AIMSweb : Administration and Scoring of Maze, M-CAP, & M-COMP

1. AIMSweb: Administration and Scoring of Maze, M-CAP, & M-COMP Presented by Debbie Oliver, RtI Coordinator for Stanly County Schools

2. Reading – MAZE (Whole Group Administration) • Students read the passage silently and choose the correct words to complete the sentences. (Ex.: The dog (Apple, broke, ran) after the cat.) • The exercise is timed. The students have 3 minutes to complete the exercise. • Don’t confuse the answer sheet with the student copies. (Answer sheet: The dog (Apple, broke, ran) after the cat.)

3. Things You Need to do While Testing • Follow the standardized directions: • Administer the assessment with consistency • Remember it’s about testing, not teaching • Don’t teach or correct • Don’t practice reading the passages • Remember Best, not fastest reading • Administer to the whole group

4. R- MAZE Standard Administration Directions 1. Pass Maze task out to students (cover sheet with example stapled to the front of the actual passage). Have students write their names on the Cover Sheet so they do not start early. Make sure they do not turn the page until you tell them to do so. 2. Say: “When I say ‘Begin,’ I want you to silently read a story. You will have 3 minutes to read the story and complete the task. Listen carefully to the directions. Some of the words in the story are replaced with a group of three words. Your job is to circle the one word that makes the most sense in the story. Only one word is correct.” 3. Say: “Let’s practice one together. Look at the first page. Read the first sentence silently while I read it out loud: ‘The dog apple, broke, ran after the cat.’ The three choices are apple, broke, ran. ‘The dog apple after the cat.’ That sentence does not make sense. ‘The dog broke after the cat.’ That sentence does not make sense. ‘The dog ran after the cat.’ That sentence does make sense, so circle the word ran.” 4. Make sure the students circle the word “ran”.

5. Administration Directions continued… • Say: “Let’s go to the next sentence. Read it silently while I read it out loud. ‘The cat ran fast, green, for up the hill.’ The three choices are fast, green, for. Which word is the correct word for that sentence?” (Call on a student or ask the whole group for the answer.) • Say: “Yes, ‘The cat ran fast up the hill’ is correct, so circle the word fast.” (Make sure the students circle fast.) • Say: “Silently read the next sentence & raise your hand when you think you know the answer.” (Make sure the students know the correct word.) • Say: “That’s right, ‘The dog baked at the cat’ is correct. Now what do you do when you choose the correct word?” (Students will answer, “Circle it.” Make sure they understand task.) • Say: “That’s correct, you circle it. I think you’re ready to work on a story of your own.”

6. Administration Directions continued 10. START TESTING – Say, “When I say ‘Begin’, turn to the first story and start reading silently. When you come to a group of three words, circle the one word that makes the most sense. Work as quickly as you can without making mistakes. If you finish the first side, turn the page and keep working until I say ‘Stop’ or you are all done. Do you have any questions?” (Answer student questions) • Say, “Begin.” Start your stop watch. • Monitor students to make sure they understand that they are to circle only one word. If a student finishes before the time limit, collect the Maze task and record the time on the student’s test booklet. • At the end of 3 minutes, say: “Stop. Put your pencils down. Please close your booklet.” • Collect the Maze tasks.

7. MAZE Administration Directions for Older Students • After the students put their name on the cover sheet, start the testing by saying… “When I say ‘Begin’, turn to the first story & start reading silently. When you come to a group of three words, circle the one word that makes the most sense. Work as quickly as you can without making mistakes. If you finish the first side, turn the page and keep working until I say ‘Stop’ or you are all done. Do you have any questions?” (Answer student questions.) • Say: “Begin.” Start your stop watch. • Monitor students to make sure they understand that they are to circle only one word. • If a student finishes before the time limit, collect the student’s MAZE task and record the time on the student’s test booklet. • At the end of 3 minutes say, “Stop. Put your pencils down. Please close your booklet.” • Collect the Maze tasks.

8. Items to Remember • Staple the cover sheet that includes the practice test so that students don’t begin the test right away. • Do a simple practice test before beginning with younger students. • Monitor that students are circling answers instead of writing them. • Interruptions – If something disrupts testing (bells, dropped passages, mistiming), discard the Maze passage and administer another.

9. What is Correct? • An answer is considered correct if the student circles the word that matches the correct word on the scoring template!

10. What is Incorrect? • An answer is considered an error if the student: • Circles an incorrect word. • Omits word selections other than those the student was unable to complete before the 3 minutes expired. • Circles more than one word.

11. Calculating and Reporting MAZE Scores Use the answer key and check the passage. Put a slash (/) through incorrect words. Count the total number of correct choices up to the last circled word. Count the total number of errors. Subtract the number of errors from the total number of items attempted. Record the total number of correct answers on the cover sheet followed by the total number of errors (e.g., 35/2, 45/0).

