For Language Arts Teachers/English

CONNECTINGCOLLEGE READINESSSTANDARDSTOTHE CLASSROOM

For Language Arts Teachers/English

13348

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TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The College Readiness Standards Report for EXPLORE English . . . . . . 2

Description of the College Readiness Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Description of the EXPLORE English Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

The Need for Thinking Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Thinking Your Way Through the EXPLORE Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

The Assessment-Instruction Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Using Assessment Information to Help Support Low-Scoring Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Instructional Activities for EXPLORE English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Putting the Pieces Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Appendix: Passages Corresponding to Sample Test Questions . . . . . 63

List of Tables

1 The College Readiness Standards for the EXPLORE English Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 EXPLORE English Test Content Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

3 EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

4 College Readiness Benchmark Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

5 Estimated PLAN Composite Score Ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

6 The Link Between ACT Composite Scores and College Admission Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

ACT has developed this guide to help classroomteachers, curriculum coordinators, and counselorsinterpret the College Readiness Standards Reportdata for EXPLORE English. The guide includes:

A description of the College Readiness StandardsTM and Benchmarks for EXPLORE

A description of the EXPLORE English Test

A set of sample test questions

A description of the Assessment-Instruction Link

A set of classroom instructional activities

The College Readiness Standards for EXPLOREare statements that describe what students who scorein the four score ranges 1315, 1619, 2023, and2425 are likely to know and to be able to do. Thestatements are generalizations based on theperformance of many students scoring in these fourscore ranges. College Readiness Standards have notbeen developed for students whose scores fall in the112 range because these students, as a group, donot demonstrate skills similar to each other consis-tently enough to permit useful generalizations.

The College Readiness Standards for EXPLOREare accompanied by ideas for progress that helpteachers identify ways of enhancing student learningbased on the scores students receive.

The College Readiness Standards Report forEXPLORE provides the percentage of your students ineach College Readiness Standards score range ineach of the four content areas the EXPLORE testmeasuresEnglish, Mathematics, Reading, andScience. The report provides data that compare theperformance of your schools students with allstudents in a nationally representative comparisongroup (norm group).

Local comparisons to the national norm group aremost appropriate when EXPLORE is administeredunder conditions similar to those in the normingstudywith all four tests administered in a singlesession in the standard order.

Eighth-grade students who test in August throughJanuary will receive Fall Eighth-Grade Norms. Eighthgraders who test in February through July will receiveSpring Eighth-Grade Norms. Ninth-grade students will receive Ninth-Grade Norms regardless of their test date. (If your school chooses to test ninth-gradestudents in the spring, keep in mind that thesestudents will have had several more months ofinstruction than the norm group. Therefore, spring-tested ninth graders may show higher levels ofachievement when compared to the fall-tested normgroup than if they had tested in the fall.) Students whoare not in the eighth or ninth grade when they takeEXPLORE will receive Fall Eighth-Grade Norms ontheir student reports.

EXPLORE is a curriculum-based assessmentprogram developed by ACT to help eighth and ninthgraders devise a high school course work plan thatprepares them to achieve their post-high schoolgoals. As part of ACTs Educational Planning andAssessment System (EPAS), EXPLORE is comple-mented by PLAN, ACTs tenth-grade program, andby the ACT, for eleventh and twelfth graders. Wehope this guide helps you assist your students as theyplan and pursue their future studies.

INTRODUCTION

The role of standardized testingis to let parents, students, and institutions know what students are ready to learn next.

Ralph Tyler, October 1991Chairman Emeritus ofACTs Board of Trustees

1

2THE COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDSREPORT FOR EXPLORE ENGLISH

The College Readiness Standards Report data forEXPLORE English allow you to compare theperformance of students in your school with theperformance of students nationwide. The reportprovides summary information you can use to mapthe development of your students knowledge andskills in writing. Used along with your own classroomobservations and with other resources, the test resultscan help you to analyze your students progress inwriting and to identify areas of strength and areas thatneed more attention to ensure your students are ontrack to be college ready by the time they graduatefrom high school. You can then use the Standards asone source of information in the instructional planningprocess.

A sample report appears on the next page. An explanation of its features is provided below.

COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDS RANGES

Down the sides of the report, in shaded boxes,are the five score ranges reported for the CollegeReadiness Standards for EXPLORE. To determine thenumber of score ranges and the width of each scorerange, ACT staff reviewed normative data, collegeadmission criteria, and information obtained throughACTs Course Placement Service. For a more detailedexplanation of the way the score ranges weredetermined, see page 5. For a table listing theCollege Readiness Standards by score range forEnglish, see page 8. For a discussion of CollegeReadiness Benchmark Scores, see page 27.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL STUDENT RESULTS

In the center of the report, the percent of studentswho scored in a particular score range at anindividual school (Local) is compared with the percentof all students in the norm group (National) whoscored in the same range. The percent of students forthe norm group is based on the most current set ofnationally representative norms.

THE COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDS

The College Readiness Standards weredeveloped by identifying the knowledge and skillsstudents need in order to respond successfully toquestions on the EXPLORE English Test. TheStandards are cumulative, which means that ifstudents score, for example, in the 1619 scorerange, they are likely to be able to demonstrate mostor all of the knowledge and skills in the 1315 and the1619 score ranges. Students may be able todemonstrate some of the skills in the next scorerange, 2023, but not consistently enough as a groupto reach that score range. A description of the waythe College Readiness Standards were developedcan be found on pages 56. A table listing theCollege Readiness Standards for English can befound on page 8.

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WHAT ARE THE COLLEGEREADINESS STANDARDS?

The College Readiness Standards communicateeducational expectations. Each Standard describeswhat students who score in the designated range arelikely to be able to do with what they know. Studentscan typically demonstrate the skills and knowledgewithin the score ranges preceding the range in whichthey scored, so the College Readiness Standards arecumulative.

In helping students make the transition to highschool, teachers, counselors, and parents can use the College Readiness Standards for EXPLORE tointerpret students scores and to understand whichskills students need to develop to be better preparedfor the future.

HOW WERE THE SCORE RANGESDETERMINED?

To determine the number of score ranges and the width of each score range for EXPLORE, ACT staff both reviewed EXPLORE normative data andconsidered the relationship among EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT.

In reviewing the EXPLORE normative data, ACTstaff analyzed the distribution of student scores acrossthe score scale. Because EXPLORE and PLAN have acommon score scale, ACT can provide EXPLOREexaminees with an estimated PLAN Composite score.When the score ranges were being determined,therefore, both the EXPLORE score scale, 125, andthe PLAN score scale, 132, were reviewed side byside. And because many students take PLAN todetermine how well they might perform on the ACT,the course-placement research that ACT hasconducted over the last forty years was also reviewed.ACTs Course Placement Service provides collegesand universities with cutoff scores that are used toplace students into appropriate entry-level courses incollege; and these cutoff scores were used to helpdefine the score ranges.

After analyzing all the data and reviewing differentpossible score ranges, ACT staff concluded thatusing the five score ranges 112, 1315, 1619,2023, and 2425 would best distinguish studentslevels of achievement so as to assist teachers,administrators, and others in relating EXPLORE testscores to students attainment of specific skills andunderstandings.

HOW WERE THE COLLEGE READINESSSTANDARDS DEVELOPED?

After reviewing normative data, college admissioncriteria, and information obtained through ACTsCourse Placement Service, content experts wrote theCollege Readiness Standards based on their analysisof the skills and knowledge students need in order tosuccessfully respond to the test questions in eachscore range. Experts analyzed numerous testquestions that had been answered correctly by 80%or more of the examinees within each score range.The 80% criterion was chosen because it offers thosewho use the College Readiness Standards a highdegree of confidence that students scoring in a givenscore range will most likely be able to demonstratethe skills and knowledge described in that range.

DESCRIPTION OF THECOLLEGE READINESS STANDARDS

The examination should describe

the student in meaningful terms

meaningful to the student, the parent,

and the elementary and high school

teachermeaningful in the sense

that the profile scores correspond

to recognizable school activities,

and directly suggest appropriate

distributions of emphasis in learning

and teaching.

