a view of the demands of yr 3 & 5 naplan reading tasks (2012)

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A view of the demands of Yr 3 & 5 NAPLaN Reading tasks(2012)


A: KEY VOCABULARY It is very difficult to

accurately predict the topic of the readings in the magazine. Hopefully students vocabulary is being routinely developed for all new topics across all subjects. However it is possible to support students to improve their understanding of the vocabulary in the question booklet

From the question stems: wh- words refer to, referring to indicates, suggests could be replaced

with because to (in order to) means, represents, to

show point, focus, purpose compare relationship according to


Students need to be familiar with key vocabulary in the question booklet

From the question stems:

wh- words refer to, referring

to to indicate, to

suggest could be replaced

with because to (in order to) means,

represents, to show

point, focus, purpose

compare relationship according to


Technical vocabulary about texts in questions: - magazine

- author - illustrate, illustrator, illustration - caption

- text / piece of text: whole text specific extract source text for a glossary series of links on a webpage


Year 5 2009


Year 3 2009What prior student knowledge was assumed in these questions?

• Another good title for this text could be

• When Cyril sighs, it suggests that he is

• Also, when plastic bags are made …

This paragraph is mainly about


Year 5 2009What prior knowledge was assumed in these questions?• According to Poster 2, what should we

compost or mulch?

• The text suggests that people’s behaviour will only change if

• In this text the sub-heading Status gives information about

• Where does the narrator believe is the best place to view a flood?


What examples of key vocabulary in the questions can you find in the 2011 test?



Yr 3e.g. text, illustrations, best matches, title



Yr 3e.g. text, illustrations, best matches, title

Yr 5 e.g. text suggests, paragraph, stanza

(verse), referred to


Teaching Strategies• incorporate / highlight the key words in regular activities • make a chart listing key words and their different definition or use See Tip 7

Familiar words with multiple meanings like = enjoy / the same as or similare.g. Who is John like?John is very similar to his brother Terrence, because they both enjoy playing with Donald.

The answer is Terrence NOT Donald, but a student might only know “like” to mean “enjoy” and therefore misinterpret the question, especially under test conditions, and answer Donald.

not like = not enjoy / not the same as means = definition / implication / way


B: MULTIPLE CHOICE PROCESS

Teaching Strategies

To clarify what it is, ask students to think of ways / occasions where they have heard or seen multiple choice questions (e.g. Who wants to be a Millionaire?) and review the process, highlighting the elimination of the incorrect options


• Become orientated to each item (question/statement)

Read the item to identify whether it is a question to be answered or a statement to be completed. Sometimes there is also a quote from the text in italics that is the focus of the item rather than the whole text. Tell students to skim the magazine to find the quote and then scan near it to find the answer.

It’s more like comparing fruit and vegetables – they’re all foods.

Why does Spacegirl say this?


•Practise a process for dealing with multiple choice items i. read the item once to get a sense of what is required

ii. underline key words in question stem e.g. What is the name of the shrimps eaten by the blue whale?

iii. add your own key word to identify the type of information that is requirede.g. Elephants are included in the picture to show that…. (reason, because)


How long should the fruit sticks be cooked? (time, number, hours, minutes)

o for two minutes o for five people o until the butter melts o with chocolate

iv. answer options - underline key words - tick the possible answers at the end of the statements


v. Choose an answer read / scan the text to find the relevant information

cross the likely incorrect options at the end of the statements (not in the bubble) select the correct option and shade its bubble

Notes for students Multiple Choice:1 read the question stem once 2 read the question stem again and underline key words 3 read through the choices4 read/scan text5 eliminate obvious incorrect answers6 read the text/section more carefully 7 shade the correct choiceSee Tip 9


Notes for students

1. read the stem once 2. read the stem again and underline key

words 3. read/scan text to find clues, evidence,

suggestions or ideas upon which you base your prediction or opinion

(the answer may not be written in the text)4. write answer in full sentenceSee Tip 8

C: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS


Teaching Comprehension of Inferences• Refer to Strategies to help Readers

make Meaning through Inferences available at www.decd.sa.gov.au/westernadelaide/ > Teaching and learning > Literacy > Comprehension

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/westernadelaide/

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/westernadelaide/


D: SCANNING FOR KEY WORDS / CUES IN THE QUESTION AND THE TEXT

Skimming involves glancing through material to gain a general impression or overview of the content – headings and subheadings are good starting points. Scanning involves glancing through material to locate a specific detail such as name, date or place.

Teaching Strategies• Discuss the meaning of “key words” with synonyms or related words (e.g. “main words”, “important words”)• Practice identifying key words and related words in a controlled way e.g. find the synonyms of a key word from a list of words

ancient

sleepy

very old

angry


• Introduce levels of complexity of scanning of a text

Scan for the exact key word Scan for key words and related words/synonyms

Example: All about AliciaThe text says that Alicia currently lives in…

She resides in Melbourne.


• Introduce levels of complexity of scanning of a text

Scan for the exact key word Scan for key words and related words/synonyms

Example: How long is a baby whale?A newborn blue whale is approximately….

The length of a blue whale calf is about seven or eight metres…..


a key word or related word/reference item (e.g. it, this, both) found in the previous or following sentences

Example: DroughtIn They wriggle through the water pipes… the word They is referring to..

When the water in our tanks gets low

Mosquito larvae start to grow.

They wriggle through the water pipes.


Possible range of skills required Teaching points

understand vocabulary “author” and “text”

understand the use of “by” to indicate author

know that the author may be written in close proximity to the title

Key vocabulary

Visual literacy


locate “anaconda” in textlink speech bubbles with illustration

match illustration with “snake”

Visual literacy

synonyms




scan the text for the choices in the question

use knowledge of difference between metres / kilometres, wide / deep to eliminate incorrect answers

search backward or forward to link “it’s” to the Amazon River

Scanning Multiple choice

Reference



understand term “illustration” understand “flows through mostly” is the same as the more familiar “flows mostly through” or “mostly flows through”

recognise the river and “jungle” in the illustrations

use knowledge of difference between rocky mountains, deep ravines, desert, jungles, to eliminate incorrect choices

Key vocabulary

Visual literacy

Multiple choice


How to play SPUD

• This article was in both the Yr 3 and 5 tests

• Answer the questions and then explain to your class how you found the answer


Student Wellbeing

• Did you find these questions difficult/time consuming? How did they make you feel?

• Do you think your students could answer them? How could they feel and therefore react during NAPLAN?

• How and when can students be supported to deal with difficult questions?

See Tip 10


Teaching strategies available at

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/curric/pages/ESL ESL Teaching & Learning > NAPLaN

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/curric/pages/ESL

a view of the demands of yr 3 & 5 naplan reading tasks (2012)

Documents

text piece of text

examples of key vocabulary

students vocabulary

key words

technical vocabulary

question bookletfrom

question stems

multiple choice questions