Information bulletin. Grade 6 English language arts

36 Pages·1994·7.7 MB·English

by  Alberta. Student Evaluation Branch

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This document was written primarily for:
Students /
Teachers /
Administrators /
Parents
General Audience
Others
/ S uperintendents
This bulletin contains general information about the Achievement Testing Program and
information specific to the Grade 6 E nglish Language Arts Achievement Test. Additional copies
of the bulletin may be made as needed.
DISTRIBUTION: Superintendents of Schools • S chool Principals and Teachers • T he Alberta
Teachers’ Association • A lberta School Boards Association • O fficials of Alberta Education •
General Public upon Request.
October 1994
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
IINIVFDQITV nr « i r,,
Contents
Page
General Information 1
Administering the Assessment 1
Schedule 1
Students in French Language Programs 1
Reporting the Results 2
Broadened Assessment Initiatives 2
Description of the Language Arts Assessment Standards 2
Purpose of Assessment Standards 2
Acceptable Standard 2
Standard of Excellence 3
Grade 6 E nglish Language Arts Assessment 3
Part A: Writing 3
Important Information to Note! 4
Blueprint for Part A: Writing 4
Marking 5
Confirming Standards 5
Sample Writing Assignment 5
Scoring Guide 8
Part B: Reading 13
Development 13
Blueprint for Sample Reading Questions 14
Sample Reading Questions 15
Key and Descriptors for Sample Reading Questions 23
Reading Blueprint 24
Suggestions for Students 25
Credits 27
Alberta Education Contact 27
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/informationbull1994albe_7
General In f ormation To minimize any risks to security, we
recommend that all students complete the
test on the same day. Students who are
The Achievement Testing Program provides
absent when the tests are administered and
teachers, parents, students, school
who return to school by the end of the
administrators, Alberta Education, and the
school year must write the tests upon their
public with information about what students
return. By scheduling the tests early in the
know and can do in relation to provincial
administration period, schools can ensure
standards. Group results are reported at
that most, if not all, absentees are tested. The
school, district, and provincial levels to
principal is responsible for ensuring the
improve learning opportunities for students.
security of the tests.
The assessments are administered in two
Beginning in 1995, the tests that will be
subject areas at Grade 3 — language arts and
administered each year are:
mathematics — and in four subject areas at
grades 6 a nd 9 — language arts, mathematics, Grade 3
social studies, and science.
English Language Arts {Part A: Writing
and Part B: Reading )
The assessments are based on provincial Mathematics (English and French forms)
standards, which reflect important learnings
Grade 6
in the subject areas listed above. Classroom
teachers from across the province are English Language Arts {Part A: Writing
and Part B: Reading )
extensively involved in developing and field
testing the assessment instruments. Mathematics (English and French forms)
Social Studies (English and French forms)
Science (English and French forms)
Administering the Assessment Frangais 6e Annee {Partie A: Production
ecrite and Partie B: Lecture)
Information about the nature of the
Grade 9
provincial assessments as well as their
English Language Arts {Part A: Writing
administration to special-needs students can and Part B: Reading)
be found in the General Information
Mathematics (English and French forms)
Bulletin, Achievement Testing Program,
Social Studies (English and French forms)
which has been mailed to all superintendents
Science (English and French forms)
and principals.
Francois 9e Annee {Partie A: Production
ecrite and Partie B: Lecture )
Schedule
Students in French Language Programs
The written-response component of English
and French Language Arts must be
Beginning in June 1995, all students in
administered during the first week of June.
Francophone and French Immersion
The machine-scorable component of all programs must write the French form of the
achievement tests must be administered
achievement tests. Alberta Education will
during the last two weeks of June. Specific send enrollment forms to schools by
information regarding scheduling is
February requesting an indication of how
provided in the current General Information
many English or French tests are required.
Bulletin.
These forms must be returned through
jurisdiction offices by mid-March.
1
Reporting the Results 1996 -“whole book” performance-based
assessment in language arts
Each school jurisdiction will receive a 1997 -problem-solving and decision-
district report and school reports for their making activities in social studies
students’ achievement, as well as guidelines 1998 -performance tasks in science
for interpreting these results in relation to
Grade 9
provincial standards.
1995 -problem-solving and decision-
To facilitate reflection on school programs, making activities in social studies
we expect that results will be shared with all 1996 -problem-solving activities in
mathematics
school staffs (not just teachers of grades 3,
6, and 9), as well as with parents and the 1997 -performance tasks in science
community. 1998 -performance tasks in language arts
Individual student profiles will be sent to the
school that the student will attend in
Description of the Language
September. We also expect that these Arts Assessment Standards
reports will be shared with parents.
Provincial results will be made public in The provincial standards are the basis upon
September. A d etailed Achievement Testing which we assess how well students have
Program Provincial Report is p ublished learned English Language Arts by the end of
annually. Grade 6. These standards reflect the essential
learnings that all Alberta students are expected
to achieve. Provincial standards are useful,
Broadened Assessment Initiatives
therefore, for assessing Grade 6 s tudents in all
types of school programs — public, private,
The Student Evaluation Branch has and home education.
developed additional instruments to collect a
broader base of information about what
students know and can do than achievement
Purpose of Assessment Standards
tests themselves can provide. These
instruments will be administered to a These statements describe what is expected
provincial sample of students in all subjects of Grade 6 s tudents who are meeting the
on a r otating basis: acceptable standard or the standard of
excellence on independent work at the end
Grade 3
of the Grade 6 L anguage Arts program.
These statements represent the standards
1995 -“whole book” performance-based
assessment in language arts against which student achievement will be
1996 -problem-solving activities in measured. By comparing actual results to
mathematics
expected provincial standards, decisions can
be made about whether achievement is in
1 997 -“whole book” performance-based
assessment in language arts
fact “good enough.”
1998 -problem-solving activities in
mathematics
Acceptable Standard
Grade 6
Students meeting the acceptable standard in
1 mathematics Gasburlcaehd e t ao s 6 d t eEh aenl g ln wiairstrhha t Liaoa nfn ag muoifal ig aae r p e Airrdsteoasn a ilsn h o wurlidt i nbge,
2
9
9
5

