STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF
ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR)
Grades 3−8 Reading
Grades 4 and 7 Writing
English I, II, and III
Victoria Young
Director of Reading, Writing, and
Social Studies Assessments
Texas Education Agency
Version 2
STAAR Reading
2
STAAR reading assessments will emphasize
students’ ability
to “go beyond” a literal understanding of
what they read
to make connections within and across
texts (“across texts” begins at grade 4 on
STAAR but needs to begin much earlier
instructionally)
to think critically/inferentially about different
types of texts
STAAR Reading
3
STAAR reading assessments will emphasize
students’ ability
to understand how to use text evidence to
confirm the validity of their ideas (new on
STAAR—understanding how text evidence
works with poetry, drama, and persuasive
pieces; e.g., text evidence for drama
includes both dialogue and stage directions)
Student Success in Reading
and on STAAR
4
Students must be provided in-depth instruction
in all genres represented by the ELA/R TEKS
Students must learn to analyze both fiction and
expository genres—the readiness genres—at
elementary, middle, and high school
Instruction must emphasize critical/inferential
thinking rather than isolated skills
Students must be able to make connections
between different genres and strands (and be
able to “see” the thematic links)
Student Success in Reading
and on STAAR
5
Students must understand the relationship
between reading test-taking strategies and
making meaning.
Students must learn to use reading test-taking
strategies judiciously, especially given the 4hour time limit.
STAAR Written Composition
6
Students will write two one-page essays (26 lines
maximum) addressing different types of writing
Grade 4−personal narrative and expository
Grade 7−personal narrative (with extension) and
expository
English I−literary and expository
English II−expository and persuasive
English III−persuasive and analytical
Essays will be weighted equally
No “gatekeeper” (automatic fail of the writing test
for a 1)
STAAR Writing Prompts
7
Expository, persuasive, and analytical
prompts contain a stimulus and are
scaffolded:
Read, Think, Write, Be Sure to −
STAAR Writing Prompts—Scaffolding
8
Read: A short synopsis of some kind or a
quotation
Think: The synopsis or quotation generalized
and reworded
Write: An even more focused rewording
Be Sure to: 4−5 bullets here (stating a clear
thesis, organizing your writing, developing it,
choosing words carefully, proofreading)
STAAR Grade 4 Expository
Scaffolding
9
READ the information in the box below.
There are people in our lives who
are special to us. Sometimes this
person is a teacher or coach, a
brother or sister, or even a friend.
THINK about the people you care about.
WRITE about one person who has been important
to you. Explain what makes that person special.
STAAR Grade 4 Expository
Scaffolding
10
Be sure to—
clearly state your central idea
organize your writing
develop your writing in detail
choose your words carefully
use correct spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, grammar, and sentences
STAAR Grade 7 Expository
Scaffolding
11
READ the following quotation.
A famous businessman once said,
“Players win games; teams win
championships.”
THINK carefully about the following statement.
Sometimes you can accomplish good things by
yourself but better things with other people.
STAAR Grade 7 Expository
Scaffolding
12
WRITE an essay explaining whether it is better
to work by yourself or with a group.
Be sure to—
clearly state your controlling idea
organize and develop your explanation
effectively
choose your words carefully
use correct spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, grammar, and sentences
STAAR English II Persuasive
Scaffolding
13
READ the following quotation.
Authentic patriotism is not about you,
what you believe or what you think is
right….Authentic patriotism is not
an opinion. It is an action.
—Stephen Kiernan
Think carefully about the following statement.
Some people define themselves by what they believe,
while others allow their actions to speak for them.
STAAR English II Persuasive
Scaffolding
14
WRITE an essay stating your position on which
is more important: what a person thinks or what
a person does.
Be sure to—
state your position clearly
use appropriate organization
provide specific support for your argument
choose your words carefully
edit your writing for grammar, mechanics,
and sentences
STAAR Analytical Essay
15
A combination of expository writing and
interpretation of one aspect of a literary or
expository text
Analytical prompts contain a literary or
informational text (approximately 350−450
words), which students must analyze
Score based on the student’s ability to
interpret the text and support it with
relevant textual evidence (15C) AND
quality of the writing (criteria under
expository writing in 15A)
STAAR Personal Narrative
16
Personal narrative prompts contain a stimulus
and are scaffolded, though less so than other
prompts.
Grade 4—SE 17(A) write about important personal
experiences
Grade 7—16(A) write a personal narrative that has
a clearly defined focus and communicates the
importance of or reasons for actions and/or
consequences
Personal narratives must be based on students’
real experiences—they cannot be fictional!
(Literary writing: 16[A] at grade 4 and 15[A] at
grade 7.)
STAAR Literary Writing
17
Literary prompts (English I) also contain a
stimulus and are scaffolded.
English I Knowledge and Skill Statement:
Students write literary texts to express their ideas
and feelings about real or imagined people,
events, and ideas.
STAAR based on SE 14(A): write an engaging
story with a well-developed conflict and
resolution, interesting and believable characters,
and a range of literary strategies (e.g., dialogue,
suspense) and devices to enhance the plot
Literary responses can be real or fictional!
STAAR Personal Narrative Prompt
Grade 4
18
Look at the picture below.
It takes talent to balance a basketball on your finger.
Write about a time when you discovered that you were good at
something.
