[MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .

[Carlevarom at aol.com]

Analyzing tests
 
When we analyze a test, we look at the question stem and decide what aspect  
of comprehension it takes to answer the question.  What we have  discovered is 
that many require inference. EX- many questions in a narrative  pertain to 
the character.  To be able to answer most character questions,  the reader must 
infer about the character through actions, speech, feelings.  description, 
etc.  The reader has to go back into the text and find the  supporting evidence. 
Then using that inference, the reader infers what the  character was thinking, 
why he did an act, or how he feels, etc.
 
If you analyze what thinking is involved is cause and effect, main idea,  
summarization, drawing conclusions, you will see that they require higher level  
thinking as well.  
 
Then, taking that information, we make a table of the what type of thinking  
was required.  We also match it to the particular state skill (TEK) to see  
how it correlates to that skill.  Whne you analyze your thinking as task  
analysis, you see the layers that are required.  
 
As for benchmarks. being a Texas school, we have been through the agony of  
how much testing is too much testing.  Our district does a short (2 -  3 
passages) test in the middle of October to see where the students are and  who needs 
support.  This helps with our long term planning.  Schools with lots of need 
have the option of another short test in  Dec.  In the middle of January we do 
a released test to see where we are  for the real TAKS.  So most schools have 
one short test in the fall, one  long test in the winter, and the real test 
in the spring.  We use this data  to hone in on the TEKS that need emphasis.  
Using data properly is  very important or all the testing is for nothing.  It 
is more than who  passed.  
 
My personal philosophy with testing is that if we apply the thinking  behind 
reading for depth, then a test passage is just one more form of text to  use.  
The difference is the questions at the end, which is another  specialized 
skill to teach.  I have the students answer the question  without looking at the 
answer choices first and then match their answer to one  of the choices.  That 
way they are really thinking and not using a gimmick  to answer the question. 
 We also use QAR.  Finally, our benchmarks  have open-ended questions on them 
also.
 
This is a very short answer to many topics, but I hope it helps.
Marsha