Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment

1. Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment August 2012

2. I. PARCC Core Commitments, Key Shifts in the Standards, and the Corresponding Advances in PARCC

3. PARCC’s Fundamental Advance PARCC is designed to reward quality instruction aligned to the Standards, so the assessment is worthy of preparation rather than a distraction from good work.

4. PARCC’s Core Commitments to ELA/Literacy Assessment Quality • Texts Worth Reading: The assessments will use authentic texts worthy of study instead of artificially produced or commissioned passages.  • Questions Worth Answering: Sequences of questions that draw students into deeper encounters with texts will be the norm (as in an excellent classroom), rather than sets of random questions of varying quality. • Better Standards Demand Better Questions: Instead of reusing existing items, PARCC will develop custom items to the Standards. • Fidelity to the Standards (now in Teachers’ hands): PARCC evidences are rooted in the language of the Standards so that expectations remain the same in both instructional and assessment settings.

5. What Are the Shifts at the Heart of PARCC Design (and the Standards)? • Complexity: Regular practice with complex text and its academic language. • Evidence: Reading and writing grounded in evidencefrom text, literary and informational. • Knowledge: Building knowledge through content rich nonfiction.

6. The CCSS Shifts Build Toward College and Career Readiness for All Students

7. Nine Specific Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment Demanded by the Three Core Shifts. . .

8. Shift 1: Regular practice with complex text and its academic language • PARCC builds a staircase of text complexity to ensure students are on track each year for college and career reading. • PARCC rewards careful, close reading rather than racing through passages. • PARCC systematically focuses on the words that matter most—not obscure vocabulary, but the academic language that pervades complex texts.

9. Shift 2: Reading and writing grounded in evidencefrom text, literary and informational • PARCC focuses on students rigorously citing evidence from texts throughout the assessment (including selected-response items). • PARCC includes questions with more than one right answer to allow students to generate a range of rich insights that are substantiated by evidence from text(s). • PARCC requires writing to sources rather than writing to de-contextualized expository prompts. • PARCC also includes rigorous expectations for narrative writing, including accuracy and precision in writing in later grades.

10. Shift 3: Building knowledge through content rich nonfiction • PARCC assesses not just ELA, but a full range of reading and writing across the disciplines of science and social studies. • PARCC simulates research on the assessment, including the comparison and synthesis of ideas across a range of informational sources.

11. Common Core Anchor Standards for ELA • Speaking and Listening • Comprehension and Collaboration • Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas • Language • Conventions of Standard English • Knowledge of Language • Vocabulary Acquisition and Use • Reading (Literature & Informational) • Key Ideas and Details • Craft and Structure • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas • Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity • Writing • Text Types and Purposes • Production and Distribution of Writing • Research to Build and Present Knowledge • Range of Writing

12. Students’ Command of Evidence with Complex Texts is at the Core of Every Part of the Assessment! SO. . . Two standards are always in play—whether they be reading or writing items, selected-response or constructed-response items on any one of the four components of PARCC. They are: • Reading Standard One (Use of Evidence) • Reading Standard Ten (Complex Texts)

13. Three Innovative Item Types That Showcase Students’ Command of Evidence with Complex Texts • Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR)—Combines a traditional selected-response question with a second selected-response question that asks students to show evidence from the text that supports the answer they provided to the first question. Underscores the importance of Reading Anchor Standard 1 for implementation of the CCSS. • Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response (TECR)—Uses technology to capture student comprehension of texts in authentic ways that have been difficult to score by machine for large scale assessments (e.g., drag and drop, cut and paste, shade text, move items to show relationships). • Range of Prose Constructed Responses (PCR)—Elicits evidence that students have understood a text or texts they have read and can communicate that understanding well both in terms of written expression and knowledge of language and conventions. There are four of these items of varying types on each annual performance-based assessment.

14. End-of-Year Assessment (Grade 3):“How Animals Live”

15. Understanding the End-of-Year Assessment • Students will be given several passages to read closely. • EBSR and TECR questions will be sequenced in a way that they will draw students into deeper encounters with the texts and will result in thorough comprehension of the concepts to provide models for the regular course of instruction. • Will draw on higher order skills such as critical reading and analysis, the comparison and synthesis of ideas within and across texts, and determining the meaning of words and phrases in context.

16. Texts Worth Reading? • Range: Follows the requirements in the standards to make use of informational texts, including history, science, and technical passages (50% of the points in grades 3-5 are to come from informational texts). • Quality: This is an example of a science passage from a third-grade textbook. • Complexity: Quantitatively and qualitatively, the passages have been validated and deemed suitable for use at grade 3.