12. Math- CAP (Concepts & Applications) • Students complete word problems. • The M-CAP is given to the whole group. • The test is timed: • Grades 2-6 (8-minutes) • Grades 7-8 (10-minutes)

13. M-CAP Standard Administration Directions • Say: “We’re going to take an 8-minute math test.” (10-minute for 7th/8th grade). • Say: “Read the problems carefully and work each problem inthe order presented. Do not skip around.” • Say: “If you do not know how to work a problem, mark it with an ‘X’ and move on. Once you have tried all of the problems in order, you may go back to the beginning of the worksheet and try to complete the problems you marked.” • Say: “Write the answers to the problems in the blanks. For multiple choice questions, place the letter (A, B, or C) of the correct answers in the blank. You do not have to show your work, but you may if that is helpful for you in working the problems. Keep working until you have completed all of the problems or I tell you to stop. Do you have any questions?” (Answer questions)

14. M-CAP Standard Administration Directions • Hand out the probes and say: “Here are your tests. Put your name, your teacher’s name, and the date on each page in the space provided. Do not start working until I tell you to begin.” (Allow them time to write their information on the probe.) • Say: “Begin.” • If a student asks a question or requests clarification, redirect him to the probe and say: “Read the directions again, and work the problem the best you can. If you still do not understand the problem or are unable to work it, you may move to the next question.” • When the appropriate time has elapsed (8 min. for 2-6; 10 min. for 7-8), say: “Stop and put down your pencil.” If student continues to work, restate: “Stop working now and put down your pencil.” • Collect the probe and proceed to scoring.

15. M-CAP Scoring • Each problem either receives full credit or no credit. • Be sure to use the scoring key and total the points at the bottom. • Monitor students closely to make sure they are working the problems in order and not skipping around. • Although alternative acceptable responses are given in the Answer Key for many items, credit may be given for a clearly correct response conveyed in a manner other than the one indicated; this is where the examiner must rely on best practices and professional judgment.

16. Math Computation – M-COMP • M-COMP is administered to the whole group. • Students should have an M-COMP probe and pencil. • Consider arranging desks in a manner to minimize the temptation to cheat or use folders to block the view. • This exercise is timed: • Grades 1-8 (8 minutes)

17. Important Reminders…. • M-COMP is not a teaching tool. Teachers CANNOT give M-COMP probes as “practice” tests or worksheets in order to teach the material or prepare students for testing. • M-COMP is timed (8 minutes for all grades) – Changes in the administration time (ex: from 8 to 10 minutes or 8 to 5 minutes) of probes violate the standardized procedure and invalidate the students’ scores on that probe.

18. M-COMP Total Point Value by Grade

19. Math Computation (M- CBM) Administration Directions….. • Students should have a pencil and cover sheet. • Say: “We’re going to take an 8 minute math test. Read the problems carefully and work each problem in the order presented, starting at the first problem on the page and working across the page from left to right. Do NOT skip around. • If you do not understand how to do a problem, mark it with an X and move on. Once you have tried all of the problems in order, you may go back to the beginning of the worksheet and try to complete the problems you marked. • Although you may show your work and use scratch paper if that is helpful for you in working the problems, you may not use calculators or any other aids. • Keep working until you have completed all of the problems or I tell you to stop. • Do you have anyquestions? (Answer questions & distribute probes.)

20. 3. Here are your tests. Put your name, your teacher’s name, and the date on each page in the space provided, then turn over the test (face-down). Do not turn the test back over or start working until I tell you to begin. (Allow time to write their info. on the probe.) Begin. 4. If a student asks a question or requests clarification, redirect him or her to the probe and say: Read the directions again, and work the problem as best you can. If you still do not understand the problem or are unable to work it, you may move on to the next question. • If you see a student is skipping ahead without attempting each item, provide the following direction: Try to work each problem. Do not skip around. • When the 8 minutes have elapsed, say: Stop and put down your pencil. • If student continues to work, restate: Stop working now and put down your pencil. • Collect probes & proceed to scoring.

21. Scoring the Math- CBM • The students no longer get credit for correct digits. They either get the problem correct or they do not. • If the student shows his work, but then crossed or “X”-ed out the problem without placing the answer in the blank, the item is incorrect and he/she receives no credit. • If the student shows his work, but then crossed or “X”-ed out the problem, then returned to the item and placed the correct answer in the blank, the item is correct and receives credit. • Do not accept illegible answers, reversed numbers, or rotated numbers in answers. (If the number itself is reversed (backward 7), but the digit the student intended is obvious, score it as correct.) • If a student spells out the answer (ex: writes “three”), you may give credit. If the answer is 2.5 and the student writes, two point five, you may give credit. However, if he writes two dollars and fifty cents, the answer is incorrect. • Use Answer Key for quick scoring (New Answer Key is in the same format as the M-CAP.) Scoring assigns a point value based on difficulty to each item.

22. Scoring the Math- CBM • Scoring for grades 1-3 is straightforward. The problems are basic computation & number-sense questions. There is not much variability between what is correct and incorrect. • At grade 4, computation with fractions and decimals are present. It is here that some ambiguity begins to present itself. • Credit may be given for a clearly correct response conveyed in a manner other than the one indicated (rely on best practices and professional judgment).

23. Targeted Answer in Directions • If students add the $ symbol to items that require addition or subtraction of decimals, but the answer is correct – give them credit. • When a specific type of target answer is required (ex: improper fraction or a mixed number), that target is requested in the directions. Student answer must be written in the form requested.

24. Questions?