1. The Genre of Test Reading: Integrating Test Preparation into the Reading Workshop Using the Mini-Lesson Framework Compiled by Candice Johnson, Grades 3-5 Literacy Coach, Fall 2011

2. Mentor Texts 2

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4. “We’re not teaching to the test; we’re teaching READERS how to think and apply strategies in order to be strategic, successful text takers.” -Greene & Melton, 2007 4

5. Three Fundamental Beliefs About Preparing Students for Testing  Successful test takers must first be smart readers.  Successful test takers must be able to translate the unique language of the test (test genre reading).  Learning to be a successful test taker can be fun! 5 -Greene & Melton, 2007

6. Expose Students to All Genres Found on Test  Fiction  Nonfiction  Poetry / Prose 6 #1 PRIORTIY… BUILD STUDENTS’ STAMINA WITH LOTS OF TIME FOR INDEPENDENT READING!

7. Developing Strategies That Help Readers Become Test Takers Mini-Lesson Ideas Use these mini-lessons and anchor chart ideas to prepare ALL your students for the Test Reading Genre. (Depending on your learners and their grade-level, some of these mini-lessons may not be necessary. The sequence in which you teach them is also dependent on your learners.)

8. Developing Strategies That Help Readers Become Test Takers  Do I know how thinking while I read will make the test easier?  Do I know how activating my schema will make the test easier?  Do I know how to find and use the author’s clues to make the test easier?  Do I know how to find and use the directions to make the test easier? 8 -Greene & Melton, 2007

9. Developing Strategies That Help Readers Become Test Takers  Do I know how to use rereading to make the test easier?  Do I know how to read the special structure of the test genre?  Do I know how to eliminate answers that don’t match to make the test easier? 9 -Greene & Melton, 2007

10. Anchor Chart— All Test Reading Strategies 10

11. Successful Test Takers are Readers 1 st ! 11

12. Activate Schema 12

13. Use the test author’s clues 13

14. Find and read the test directions 14

15. Think about the text structure/format in the test reading genre 15

16. Eliminate (get rid of) answers that don’t make sense on multiple-choice questions 16

17. Recognize Test Talk 17

18. Other Useful Anchor Charts for Preparing Students for the Test Genre Charts created from compiled information from Strategies That Work, Harvey & Goudvis, 2007 18

19. Test Reading vs. Real Reading 19

20. Filling in Answer Bubbles for Multiple-Choice Questions 20

21. Answering Short-Answer Questions 21

22. Recognize the difference between literal and inferential questions 22

23. When I’m done with the test… 23

24. Strategies for Finishing the Test Within the Time Limit 24

25. Resources to Help You Find Sample Test Passages and Sample Test Questions to Use within the Mini-Lesson Framework  Interactive Read-Alouds by Linda Hoyt  See Infusing Test Language/Questions at the end of each lesson  Weave the use of these questions prior to the test for test preparation and after the test to develop strategic test takers/readers all year long.  Released Test Items from Wisconsin and Other States  Visit www.dpi.wi.us for the Wisconsin Released Items and administer the practice test to all your students prior to taking the WKCE.www.dpi.wi.us  Google other states to obtain more released items (most very similar to Wisconsin) to use for mini-lesson/guided practice passages. 25

26. Sample Pages from Interactive Read-Alouds

27. Use Following Slides as Suggested Mini-Lesson Ideas That Meet the Need of Your Students (As Needed) 27

28. Finding the Main Idea in Test Selections: Utilizing Inferring and Determining Importance Mini-Lesson Ideas

29. Finding the Main Idea in Test Selections: Utilizing Inferring and Determining Importance  Can I decide what is important in a picture and use this information to find the main idea?  Do I remember how to identify the main idea of a poem?  Can I find and understand main idea test talk? 29 -Greene & Melton, 2007

30. Sample Main Idea Test Questions  What is the main idea of this story?  Which sentence from the story best states its main idea?  What is this passage mainly about?  What does the author of this passage want the reader to know?  What is this story mostly about?  Which best states the main idea of ______________? 30 -Greene & Melton, 2007

31. Identifying Author’s Intent/Purpose in Test Selections Mini-Lesson Ideas

32. Identifying Author’s Intent /Purpose in Test Selections  Do I remember how to identify the author’s purpose for writing a specific text? (entertain, persuade, inform, instruct, describe)  Can I find and understand author’s intent test talk? 32 -Greene & Melton, 2007