17. Questions Worth Answering? On the following pages there is one Evidence-Based Selected-Response Item and one Technology Enhanced Constructed-Response Item that challenge students’ command of evidence with complex texts.

18. Grade 3 Evidence-Based Selected-Response Item #1 Part B Which sentence from the article best supports the answer to Part A? “Animals get oxygen from air or water.” "Animals can be grouped by their traits.”* "Worms are invertebrates.” "All animals grow and change over time.” "Almost all animals need water, food, oxygen, and shelter to live." Part A What is one main idea of “How Animals Live?” • There are many types of animals on the planet. • Animals need water to live. • There are many ways to sort different animals.* • Animals begin their life cycles in different forms.

19. Aligns to the Standards and Reflects Good Practice • Specific CCSS alignment to: • RI.3.1 (evidence). • RI.3.2 (main idea). • RI.3.10 (complex text). • While this is an example of a less complex item—one where the main idea and details to support it are explicit and readily found—students must provide evidence for the accuracy of their answer in Part B, illustrating one of the key shifts: use of textual evidence.

20. Grade 3 Technology-Enhanced Constructed-Response Item Drag the words from the word box into the correct locations on the graphic to show the life cycle of a butterfly as described in “How Animals Live.” Words:

21. Aligns to the Standards and Reflects Good Practice • Specific CCSS alignment to: • RI.3.1 (use of evidence). • RI.3.3 (relationship between events). • RI.3.10 (complex texts). • Reflects the key shift of building knowledge from informational text: • students must apply their understanding of the text to complete the graphic. • requires explicit references to the text as the basis for the answers rather than simply guessing. • Whereas traditional items might have asked students to “fill in one blank” on a graphic (with three steps already provided), this technology enhanced item allows students to demonstrate understanding of the entiresequence of the life cycle because none of the steps are ordered for them.

22. A Strong Foundation: The Common Core State Standards • The Common Core State Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics were created by educators around the nation. • Nearly every state in the nation is working individually and collectively to improve its instruction and assessments to ensure students graduate with the knowledge and skills most demanded by college and careers.

23. Texts Worth Reading:

29. Understanding the Narrative Writing Task • Students read one brief text and answer a few questions to help clarify their understanding of the text(s). • Students then write a narrative story.

30. Writing Forms for PCR Items: The PARCC Summative Assessments in Grades 3-11 will measure writing using three prose constructed response (PCR) items. In the classroom writing can take many forms, including both informal and formal. Since each PCR is designed to measure both written expression and knowledge of language and conventions, the audience and form for each PCR will necessitate that students use a formal register. In addition, PARCC seeks to create items that elicit writing that is authentic for the students to be assessed. The list below represents a sample of the forms which may be elicited from students in response to PARCC Summative Assessment PCRs. This list is not designed to be exhaustive either for the PARCC assessments or the classroom. Item writers will not use the list as the definitive list of forms that can be elicited on PCRs, and teachers should not plan to use the list as a checklist of forms to be taught. Instead, the list is provided to demonstrate the wealth of forms for writing that may be used to elicit authentic student writing. In grades 3-5, students may be asked to produce:

31. Possible Writing Forms for PCR Items: • Adventure stories • Autobiography • Biography • Book reviews • Brochures • Character sketches • Descriptions • Diaries • Encyclopedia or Wiki entries • Endings • Essays • Explanations • Fables • Fantasy stories • Fiction • How-to-do-it articles • Humourous stories • Legends • Letters • Magazine articles • Myths • News Articles • Pamphlets • Persuasive letters • Reports • Reviews • Scenes (from a play) • Short stories • Science articles • Science fiction stories • Sequels • Speeches

32. Content Shift 1 – Informational Text Building Knowledge Through Content-Rich Nonfiction 50/50 balance K-5 45/55 in grades 6-8 70/30 in grades 9-12 Determined using guidelines outlined by NAEP National Assessment of Educational Progress Studentslearning to read should exercise their ability to comprehend complex text through read-aloud texts. In grades 2+, students begin reading more complex texts, consolidating the foundational skills with reading comprehension. Reading aloud texts that are well-above grade level should be done throughout K-5 and beyond.

