TAKS Oral Administration

Training

2011

Oral Administration• An accommodation in which test questions and answer choices

may be read aloud or signed to eligible students. This includes words (and numbers if necessary) on any part of the test:

• Charts, tables, graphs, graphics, captions under art, diagrams, pictures, figures

• TAKS Mathematics Chart

• TAKS Science Formula Chart and Periodic Table

• Allowable or approved supplemental aids

Oral Administration• Only allowed for mathematics, science, and/or social studies tests

• Oral administration is NOT allowed for reading, writing, or ELA tests; does not apply to:

• Dyslexia Bundled Accommodations for TAKS and TAKS (Accommodated)

• Reading aloud test questions and answer choices on TAKS–M reading selections

• These are not called oral administrations

Oral Administration• Oral administration can encompass different levels of reading

support for each student:

• Reading only a few words or phrases at student request

• Reading multiple sentences throughout the test at student request

• Reading the test in its entirety

Oral Administration• The documentation (e.g., IEP, IAP, local paperwork) must describe

the level of reading support the student needs as well as whether the student can request a change in the level of reading support provided during testing.

• If the student requires reading support for numbers in addition to words, then attention must be given to how the numbers are read aloud so that no cues to the correct answer are inadvertently given.

Oral AdministrationStudent Eligibility

A test administrator may read aloud or sign the test questions and answer choices to a student:

1. Not receiving special education or Section 504 services who is identified with dyslexia

2. Receiving Section 504 services who is identified as dyslexic or has evidence of reading difficulties as documented in the IAP

3. Receiving special education services who is identified as dyslexic or has evidence of reading difficulties as documented in the IEP

4. Receiving special education services who is deaf or hard of hearing and who has evidence of reading difficulties as documented in the IEP

Student Eligibility• Eligibility is determined at the local level by

• the student’s committee of knowledgeable persons and documented in accordance with district policies

• the student’s Section 504 placement committee and documented in IAP

• the student’s ARD committee and documented in IEP• For an English language learner, eligibility should be

made in conjunction with the student’s LPAC and documented in the permanent record file

Test Administrator ResponsibilitiesBEFORE TEST DAY• Receive additional training in oral admin procedures, including

guidelines for reading aloud items• Sign Section 1 of the Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality• Be familiar with the content-specific terms and symbols associated

with the test• Know the level of reading support required for each student and

whether the student can change the level during testing• Plan for small group or individual testing

Test Administrator ResponsibilitiesON TEST DAY• Use Form 1 of TAKS• Do not work test items, write notes, or discuss test content• Do not rephrase, clarify, or interpret test content• Do not provide nonverbal assistance to students• Keep voice inflection neutral (except words in boldface, italics, or all

caps)• Each word or item may be read aloud as many times as necessary• TEST ADMINISTRATORS MUST READ FROM A TEST BOOKLET

ASSIGNED TO HIM/HER. DO NOT READ FROM THE STUDENT’S TEST BOOKLET, REGARDLESS OF THE LEVEL OF READING SUPPORT NEEDED.

Test Administrator Responsibilities

ON or RIGHT AFTER TEST DAY• Sign Section 3 of the Oath of Test Security and

Confidentiality• Indicate that the student received an oral

administration by marking the “OA” code in the ACCOMMODATIONS (FOR ALL PROGRAMS) field on the scorable document

Oral Administration Appendix

Type ADo not read aloud answer choices that are pictures or geometric figures. Instead, after reading the test question, say to the student,

“Look at the pictures (figures, models, graphs) and mark your answer.”

First, read the question. Then say: “Look at the pictures and mark your answer.”

Grade 3 Math

Type BIf an item contains a table, graph, diagram, or picture that includes words or numbers, say to the student,

“Take a few moments to look at the table (graph, diagram, picture) and tell me whether you would like me to read any of the numbers or words to you. Then let me know when you are ready to go on.”

Consider the student’s needs (based on the documentation) when allowing for student choice.

…or if reading words at student request…Say: “Take a few moments to look at the diagram and tell me whether you would like me to read any of the words to you. Then let me know when you are ready to go on.”

…if reading the test in its entirety… Point and Say: “This says Part of the Carbon Cycle. This says Carbon dioxide goes into the atmosphere. This says…”

Last, read the question and answer choices.

First, direct the student’s attention to the diagram. Then…

Grade 5 Science

First, read the top part of the question. Then…

…if reading the test in its entirety… Point and Say: “This says Tuan’s Typing. This says Accuracy in percent. This says…”

…or if reading words at student request…Say: “Take a few moments to look at the scatterplot and tell me whether you would like me to read any of the words to you. Then let me know when you are ready to go on.”

