpretation, or
  prediction based on both selections and strongly
  support it with accurate/relevant textual
  evidence from both selections
• In addition, exemplary responses indicate that
  the student is able to make meaningful
  connections across selections. These responses
  show strong evidence of the students depth of
  understanding and ability to effectively connect
  textual evidence to the idea, analysis, or
  evaluation.

62
TAKS Crossover Reading Rubric

• Score Point 3 Exemplary
•  
• must offer a particularly thoughtful or
  insightful analysis or evaluation of a
  characteristic of text based on both selections
  and strongly support it with accurate/relevant
  textual evidence from both selections
• In addition, exemplary responses indicate that
  the student is able to make meaningful
  connections across selections. These responses
  show strong evidence of the students depth of
  understanding and ability to effectively connect
  textual evidence to the idea, analysis, or
  evaluation.

63
Crossover Response Score 0

• Yes I believe that they feel the same about
  their parents and they share the same interests
  about how the are viewed as children of their
  adults. There parents truly love them but it
  takes time for them realize that.

64
Crossover Response Score 0
65
Crossover Response Score 1

• I think that John and Ana share a similar
  concern and that is what they thought about how
  their dads would embarrass them. John didnt want
  Grace to meet his dad because he might say
  something that is embarrassing. Then Ana is
  embarrassed by what her dad is wearing and what
  he might do to embarrass her.

66
Crossover Response Score 1
67
Crossover Response Score 2

John, from The Snob, and Ana, from Common
Threads, share the same concern by being
embarrassed by their fathers outward
appearances. John describes his father by saying,
Why does he dress as he had never owned a decent
suit in his life? and also, his hair was too
long, and in his rather shabby clothes he looked
very much like a working man. Ana describes her
father is this way, He is wearingOh, my God!
No!black Nylon socks an inexpensive black rubber
sandals w/ white Bermuda shorts.
68
Crossover Response Score 2
69
Crossover Response Score 3

The fathers of John and Ana march to the beat of
different drummers, causing their kids distress.
Old Harcourt comes across as a red-faced, happy
dreamer, his nose stuck in a book with no thought
of the outward effect of his shabby looks. John
complains that his father doesnt care what the
whole world thinks of him. Anas father wears
nylon socks with rubber sandals, white shorts
that look like underwear, thinking he looks just
fine. He cant go out like that, Ana cringes as
the sight of her Papi who just doesnt get it
and maybe never will. Neither father conforms to
their childrens idea of what a presentable
father should look like.
70
Crossover Response Score 3
71
How to Score a 3

•  Traits of Quality Responses
• Consider what the question is asking you to do.
  Think about the meaning of the entire text and,
  if necessary, locate the area in the text that
  answers the question and re-read the text to
  develop an appropriate response.

72
How to Score a 3

• CAUTION There is an outline drawn around the
  lines provided 5 for the literary response, 5
  for the expository response and 8 for the
  crossover response. Never write outside of this
  box. If needed, you may add extra lines within
  the box. Responses are scanned for scoring with
  the rubric and any writing outside the box may
  not be included in the scan.

73
Analysis Statements

• make sure your answer is complete and accurate
• carefully analyze the text based on the question
• response must be particularly thoughtful or
  insightful
• think beyond what is stated in the text
• focus your response around a central idea
• develop a big idea or generalization that goes
  beyond the text
• give more than one analysis statement

74
Analysis Statements

• Quality analysis statements must be
• thoughtful
• reasonable
• accurate
• specific
• concise

75
Textual Support

•      each piece of textual evidence must have a
  strong match to each idea or analysis to be
  considered relevant
•      if the question has two parts be sure to
  include two analyses and two matching pieces of
  textual evidence
•      remember that the crossover question always
  requires a double-double - two analyses and two
  matching pieces of textual support
• (Citations are acceptable when included with one
  of the three types of textual support not
  acceptable as the only reference.)

76
Literary Graphic Organizer

insightful analysis of ending
insightful analysis of beginning
textual evidence
textual evidence
77
Expository Graphic Organizer

78
Crossover Graphic Organizer
79
History of Writing Prompts

• Grade 10
• 10th 2003 Write an essay explaining how your
  surroundings can affect your life.
• 10th 2004 Write an essay about the impact
  another person can have on your life.
•  Grade 11
• 11th 2003 Write an essay explaining how one
  experience can have the power to affect a
  persons life in a positive way.
• 11th 2004 Write an essay explaining the
  importance of accepting others as they are.

80
R2R Rubric for Essay
Constructs Meaning
81
R2R Rubric (Contd)

• Connects Ideas

82
R2R Rubric (Contd)

• Evaluates Author

83
Facets of UnderstandingUnderstanding by Design,
ASCD Wiggins and McTighe, 1998
84
Thinking Curriculum

• requires a thinking assessment

85
Achievement

• engaging assignments
• modeling
• monitoring
• assessing with rubric
• immediate feedback
• revision

86
Professional Development Important Steps

• Collaborative analysis of student learning
• Curriculum mapping
• Interrater reliability reviews
• Classroom data analysis
• Progress portfolios
• Administrative support

87
Where to Begin

• Find multi-genre texts
• Write open-ended questions
• Revise curriculum
• Schedule R2R assessments
• Schedule R2R collaborative analysis
• Monitor R2R implementation

88
Make Connections

• Multiple choice and constructed responses
• Thinking for all students and all educators
• Effective teaching and high stakes assessment
• Assessing for and of learning
• Important work and achievement

89
Look Ahead

• AP Language and Composition in May 2007
• 3 Free-response Questions
• Analytic
• Argumentative
• Synthesis (integrate 4 out of 7 multi-genre
  sources)
• Timed 1 hour for multiple choice 215 minutes
  for essays

90
Texas 2003-2004 Statewide Data Short Answer
Responses Grade 9-11 Reading