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I wanted to make a video to give some test taking tips
but, specifically, test taking tips for the STAAR Writing Test
So let's jump right into it.
First of all, the test you're going to be taking is the STAAR Writing Test.
It's given to all seventh grade students.
The last writing test you took was in fourth grade, and it was a little bit different.
It was the TAKS Writing Test; and there are some differences.
The STAAR Writing Test, you'll be writing in two different genres.
You'll be writing a personal narrative, as well as an expository.
Now keep in mind that, they may call it an informational essay, but
it's just an expository essay.
The testing days will be April 2 and April 3 so you'll be tested two days.
Within those two days, the tests are timed.
You only get four hours per day
so make sure that you budget your times wisely.
Along with the essays, that you'll be writing you'll also have to
answer some multiple-choice questions about revising and editing.
Now the nice thing about this test is that
you're going to get to use dictionaries, as well as a thesaurus.
If you need to look up a word or find a better word
to go in your paragraph or in your introduction or whatever you're writing
then use the thesaurus. If you need to spell a word
or if you need to know what a word means, look it up in the dictionary.
Now, let's look at the blueprint at what the test will consist of.
There will be two compositions.
Like I said before, one is a personal narrative and one is an expository.
There will be twenty-four questions about editing for grammar and spelling,
as well as sixteen questions about revising for meaning, flow, and many other things.
Plus, now here's the asterisk,
there will be field test items.
A field test item is an item that is not graded.
Unfortunately, they do not tell us the questions they are not going to grade
or the ones they are just going to throw out
so you have to approach each question and each essay
with the best answer choices and the best word choices
and the best writing that you can do
because you have to expect that it will be graded.
But, there will be field test items.
There will be one composition that's a field test item.
It's either going to be a narrative or it's going to be expository,
as well as 6 to 10 revising and editing questions.
Ultimately, here's what it looks like.
On the STAAR Writing Test for seventh grade
all together, there will be up to fifty multiple-choice questions
and three essays that you will have to write.
You're going to be given two sheets of scratch paper to brainstorm and draft
so please use that. Make sure that you're outlining things, you're brainstorming
you're drafting, you're putting all your ideas there so you can organize your ideas.
before you create your final draft.
Your final draft will have to be written on one sheet of lined paper.
It will be provided.
It has twenty-six lines.
You can only use those twenty-six lines.
You're not allowed to write on the back of the paper.
You're only allowed to write in the margins of that twenty-six line paper.
Make sure that you write well.
If you know that you write big or you know that you have a lot to say
and you want to include as many details as possible
to support your topic, then make sure that you write small.
Remember, and this is a key to remember - very important:
You are not graded on how much you write.
You are graded on how well you write.
Let me repeat that.
You are not graded on how much you write.
You are graded on how well you write.
Yes you are looked at, and you have to write within those twenty-six lines
but you need to write well.
Don't just try to write a bunch of sentences because
you figure that if you fill up the space, it's going to be graded well.
Make sure that you actually write well.
Now rubrics ... it's always important to look at a rubric
so that you understand how they're grading
Let's look at this: the rubric is based on a four point scale
with three sections.
The three sections are organizational and progression,
development of ideas,
and use of language and conventions
So the three areas they are looking for
the three areas they are grading you on
are how you organize it and how you progress through the paper,
how you develop your ideas and if you stick with the idea from the
very beginning to the very end,
and if you use language and conventions well.
If you structure your sentences well.
If you allow your sentences to flow the way they are supposed to.
Make sure you follow these points as you write your essay.
If you want to read the rubric
if you want to look through in detail what the rubric says
then you can go to mrferrero.com
you can click on test taking tips and there will be a link for the rubrics
so you can look specifically at the rubric for personal narrative.
You can specifically look at the rubric for expository.
You will be able to get a better idea and a better understanding
of how you'll be graded.
Hopefully, this will help you
and I know that you will be successful on the test.