STAAR Grade 7 Personal Narrative
Scaffolding
19
Look at the picture below.
Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision because there are
so many choices.
Write a personal narrative about a time when you had to
make a decision. Be sure to write about the choice you
made and describe what happened as a result of your
decision.
STAAR English I Literary
20
Look at the photograph.
PHOTOGRAPH
Write a story about ____________. Be sure that your
story is focused and complete and that it has an
interesting plot and engaging characters.
STAAR Writing—What We’ve
Learned So Far
21
Trends we noted across grades from the 2011
field tests
Synthesizing across the Read, Think, Write
Some students scored 1s and 2s because they
could not move from the stimulus (the “Read”)
to the generalization (the “Think”) to the charge
(the “Write about”). Students who did not
synthesize information across the prompt
tended to have these problems:
getting stuck in the stimulus
ignoring the charge and writing only about
the “Think” statement
STAAR Writing—What We’ve Learned So Far
22
Trends we noted across grades during the
scoring of the 2011 STAAR field tests
Form/purpose match Many students scored 1s
and 2s because their overall organizational
structure and form did not match the purpose
for writing or were weakly matched. Some
students started out in the right form but then
“drifted” into another purpose:
personal narrative instead of expository
fantasy instead of personal narrative
expository instead of personal narrative
STAAR Writing—What We’ve
Learned So Far
23
Trends we noted across grades from the 2011
field tests
Central or controlling idea: Essential in writing a
focused and coherent expository piece as well as
a focused and coherent persuasive or analytical
piece in high school
Personal narratives also need a narrow focus.
STAAR Writing—What We’ve
Learned So Far
24
Trends we noted across grades from the 2011
field tests
The effect of one page
High scores require an economical use of space:
tight, specific, logical development—no wasted
words.
Short, effective introduction and conclusion
Bottom line: Both planning and revision are
absolutely essential since students don’t have the
space to “write their way into” a better piece.
Students will have 2½ blank pages per prompt in
the test booklet for planning purposes.
How Not to Begin a Composition
25
People view things differently and see it in their own way.
They also have different opinions, and each person thinks
no one is right but themselves. Quotations are thought
through very differently from everyone else. It all depends
on the way you think and how you view things in life.
(This introduction takes up the first 5 of the 26 lines.)
In a Nutshell—Lower Score Range
26
Typical Problems in Lower-Scoring Responses
Wrong organizational structure/form for purpose
Weak, evolving, or nonexistent central
idea/controlling idea
Wasted space: repetition, wordiness,
looping/meandering, meaningless introductions and
conclusions, development that does not contribute
(e.g., the “bed-to-bed” approach)
Inclusion of too many different ideas for 1 page
General/vague/imprecise use of language or
inappropriate tone for purpose
Essay poorly crafted
Weak conventions
In a Nutshell—Higher Score Range
27
Typical Strengths in Higher-Scoring Responses
Strong match between structure/form and
purpose
Explicit central or controlling idea and sustained
focus
“Narrow and deep” development with no wasted
words or space
Think Quality over Quantity!
Introduction and conclusion short but effective
Specific use of language and appropriate tone for
purpose
Essay well crafted
Strong conventions
(Remember: “Strong” doesn’t mean “Perfect”!)
Adjacent Scoring for STAAR
28
TAKS compositions were scored using the “perfect
agreement” model. Two readers read each paper, and if
the scores did not agree, a third reader (and
sometimes a fourth) read the paper to determine the
final score.
STAAR compositions will be scored using the
“adjacent scoring” model. Perfect agreement does not
have to be reached. With this method, districts will
receive a more accurate description of each student’s
writing performance.
Adjacent Scoring for STAAR
29
CONTACT INFORMATION
30
Victoria Young
Director of Reading, Writing, and Social
Studies Assessments
Texas Education Agency
512-463-9536
victoria.young@tea.state.tx.us
In the Shoes of Struggling Writers
32
We must recognize that writing
coherent paragraphs and
essays involves engaging in a
number of activities
simultaneously.
Struggling Writers (cont.)
33
•
•
Formation of letters: whether students use
manuscript, cursive, or word processor, part of
the brain is engaged with this process.
Spelling of words: even if students are not
penalized for spelling, they must still sound out
and spell the words they choose so the reader
can understand what is being written.
Struggling Writers (cont.)
34
•
•
Formation of sentences: students must write
coherent sentences, including mechanics (i.e.,
grammar, punctuation, usage) and structure
(i.e., sentence quality and variety).
Paragraph structure: students must apply what
they have learned regarding introductory,
supporting, and concluding
sentences/paragraphs.
Struggling Writers (cont.)
35
Content: a topic chosen from students’ own
experiences is the most simple and direct content;
eventually, students must write about topics
assigned by content or teachers.
Audience: students must determine the purpose
of the assignment, the intended audience, and
the approach to be taken in order to match
written piece with that audience.
Struggling Writers (cont.)
36
For a struggling writer, the amount of memory
devoted to tasks that a competent writer has
already automatized prevents appropriate,
typical dedication to the more cognitive acts:
idea generation and organization. If a part of
your mind is taken, for example, with spelling
and handwriting, it becomes difficult to create
coherent text for your audience.
DATABASES
38
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LIVEBINDERS
39
Released Tests
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Examples of Read, Think, Write
Writing Format
• New York Board of Regents
• State of Virginia