Sunday, March 5, 2017

FSA ELA--Important Information


(Some changes need to be made for the 2016-2017 year.)

 The information below was excerpted from the Florida Department of Education website. First, check out the following links for a calendar of important testing dates:

 Grades 9-11 FSA Writing Assessment

Grades 9–10 English Language Arts Item Specifications
Florida Standards Assessments
Text-based Writing Stimulus and Prompt Guidelines 

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Directions Template 

Grades 6–11 

Write an explanatory essay about . . . . Your essay must be based on ideas and information that can be 

found in the “. . . ” passage set.

-OR-

Write an argumentative essay in which you . . . . Use the information from the passages in your essay. Manage your time carefully so that you can 

• read the passages; 

• plan your response; 

• write your response; and 

• revise and edit your response. 

(If argumentative) Be sure to 

• include a claim; 

• address counterclaims; 

• use evidence from multiple sources; and 

• avoid overly relying on one source. 

Type your response in the space provided. 

You have ___ minutes to read, plan, write, revise, and edit your response.

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Grades 9–10 English Language Arts Item Specifications 
Florida Standards Assessments 
Text-based Writing Stimulus and Prompt Guidelines 

Acceptable Text Types 
Informational Text/Literary Text 

Primary Sources/Nonfiction 
• Historical documents (e.g., Bill of Rights) 
• Essays (e.g., informational, persuasive, 
analytical, historical, scientific) 
• Letters, journals, diaries 

Secondary Sources/Nonfiction 
• Magazine articles 
• Newspaper articles 
• Editorials 
• Encyclopedia articles 

Functional Materials 
• Consumer documents (e.g., warranties, 
manuals, contracts, applications) 
• Embedded in text (e.g., tables, charts, 
maps, graphs, illustrations, photographs, 
captions, text boxes) 
• How-to articles 
• Brochures, fliers 
• Schedules 
• Website pages 

Literary Nonfiction 
• Biographical and autobiographical 
sketches 
• Diaries, memoirs, journals, letters 
• Essays (e.g., personal and classical 
narratives) 
• Critiques 

Literary Fiction 
• Short stories 
• Poetry 
• Historical fiction 
• Fables 
• Folk tales, tall tales 
• Legends 
• Myths 
• Drama 
• Fantasy 
• Excerpts from longer works 


Grades 9–10 English Language Arts Item Specifications 
Florida Standards Assessments 
Text-based Writing Stimulus and Prompt Guidelines 

Possible Topics 

Essential Skills 
• Literacy 
• Communication 
• Teamwork 
• Leadership 

Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Mathematics 
• Earth/Space Science 
• Life Science 
• Physical Science 
• Concepts of Technology 
• Computer Technology 
• Information Technology 
• Technology Processes 
• Concepts of Engineering 
• Engineering Tools 
• Engineering Design and Testing 
• Mathematics 

Health and Physical Education 
• Movement Competency 
• Cognitive Abilities 
• Lifetime Fitness 
• Personal Health 
• Health Care 

Business Management and Administration 
• Finance 
• Financial Literacy 
• Business Plans 
• Marketing 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Transportation of Goods 
• Manufacturing 
• Agriculture 
• Hospitality Industry 
• Tourism Industry 

Social Studies 
• U.S. History 
• Civics and Government 
• Geography 
• Economics 

World Languages 
• Cultural Perspectives 
• Cultural Comparisons 
• Cultural Communities 

Arts 
• Dance 
• Music 
• Theater 
• Visual Arts 

Interests 
• Adventure 
• Animals 
• Careers 
• Entertainment 
• Family 
• Friendship 
• Hobbies/Crafts 
• Humor 
• Mystery 
• School 
• Sports/Games 
• Trips/Journey


Writing Rubrics: Scoring is based on a 10-point rubric: Purpose, Focus, and Organization (4-point rubric); Evidence and Elaboration (4-point rubric); Conventions of Standard English (2-point rubric)

http://www.fsassessments.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ELA-Writing-Rubrics-6-11_Informative.pdf

http://www.fsassessments.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ELA-Writing-Rubrics-6-11_Argumentation.pdf
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Grades 9-11 FSA Reading, Language, & Listening Assessment

Dates for ATC: to come
                         

 Test Length: 60–64 items

Note: Approximately 6–10 items within the Reading, Language, and Listening components are experimental (field test) and are not included in students’ scores. Because the field test for the Text-based Writing component will be conducted in December 2014, no additional field test tasks will be included in the operational assessments of this component.


Grades 9, 10, and 11
  • Key Ideas and Details: 15-25% (based on 20% with 60 items: 12 items)
  • Craft and Structure: 25-35% (based on 30% with 60 items: 18 items)
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 25-35% (based on 30% with 60 items: 18 items)
  • Language and Editing: 15-25% (based on 20% with 60 items: 12 items)
  • Text-Based Writing: The weighting of the Text-based Writing component relative to the Reading, Language, and Listening component will be determined in spring 2015 after analysis of field test and operational data. 


Item Types on Test (Format)

Hot Text items require the student to either click on a response option or drag a response option to another location. In the drag-a-response option, the student may be given five possible responses, for example. The student then must click on and drag one or more responses to an space in a chart, list, or graphic organizer. Hot Text items may also require students to select/highlight details from a text (words, phrases, or sentences). Some Hot Text items are two part. For example, Part A asks the student, "Which is a theme of the passage?" and Part B asks the student, "Which detail supports the development of the theme in Part A?"

Examples:

1. Character A’s view of Character B
changes during the course of the
text. Select a detail from the text
that supports this conclusion.


2. Part A: How does the main character
change from the beginning of the
text to the end?
Part B: Provide a detail from the text that
supports this conclusion.


Multiple-Choice items require students to select a single answer option (A, B, C, or D).

Example:

1. What is a theme of the passage?


Multi-Select items allow students to select more than one answer option. These are different from multiple-choice items, which allow students to select only one response. Multi-Select items may also require the student to select/highlight multiple pieces of textual evidence.

Example:

1. Select two details that advance
the argument that _____.


Open-Response Items require students to use the keyboard to enter the response into a text field (box). Different types of open-response items may appear on the test.

Example:

1. Identify a central idea of the text.
Then, explain how the author uses
details to develop this central idea.



See the following link for a Quick Guide to the tests. Page 12 in the link describes and gives visuals of the item types listed above:

http://nebula.wsimg.com/9e421e3636445d663d534a05939e0307?AccessKeyId=DCAEFC095A5E314D1260&disposition=0&alloworigin=1


Take the Training Test on the Department of Education website to familiarize yourself with the test format and question types:

http://www.fsassessments.org/training-tests

The following link is helpful in addition to the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) practice test site:

http://www.cpalms.org/Public/



Categories of Item Types followed by Resources with Examples and/or Practice

Key Ideas and Details (also good question stem examples): https://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/reading-(esl)/types-of-questions-and-tests/types-of-reading-questions.html

Craft and Structure: http://www.slideshare.net/tracywatanabe/craft-structure-close-read-questions

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: http://svesd.net/files/DOK_Question_Stems.pdf

Language and Editing: http://education-portal.com/academy/topic/nystce-english-language-arts-revising-and-editing-written-texts.html and http://englishgrammar101.com and http://www.grammarbook.com and http://englishteststore.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11387&Itemid=427 (Thank you to Victoria Rharmili who attended the APSI with me for finding these great links.)

All question types: http://www.isbe.net/common_core/pdf/ela-teach-strat-read-lit-6-12.pdf


Additional Common Core State Standards Information:
http://www.ncesd.org/Page/919
For more information, check out the following links:
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