E. F. Lindquist, February 1958Cofounder of ACT

5

As a content validity check, ACT invited nationallyrecognized scholars from high school and universityEnglish and Education departments to review theCollege Readiness Standards for the EXPLOREEnglish Test. These teachers and researchersprovided ACT with independent, authoritative reviewsof the ways the College Readiness Standards reflectthe skills and knowledge students need tosuccessfully respond to the questions on theEXPLORE English Test.

Because EXPLORE is curriculum based, ACT and

independent consultants conduct a review every three

to four years to ensure that the knowledge and skills

described in the Standards and outlined in the test

specifications continue to reflect those being taught in

classrooms nationwide.

HOW SHOULD THE COLLEGEREADINESS STANDARDS BEINTERPRETED AND USED?

The College Readiness Standards reflect the

progression and complexity of the skills measured in

EXPLORE. Because no EXPLORE test form measures

all of the skills and knowledge included in the College

Readiness Standards, the Standards must be

interpreted as skills and knowledge that moststudents who score in a particular score range are

likely to be able to demonstrate. Since there wererelatively few test questions that were answered

correctly by 80% or more of the students who scored

in the lower score ranges, the Standards in these

ranges should be interpreted cautiously. The skills

and understandings of students who score in the

112 score range may still be evolving. For these

students the skills and understandings in the higher

score ranges could become their target achievement

outcomes.

It is important to recognize that the EXPLORE Test

does not measure everything students have learned

nor does any test measure everything necessary for

students to know to be successful in high school.

The EXPLORE English Test includes questions from

a large domain of skills and from areas of knowledge

that have been judged important for success in high

school and beyond. Thus, the College Readiness

Standards should be interpreted in a responsible way

that will help students understand what they need to

know and do if they are going to make a successful

transition to high school. As students choose courses

they plan to take in high school, they can use the

Standards to identify the skills and knowledge they

need to develop to be better prepared for their future.

Teachers and curriculum coordinators can use the

Standards to learn more about their students

academic strengths and weaknesses and can

then modify their instruction and guide students

accordingly.

HOW ARE THE COLLEGE READINESSSTANDARDS ORGANIZED?

As content experts reviewed the test questions

connected to each score range, distinct yet

overlapping areas of knowledge and skill were

identified. For example, there are many types of

questions in which students are asked to think about

ways of correcting the organization of a paragraph or

essay. Therefore, Organization, Unity, and Coherenceis one area, or strand, within the College ReadinessStandards for EXPLORE English. The other strands

are Topic Development in Terms of Purpose andFocus; Word Choice in Terms of Style, Tone, Clarity,and Economy; Sentence Structure and Formation;Conventions of Usage; and Conventions ofPunctuation.

6

The strands provide an organizational framework

for the College Readiness Standards statements.

As you review the Standards, you will note a

progression in complexity within each strand. For

example, in the 1315 range of the Organization,

Unity, and Coherence strand, students are able to

use conjunctive adverbs or phrases to show time

relationships in simple narrative essays (e.g., then,this time), while in the 2425 range, students areable to determine the need for conjunctive adverbs

or phrases to create subtle logical connections

between sentences (e.g., therefore, however, inaddition).

The Standards are complemented by briefdescriptions of learning experiences from whichstudents might benefit. Based on the CollegeReadiness Standards, these ideas for progress aredesigned to provide classroom teachers with help for lesson plan development. These ideas, which are given in Table 1, demonstrate one way thatinformation learned from standardized test results can be used to inform classroom instruction.

Because students learn over time and in variouscontexts, it is important to use a variety of instructionalmethods and materials to meet students diverseneeds and to help strengthen and build upon theirknowledge and skills. The ideas for progress offerteachers a variety of suggestions to foster learningexperiences from which students would likely benefitas they move from one level of learning to the next.

Because learning is a complex and individualprocess, it is especially important to use multiplesources of informationclassroom observations andteacher-developed assessment tools, as well asstandardized teststo accurately reflect what eachstudent knows and can do. The Standards and ideasfor progress, used in conjunction with classroom-based and curricular resources, help teachers andadministrators to guide the whole education of everystudent.

WHAT ARE THE EXPLORE ENGLISH TEST COLLEGEREADINESS STANDARDS?

Table 1 on pages 811 suggests links betweenwhat students are likely to be able to do (the CollegeReadiness Standards) and what learning experiencesstudents would likely benefit from.

