Targeting the TAKS
Open-Ended Response
Hitting the Mark in the
ELA Classroom
TCTELA
41st Annual Conference
January 20, 2006
Welcome!
Diane Peterson
Education Specialist, Secondary Language Arts
dpeterson@esc4.net
713.744.6829
Writing Responses for the
TAKS Open-Ended Items
Examine open-ended item student responses
to identify the qualities and components of a
successful response. Participants will analyze
the TAKS Reading Rubrics and discuss the
resultant “best practices” in the ELA
classroom.
Plans
1. Successful responses—what should be
included?
2. Content scoring—what skills does the
open-ended item assess?
3. Best practices—what should I see in
the ELA classroom?
Improved
Student
Achievement
Curriculum
Written Curriculum (TEKS)
Identified Standards
English, 2000
Successful Responses
What should be
included?
What Is the “OER”?
OER = Open-Ended Response
The TAKS open-ended items are three short answer
questions that require the student to write a multisentence response. These items are based upon
the “triplet” found in the Reading/ELA section of
TAKS assessments for grades 9-11 Exit.
What Is the Triplet?
1st Part:
a published literary work, either a short
story or an excerpt from a novel
What Is the Triplet?
2nd Part:
a published expository (informational,
nonfiction) passage, either an article from a
newspaper or magazine, an excerpt from a
memoir, a journal entry, essay, editorial, or an
excerpt from a biography or autobiography
What Is the Triplet?
3rd Part:
a visual media selection reflecting a web
page, advertisement, or poster which
enables students to make visual
connections to the other two passages
What Is the Triplet?
1st part (literary) +
2nd part (expository) +
3rd part (visual media) =
a thematically-linked triplet!
What “Parts” Are Needed for a Successful
Response?



TWO-PARTER: Students must offer a
reasonable idea and pull textual evidence
that validates that idea.
THREE-PARTER: Change questions call for
two pieces of evidence.
FOUR-PARTER: Cross-over responses
must include analysis from each piece and
evidence from each piece.
Crafting a Response
1. Provide a clear answer to the question.
2. Provide multiple pieces of support directly from
the passage. Direct quotations (usually partial), paraphrases (author’s
words in student writer’s own words), or synopses (specific summary) are
acceptable. All sentences should connect to each other and it should be clear why
the evidence given is significant to the answer.
3. Connect the answer to the support.
This is not done with
a separate sentence but should be clear from the idea and choice of evidence.
4. Craft the answer into a coherent, logical
progression of ideas and evidence that answers
the question fully and proves the statement.
Why Use OER Items?
•
TAKS open-ended items are short answer
questions such as those typically asked of
English/Language Arts students in class.
•
They are linked to TAKS Objectives 2 and 3 and
the corresponding foundational TEKS (10B).
•
This provides a clear connection between the
TAKS assessment and classroom instruction.
Content Scoring
What skills does the
open-ended item assess?
Content Scoring




Items are part of the reading portion of the
TAKS and are content scored.
Responses must include a reasonable idea
(analysis) and textual support (evidence).
Writing skills are not assessed here. Only
clarity is mentioned in the rubrics.
These responses are judged conceptually,
not contextually.
What Skill is Tested (TEKS)?
(10) Reading/literary response. The student
expresses and supports responses to
various types of texts. The student is
expected to:
(B)
and
use elements of text to defend,
clarify, and negotiate responses
interpretations.
Types of Items
Objective 2: The student will apply
knowledge of literary elements to
understand culturally diverse written texts.
The first open-ended item is based on the
literary selection.
Types of Items
Objective 3: The student will demonstrate
the ability to analyze and critically evaluate
culturally diverse written texts and visual
representations.
The second item is based on the
expository selection.
Types of Items
Objective 3: The student will demonstrate
the ability to analyze and critically
evaluate culturally diverse written texts
and visual representations.
The third item is based on both
selections.
What Are Rubrics?
•
•
Powerful instructional tools that clarify
expectations
Explicitly worded descriptions for each score
point
Teaching is targeted.
Student performance is focused.
Three Rubrics
There is a specific rubric for each openended item.
Examine each rubric
(literary, expository, and
crossover)
for similarities and
differences
of each score
point.
Students as Self-Assessors
“Students who are taught to
use criteria know when they are
doing well, without waiting for
outside confirmation, and when
things go wrong, they know what
to do about it.”
Spandel, 2001
0
Insufficient



Too general or vague to
determine whether it is
reasonable
~OR~
Incorrect interpretation not
based on text
~OR~
Plot summary
1
Partially Sufficient



Analysis only
~OR~
Evidence only
~OR~
Analysis-Evidence
connection unclear
or vague
2
Sufficient

