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FCAT READING FACTS. When you leave this class today, you will …. ► understand the FCAT facts, strategies, and tips presented. ► learn what is required to earn the most points on the short and extended responses. ► be able to score sample responses accurately.
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When you leave this class today, you will … ► understand the FCAT facts, strategies, and tips presented. ► learn what is required to earn the most points on the short and extended responses. ► be able to score sample responses accurately.
The FCAT reading test consists of approximately the following: 6 - 8 reading passages 60% of the passages are informational texts 40% of the passages are literary texts 50 - 55 multiple-choice questions (1pt. each) 3 - 6 short-responses (2 pts. each) 2 - 3 extended-responses (4 pts. each)
Short & Extended Responses 8 lines to write on for short-response 14 lines to write on for extended-response 2 points earned for a “complete” short-response answer 4 points earned for a “complete” extended-response answer You MAY earn partial credit, so don’t ever skip these questions entirely.
Short & Extended Responses Consider EVERY short and extended response question as a two-part question. Here is a sample of a short-response question: (Part 1) Discuss the methods of mosquito control described in the article. (Part 2) Explain why the methods did or did not work. Use information and details from the article to support your answer.
Please remember that this is a test of reading comprehension—nothing else! It is NOT a test of writing so… • don’t worry about those fancy writing techniques you learned (transitions; strong verbs; having a beginning, middle, and end, etc.) FOCUS ON CONTENT—NOT FORMAT! 2. No topic sentence is needed. 3. No concluding sentence (conclusion) is needed. 4. DO NOT use bullets, Venn diagrams, or thinking maps in your answers.
5. No need to include “I think…” or “They should have…” statements in your responses—your responses should come from the text. 6. Short and extended responses require you to “think and search”—the answers will be found in multiple places within the paragraphs of the text. 7. It is NOT necessary to restate the question in your answer. 8. However, do write in complete sentences so your answers are not confusing to the reader but some fragments, misspellings, and grammar errors are not penalized.
Question-Answer Relationships (QARs) 1. Right There + 2. The Author and You 3. Think and Search 4. On Your Own
Right There The answer is right in the text. Usually the answer is easy to find and words from the question will be used in the text where the answer is. There are very few of these types of questions on the FCAT.
+ The Author and You The answer is NOT right in the text. You need to think about what the author has told you and what you already know. Put both of these things together to answer the question.
Think and Search The answer IS in the passage but in several places. Search the text for all the pieces or clues and combine them to answer the question. This is the most common type of question on the FCAT.
On Your Own The answer is NOT in the text; it’s in your head. You don’t even have to read the text to answer the question! These questions are answered from your own experience. There are no “On Your Own” type of questions on the FCAT.
Other helpful tips DO NOT write outside the box—the reader/scorer will not see it. If it helps, use the word “explain” instead of “support.” Example: Use information and details from the article to support (explain) your answer. Preview the short and extended responses before you read the text. Use active reading skills!!
