STRATEGIES

 Test-writers adapt and edit published material specifically so they can ask questions about the 7 question types. With this knowledge, you will know to read for these question types. COMPREHENSION LEVEL READING DIFFICULTY LEVEL ITEM-TYPE General ThemeBasicMain Idea Specific PointsIntermediateExplicit Detail Vocabulary Development EvaluationAdvancedImplied Idea Application Voice

BASIC LEVEL ITEMS TEST UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENERAL THEME Main idea questions require only a superficial reading of the passage. When asked to answer items at a basic reading level, skim the passage by reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL ITEMS TEST UNDERSTANDING OF SPECIFIC POINTS Explicit Detail, Vocabulary, and Development items require an intermediate level of reading. Read the entire passage, but do not waste time on specific points that are not immediately clear unless it is absolutely necessary to answer a specific item.

ADVANCED LEVEL ITEMS TEST UNDERSTANDING OF EVALUATION Implied Idea, Application, and Voice items require the deepest level of reading and comprehension. When asked to answer items at an advanced level of reading, read the passage very carefully.

 Remember all items are worth the same. There are enough easier items that you can do well even if some of the more difficult items are left unanswered.  Remember you can personalize passage order based on your own strengths and preferences.  Remember that the passage (no matter how unfamiliar you are with the topic) will always contain the information needed to successfully answer the items.

The following 5 steps, which are based on the levels of comprehension, will allow you to use your time most effectively during the test: 1. Label Passages as “Easy” or “Hard” 2. Preview First and Last Sentences 3. Preview Item Stems 4. Read the Passage 5. Answer the Items

 Read the first sentence of a passage and label each passage “easy” or “hard”  A passage can be labeled as “easy” if: 1) the introductory sentence is easily understood, 2) you personally enjoy the topic  After labeling the passages, return to the start of the test, work through the easy passages first, then work through the difficult passages

 First, read any introductory material.  Second, read the first and last sentences of each paragraph. These sentences summarize what is covered in the paragraph.  This general idea of what the passage is about will give you context in which to preview the item stems.

 Review the item stems for further clues to guide your reading.  Do not preview answer choices – it is time consuming & may lead you astray.  Code each item stem according to the 3 types of comprehension levels: General Theme (GT), Specific Points (SP), or Evaluation (E).  Once you have coded the item stems, you can use the information to watch for certain key phrases & ideas in the passage. *Note: Previewing is not necessary for everyone. If the Reading Test comes easily to you, this step may not be necessary.

 If something you read is difficult to understand, do not dwell on it. Remember, it is an “open-book” test. {Bracket} the info and come back to it if it is essential for answering a question and time permits. *Note: It is essential to pay attention to the levels of comprehension as you read. This way, you know what type of information to read for.

 If you have previewed the passage, coded item stems, and remembered the 3 levels of reading comprehension, you will answer the items more quickly and accurately.  Here are some additional strategies that you can use to improve your performance on the Reading Test: 1. “Eliminate-and Guess” Strategy” 2. Answer all items for a passage before moving on 3. Transcribe answers together to save time and eliminate mistakes

“ELIMINATE-AND-GUESS” STRATEGY Don’t waste time on test items you do not understand. If you cannot confidently and quickly determine the correct answer, eliminate as many answer choices as possible and make a guess based on the remaining answer choices. Wrong answers will not count against or reduce your test score.

ANSWER ALL ITEMS FOR A PASSAGE BEFORE MOVING ON Arrive at final answers for all test items related to a passage before moving on to the next passage. This strategy will eliminate the need to re-read any passages. If any time remains after completing the test items for the final passage, revisit items from previous passages where the “eliminate-and guess” strategy was used.

TRANSCRIBE ANSWERS TOGETHER TO SAVE TIME AND ELIMINATE MISTAKES To save time and eliminate mistakes, transcribe the answers from each passage from the test booklet to your answer sheet as a group. Use this strategy after answering all test items for a specific passage. If the time limit approaches, do not use this strategy; instead, record answers on the answer sheet as you work.

Let’s practice with the 3 comprehension levels & the 5 steps for approaching passages: You will have 20 minutes to complete the two reading passages. 5 Steps: 1.Label Passages as “Easy” or “Hard” 2.Preview First and Last Sentences 3.Preview Item Stems 4.Read the Passage 5.Answer the Items