Analysis and relevant
evidence present

Analysis-Evidence
connection clear and
specific
3
Exemplary

Particularly thoughtful or
insightful analysis and/or
evidence

Analysis-Evidence connection
shows depth of understanding
Using Student Responses
1. Read the passage, annotate, discuss.
2. View the Open-Ended Item.
3. View the appropriate rubric.
4. Answer the item with a partner, save responses.
5. View the components of a successful answer.
6. View the samples and discuss their scoring.
7. Evaluate responses in light of samples.
Best Practices
What should I see in
the ELA classroom?
Research Confirms



All students benefit from a strong reading and
writing connection.
When students respond through writing to
what they have read, writing and reading
improve.
Written responses require higher-order
thinking and critical-thinking skills.
“Thoughtful Literacy”
Remembering
≠
Understanding
_____________________________________
_
Recitation of Texts
≠
Consideration and Discussion of Alllington,
Texts 2001
“Thoughtful Literacy”

We should “construct lessons that help make
the comprehension processes visible.”

Students need “demonstrations of effective
strategy use.”
Alllington, 2001
systematic,
explicit
instruction
teacher
modeling
guided
practice
independent
practice
assessing progress
and
adjusting
instruction
Gradual Release Model
•
explicit, systematic instruction
•
model and demonstrate strategies
•
guided practice
•
independent practice
•
monitor and assess student progress
Teaching the OER
• Finding Evidence
• Citing Evidence
o
o
using quotes, paraphrase, and synopsis
learning when to use each type of evidence
• Connecting evidence to analysis (or answer)
Remember—this is not a connection to “real world” or a new idea!
• Comparing works of literature (or art)
Teaching the OER
•
Students need multiple, frequent opportunities to
practice the skills involved in successfully responding
to an open-ended item.
•
Teachers must model the skills involved and provide
opportunities for guided practice before independent
practice or assessment.
•
Since multiple skills are involved, teachers must focus
on the discrete skills as well as the “big picture.”
What About the Writing Process?
Since multiple skills are involved, teachers must focus
on the discrete skills as well as the “big picture.”
•
Analyzing texts to find an answer
(close reading, annotating, graphic organizers,
discussion, questioning)
•
Forming a coherent answer
What About the Writing Process?
(1)
Writing/purposes. The student writes in a variety
of forms, including business, personal, literary, and
persuasive texts, for various audiences and purposes.
The student is expected to:
(B)
(C)
write in a voice and style appropriate to
audience and purpose; and
organize ideas in writing to ensure coherence,
logical progression, and support for ideas.
What About the Writing Process?
(1)
Writing/writing processes. The student uses
recursive writing processes when appropriate.
The student is expected to:
(B)
and
(C)
develop drafts by organizing and
reorganizing content and by refining style
to suit occasion, audience, and purpose;
proofread writing for appropriateness of
organization, content, style, and
conventions.
What About the Writing Process?
Even though the open-ended item is part of
the reading assessment, the writing process
still applies as the students craft their
responses.
1. Prewriting the parts
2. Rough draft in test booklet
3. Final copy in the lined
boxes
Close Reading
CLOSE READING is a careful application of a
“microscope” or “binoculars” to a text, enabling the
reader to go beyond literal meaning and experience
the author’s craft.
ANNOTATING is the backbone of close reading.
What is Annotating?
•A
writing-to-learn strategy
•For
use while reading or rereading
•Helps
readers reach a deeper level of
engagement
•Promotes active reading
•“Dialogue with the text” (Probst)
•A
visible record of the thoughts that emerge
while making sense of the reading
Teaching the OER
Ask students to identify the ways readers
think about text while reading, such as:
Making
predictions
Asking questions
Stating opinions
Analyzing the author’s craft
Making connections
Reflecting on the content
Reflecting on their own reading process
Annotation Bookmark
BEFORE READING:
 Examine the front and back covers (books)
 Read the title and any subtitles
 Examine the illustrations
 Examine the print (bold, italics, etc.)
 Examine the way the text is set up (book, short story,
diary, dialogue, article, etc.)
As you examine and read these, write questions,
and make predictions and/or connections near these
parts of the text.
Annotation Bookmark
DURING READING:
 Mark in the text:
 Characters (who)

When (setting)

Where (setting)

Vocabulary ~~~~~

_______ Important information
Annotation Bookmark
DURING READING:
 Write in the margins:
 Summarize
 Make predictions
 Formulate opinions
 Make connections
 Ask questions
 Analyze the author’s craft
 Write reflections/reactions/comments
 Look for patterns/repetitions
Annotation Bookmark
AFTER READING:
 Reread annotations—draw conclusions
 Reread introduction and conclusion—try to figure
out something new
 Examine patterns/repetitions—determine possible
meanings
 Determine what the title might mean
Use the “After Reading” strategies to write
a notebook entry.
How to Teach Annotating