33. Content Shift 2 – Evidence from Text Reading, Writing and Speaking Grounded in Evidence from Text Rationale: Most college and workplace writing requires evidence Ability to cite evidence differentiates strong from weak student performance on NAEP Evidence is a major emphasis of the ELA Standards: Reading Standard 1 Writing Standard 9 Speaking and Listening standards 2-4 All focus on the gathering, evaluating and presenting of evidence from text Being able to locate and deploy evidence are hallmarks of strong readers and writers

34. Content Shift 2 – Evidence from Text In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? • What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? • What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received? • “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year 1776. According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech? Not Text-Dependent Text-Dependent

35. Close Reading & Text Dependent Questions Close, analytic reading emphasizes Engaging with a text of sufficient complexity directly Examining meaning thoroughly and methodically Encouraging students to read and reread deliberately Purpose To notice features and language used To think specifically about what the details of the text mean Benefits of close reading Empowers students to understand the central ideas and key supporting details Enables students to reflect on the meanings of individual words and sentences; the order in which sentences unfold; and the development of ideas over the course of the text Ultimately leads students to arrive at an understanding of the text as a whole (PARCC, 2011, p. 7)

36. Close Reading & Text Dependent Questions Close Analytic Reading Incorporates: Academic Language: Close attention to words, sentences and language use within the context of the text’s unfolding ideas initiates students into the academic language essential to becoming an educated person. Word Study: Careful attention to word choice provides teachers the opportunity to highlight not only the semantic but the grammatical, structural and orthographic components essential to successful word study. Students will develop the habit of noticing words and seeing how and why they work together. Fluency: Rereading and hearing rich text read aloud develops fluency. At the same time, it brings struggling readers and EL students into the discussion on an equal footing rather than segregating them with simpler and too often, lesser, texts. Learning from Text Independently: Close analytic reading integrates support and teacher guidance with tasks and culminating assignments done by students in small groups and independently. Analytic reading cultivates the habits of mind that develop students into strong independent readers. This will be a central focus of the PARCC Assessment System

37. Close Reading & Text Dependent Questions Close reading requires prompting students with text-dependent questions • Specifically ask a question that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text being read • Does not rely on any particular background information extraneous to the text • Does not depend on students having other experience or knowledge • Privileges the text itself and what students can extract from it

38. Close Reading for Kindergarten • How To Begin: • 1) Read with a pencil in hand and annotate the text. • Look for patterns in the things you’ve noticed, like repetition and contradiction. • Ask questions about the patterns, such as how and why.

39. Example of Close Reading for Kindergarten Information from Jaclyn DeForge, a resident literacy expert. Bedtime Fun Level D – The purpose of using this book is to show an example on how to increase the rigor of questioning as you gradually move up Bloom’s Taxonomy.

40. Close Reading in First Grade (and beyond!) *Practical Application* What is it? A strategy to help students REALLY understand what they are reading. Comprehension matters! Students need to know how to attack text, new words, and phrases to understand what they read. It can, and SHOULD, start early. How does it work? Expose students to worthy short pieces of text, loaded with key vocabulary and information. Read it in its entirety first-then reread and focus on key vocab and concepts. Listening, noticing, discussing, highlighting, note-taking and more discussing engages learners while incorporating multiple Common Core objectives. How long does it take? A close read can take 1 day…or 5 days. It depends on how you choose to extend it.

41. Sample Lesson Format Teacher reads text straight through once. Allow students to partner talk using question stems (ex: What is the main idea? Why would someone want to read this text? What was the author’s purpose in writing this text?) Share discussion from partner talk. Teacher can pose text dependent questions (make sure students understand that they must go back into the text to answer and support with evidence). *Can be done over two days.

42. Sample Lesson Format-Extensions • Extensions: • Model how to annotate or note-take on a text. Students can go back and annotate the text after. (You decide how in depth to get with this-do they use think marks? Highlight? Draw pictures?) • Write/draw about the text.

43. Sample Lesson Format-ExtensionsModeling of note-taking

44. Sample Lesson Format-ExtensionsModeling of note-taking

45. Sample Lesson Format-ExtensionsReal examples of writing about text and notetaking

46. Resources for Close Reading • Scholastic News-Retype into passage format. • www.readworks.org/ • www.Readinga-z.com *Close Reading Packs

47. Reading A – Z Close Reading Pack G2 Animal Health; Señor Macaw

48. Reading A – Z Close Reading Pack G2 Animal Health; Señor Macaw

49. Evaluating Grade Level Standards Grade Level Groups • Read the standards for your grade. • Create a list the verbs included in each standard. • Referring to the Bloom’s Taxonomy Chart determine which level of questioning the verb from each standard can be categorized under. • Create a bar graph. Examples RL. 2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. Verb: Describe Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Level 2 (Understanding)

50. Evaluating the CCSS ELS Literature Standards using Bloom’s Taxonomy Bar Graphs K 1 2 3