The College Readiness Standards are organizedboth by score range (along the left-hand side) and bystrand (across the top). The lack of a CollegeReadiness Standards statement in a score rangeindicates that there was insufficient evidence withwhich to determine a descriptor.

The ideas for progress are also arranged by scorerange and by strand. Although many of the ideascross more than one strand, a primary strand hasbeen identified for each in order to facilitate their usein the classroom. For example, the statement in the1619 range discuss the purpose and importance ofthe opening paragraph for directing the rest of thepiece brings together concepts from several strands,such as Topic Development in Terms of Purpose andFocus and Organization, Unity, and Coherence.However, this idea is primarily linked to theOrganization, Unity, and Coherence strand.

As you review the table, you will note that ideas for progress have been provided for the 2425 scorerange, the highest score range for EXPLORE.EXPLORE is designed to measure knowledge andskills achieved through the eighth grade. Ideas forprogress for the 2425 score range are shown toprovide ideas for educational experiences from which students may benefit before they take PLANand the ACT.

7

8 Students who score in the 112 range are most likely beginning to develop the knowledge and skills assessed inthe other score ranges.

112

1315

1619

Standards

ideas forprogress

Standards

ideas forprogress

Standards

ideas forprogress

Table 1: The College Readiness StandardsThe Standards describe what students who score in the specified score ranges are likely to know and tobe able to do. The ideas for progress help teachers identify ways of enhancing students learning basedon the scores students receive. The score range at the Benchmark level of achievement is highlighted.

continue reading writers of various genres and imitatingtheir work

write longer and more complicated essays, stories,reviews, etc.

state the main theme of or summarize essays they have written

revise essays by eliminating sentences or ideas that violatethe essays focus

recognize and experiment with more sophisticated organizational structures (e.g., comparison-contrast,cause-effect)

revise writing to delete illogicalconjunctive adverbs

discuss the most logical place toadd specific information in adraft essay

discuss the purpose and theimportance of the openingparagraph for directing the restof the piece

revise writing to make it moreconcise and precise

discuss and model tone andstyle

Topic Development in Termsof Purpose and Focus

Organization, Unity, andCoherence

Word Choice in Terms of Style,Tone, Clarity, and Economy

Use conjunctive adverbs orphrases to show time relationships in simple narrative essays (e.g., then,this time)

Revise sentences to correctawkward and confusingarrangements of sentence elements

Revise vague nouns and pronouns that create obviouslogic problems

Identify the basic purpose orrole of a specified phrase orsentence

Delete a clause or sentencebecause it is obviously irrelevant to the essay

Select the most logical placeto add a sentence in a paragraph

Delete obviously synonymousand wordy material in a sentence

Revise expressions that deviatefrom the style of an essay

read writers of various genresand imitate their work

revise writing to ensure thatevery sentence is necessary tothe purpose of the piece andthat no important information hasbeen left out

write many simply organizedshort texts of various genres

revise writing to ensure thatinformation is in the best order

identify and revise obviouslywordy, redundant, or clutteredmaterial

EXPLOREENGLISH

TEST

read and discuss the work offavorite writers

regularly write informal responses to literature (fictionand nonfiction) in their journals

identify sentences that conveythe main ideas in a variety oftexts and then practice composing such sentences

write short texts in a variety ofgenres, illustrating simple organization

use paragraphing as an organizational device

revise writing to clarify sentencescontaining too many phrases and clauses

check writing to make sure pronoun references are clear

revise writing to edit out emptywords (e.g., really, very, big, kind of )

9 vary sentence length by combining simple sentences

check writing to make sure verb tensesare consistent

make sure to use adjectives like well, less, and worst correctly

Sentence Structure and Formation Conventions of Usage Conventions of Punctuation

Use conjunctions or punctuation to joinsimple clauses

Revise shifts in verb tense betweensimple clauses in a sentence or between simple adjoining sentences

Solve such basic grammatical problemsas how to form the past and past participle of irregular but commonly used verbs and how to form comparative and superlative adjectives

