Title: 9 Tips for TAKS ELA Success 11th Grade
19 Tips for TAKSELA Success 11th Grade
- Developed by
- Michelle Stimpson
- Region 10 ESC
210/11 TAKS ELA Breakdown
- There are 73 raw points possible
- 48 multiple choice questions (1 pt. ea.) 48
- 3 open-ended questions (3 pts. ea.) 9
- Composition (Score x 4)
16 - must get a 2 to meet standard
- highest possible raw score 73
- The raw score is then converted to a scale score.
3Writing Prompt
- Write an essay explaining what courage means to
you.
4Tip 1
5- Show sentence to sentence and paragraph to
paragraph progression - If student decides to include more than one
example/anecdote, there must be a STATED, linking
thread - Intro/Conclusion are great places to STATE the
connection - No Silence of the Lambs papers (Papers that
have to be read several times to get it) - The scorer should never feel lost in the paper
(a.k.a. Where did that come from?)
6Tip 2
- Stay Focused Pick One Theme
- and Do It Well
7- Consider concentrating on one person, narrative,
or philosophical discussion rather than several
divergent, disconnected veins - Consider eliminating that 3rd point and
developing the other two points further
8Tip 3
9- Dont underestimate the
- power of a great
- conclusion!
- What have you learned about yourself or other
people?
10Tip 4
11- Cheers
- Tears
- Passion
- Instructional idea Reading/analyzing editorials
is a good way to see how writers still manage to
express their passions in expository writing.
12Tip 5
- Statistically,
- Length of Essay Does Matter!
13- It takes space to develop an idea!
- ¾ of the compositions that received lower scores
were less than 1 ½ pages long - ¾ of the compositions that received higher scores
were more than 1 ½ pages long
14TIPS for Responding toOpen-Ended Questions
15Literary SelectionThe Kayakby Debbie Spring
16-year-old Teresa is out kayaking to get away
from her overprotective parents. The waters get
rough and she comes across an 18-year-old surfer
boy (Jamie) who is obviously in peril. They have
a few close calls on the water, but Teresa helps
Jamie get back to shore. Once on shore, the
reader learns that Teresa is paraplegic. She
loves kayaking because thats where she is free.
On land, however, she feels helpless. Jamie
asks Teresa out. Initially, she refuses because
she thinks that Jamie just feels sorry for her.
In the end, she tearfully agrees to go out with
him. ?
16Literary Open-Ended QuestionIn The Kayak,
what does the kayak symbolize to Teresa? Support
your answer with evidence from the selection.
17Expository SelectionSummits in Sightby
Stephen Madden
- This is an article a Ed and Erik Weihenmayer
(father and son respectively). Erik who began
losing his sight before his teen years, is now a
rock climber. His father, Ed, has always made a
way for Erik to succeed despite the disability.
Ed always encouraged Erik to do his best and
pursue life to the fullest. As an adult, Erik is
now completely blind yet he is an accomplished
rock climber (rock climbing is all about
touch). One day Erik invited his father to go
out on a climb. His father was in good shape,
but he was no climber. With Eriks
encouragement, Ed eventually climbs the rock
successfully. Father and son discuss their
perceptions of natures beauty, affirm each
other, and shake hands at the end. ?
18Expository Open-ended QuestionIn Summits in
Sight what does Ed learn from Erik? Support your
answer with evidence from the selection.
19Expository Open-ended QuestionIn Summits in
Sight what does Ed learn from Erik? Support your
answer with evidence from the selection.
20Crossover QuestionWhat is one characteristic
that Teresa and Erik share? Support your answer
with evidence from the text.
Comment regarding 0 responses here!
21Tip 6
22- Provide one answer and develop it well
- No beating around the bush
- Answers that seek to explain the deeper meaning
of life may end up getting 0
23Tip 7
- Answer all Parts of
- the Question
24Watch out for these types of questions
- Single Passage
- How does one character change from beginning to
the end of a story? - How is a character affected by an event?
- How does the authors attitude change over the
course of the passage? - Crossover
- Which character is more unforgettable?
- Which character would you rather have as a
sibling?
25Tip 8
- Good Vocabulary/
- Word Choice Can Help!
26Responses to Consider 2s and 3s
- Use thesaurus and dictionary
- Use some of the vocabulary from the story
- Precise word choice enhances a satisfactory idea
(they keep on going vs. perseverance)
27Tip 9
28- Mismatches are very common these will lower your
score - Instructional idea practice picking out the best
supporting statement within a given passage (a
matching game of sorts) - Using more than one type of text evidence is
admirable shows sophistication as a reader and
a writer
29Last Thoughts
- You may use the entire box when responding to
open-ended questions - Quotes are a good thing we can argue their
relevance but never their presence in open-ended
responses - Risk is still encouraged and rewarded
(composition as well as open-ended questions) - To kill two birds with one stone (TAKS SAT)
students need to know how to express themselves
creatively as well as concisely WHILE supporting
their ideas with evidence