-problem-solviancgt i vitiesi n
experience. On occasion, these students found in longer, sophisticated selections of
should be able to deal with complex and/or fiction, non-fiction, prose, and poetry.
original thoughts. They are expected to These students should be able to read, and
produce work using clear words and reflect on print and non-print text from many
expressions, and relevant, general details. perspectives. It is expected that they are
They should be able to organize concrete, able to analyze and evaluate ideas received
factual materials containing straightforward from a wide variety of materials. Students
ideas. They are expected to recognize meeting the standard of excellence should
increasingly complex techniques of literary be able to readily answer literal as well as
structure and organization, such as cause and implied idea, detail, and relationship
effect, foreshadowing, and flashback.
questions.
It is expected that students meeting the
acceptable standard are able to read
Grade 6 E nglish Language
relatively short, simple selections of fiction,
Arts Assessment
non-fiction, prose, and poetry, and to
correctly identify the main idea, sequence of
events, key details, author’s purpose, and The assessment is composed of two parts:
imagery used. These students should be
somewhat able to associate meanings of
Part A: Writing consists of one writing
specific words and expressions in context. It
assignment designed to be completed in two
is expected that these students can analyze
hours. Included in the total period is time
details and synthesize ideas in a f amiliar
for discussion, planning, drafting, and
context. They should be able to consistently
revising. Additional time of approximately
answer literal (idea, detail, dnd relationship)
30 minutes may be provided to allow
questions. Occasionally, they should be able
students to finish.
to understand ideas, details, and
relationships that are implied in a r eading
selection. Part B: Reading (multiple choice), is
designed to be completed in 60 minutes.
Additional time of approximately 30
minutes may be provided to allow students
Standard of Excellence
to finish. It consists of 50 multiple-choice
questions based on reading selections from
Students meeting the standard of excellence
fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, and
are expected to confidently and competently
visual media. Part B: Reading has one
deal with writing that requires complex and
booklet containing reading passages and
original thought. They should be able to
questions. Answers are to be recorded on a
develop and organize abstract, complex
separate machine-scorable answer sheet.
materials. It is expected that these students
can consistently establish an appropriate
Students may use a d ictionary and a
focus for communication and select ideas
tWhreitsianugr.u s when completing only Part A:
and language to suit different purposes and
audiences. Students meeting the standard of
excellence should be able not only to
recognize complex techniques of literary Part A: Writing
structure and/or organization, but also to
apply them to their own writing.
The Part A: Writing assignment consists of a
picture and a p rompt. Students are allowed
It is expected that students meeting the
to choose the format that will best fit their
standard of excellence can effectively deal
with abstract and complex details and ideas
3
approach to the assignment (narrative, letter, especially in cases where students do not
editorial, or diary/joumal entries). have ample time to complete a revised copy.
The booklet for Part A: Writing includes
pages labelled Planning and Rough Draft, Important Information to Note!
and Revised Copy. This format is designed
to reflect the writing process model.
Although specific marks will not be given Students will be given time to discuss the
for planning and drafting, markers will be prompt with classmates in groups of two to
advised to take these elements into four, or to think alone about it, and to plan
consideration when scoring student work, their responses before beginning to write.
Blueprint for Part A: Writing
The blueprint that follows outlines Part A o f the Grade 6 E nglish Language Arts Achievement
Test. It delineates the categories under which summary data will be reported to school
jurisdictions.
Part A: Writing
Blueprint
Description of Writing
Reporting Category Standards
Assignment
* C ontent (selecting ideas and details to achieve a p urpose) The writing assignment The student’s achievement in
follows a p icture and a each reporting category will
Events and/or actions should be plausible and appropriate to
writing prompt that will be described according to the
the student’s purpose. The student should be able to be read aloud to following standard
describe characters and setting using details that are
students. The statements:
appropriate for the context established.
assignment allows the
student to select the Meets the standard of
format that would best excellence
* O rganization (organizing ideas and details into a c oherent
whole) fit his/her approach to
The student should be able to organize the response the prompt. Approaches the standard of
excellence
effectively and coherently to produce a unified composition
that achieves the student’s purpose for writing.
Clearly meets the acceptable
standard
Sentence Structure (structuring sentences effectively)
The student should be able to use a v ariety of sentence types Does not clearly meet the
and structures to achieve clarity, interest, and emphasis. acceptable standard
Clearly below the acceptable
Vocabulary (selecting and using words and expressions standard
correctly and effectively)
The student should be able to use words and expressions INS insufficient
appropriately and effectively to communicate to the
specified audience and to achieve the student’s purpose.
Conventions (using the conventions of written language
correctly and effectively)
The student should be able to communicate clearly by
adhering to appropriate spelling, punctuation, and grammar
conventions.
*These categories are weighted to be worth twice as much as each of the others.
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