Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks From the Florida Department of Education www.fcatexplorer.com Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Program Overview

Interactive practice program Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Interactive practice program Interactive program offers practice on the FCAT-tested benchmarks Reinforces reading comprehension skills Available at no cost to all Florida public schools Accessible from any computer connected to the Internet

Fidelity with the Official FCAT Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Fidelity with the Official FCAT Strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards and the DOE’s Test Item & Performance Task Specifications Rigorous item development process Items drafted by reading teachers and professional item writers Items reviewed by instructional designers, testing specialists, bias reviewers, and professional editors

Input from Education Professionals Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Input from Education Professionals Exemplary classroom teachers Recommended for expertise in subject area and grade level National Board Certified Recipients of Teacher of the Year awards Experienced as FCAT coach and/or reading coach Masters’ degrees

Passages and Practice Items Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Passages and Practice Items

FCAT-like Practice PASSAGES Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice PASSAGES 60 passages written to support FCAT-like practice on all tested benchmarks Topics drawn from other Sunshine State Standards subject areas Science Social Studies The Arts Health & Physical Education

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Passages Same average length and readability level as on the FCAT Variety of passage types: poems, articles, and stories Reviewed by teachers for interest & readability Reinforced by photographs and illustrations

FCAT-like Practice Items Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice Items Rigorous item development process Written by professional item writers Reviewed and approved by teachers Revised as needed based on statistical item analysis Same average number of items per passage as on the FCAT Number of items per skill based on teacher recommendation for struggling readers No fewer than 5 items per skill From 5 to 50 items per benchmark Same type, style, format, scope, & cognitive level as on the FCAT

FCAT-like Practice PRACTICE ITEMS 694 FCAT-like practice items: Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice PRACTICE ITEMS 694 FCAT-like practice items: 362 Multiple Choice 135 Short-Response 37 Extended-Response 52 Open-Response (OR/SR & OR/ER) 108 Main Idea Application (MC) Many items reflect real-world activities and situations

FCAT-like Practice MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC) Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC) Careful review of every item for psychometric criteria Item must clearly support skill Only plausible choices All answer choices are parallel (e.g., grammatical form) One clearly best answer Correct answer supported in the text

FCAT-like Practice Items Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice Items SIMULATED SRs & ERs Short-response items: Compare two responses & select the high score Extended-response items: Read one response & assign a high or partial score Simulation strategies recommended by teachers Based on classroom instructional practices Requires student to compare or assess critical attributes

FCAT-like Practice Open Response (OR) Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice Open Response (OR) Students compose original answers Read high-score sample response Read explanation of attributes that earn sample response a high score Compare student’s original composition to high-score sample response

LET’S STOP AND THINK Content questions posed throughout passage Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks LET’S STOP AND THINK Content questions posed throughout passage Correct answer identified Highlighted selections in yellow suggest correct answers Recognition of crucial content in reading passages reinforced

Instructional Support Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support

Instructional Support Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support 1ST ATTEMPT CORRECT Auditory congratulations Correct answer explanation (CAE) Confirms which answer is correct Explains attributes that make the answer correct Provides option to review passage and confirm how passage supports correct answer

Instructional Support Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support 1ST ATTEMPT INCORRECT Informs student that selection is incorrect Delivers hint or takes student to yellow-highlighted passage offering guidance to correct answer Provides second chance to answer correctly

Instructional Support Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support 2nd ATTEMPT CORRECT or INCORRECT Congratulations or notification that selected answer is incorrect CAE (correct answer explanation) as well as feedback on the incorrect answer Option to review passage and confirm how passage supports correct answer

Instructional Support Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support Main Idea Workshop Three-Step Strategy: Step 1—Identify the Who or What Step 2—Identify the Most Important Point Step 3—Identify the Most Important Point about Who or What Utilizes interactive graphic approach with photographs Illustrates main idea concept in paragraphs and passages

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Special Features

FCAT Explorer Middle Schools, Miami, 5/7/02 Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Special Learning Features VIEW QUESTIONS Allows students to preview item stems (not answer choices) Helps students establish a purpose for reading Teacher-requested feature 3GR means 3rd Grade Reading program 4GR means 4th Grade Reading program The “View Questions” feature is included in all Reading programs except 4th grade Reading. 4GR was the very first program developed. The idea for this feature first emerged during design of the next reading program (8GR), after which it was incorporated into all Reading programs. “View Questions” will probably be added to 4GR in the future. View Questions Infinity Software Development, Inc. and the Florida Department of Education, 2001

Special Learning Features Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Special Learning Features Passage GLOSSARY Click the word nautical to view that glossary entry Linked (blue) words in passage “Ear icon” to hear word pronounced Definition Example to show use Spanish and Haitian Creole translations Glossary entry

Explorer’s Report Daily reports of student progress Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Explorer’s Report Daily reports of student progress School Year reports of cumulative progress Custom reports for specific dates Shows the number of practice items attempted and percentage correct for each benchmark

CHALLENGE LIST Available any time from the “Start Reading” home page Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks CHALLENGE LIST Available any time from the “Start Reading” home page Displays performance results and allows access to incorrectly answered questions Helps students to be aware of areas of strength and weakness

Motivational Features Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features

Motivational Features Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features Animated Vocabulary Games Earn points for correct answers Play one of three vocabulary games upon completing three passages and accompanying items Scoring tally for correct responses Repetition of question for incorrect responses

Motivational Features Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features HIGH-INTEREST PASSAGE TOPICS Topics drawn from other subject areas in the Sunshine State Standards Passages reviewed by 8th grade teachers for potential to interest struggling 8th grade students

Motivational Features Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS Reinforce important ideas in the passage Pique curiosity Maintain attention & endurance Help students perceive reading as an interesting activity

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools

FCAT Explorer Middle Schools, Miami, 5/7/02 Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools Curriculum resources Classroom Teacher’s Desk Skills location map Table of benchmarks and skills Item review Letter to parents School Administrator’s Desk Information management tools Sign-in names and passwords Progress reports Messages to students District Administrator’s Desk Infinity Software Development, Inc. and the Florida Department of Education, 2001

Student Performance Reports Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Student Performance Reports At the Classroom Teacher’s Desk Check progress on individuals or classes View reading data by benchmark, skill, or passage Compare percentage correct before and after instructional support

The Parent & Family Guide Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks The Parent & Family Guide Accessible from the home page without a password Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole Helps parents, guardians, and mentors understand the Sunshine State Standards and the FCAT Provides Everyday Activities to help parents reinforce benchmarks and skills

Educator Resources Page Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Educator Resources Page Linked from the home page Download this PowerPoint presentation Download the School Administrator’s Desk Manual Download the Teacher’s Desk Manual Download other presentations Reading Focus Overview Math Focus Overview Program-specific presentations

Toll-Free Help Desk Accessible from the home page without a password Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Toll-Free Help Desk Accessible from the home page without a password 1-888-750-FCAT 1-888-750-3228 Weekdays from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

To get sign-in names & passwords Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks To get sign-in names & passwords School Principals: Contact your district office and speak to the district administrator for the FCAT Explorer Teachers: Contact your school administrator for the FCAT Explorer FCAT Explorer Home Page (www.fcatexplorer.com)

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