1. R Preparing Students for the English Regents Exam, 2019
Presenter: Amy Benjamin

2. At-A-Glance: NYSED Next Generation Anchor Standards for Literacy (grades PreK-12)
Amy Benjamin Educational Services, Inc.
Reading:
Writing:
Speaking/Listening
Language
Key Ideas & Details:
Types & Purposes:
Comprehension &
Collaboration:
Knowledge of Language:
Read closely.
Track themes
& summarize main
ideas.
3. Understand and
follow progressions.
Write arguments.
Write informative/
explanatory texts
3. Write narratives.
4. Write responses to texts,
the larger world, and
personal experiences
Know the rules of
formal standard written
and spoken English and
apply them when your
audience expects you to do
so. Accurately perceive the
circumstances when your
audience expects you to use
a formal language tone.
2. The above includes the
visuals of writing: spelling,
capitalization, punctuation.
3. Understand that language
is a changing social contract.
Make effective choices.
Expand your understanding of
the language choices of
others.
1.Develop socially
appropriate conversational
skills.
2. Verbally summarize
information that you’ve
heard, read, or seen.
3. Assess the credibility
of what you read and hear,
based on the language
used.
Craft and Structure:
4. Know what words &
phrases mean in context.
Analyze the structure of
the text (how the author
decided to arrange the story
or information)
6. Assess how point of
view or purpose affects
meaning.
Research:
5. Conduct and report on
both short and sustained
research, based on
focused questions
6. Gather relevant information;
evaluate the validity of sources;
integrate source-based
information; avoid plagiarism;
collaborate with others
7. Draw evidence from texts
to support analysis, reflection,
and research
Presentation of Ideas
and Knowledge:
4. Present meaningful ideas
and information coherently
and courteously.
5. Enhance formal
presentations with visuals,
including digital media.
6. Know the rules of formal
spoken English and apply
them when appropriate to the
audience.
Integration of Knowledge
& Ideas :
Vocabulary
Acquisition and Use:
7. Understand
charts, graphs,
and other numerical
representations.
8. Judge the validity
of an argument, based
on the language used.
9. Compare texts on
the same subject.
4. Figure out what new words
& phrases mean using context,
word parts, dictionaries, a
5. Understand that words can
be nuanced and can have
multiple meanings.
6. Understand and use an
academic/businesslike level
of language.

3. Text Complexity Measures for 11th Grade
Pearson
Rdg
Maturity
Metric
Degrees of
Reading
Power
Source
Rater
Flesch-
Kincaid
Lexile
ATOS
11.20-
14.10
67-74
1034-
14.20
12.30-
14.50

4. Test Part Suggested Time Standards Addressed Text Description Student
Test Blueprint
Test Part
Suggested
Time
Standards
Addressed
Text
Description
Student
Task
Part 1:
Rdg Comp
60 minutes
RL 1-6
RI 1-6; 8-10
L 3-5
3 texts:
1 literature,
1 poem,
1information
up to 2,600 words, total
24 multiple
choice
Part II:
Argumentation:
Writing from
Sources
90 minutes
RL 1-10
W 1,4,9
L 1-6
4 information-
based texts,
probably inc.
graphics
Write an
argumentative
essay, referring
to the sources
given
Part III:
Text Analysis
30 minutes
RL 1-6,10
RI 1-6,10
W. 2,4,9
1 text, up to
1,000 words
literary or
information
Write essay: Identify central idea and analyze how the author uses one writing strategy (lit.
element or technique;
rhetorical strategy)

5. “The ear is the only true writer and the only true reader. I’ve known
people who could read without hearing the sentence sounds and they
were the fastest readers. Eye readers we call them. They get the
meaning by glances. But they are bad readers because they miss the
best part of what a good writer puts into his work.”
-Robert Frost

