Welcome to ACT Reading Mrs. Tomhave etomhave@phasd.us

Today’s Agenda 9:00 -9:10 = Introductions & Goals 9:05 – 9:50 = Baseline Score & Scale Scoring 9-50 – 9:55 = What did you notice? Strengths? Weaknesses? 9:55 – 10:10 = Questions types and examples 10:10 – 12:10 = Passage deconstructions & Strategies 12:10 -12:40 = Lunch 12:40 – 12:45: Scale Scores 12:45 – 1:15 = Question Match 1:15 – 1:45 = Full Practice Reading Test 1:45 – 1:55 = Scoring & Strength finding 1:55 -2:00 = Survey & Debrief

On-Line Test Practice Sign-in to www.mel.org , enter password Click on Reading test Begin when prompted; you will have 40 minutes When finished, record score on your hand-out If you need to use the restroom, please feel free to do so at any time…

ACT Reading: #4 Prose Fiction A G B F C J D H Social Science B F A C G Humanities B F C H D G Natural Science B F D G H

How to determine your scaled score: Scale Scoring Add up your correct answers (raw score)for each of the 4 sections of passage #1 2) Add up your correct answers (raw score) for each of the 4 sections of passage #2 How to determine your scaled score: _________ x 36= _______ /40 = ____________ Raw Scaled Score Score

ACT: Reading General Information: 35 minutes to read 4 passages & answer 40 questions Always in the same order: Prose fiction, Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science Question Types: Main Idea: of a paragraph or passage (theme) Inference: what is suggested, implied, inferred Detail: facts, people, theories, relationships, etc. Vocabulary: in context w/line reference National Average: 21

Quick Tips for a better score ACT: Reading Quick Tips for a better score Average about 8 ½ minutes per section Manage your time Could throw you off…all of the answers are in the text Only use the info presented in the passages; NOT background knowledge Start with your strongest passage first; save hardest for last Be sure to bubble in correctly if using this method…know your strengths!

ACT Reading: Strategies that work: ACT Decoding Key Circle Important names, dates, events… Underline Key points & arguments Star Important ideas, unique things that stand out Remember: You CAN write on the test!!!

Strategies that work: Read the question stem first Start with your strongest passage, end with your weakest Speed/Skim read…if you’re comfortable Mark up the text Use the process of elimination Manage your time Never leave an answer blank!

Question Types Main Idea Inference Detail Vocabulary Passage as a whole or individual paragraphs; “theme” What is “suggests”; author’s intentions; your “guess” Facts, dates, names, etc.; line references Words w/context clues & line references

Question Analysis Look at the set of questions you were handed With a partner, match up the questions to the “answer set” they belong with Read through the answer sets you matched to the question and determine/guess the correct answer. Record your guess. Read through the passage that the questions go with, annotating as you read. Answer the questions. Log your thoughts for discussion

ACT: Reading Sample Questions Questions regarding: Relationship between characters Inference Mood & tone PROSE FICTION: This passage is adapted from the novel The Men of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor (©1998 by Gloria Naylor).

ACT Reading: Prose Fiction

Prose Fiction Read passage #1 (9 minutes) Answer the reading questions & Score Discuss: What do you notice? Read passage #2 (9 minutes) Answer Reading questions & Score

What you noticed… Topic/theme: Question Types: Tone: Characters: Difficulty: Organization:

What you noticed… Topic/theme: Question Types: Tone: Characters: Difficulty: Organization:

ACT: Reading Sample Questions Questions regarding: Cause-effect relationships Comparisons Sequence of events Lots of DETAIL questions SOCIAL SCIENCE: This passage is adapted from the chapter “Personality Disorders” in Introduction to Psychology, edited by Rita L. Atkinson and Richard C. Atkinson (©1981 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.).

Social Science Read passage #1 (9 minutes) Answer the reading questions & Score Discuss: What do you notice? Read passage #2 (9 minutes) Answer Reading questions & Score

What you noticed… Question Types: Topic: Organization: Difficulty: Key elements:

ACT: Reading Sample Questions HUMANITIES: This passage is adapted from “A Poem of One’s Own,“ an essay by Mary Jo Salter The essay was taken from Audiences and Intentions: A Book of Arguments (©1994 by Macmillan College Publishing Company, Inc.). Questions regarding: Non-fiction Point of View Infer relationships between ideas, events, trends, etc.

Humanities Read passage #1 (9 minutes) Answer the reading questions & Score Discuss: What do you notice? Read passage #2 (9 minutes) Answer Reading questions & Score

What you noticed… Topic range: Specifics: Question types: Difficulty level & WHY: Paragraph breaks:

ACT: Reading Sample Questions Questions regarding: Significance of topic Specialized/technical language Cause-effect, comparisons, sequences… NATURAL SCIENCE: This passage is adapted from the article “How to Build a Baby’s Brain” by Sharon Begley (©1997 by Newsweek, Inc.).

Natural Science Read passage #1 (9 minutes) Answer the reading questions & Score Discuss: What do you notice? Read passage #2 (9 minutes) Answer Reading questions & Score

What you noticed… Question Types: Tone: Difficulty Level: Organization:

How to determine your scaled score: Scale Scoring Add up your correct answers (raw score)for each of the 4 sections of passage #1 2) Add up your correct answers (raw score) for each of the 4 sections of passage #2 How to determine your scaled score: _________ x 36= _______ /40 = ____________ Raw Scaled Score Score

Strategies that work: Read the question stem first Start with your strongest passage, end with your weakest Speed/Skim read…if you’re comfortable Mark up the text Use the process of elimination Manage your time Never leave an answer blank!

On-Line Test Practice Sign-in to www.mel.org , enter password Click on Reading test Begin when prompted; you will have 40 minutes When finished, record score on your hand-out If you need to use the restroom, please feel free to do so at any time…

Survey Link www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BQ8AK5GYM/ Thank you!