D12's STAAR (TEXAS standardized test) report, please help.

[VANURSEPRAC]

D12's STAAR Report came in.

 

6th grade is tested on reading and math.

 

She did fine in math missing one question.

 

However in reading: she missed 4 questions all in nonfiction reading analysis.

 

Any suggestions what we can do to shore up this weakness.

 

She will be taking WWSI in the fall.

 

She enjoys reading dystopia  type fiction and very little outside that genre.

 

 

 

 

 

[Caroline]

Non-fiction texts tend to be at a higher Lexile level than the counterpart fiction texts on these tests. It could just be that the non-fiction text didn't hold her interest. That said, I would find some articles from magazines or newspapers or on-line that interest her and discuss them. 

[OneStepAtATime]

Yes, maybe just read some current events articles each day and discuss.  Keep the sessions short, though.  Don't spend hours on this.  She honestly did well.  Non-fiction is usually just a bit more challenging.  There is frequently no narrative to hold it together in your head, KWIM?  That skill takes time to develop for a lot of kids.

[VANURSEPRAC]

Wildiris  posted about Kelly Gallagher's " Article of the Week".

 

We are gonna give it a try, but slow it down to one article every 2 weeks.

 

Thank you guys!

[Caroline]

I think that is a great idea. 

[gstharr]

My new 5th grader has the same problem. Highest percentile in all other  areas, even reading comprehension,  but 50% at reading for details.  Math tests are pretty straight forward.  Reading is full of subtley and test traps. His biggest problem is that he relies on what he already knows on non-fiction material.  So, if he see the topic is whales, off he goes to the answers.  I'm trying to make him slow down, and understand that if a passage states whales are pink, the answer is whales are pink.  Also, trying to make him understand that when there is the all of the above, none of the above, that he has to check each of the above.   Also, pointing out that on a fill-in-the blank question, most of  time there is the word that is so tempting for the know it all,  but a softer word is the best answer.  We practice weekly with a question  or two  from 6-7th grade test  materials.  When we work together, he is showing improvement.  On his own, he still still rushes and falls into the traps. Oh well, still have a few months before the next round of testing.

 

If you go this approach, you might want to use upper level isee or ssat, and psat materials.

[VANURSEPRAC]

My new 5th grader has the same problem. Highest percentile in all other  areas, even reading comprehension,  but 50% at reading for details.  Math tests are pretty straight forward.  Reading is full of subtley and test traps. His biggest problem is that he relies on what he already knows on non-fiction material.  So, if he see the topic is whales, off he goes to the answers.  I'm trying to make him slow down, and understand that if a passage states whales are pink, the answer is whales are pink.  Also, trying to make him understand that when there is the all of the above, none of the above, that he has to check each of the above.   Also, pointing out that on a fill-in-the blank question, most of  time there is the word that is so tempting for the know it all,  but a softer word is the best answer.  We practice weekly with a question  or two  from 6-7th grade test  materials.  When we work together, he is showing improvement.  On his own, he still still rushes and falls into the traps. Oh well, still have a few months before the next round of testing.

 

If you go this approach, you might want to use upper level isee or ssat, and psat materials.

 

 

Thank you for a great idea!