Last, read the bottom part of the question and the answer choices.

Grade 8 Math

Type C

When reading words or numbers from a table, graph, or diagram, be careful not to aid the student in interpreting or analyzing the information, since the ability to interpret and analyze is part of what is being tested. You may only read words or numbers to the student.

If reading the test in its entirety…Point and Say: “This word is krill. This word is plankton…”

It would NOT be allowable to say: “Krill eat plankton and krill are eaten by the whale,” because that would be interpreting the food chain.

Grade 5 Science

2010 Texas Assessment ConferenceTexas Education Agency

If reading the test in its entirety…Be careful not to interpret what the arrows mean in the graphic. It would NOT be allowable to say: “Invention of the cotton gin led to increased cotton production…”

Grade 8 Social Studies

Type DRead content-specific terms and symbols in the way the student hears them in his or her daily instruction. This will ensure that the test is administered accurately.

It’s important to consider whether the accuracy will be affected by a test administrator’s speech. Best practice would be that the students are familiar with the test administrator and the test administrator is familiar with the specific terms and symbols used in the subject.

Grade 6 Math

What is the measure of Angle YZW? A Forty-five degreesB Ninety degreesC Two hundred seventy degreesD One hundred thirty-five degrees

This says forty five degrees.

These answer choices are correctly read as:

A Seven to nineB Sixteen to nineC Seven to sixteenD Nine to seven

NOT Seven colon nine, etc.

Grade 6 Math

These answer choices are correctly read as:F y equals the absolute value of xG y equals the square root of xH y equals x squaredJ y equals x

XL Math

Type EFor items that require knowledge of place value to read or write numbers, read the numbers as individual digits.

(Math grades 3–5 only.)

If the student requires reading support for numbers in addition to words, then attention must be given to how the numbers are read aloud so that no cues to the correct answer are inadvertently given.

Grade 3 Math

Which of these numbers is greater than 3,590? Mark your answer.

o 3,491o 3,601o 3,589o 3,578 Do NOT Say: “Three-thousand, five-hundred

ninety…Three-thousand, four-hundred ninety one…Three-thousand, six-hundred

one…” This can give away the answer.

Say: “Which of these numbers is greater than three, comma, five, nine, zero?

Mark your answer.”

Grade 3 Math

Which of these numbers is greater than 3,590? Mark your answer.

o 3,491o 3,601o 3,589o 3,578

For the answer choices:“The first option is three, comma, four, nine, one. The second option is three, comma, six, zero, one…” And so on.

OR

“Take a few moments to look at the answer choices and tell me whether you would like me to read any of the numbers to you. Then let me know when you are ready to go on.”

2010 Texas Assessment ConferenceTexas Education Agency

However, for the answer choices, do NOT say:A Two and zero-tenthsB Two-tenthsC Two-hundredthsD Two and eight-tenths

Rather, say:A Two point zeroB Zero point twoC Zero point zero twoD Two point eight

Read this just as a student would hear it in instruction: “The model below is shaded to represent two-tenths.

Grade 4 Math

Say: “In the year two thousand, there were one, seven, three, comma, six, seven, zero people in Texas who walked to work every day. Which answer choice has the same value as one, seven, three, comma, six, seven, zero? Mark your answer.

o One, zero, comma, zero, zero, zero plus seven, comma, zero, zero, zero plus…” And so on.

Or if reading words at student request…Say: “Take a few moments to look at the answer choices and tell me whether you would like me to read any of the numbers to you. Then let me know when you are ready to go on.”

Grade 3 Math

Cautions About These Examples

• These slides are intended to emphasize the importance of using the Oral Administration Appendix for training test administrators prior to testing.

• These slides represent just a few examples of the different types of test items that may appear on a test.

• These slides do not represent all of the content-specific terms and symbols that could appear on a test.

• Training at the local level may include additional items for practice.

Reminder:Routine Use of Accommodations

Accommodations should be routinely used during classroom instruction, assignments, and testing. This doesn’t mean that the accommodation must be used everyday.

By analyzing observation data and assignment/test scores with and without the use of accommodations, an educator may be able to see how the student has gained skills, overcome weaknesses, or progressed in the curriculum. Or it may confirm that the student still struggles in certain areas.

Do not provide a new or unfamiliar accommodation on statewide testing day.