6. Test Part Suggested Time Standards Addressed Text Description Student
Test Blueprint
Test Part
Suggested
Time
Standards
Addressed
Text
Description
Student
Task
Part 1:
Rdg Comp
60 minutes
Reading Standards 1-6
3 texts:
1 literature,
1 poem,
1 information
up to 2,600 words, total
24 multiple
choice

7. Passage A: Look over the passage and questions, note the lines in the text: 5 minutes
Reading Time: approx 7-8 minutes (approx. 1,000 words)
Write a quick main idea sentence: 1 minute
Multiple Choice time: 5-7 minutes (10 questions) 21
Passage B: Look over the poem and questions, note the lines in the text: 3 minutes
Reading Time: approx 2 minutes (approx 100 words)
Multiple Choice time: 4 minutes (4 questions) 10
Passage C: Look over the passage and questions, note the lines in the text: 5 minutes
Reading time: approx. 7-8 minutes (approx. 1,000 words)
Multiple Choice time: 5-7 minutes (6 questions)
Est. 52 minutes for Part 1, 24 questions
(8 minutes to spare)

8. 1 4 2 3 Rdg. Std. 5: Analyze the structure of texts,
including how specific sentences,
paragraphs, etc. relate to each other
and to the text as a whole(Question 1)
Passage A: Fiction
Rdg. Std. 4: Interpret words and phrases as they are
used in a text, e.g., connotation,
figurative meanings); understand the
impact of diction. (Questions 4,7)
Rdg. Std. 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events,
or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text. (Questions 2,3,5)
Lang. Std. 4: Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases by using context clues,
analyzing meaningful word parts, and
consulting general and specialized
reference materials, as appropriate(Question 8)
Rdg. Std. 2: Determine central ideas and themes and
analyze their development; Summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
(Questions 6,9)

9. Why Was I Wrong?
Comprehension Problem:
I didn't understand the main idea of the text.
I didn’t understand relevant details in the text.
Vocabulary Problem:
I didn't understand key vocabulary in the text.
I didn’t understand key vocabulary in the question.
Test-taking Problem:
I didn’t read the text slowly and carefully.
I didn’t read the question and choices carefully.
Personal Problem:
I can’t concentrate today.
I don’t want to concentrate today.
Other:
I blame the question and I refuse to stop doing that.
I’m trying, but I still don’t understand why my answer is considered wrong.

10. Rdg. Std. 2: Determine central ideas and themes and
analyze their development; Summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
(Question 14)
Passage B: Poem
10. 3
11. 3
12. 2
13. 2
14. 4
Lang. Std. 5: Demonstrate an understanding of
figurative language, word relationships
and nuances. (Question 13)
Rdg. Std. 5: Analyze the structure of texts,
including how specific sentences,
paragraphs, etc. relate to each other
and to the text as a whole(Question 11)
Rdg. Std. 4: Interpret words and phrases as they are
used in a text, e.g., connotation,
figurative meanings); understand the
impact of diction. (Question 10,12)

11. 15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Rdg. Std. 2: Determine central ideas and themes and
analyze their development; Summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
(Questions 18, 24)
Rdg. Std. 4: Interpret words and phrases as they are
used in a text, e.g., connotation,
figurative meanings); understand the
impact of diction. (Question 20)
Rdg. Std. 5: Analyze the structure of texts,
including how specific sentences,
paragraphs, etc. relate to each other
and to the text as a whole(Question 15,23)
Lang. Std. 4: Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words
and phrases by using context clues,
analyzing meaningful word parts, and
consulting general and specialized
reference materials, as appropriate
(Question 16,21)
Rdg. Std. 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events,
or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text. (Questions 17,19, 22)
2019

12. Let’s Review the Strategies:
Teach the Four-part Procedure:
a. Get acquainted with the passage and
questions. Annotate the text
b. Read at a “literary pace”
c. Write the main idea in one sentence
d. Answer the questions
2. Provide the “Metacognition” questions to analyze why you got questions wrong.
3. Provide class time to practice slow reading: Visualize,
Activate the Internal Narrative Voice
4. Help students use the “abstract noun-making suffixes” to capture the theme.
5. Build awareness of the Standards on which the questions are based by:
a. Using the two-column Question Menu to engage the text, addressing
questions that are appropriate for the text
b. Using the collection of question frames from previous exams, create
questions and exchange with peers
6. Acclimate students to the words and phrases in the question stems: creates
a sense of, best reflects, convey a sense of, reveal, infers that….)

