Kaplan Advantage: SAT Critical
Reading and Writing
Warm-Up: Critical Reading and Writing
French army captain Alfred Dreyfus was
unjustly ---- for the crime of espionage, but he
was later ----.
(A) fabricated…vindicated
(B) condemned…obviated
(C) incarcerated…exculpated
(D) convoked…disbursed
(E) promoted...absolved
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It’s not what students know—
it’s what they show!
Knowledge
Performance
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What causes the gap?
Pieces of the Puzzle
A broad
range of
content
Rigidly
timed
High
stakes
An essay in
25 minutes
How do we bridge that gap?
Knowledge
Performance
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Foundations of Test Readiness
Know the
STRATEGIES
Know the TEST
Know the CONTENT
application
of content
knowledge
to the test
instruction
of concepts
and skills
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Agenda
I. Understanding the SAT
II. Program Structure
A. Student Introduction
B. Assessments
C. Appendix
D. Lesson Structure
III. Critical Thinking for Test Readiness: TestTaking Strategies
IV. Essay Scoring and Strategies
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SAT Format
Sections
Timing
Question Type and (#)
Two 25-min. sections Sentence Completions (19)
One 20-min. section Reading Comprehension (48)
Critical
Reading
Mathematics
Two 25-min. sections Multiple-Choice (44)
One 20-min. section Grid-ins (10)
One 25-min. section
Writing
One 10-min. section
One 25-min. essay
Experimental
One 25-min. section
Identifying Sentence Errors (18)
Improving Sentences (25)
Improving Paragraphs (6)
• Questions assess either Critical
Reading, Math, or Writing
• Does not count toward score
http://www.collegeboard.com/newsat/
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How the SAT is Scored
Raw Score
• Students receive 1 point for every correct answer.
• For every incorrect answer to a MC question, they lose
1/4 point.
• There is no guessing penalty for grid-in questions.
Scaled Score
• Each section is scored 200-800. (Critical Reading,
Writing, Mathematics)
• The maximum score is 2400.
• The average score is 1500.
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Guessing: Can it work?
What happens if a student guesses on five questions?
Result:
no gain, no loss.
But if we could eliminate a few answers each time…
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The SAT is Standardized
norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced
SAT Distribution Curve
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Section Score
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The Bell Curve
200
400
500
600
800
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Program Organization:
Critical Reading and Writing
Student
Introduction
Provides a brief introduction to the SAT and to the SAT
Advantage program
Unit 1
Reading Comprehension
Unit 2
Sentence Completions
MPT
Unit 3
MPT
Unit 4
MPT
Appendix
Mini Practice Test: Critical Reading
Grammar and Usage
Mini Practice Test: Grammar and Usage
Essay
Mini Practice Test: Essay
SAT Grammar & Vocabulary in a Nutshell
Each lesson can be delivered in 45-60 minutes.
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Student Introduction
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Assessments
Type
Mini
Practice
Test
FullLength
Practice
Test
Basics
• 3 tests
• Allows students to apply
strategies they have just
learned to SAT-like
questions
• Provides students with a
test-like experience in
terms of content and
length
Timing
25 min.
each
60 min.
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Appendix: SAT Critical Reading and
Writing in a Nutshell
Overview
SmartPoints
Content
• p. A1
• Appendix teaching suggestions
• p. A3
• Ranks most frequently tested skills
• pp. A4-A33
• Content summarizing sections
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Unit Introduction
Objectives identified for
each lesson in the unit
Explanations of strategies students will
learn
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Advantage SAT: Lesson Structure
PROGRAM
COMPONENT
Thinking KAP
Instruction
DESCRIPTION
APPROX.
TIME
Each lesson begins with a brief
warm-up activity.
4 Min.
Students learn new strategies
and practice them with feedback
from the teacher.
24 Min.
Students practice applying the
Independent
strategies on their own and then
Practice
review their work.
Students reflect on what they
KAP Wrap
have learned in the lesson.