33. Sample Author’s Intent / Purpose Test Questions about the Whole Passage  The author most likely wrote this passage to …  The poet most likely wrote this poem to…  The author both entertains and informs the reader by…  What was the author’s main purpose for writing this article?  The author probably wrote this article in order to…  The author probably wrote this poem in order to…  The author’s purpose in writing this passage was most likely to… 33 -Greene & Melton, 2007

34. Sample Author’s Intent / Purpose Test Questions about Parts of the Passage  The author included the last paragraph because it…  The author included the first two paragraphs in this passage in order to…  In the last paragraph the author uses words that…  The reason the author uses the phrase _______________ is to…  Why does the author use words like _________ or __________? 34 -Greene & Melton, 2007

35. Studying Words in Test Selections Mini-Lesson Ideas

36. Studying Words in Test Selections  Do I remember how word parts help me spell and understand the meaning of a word?  Can I find and understand word study test talk? 36 -Greene & Melton, 2007

37. Sample Word Study Test Questions  In paragraph two, the word…means…  In which word does re- mean the same as in reread?  Which word is the root word for…?  In which word does –ment mean the same as it does in the word settlement?  In the third stanza, the word ___________ means…  Read the definition entry above. Which definition matches the way the word “drew” is used in the following sentence: 37 -Greene & Melton, 2007

38. Fostering Poetic Knowledge Mini-Lesson Ideas

39. Fostering Poetic Knowledge  Do I remember and understand the conventions of poetry?  (white space, lines, line breaks, stanzas, similies, rhyme scheme [aabb, abca, abab], rhythm, free verse)  Can I find and understand poetry test talk? 39 -Greene & Melton, 2007

40. Sample Poetry Test Questions  In the fifth, stanza, the poem’s words gives the feeling of…  Which line tells of _______________________?  Which of the following is a theme of the poem?  In the third stanza, the words, “armed with nothing but tears and poetry” suggest that…  In lines thirteen and fourteen, the speaker suggests that…  The speaker is complaining of…  What is the rhyme pattern used in the poem ______________? 40 -Greene & Melton, 2007

41. Inferring to Build Meaning in Test Selections Mini-Lesson Ideas

42. Inferring to Build Meaning in Test Selections  Do I remember how to make an inference?  Do I understand how dialogue can help me infer character traits?  Can I understand inferring test talk? 42 -Greene & Melton, 2007

43. Sample Inferring Test Questions  What does the word ______________ mean?  How did _____________ probably feel as she walked home?  In line two, what does ______________ mean?  When ____________ saw the letter was an invitation to a pool party, she felt…  In line eight, what does the author suggest Tara will do next? 43 -Greene & Melton, 2007

44. Inferring “TEST TALK”-- Key Words to Know in Test Questions  hint  suggest  idea presented  felt 44 -Greene & Melton, 2007

45. “TEST TALK”– In Questions passage = story, text states = says, said mostly about = main idea/theme takes place = setting stanza line paragraph speaker  Not = except (causes the reader to think backwards, all but one mentality )  Which of these strategies is not helpful to a reader?  Which is not a main idea in this story?  All of the following describe ___________ except : 45 -Greene & Melton, 2007

46. “TEST TALK”-- In Answer Choices explaintell aboutintroduce teachpersuadecompare amuseentertainreveal provetell readers howdefine give informationfrightensummarize give instructionsconvincewarn 46 -Greene & Melton, 2007

47. “TEST TALK”-- In Answer Choices express a concernshow advertisedemonstrate negotiategive an example influenceprovide suspense inquiremake you laugh point outshow how to… be humoroushelp understand informdescribe encourage the reader to… 47 -Greene & Melton, 2007

48. Bibliography of Resources Used to Aid in Teaching the Test Reading Genre  Test Talk: Integrating Test Preparation into the Reading Workshop by Amy H. Greene & Glennon Doyle Melton  Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis (Chapter 15, The Genre of Test Reading)  Interactive Read-Alouds by Linda Hoyt (Infusing Test Language Excerpts)  Released Test Items (Practice Tests) from Wisconsin and other states 48