13. Let’s Review the Strategies:
6. Act out the Editor-to-Author skit, where the author has
to justify specific details that the editor thinks are
unnecessary
7. Help students restate/summarize very small segments of the text as you read.
8. Help students remember to read ALL of the choices. Remember that more than\
one answer is possible.
9. Help students remember that MOST of the questions will relate back to the main idea.
10. Help students locate sentences from that text that encapsulate its central idea:
Which of the following quotations best reflects the main idea of the text?
11. If you know how, use Socratic Seminar techniques to engage with the text.
12. Provide students with VARIOUS reading experiences: required reading and
books of choice; whole class, small group, pairs, individuals

14. Test Breakdown:
40%: Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension:
Fiction
Poem
Literary non-fiction
40%: Argumentation essay, based on a social issue;
4 articles (pro/con/information)
20%: Rhetorical analysis of a literary excerpt

15. Topic Archive August, 2019: Should plastic shopping bags be banned?
June, 2019: Should pets be allowed in the workplace?
January, 2019: Should cash currency be eliminated?
August, 2018: Should shark netting be used on coastal beaches?
June, 2018: Is graffiti vandalism?
January, 2018: Could algae be the solution to our energy problems?
August, 2017: Should self-driving cars replace human drivers?
June, 2017: Should school recess be structured play?
January, 2017: Should the United States eliminate Daylight Savings Time?
August, 2016: Should the United States government create strict sugar
regulations?
June, 2016: Should celebrities become the voice of humanitarian causes?
January, 2016: Should food be genetically modified?
August: 2015: Should American citizens be required to vote in national elections?

16. Evaluate: Do these topics meet the criteria for Part II (Argumentation):
Who, if anyone other than themselves, bears responsibility for the deaths of
Romeo and Juliet?
1a. Should there be a legal age for marriage? If so, what should it be?
2. Is Atticus Finch justified in his parenting decision when Jem destroys
Mrs. Dubose’s camellias?
2a. Does race play a role in America’s criminal justice system?
3. Is George in any way responsible for Lennie’s death?
3a. Public Law (“Rosa’s Law”) replaced the term “mental retardation”
with “intellectual disability.” Do you agree that this change serves a
purpose?
4. Select a main character in A Raisin in the Sun. Could that character
achieve his or her dreams today?
4a. Should the government intervene in real estate sales practices?

17. Test Part Suggested Time Standards Addressed Text Description Student
Test Blueprint
Test Part
Suggested
Time
Standards
Addressed
Text
Description
Student
Task
Part II:
Argumentation
Writing from
Sources
80 minutes
RL 1-10
W 1,4,9
L 1-6
4 information-
based texts,
probably inc.
graphics
up to 2,600 words, total
Write an
argumentative
essay, referring
to the sources
given
Reading time:
Text 1: 3 minutes
Text 2: 3 minutes
Text 3: 4 ½ minutes
Text 4: 2 minutes
Text 5: 5 minutes
Total: 18 minutes
Writing Time:
3 minutes: Read the Directions
5 minutes: Written plan
50 minutes: Write the essay
Total: Approx. 80 minutes
(Combined with the 6 minutes left over
from Part 1, I now have 16 extra minutes.)