12 Min.
5 Min.
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Thinking KAP
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Instruction
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Student Supports
Hints that
support working
with the content
Provides helpful
information
about the SAT
Opportunity to
apply strategies
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Independent Practice
• 6-8 questions in each section
• Hints provided for each question
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Reviewing Independent Practice
As Students Work:
Redirect students as needed
by asking effective
questions.
To Review:
Focus on students’
solutions, not their answers.
Look out for classic traps.
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KAP Wrap
Purpose:
To apply, review, and
reflect on strategies
Complete:
For homework, for a journal
entry, with a partner, or
alone
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Instructional Support
Content Background boxes
provide content tips as needed.
Teacher’s Notes provide tips
from mentor teachers.
Hazard symbols alert you to
common student errors.
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Activity: Teacher and Student Roles
• In each section of the lesson, what does the
teacher do?
• What does the student do?
• What would you do differently?
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Unit 1, Lesson 1
•Thinking KAP, session guide page 17
•Instruction, session guide pages 18-21
•Independent Practice, session guide pages 22-23
•KAP Wrap, session guide page 24
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Critical Thinking:
Knowing what to do NEXT!
But how do we teach it?
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Meeting the Challenges
Kaplan’s programs meet the
challenges of test taking with a
toolbox of strategies.
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Activity: Strategy Synopsis
Using your assigned strategy:
• Summarize the strategy in your session guide (pp. 25-30).
• Present your strategy to the group in a 3-minute
presentation.
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Strategy:
Knowing vs. Knowing
Sort of Know
Know for Sure!
Don’t
Have
a Clue
Sort of Know
Don’t
Have
a Clue
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Plan an Essay
Carefully consider the following quote and the
assignment below it.
“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much
from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and
uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”
Albert Einstein, Autobiography
Assignment: Does reading divert us from creative work? In
an essay, support your position by discussing an example (or
examples) from literature, the arts, science and technology,
current events, or your own experience or observations.
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How is the Essay Scored?
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Scoring Guide
6: Clear and consistent mastery
5: Reasonably consistent mastery
4: Adequate mastery
3: Developing mastery
2: Little mastery
1: Very little or no mastery
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/higher
ed/ra/sat/2007-08_sat_program_handbook.pdf
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Anchor Papers
Read each anchor paper and identify the defining
qualities of each paper by considering the following:
• Point of view
• Support
• Organization
• Use of language
• Mechanics
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Essay Scoring Criteria
• Use the Essay Scoring Guide.
• Read quickly to gain an impression of the
whole essay.
• Read the entire essay before scoring, and then
score it immediately.
• Read supportively, looking for and rewarding what
is done well than what is done badly or omitted.
• Disregard the quality of handwriting.
• Judge an essay by its quality, not by its length.
• Understand that no one aspect of writing is more
important than another.
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/satreasoning/scores/essay
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Strategy for Essay Writing
PROMPT
PLAN
PRODUCE
PROOFREAD
Know it and understand it.
Collect your ideas.
Write the essay.
Read for consistency and errors.
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Plan
• Take a position.
• Write a thesis.
• Create an outline—Formula for a Five-Paragraph Essay
Produce
• Write a strong introduction.
• Write strong body paragraphs—Say it! Support it!
Explain it!
• Write a strong conclusion.
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How will you implement
Advantage?
• When will you start the program? When will
you need to end the program?
• How many days a week will you devote? How
many minutes of each day will you devote?
2007-2008 SAT Test Dates
• March 1, 2008
• May 3, 2008
• June 7, 2008
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Implementation Tips
Section
Page Number
Thinking KAP
p. vi
Instruction
p. vii
Independent
Practice
p. viii
KAP Wrap
p. ix
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Planning a Lesson
Activity: Using the planning guide on pages
43 and 44 in your session guide, plan a
lesson that you will use with your class.
• Review the sample lesson on pages 41 and 42 in
your session guide.
• Use the implementation tips from the Teacher’s
Introduction.
• Use the guiding questions on your lesson
planning guide.
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Kaplan K12 Mission Statement
We partner with schools to provide high-quality
instructional programs that improve results and
help all students achieve.
If you have questions,
please contact us at:
advantage@kaplan.com
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