1. Test Genre
The MEAP

2. What We Know About Tests
Tests sometimes crowd many words on a page.
Questions always follow the selections.
Multiple choice test questions are sometimes written in very formal English.
Multiple choice test questions may ask the same question

3. Test Questions The problem with tests is the questions…..
SERIOUSLY the questions are written in a very formal English that we do not use on a daily basis making them hard to understand.
Imagine me asking you, “What mood was communicated by the last paragraph in this selection?”
Test makers also ask the same question indifferent ways. A question asking about the main idea may use term “mainly about”, “mostly about” “central idea”, or ask for a summary.

4. MEAP question Stems
1. According to this selection, which of these is a fact?
11. This selection is mostly about…
12. The following is true EXCEPT…
2. Which one of the following is one central idea of this selection?
13. According to this selection, what was NOT a factor?
3. What is a major theme of this story?
14. What is one of the MAIN/MAJOR reasons that (something happened)?
4. Which of the following best describes the character?
15. In this selection, ___ (vocabulary word) means…
5. When (character does something), it tells us that…
16. According to the author, (something happened) because…
6. Which sentence BEST reveals (character’s) problem?
17. The central purpose of this selection is to…
7. Which mood is communicated by this sentence…
18. What is the best summary of this selection?
8. Which of the following correctly describes what the selection is mainly about?
19. What is an important lesson of this selection?
9. The main conflict of this story is that…
20. How does the author of this selection feel about…
10. The conversation between (character A) and (character B) showed that…

5. Today’s Work
Today we are going to practice writing and asking questions using question stems that sound like the MEAP test.
When you are finished reading the selection you will write a question to ask your classmates about the selection.
As you read think about the question you will write. As you read any text, it is helpful to think about the questions that will be asked at the end of the selection you read.

6. Allison’s Gift
After reading the selection, Allison’s Gift, I want to write a question about the main idea.
The first step to writing the question is to select a question stem that is asking about the main idea.
I think Question #2, #3, #8, #11, #17 and #18.
If I select stem #2, I can write a question fairly easily.
Which one of the following is one central idea of the selection?
Allison is an athlete
Allison does not like family vacations
Allison is an artist that likes to draw shells
Allison’s drive to be like her sister allowed her to put her own gift, art, on the back burner until winning a contest

7. With a partner write two different questions using the question stems.
Supported Practice
With a partner write two different questions using the question stems.
One of the questions should be about the main idea in paragraphs #5-7.
Once you are finished, you will share your question as a class.

8. Wonder what questions will be asked as you read
Test Reading Strategy
So based on the work in class today, what is one test reading strategy we could use to help us improve our scores?
Wonder what questions will be asked as you read

9. Other Strategies
After learning how to read and write MEAP like questions we need to think about strategies to help us be successful on the test.
YOU MUST STAY ENGAGED!! Tune into the interacting voice and TURN OFF the distracting voice.
Another strategy that SUCCESSFUL test takers use is rereading.
Rereading allows you to get the idea what the whole section is about and helps you remember important details.
A second reading allow you to see how sections are connected and can make inferences. You notice how the ending fits with the beginning.
Rereading also allows you to clear up confusions.
Rereading means you will have less of a chance for falling for the test maker tricks

10. Steps for rereading TESTS
Read the selection one time through
Reread using a pencil to note important details and record your thoughts, questions, inferences, and connections.
Note new details you noticed

11. Practice the Strategy
After I have modeled rereading, you will reread the second part of the text following the rereading steps.
Once you have completed rereading, share your thoughts about the second selection with your neighbor.
After you have finished the discussion, answer the questions over the paired- reading selections.

12. Eliminating Answers
Test-takers know how to eliminate answers that do not make sense. This process is called the Process of Elimination.
Only one answer can be right.
The test makers always have a correct answer and an almost right answer. Plus they have two choice that do not make sense

13. Right Fact/Wrong Answer
Sometimes an answer choice includes facts that are “right” from the selection. This can mislead you to the wrong answer especially if it is choice A.
When you see answers that are the right facts from the selection, you must reread to eliminate the wrong answer.
Be sure your answer choice actually answers the question.

14. Question-Answer Relationship
There are two types of questions that you will see on the test.
Questions that are “In the Text Questions” and questions that are “In my Head Questions”

15. In the Text Questions
Right there in the text. They ask for information contained in one sentence.
According to the passage
Who is
How many
Where is
What is
What did
Who did

16. In the Text Questions
Think and Search- questions that ask for information that is contained in several sections or sentences.
What caused
Compare/contrast
How do you
What happened to
What happened before/after

17. In My Head Questions
In my head questions are questions that ask you to consider information in the text and your own background knowledge.
The two types of In My Head Questions are Author and Me and On My Own.

18. Author and Me Author and Me are inferential questions
They ask for information that requires the reader to combine what they know with what the selection says
Why does the author
The passage suggests
What is the mood

19. On My Own
On My Own questions ask for information readers already have and do not need any information form the text
In your opinion
Based on your experience
Where could you find a selection like this?

20. Constructed Response Questions
A constructed response question is a question in which you have to write a response in your own words.
These questions are scored on a 3-point rubric
These questions may take several different forms:
Describe something or someone with examples
Give reason for, Explain what will happen if, Explain what causes this, Explain the effect of this, How does this
Compare and contrast which means to tell how things are similar and different
Explain what the problem is and how would you solve it
Tell the order in which something happens

21. To Answer a Constructed Response Question
Look at the space they give you to answer that lets you know how long your answer is expected to be.
Your response is a short answer response so you should have at least three sentences
Use specific details and examples in your answer from the stories or your life
It is always great to start our answer by rewriting the question