18. Writing Rubric: Common Core Standards, Grades 6-12:
Type: Argumentation
Pro
Semi-Pro
Novice
Pre-Novice
Effectively does ALL of the
following:
States importance of issue
Makes a claim
Acknowledges opposing claim(s)
Effectively does TWO of the
following:
States importance of issue
Makes a claim
Acknowledges
opposing claim(s)
Effectively does ONE of the
following:
States importance of issue
Makes a claim
Acknowledges opposing claim(s)
Effectively does NONE of the
following:
States importance of issue
Makes a claim
Acknowledges opposing claim
Writing an
introduction
Mentions, but does not
develop, sufficient evidence;
Does not attend to opposing
claim(s)
Develops claims and opposing
claims thoroughly and fairly
with evidence: facts, stats,
reasons, examples, anecdotes
Good start toward
developing claims and
opposing claims; Includes
some substantial evidence
Developing
an argument
No relevant facts, statistics,
reasons, or evidence.
Expressing
relationships
between ideas
Establishes clear and effective
organization through:
paragraphing, sectioning,
complex sentences, transitions
and other linking devices
Transitions from paragraph
to paragraph, but needs
more internal transition and
linkage within paragraphs
All or mostly simple
sentences with no or
very few transition words
and conjunctions used
No paragraphing
A few organizational
structures and transitional
words
Using Tier
II and III
Vocabulary
Sufficient, appropriate
use of Tier II
and III language throughout
Tier II and III vocabulary are
evident, but there are
several instances where
Tier II vocabulary should be
used instead of Tier I
A few Tier II and II vocabulary
used
No Tier II or III vocabulary
used
Using formal writing
tone
Formal writing tone used
throughout; Few or no glaring
errors in spelling, grammar,
punctuation, capitalization;
obvious care in presentation
Good attempt at formal
writing style and
proofreading, but a few
glaring errors indicate that
more careful proofreading
is needed
Attempt at formal
writing style, but needs
more proofreading and/or
care in presentation
Overall tone is too informal,
including some or all of:
“texting” abbreviations, slang,
messiness, errors in spelling,
punctuation, grammar
Writing a
conclusion
Strong conclusion that
follows from the evidence
presented and makes an
impact on the reader
Good start toward a
strong conclusion that
follows from the evidence
and makes an impact on
the reader
Sketchy conclusion that
just restates the claim
and/or the issue; does not
make an impact on the reader
no conclusion
Developed by Amy Benjamin in accordance with the Common Core State Standards for Literacy in English Language Arts and Social Studies, Science, Technical Subjects,

19. Common Hitching Devices
Coordinating
Conjunctions
Subordinating
Conjunctions
Relative Pronouns
Conjunctive Adverbs
However
Moreover
Therefore
Furthermore
As, although, after
while, when
until
because, before if
AAAWWUBBI
Which
Who
That
And
But So
Or/nor
Can join two independent
clauses to make a
compound sentence.
Warning: You must use
a comma with these
when they join
independent clauses.
You may use a
semicolon instead of
a coordinating conjunction
to join two independent
clauses.
Can attach to an
independent clause to
create a complex
sentence.
Warning: Many
sentence fragments
begin with these
words. Usually, you
must hitch these
words and the clauses
that they introduce to
your previous sentence.
Note: No comma is to be
used with that.
Can move within
own clause;
Requires commas
on both sides
Warning: If you
wish to use these
to join clauses, you
must use a semicolon.
Can hitch up to an
independent clause,
creating a subordinate
(dependent) clause,
forming
complex sentence.
Can appear after
main clause (no comma)
or before main clause
(needs a comma)

20. Use your sentence frames.
5 Minute Plan
What is the question?
What is my viewpoint? (claim)
Why is this issue important?
What is the counterclaim?
What valid points does the counterclaim have?
But why am I still right?
What are my parting words of warning? (If…then…)
Connectives: but, however
although, even though, nevertheless
therefore, so
Use your sentence frames.
Use your academic word list.

