Important New York State Testing Information
As you well know, there have many major changes made to the NYS assessments in English Language Arts. Below you will find all of the information that you need to help to successfully prepare your child for this exam. THE DATES FOR THE ELA EXAM THIS YEAR ARE APRIL 16TH, 17TH AND 18TH FOR ALL STUDENTS GRADES 6-8. Please be aware that students return from Spring Break on April 16th and will be testing the very next day. They should be working on practice questions and reading independently every day over Spring Break to ensure that they maintain the momentum and stamina that they have been building in their classrooms.
What's the 411?
The English Language Arts Exams in grades 6, 7 and 8 are administered of over the course of 3 days, in three 90 minute segments or books. The exams evaluate whether your child is meeting the standards in reading comprehension, listening comprehension and writing .
Reading Comprehension
During the reading sections (Day 1) of the ELA test, students will reading several passages representing a variety of genres. For each passage students apply the skills they have learned in the classroom by answering questions that are designed to determine how well they understood what they have read.
All grades will be tested using both literary (fiction) and informational (non fiction) reading passages. Students should expect to see short stories, folk tales, poetry and other forms of fictional writing when working with a literary passage. Examples of informational passages may include non fiction articles, excerpts from biographies or autobiographies, editorials,advertisements and other informational passages. All grades have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Listening Comprehension
During the listening portion of the exam ( Day 2) students will listen to and take notes on a passage that is read aloud twice and then answer a series of questions designed to demonstrate the student's understanding of the passage. The passages selected by the state represent a variety of genres. The students will not see the passage, nor the questions prior to the read aloud. Students may take notes during BOTH readings. They will not at any point actually have the passage in their hands, but may use their notes in order to answer the questions that follow. Students have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Reading/ Writing
The Reading/Writing portion of the exam (Day 3) is composed of four short response questions and one extended response. They are required to read passages in a variety of genres, which will include paired passages. Paired passages are two separate, but thematically related reading passages that students must read and then use information from both texts to answer an extended response question. For example, students may be given a poem and a non fiction informational text on similar subjects and asked to compare and contrast specific elements of the two in an essay. Scores will be based on how well the writing addresses the task and demonstrates understanding of the text. Students will have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Grade Specific Testing Information
Please note that all general education students in grades 6,7 and 8 will have three test books, one section per day for three days and will have 90 minutes to complete each section. Students with testing modifications will be given the appropriate accommodations as per their IEP requirements also in three books administered one per day over the course of three days.
Grade 6
Book/Day One- Students will read 7 reading comprehension passages( literary and informational) and will answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day Two- Students will listen to and take notes on one Literary( Fictional) passage and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response( essay) question using only their notes from the read aloud. In addition they will have two reading comprehension passages (literary and informational text) and be required to answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3 Students will read one set of paired passages ( 2 separate, but related texts) and answer 4 short response and 1 extended response based on the readings.
Grade 7
Please note that the Grade 7 test has the most extensive changes of the three grades. It has been redesigned to more closely align with the exams given in 6 and 8.
Book/Day 1- Students will read 7 passages( Literary and Informational) and answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 2- Students will listen to and take notes on 1 Listening Selection (Literary) and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response question using only their notes. In addition students will read two more literary and Informational pieces and answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3- Students will read 1 set of paired passages, 1 single literary passage, answer 4 short response questions and 1 extended response question.
Grade 8
Book/Day 1- Students will read 7 passages( Literary and Informational) and answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 2- Students will listen to and take notes on 1 Listening Selection (Literary) and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response question using only their notes. In addition students will read two more literary and Informational pieces and answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3- Students will read 1 set of paired passages, answer 4 short response questions and 1 extended response question.
What's the 411?
The English Language Arts Exams in grades 6, 7 and 8 are administered of over the course of 3 days, in three 90 minute segments or books. The exams evaluate whether your child is meeting the standards in reading comprehension, listening comprehension and writing .
Reading Comprehension
During the reading sections (Day 1) of the ELA test, students will reading several passages representing a variety of genres. For each passage students apply the skills they have learned in the classroom by answering questions that are designed to determine how well they understood what they have read.
All grades will be tested using both literary (fiction) and informational (non fiction) reading passages. Students should expect to see short stories, folk tales, poetry and other forms of fictional writing when working with a literary passage. Examples of informational passages may include non fiction articles, excerpts from biographies or autobiographies, editorials,advertisements and other informational passages. All grades have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Listening Comprehension
During the listening portion of the exam ( Day 2) students will listen to and take notes on a passage that is read aloud twice and then answer a series of questions designed to demonstrate the student's understanding of the passage. The passages selected by the state represent a variety of genres. The students will not see the passage, nor the questions prior to the read aloud. Students may take notes during BOTH readings. They will not at any point actually have the passage in their hands, but may use their notes in order to answer the questions that follow. Students have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Reading/ Writing
The Reading/Writing portion of the exam (Day 3) is composed of four short response questions and one extended response. They are required to read passages in a variety of genres, which will include paired passages. Paired passages are two separate, but thematically related reading passages that students must read and then use information from both texts to answer an extended response question. For example, students may be given a poem and a non fiction informational text on similar subjects and asked to compare and contrast specific elements of the two in an essay. Scores will be based on how well the writing addresses the task and demonstrates understanding of the text. Students will have 90 minutes to complete this section.
Grade Specific Testing Information
Please note that all general education students in grades 6,7 and 8 will have three test books, one section per day for three days and will have 90 minutes to complete each section. Students with testing modifications will be given the appropriate accommodations as per their IEP requirements also in three books administered one per day over the course of three days.
Grade 6
Book/Day One- Students will read 7 reading comprehension passages( literary and informational) and will answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day Two- Students will listen to and take notes on one Literary( Fictional) passage and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response( essay) question using only their notes from the read aloud. In addition they will have two reading comprehension passages (literary and informational text) and be required to answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3 Students will read one set of paired passages ( 2 separate, but related texts) and answer 4 short response and 1 extended response based on the readings.
Grade 7
Please note that the Grade 7 test has the most extensive changes of the three grades. It has been redesigned to more closely align with the exams given in 6 and 8.
Book/Day 1- Students will read 7 passages( Literary and Informational) and answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 2- Students will listen to and take notes on 1 Listening Selection (Literary) and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response question using only their notes. In addition students will read two more literary and Informational pieces and answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3- Students will read 1 set of paired passages, 1 single literary passage, answer 4 short response questions and 1 extended response question.
Grade 8
Book/Day 1- Students will read 7 passages( Literary and Informational) and answer 39 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 2- Students will listen to and take notes on 1 Listening Selection (Literary) and answer 5 multiple choice questions, 3 short response questions and 1 extended response question using only their notes. In addition students will read two more literary and Informational pieces and answer 13 multiple choice questions.
Book/Day 3- Students will read 1 set of paired passages, answer 4 short response questions and 1 extended response question.