Use short story that can be read in one period
Make each student a copy of story
Make a transparency of each page
Give students Annotating Bookmarks
Make a transparency of Bookmark
Create a coding system with different marks
for surface meaning and deep-meaning ideas
Annotation Lesson
Read
first page to students while they
read along.
Have students mark text using coding system.
Stop at end of page.
Allow
Ask
students to go back and add marks.
students to share what they have marked.
Make
the same marks on the transparency.
Ask for comments and write in margin.
Annotation Methods
•Photocopy the document.
•Use a dialectical journal.
•Use index cards.
•Use Post-it® notes or flags.
•Use highlighter tape.
Research-Based Questioning
Strategies
Creating Questions
Use question stems to create questions for literary pieces
you are reading in class.
Literary Stems
What was one conflict ____ faced in “_____”?
In “____” how does ____ connect to _____?
How does _____ change from the beginning to the end of
“___”?
What is the major conflict _____ faces in “_____”?
Creating Questions
Literary Stems
In “______,” what does ____ learn from his/her
experience with ____?
In “_____,” why does ____
____?
(character) (action)
Creating Questions
Expository Stems
In “_____,” has ____ fulfilled his/her dream?
In “_____,” how have the author’s experiences shaped
his/her attitude toward others?
How does the author’s attitude toward _____ change
over the course of “_____”?
Creating Questions
Expository Stems
Why is “_____” a good title for this selection?
Why are memories of _____ important to _____?
In “____,” who do you think is more successful, ____
or ____?
Creating Questions
Crossover Stems
How does the idea of taking a risk apply to both “___”
and “___”?
How do the parents in “___” and “____” attempt to
share their cultural heritage with their children?
Which of the siblings from “____” and “____” would
you like to have as a brother/sister?
Creating Questions
Crossover Stems
How is the concept of __ important in both “___” and “__”?
How is the idea of ____important in both “___” and “___”?
What is one characteristic shared by (____) and (____).
exp. Passage
char. from lit. passage
char. from
How is ___ an important theme in both “___” and “___”?
Text-Based Responses
Types of Evidence
DIRECT QUOTATION
What?
verbatim words, phrases, or parts of sentences from
the text
When?
author’s exact words are necessary and will add
depth, precision, or reliability to the response
Types of Evidence
PARAPHRASE
What?
restatement of author’s words preserving the main
ideas and key details
When?
ideas could be clarified or original word choice is
irrelevant
Types of Evidence
SPECIFIC SYNOPSIS
What?
a focused choice of linked portions; not a plot
summary
When?
several portions are needed to serve as textual
evidence
www.readingbenchmarks.org
Pairing Works
Use paired works in class frequently.
Genres/Forms to consider in pairing works
Films/“Movies”
Television Shows
Songs
Poems
Research Findings
Magazine Articles
Artwork
Web Pages
Pairing Works
The Catcher in the Rye  “Acquainted with the Night”
by J.D. Salinger
by Robert Frost
Novel
Poem
Example Connection: The city as a lonely,
uncomfortable place
Pairing Works
To Kill a Mockingbird

Radio
by Harper Lee
By Mike Rich
Novel
Film
Example Connection: Men attempting to effect a
change in racial tolerance
Pairing Works
Romeo and Juliet

“Teen Love Hurts: Falling
In Love Makes Teens Prone
to Depression and Alcohol
Abuse”
by William Shakespeare
by Malcolm Ritter
Novel
News Article
Example Connection: The negative effects of teenagers
falling in love
Pairing Works
“The Gettysburg Address” 
“Frederick Douglass”
by Abraham Lincoln
by Robert Hayden
Speech
Poem
Example Connection: Leaving legacies beyond physical
monuments
Resources
Allington, Richard L. What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing
Research-Based Programs. New York: Longman, 2001.
Berthoff, Ann E. “Dialectical Notebooks and the Audit of Meaning.” The Journal
Book. Ed. Toby Fulwieler. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook, 1987. 11-18.
English, Fenwick W. Deciding What to Teach and Test: Developing, Aligning, and
Auditing the Curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc., 2000.
Porter-O’Donnell. “Beyond the Yellow Highlighter.” English Journal 93.5 (2004):
82-89.
Probst, Robert E. “Dialogue with a Text.” English Journal 77.1 (1988): 32-38.
Spandel, Vicki. Creating Writers Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and
Instruction. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.
Thank you!
If you design or observe teaching strategies that really
work for the OER, please let me know!
Diane Peterson
713-744-6829
dpeterson@esc4.net