21. To write, you need three things:
Something to Say
Sentences to Hold
the Words
The Words to Say It

22. Foundational Values Note: These are overlapping:
Democratic Principles: Personal freedom, expression of individuality,
promotion of democracy, the right to be left alone, civil liberties,
honoring the past
Sense of Community: Helping others, sharing resources,
considering future generations; establishing sense of belonging;
caring for loved ones
Desire for safety and security: Protection against enemies, protection of resources,
having sufficient food and shelter, avoiding and responding to natural
disaster, maintaining health
Economics: Maintaining sufficient resources for now and the future,
protecting personal fortunes while offering
opportunities to everyone
Beauty, Pleasure, Convenience; Fairness

23. Ingredients of Informational Text
Background to the Issue (Introduction)
Acknowledgement of the opposing side (Counterclaim)
Examples
Anecdotes (little stories)
Comparison/Contrast
Cause & Effect (If…then statements)
Working definitions
Quotations (references to authorities)
Rhetorical questions
Statistics
Summaries
Emotional language
Technical language
Variety of perspectives (I, we, you, he, she, they)

24. account for 70% of words used in English.
Tier 3: glossary word:
Multisyllabic
Specific to a subject area
Latin or Greek-based
topography, photosynthesis, cartography
extrude, metamorphose, striate
sedimentary, organic, leeward
Tier 2: Words of education, business,
government, religion:
Components: Prefix, root, suffix
Latin-based
elevation, formation, protrusion, expanse…
elevate, formulate, isolate, develop…
remote, irregular, precipitous
Tier 1: Basic conversational words: Friends & family
1 or 2 syllables
Learned naturally, through exposure
hills, grass, rocks, land, sky, clouds,
…grow, fly, climb, …green, high, rocky, grassy
FYI: Most common 1,000 words
account for 70% of words used in English.
Different kinds of vocabulary.

25. The Academic Word List (AWL):
Background: The Academic Word List consists of 570 word families that are not in the most
frequent 2,000 words of English but which occur frequently over a very wide range of academic texts.
These 570 word families are grouped into ten subsets that reflect word frequency.
A word like analyze falls into Subset 1, which contains the most frequent words, while the word
adjacent falls into Subset 10 which includes the least frequent (among this list of high incidence words).
The AWL is not restricted to a specific field of study. That means that the words are useful for learners
studying in disciplines as varied as literature, science, health, business, and law.
This high-utility academic word list does not contain technical words likely to appear in one,
specific field of study such as amortization, petroglyph, onomatopoeia, or cartilage.
Two-thirds of all academic English derive from Latin or Greek.
Understandably, knowledge of the most high-incidence academic words in English can significantly
boost a student’s comprehension level of school-based reading material. Students who are taught
these high-utility academic words and routinely placed in contexts requiring their usage are likely
to be able to master academic material with more confidence and efficiency, wasting less time and
energy in guessing words or consulting dictionaries than those who are only equipped with the most
basic words that characterize ordinary conversation.
The following link gives you a two-page version of the list:
Source: Coxhead, Averil. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34,

27. August 2019: Passage 1
overall (subset 4)
credit (subset 2)
occur (subset 1): occurred to her
previous (subset 2)
phrase (subset 4)
indicate (subset 1)
ensure (subset 3)

28. (words in the questions, not the poem):
shift
strategy

29. Passage C: Literary Nonfiction
abstract
concept (conceive)
culture
environment
evolve (evolutionary)
fundamental
research
aspect
perceive
scope
consequence
analysis
phrase
vary
rely (reliance)

30. primary (primarily)
research
function
theory
emphasize
adaptations (adapt)
physical
cycle
support
unreliable (rely)
respond

31. Argumentation:
Should plastic shopping bags be banned?
Text 1:
culture
benefits
resource
issue
cycle (recycle, recyclable)
process
environment (environmental)
derive
fee

32. Text 2:
method
period
eliminate
policy
potential
factor
impact
estimate

33. (not previously listed)
Text 3:
(not previously listed)
currently
advocate
evident (evidence)
justify (justification)
indicate
energy

