Transcript The State of Illinois Basic Skills Exam for Illinois Educators

The State of Illinois TAP Exam
for Illinois Educators
Reading Comprehension and
Vocabulary Development
Preparation is the Key to Success
• “What I do is prepare myself until I know I
can do what I have to do.”- Joe Namath
• “If you’re not prepared, it’s not pressure
you feel, it’s fear.” – Bruce Bochy
• “Before everything else, getting ready is
the secret of success.” – Henry Ford
Table of Contents
Strategic Preparation
Physical Preparation
Emotional Preparation
The Difference Between the
Basic Skills Test and TAP
Skill
Frequency
Inference: “Given the following information, 10
what can you conclude, infer, deduce…”
Organization :Outline of the major topics
8
Vocabulary :Words and expressions
8
Logic: Fallacies, bias, warrants, author
credibility, cause/effect, similarities
6
Organization :Main idea of the selection or
paragraph
4
Organization :Supporting details
4
Organization: Sequencing of ideas
3
Author’s purpose
3
Opinion vs Fact
3
Word Choice
2
Capitalization, introduction techniques
1 each
Preparing Yourself Strategically
• Most readers are not flexible; they read
everything the same way. The reading
comprehension portion of the state of
Illinois basic skills exam requires the ability
to comprehend challenging material and
therefore can not be read in the same way
you would read a novel or a magazine
article.
Preparing Yourself Strategically:
Previewing the Material
• Initially, it is important to see “the big
picture” in order to gain an overall
impression of the reading selection. Think
of this as looking at the picture on the front
of a jigsaw puzzle box before you begin to
and while you assemble the various
puzzle pieces.
Strategic Preparation:Previewing
the Material
Previewing the Material
Read the Reading
Comprehension
Questions
Read the Title
Read the First
Paragraphs
and the Conclusion
Read the Topic
Sentence of
Each Body
Paragraph
Preparing Strategically: Reading
the Comprehension Questions
• Initially, read the reading comprehension
questions to determine what will ultimately
be expected of you.
• By utilizing the “next” command, at the
bottom of your computer screen, you will
be able to fast-forward through all the
questions. By utilizing the “previous”
command, you can return to the beginning
of the task.
Preparing Strategically:Reading
the Title
• You probably do this anyway before
reading, but as a step to previewing, be
alert for what you can learn from the title:
– The author’s subject
– How the author feels about the subject
Preparing Strategically: Reading
the Introductory Paragraph (s)
An introductory paragraph (s) can be very
informative:
1. Primarily, it will state the topic of the selection
and the author’s approach to the topic.
2. Additionally, it may capture the audience’s
attention, give background on the topic, and
develop the audience’s interest in the topic by
telling an anecdote, presenting interesting
facts, explaining a history, offering a definition,
utilizing a quote, explaining the topic’s
significance, or posing a question.
Preparing Strategically :Reading
the Conclusion
• The conclusion of the reading selection is often
a gold mine of information. Not only does it
often restate the main idea of the entire
selection, but it also can
– Emphasize the main ideas of the selection
– Draw conclusions
– Evaluate what has been done or determine the
significance of what has been said
– Echo the introduction
– Offer a solution
– Offer encouragement
– Offer a course of action
Reading the Body Paragraphs’
Topic Sentences
• A body paragraph contains a topic sentence that
can be in locations other than the first sentence.
• The topic sentence previews the content of the
body paragraph.
• The topic sentence may even indicate how the
paragraph is going to be developed: narration,
description, examples, process analysis,
comparison/contrast, division/classification,
definition, causal analysis or a combination.
Preparing Strategically: Reading
the Selection and Marking
• After reading the reading comprehension
questions and previewing the selection, be
prepared to read the selection and utilize your
laminated boards.
• Utilizing the boards, improves concentration
and attention because it focuses more of your
faculties, encourages thinking about the text,
improves memory, and helps locate key material
more easily.
Preparation Strategically:Using the
Author’s Signs and Symbols
• Be aware of the author’s use of numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), letters (a,b,c,
etc.), or words and phrases indicating sequence, enumeration, or
relative importance (first,next, finally, before).
• Be aware of the author’s use of typographic abnormalities such as
bold face, italic, or any other unusual font; boxes; small or large
print; indentations; or color changes. All of these are requests to the
reader to take special note of the content.
• Be aware of transition words of all sorts: forward signals
(furthermore, in the same way, additionally), counter signals
(contrastingly, nevertheless, on the contrary), summary signals
(therefore, consequently, thus) and terminal signals (as a result,
finally, in conclusion).
• Be aware of words that are repeated or their synonyms – particularly
in the introduction and the conclusion.
How to Use the Laminate
Sheets
1.
2.
3.
• On the laminate sheet, place a numbers to correspond to the number of
paragraphs in the selection.
• Try to visualize the structure of each paragraph, by placing the main idea and all
supporting detail next to the appropriate number on the laminate sheet.
• Abbreviations should be used when note-taking, graphing, or outlining. Drawing
pictures is also helpful when placing thoughts on the laminate sheet.
• Alternate between the laminate sheet, the actual text, and the questions to
determine the most appropriate responses to the questions.
• Fortunately, the selection will always remain to the left of your screen; no more
flipping through pages!
Just a Word about Building
Vocabulary
• The use of contextual aids and familiarity
with affixes and roots are two aids for
promoting word growth. Many times when
reading the selection, you may be tempted
to skip unfamiliar words. If done too often,
this may affect your comprehension.
Vocabulary: Contextual Aids
Determining Word
Meaning through
Context
Definition
Example
Contrast
Inference
Vocabulary:Context Clues
– Definition:Formal definition: Horology is the science of
measuring time.
– Definition:Indirect definition: Hypochondria, excessive worry
over one’s health, afflicts many Americans over the age of forty.
– Example: Toxic materials, such as, arsenic, asbestos,
pesticides, and lead can cause permanent bodily damage.
– Contrast: During the concert the audience was quiet, but
afterward the crowd became boisterous.
– Inference: My father is a versatile man: he is a successful
business man, sportsman, author, and sports car mechanic.
Vocabulary :Affixes and Roots
• By utilizing your knowledge of common
prefixes, roots, and suffixes sometimes
you are able to determine the meaning of
an unfamiliar word. For example, look at
the word “ biography”. “bio” = “life”
“graph” = write
Biography means, literally, to write about
life.
Finally, Answer the Questions
• Read the questions very carefully.
• Before reading the possible responses,
think of your response.
• Read ALL the possible responses
carefully.
• Try to eliminate incorrect alternatives
rather than looking for the “right” answer.
• Answer the easy questions first, then the
moderately difficult ones, and finally the
most difficult questions.
Preparation:Physical
•
•
•
•
Get plenty of sleep.
Practice relaxation. Breathe
Dress in layers.
Eat well: Fresh fruit and vegetables help reduce stress;
caffeine, sugar, and junk food aggravate the situation.
• Have your picture-ID with your signature.
• Relieve the monotony of the reading comprehension test
and improve your concentration by interspersing it with
other portions of the exam. If the reading exam is the
only one you are taking, take a break after every third
selection.
Preparation: Emotional
• Maintain a positive attitude.
• Get acquainted with the test by visiting the state of
Illinois website for sample reading passages, questions,
and answers.
• Simulate the testing environment.
• Ask questions of others who have taken the exam or
faculty members, but try to avoid excessive negative,
counter-productive chatter.
• Utilize good luck charms or any other token that helps
you to be confident.
• Remember some anxiety is helpful- a little bit of
nervousness will keep you alert. Accept this as natural
and helpful.
Thank You for Coming