34. Text 4: (not previously listed)
alternative
major (majority)
overall
sector
design
infrastructure

35. Part III: Literary Analysis
shift
margin (marginal)
approach
element (elemental)
varied
symbol

36. LIVING ENVIRONMENT August 2019
Pages 2 and 5: Multiple Choice
potentially
obtain
process
infer
resources
adapt
primary
evolve
sequence
environmental
period

37. PHYSICAL SETTING
EARTH SCIENCE
August 2019
Pages 1 and 5: Multiple Choice
approximate
period
revolution
data
estimate
interval
section
structure

38. Algebra I
August 2019
Pages 1 and 5: Multiple Choice
function
range
equal (equivalent, equation)
Algebra II
August 2019
Pages 1 and 5: Multiple Choice
sequence
series
function

39. TRANSITION EXAM GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
August 2019
Pages 1 and 5: Multiple Choice
physical
region (regional)
significant
revolution
principles
evidence
primary
source
authority
distribute (distribution)
identify
consequence
credit
decline
eliminate
indicating
factor
promote
legislate

40. U.S. HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
August 2019
Pages 1 and 5: Multiple Choice
feature
economic
policy
issue (issuance)
debate
role
factor
establish (ed)
evidence
principle
process
labor
area

41. …and on the student-written essay question (Part II, Argumentation)
Level 6: AWL Words Used: environment, decline, indicate, sector,
alternative, furthermore, majority, economy, illustrate, issues,
evidence (11)
Level 5: AWL Words Used: environmental, impact, issues, alternatives,
role, factors (6)
Level 4: AWL Words Used: controversial, source, outcome,
environmental (4)
Level 3: AWL Words Used: issue, environment, decade (3)
Level 2: AWL Words Used: environment (1)

42. Scaffolding the Writing Task for
Sentence Frames:
Scaffolding the Writing Task for
Special Education Students, English Language Learners, and Everyone Else

43. Use this frame at the outset of your argument to introduce an ongoing debate:
In discussions of _____________, one controversial issue has been
___________________________. People who believe____________
claim that________________________________. On the other hand,
those who believe _____________________________ assert that
______________________________________________________.
My own view is __________________________________________.

44. Use these frames as you acknowledge that the opposing side has a certain
degree to validity:
While at one time it may have been true that__________________,
we can now state that____________________________________.
___________________ makes sense when he/she/they say________
________________, but _____________________________________.
Despite the validity of ______________________’s claim about ____________,
he/she/they miss the mark when it comes to________________________
because___________________________________________________.

45. Use these frames to establish the importance of this topic in your conclusion:
______________ is important because__________________.
We should care about______________because if_____________,
then_________________________.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is____________________________.
My discussion of _________________ addresses the
larger matter of _____________________.

46. Test Part Suggested Time Standards Addressed Text Description Student
Test Blueprint: Revisited
Test Part
Suggested
Time
Standards
Addressed
Text
Description
Student
Task
Part III:
Text Analysis
40 minutes
(46 minutes)
RL 1-6,10
RI 1-6,10
W. 2,4,9
L 1-6
1 text, up to
1,000 words
literary or
information
Write essay: Identify central idea and analyze how the author uses one writing strategy (lit.
element or technique;
rhetorical strategy)
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Writing Time:
1 minute: Read Directions
4 minutes: Written Plan
30 minutes: Write 3 paragraphs

47. Level 4 Response from the Anchor Papers:
State the central idea (You may use an “In literature as in life” frame)
State the literary technique or strategy that the author uses to
develop the central idea.

48. Thematic Statements About Literature
In literature, as in life, people may be troubled by…
In literature, as in life, _______ is a common problem.
In literature, as in life, ________often causes conflict.

49. Thematic Statements About Literature
In literature, as in life, People may be troubled by a lack of …
In literature, as in life, Excessive_______ is a common problem.
In literature, as in life, A misunderstanding about________often causes conflict.