Delete commas that create basic senseproblems (e.g., between verb and direct object)

revise writing to correct glaring shifts inverb tense or voice

revise writing to correct basic grammarand punctuation errors

practice and understand correct usage ofcommon homonyms (e.g., their/there,past/passed)

practice using punctuation correctly insimple sentences (e.g., He ran, jumped,and swam.)

check for and correct unnecessarycommas

Determine the need for punctuation and conjunctions to avoid awkward-sounding sentence fragments and fused sentences

Decide the appropriate verb tense andvoice by considering the meaning of theentire sentence

Solve such grammatical problems aswhether to use an adverb or adjectiveform, how to ensure straightforwardsubject-verb and pronoun-antecedentagreement, and which preposition touse in simple contexts

Recognize and use the appropriateword in frequently confused pairs suchas there and their, past and passed,and led and lead

Provide appropriate punctuation instraightforward situations (e.g., items in a series)

Delete commas that disturb the sentence flow (e.g., between modifierand modified element)

experiment with writing more sophisticated sentences; check to ensure verbs agree with subjects andmodifiers dont dangle

revise sentences to ensure that each verbagrees with its subject when there issome text between the two

use commas to set off parentheticalphrases

learn to recognize when commas are overused

10

2023

2425

Standards

ideas forprogress

Standards

ideas forprogress

Table 1 (continued): The College Readiness StandardsThe Standards describe what students who score in the specified score ranges are likely to know and tobe able to do. The ideas for progress help teachers identify ways of enhancing students learning basedon the scores students receive. The score range at the Benchmark level of achievement is highlighted.

Topic Development in Termsof Purpose and Focus

Organization, Unity, andCoherence

Word Choice in Terms of Style,Tone, Clarity, and Economy

Identify the central idea ormain topic of a straightforwardpiece of writing

Determine relevancy when presented with a variety ofsentence-level details

EXPLOREENGLISH

TEST

Identify the focus of a simpleessay, applying that knowledgeto add a sentence thatsharpens that focus or todetermine if an essay has meta specified goal

Delete material primarilybecause it disturbs the flowand development of theparagraph

Add a sentence to accomplisha fairly straightforward purposesuch as illustrating a givenstatement

Determine the need forconjunctive adverbs orphrases to create subtlelogical connections betweensentences (e.g., therefore,however, in addition)

Rearrange the sentences in afairly uncomplicated paragraphfor the sake of logic

Add a sentence to introduce orconclude the essay or toprovide a transition betweenparagraphs when the essay isfairly straightforward

Revise a phrase that isredundant in terms of themeaning and logic of the entiresentence

Identify and correct ambiguouspronoun references

Use the word or phrase mostappropriate in terms of thecontent of the sentence andtone of the essay

experiment with using words andphrases that create cleartransitions in writing

rearrange sentences in aparagraph in order to improve itscoherence

write introductions that capturethe readers interest, writeconclusions that provide a senseof closure, and describe therhetorical effects that eachcreates

continue to edit sentences forempty language, wordiness, andredundancy

revise structurally complex sentences to correct vague orambiguous pronoun references

continue reading the work ofwriters of various genres; beginexperimenting with a variety ofwriting styles

revise fairly straightforwardwriting to sharpen focus andcoherence of entire piece

Use conjunctive adverbs orphrases to express straight-forward logical relationships(e.g., first, afterward, inresponse)

Decide the most logical placeto add a sentence in an essay

Add a sentence thatintroduces a simple paragraph

Delete redundant materialwhen information is repeated indifferent parts of speech (e.g.,alarmingly startled)

Use the word or phrase mostconsistent with the style andtone of a fairly straightforwardessay

Determine the clearest andmost logical conjunction to linkclauses

experiment with more subtleorganizational structures

revise writing by refiningintroductions, conclusions, and transitions in complexparagraphs

select and manipulate words,phrases, and clauses to conveyshades of meaning and tone

avoid clutter and use vivid verbsand specific nouns

develop awareness of ways that form and content can bechanged as the audience for the writing changes

learn how meaning can beexpressed through connotation

11

revise writing to correct faulty coordination and subordination of clauses

revise sentences to correct inconsistencies in verb tense and pronoun person

check to be sure pronouns agree withantecedents in increasingly complex sentences

use punctuation to set off nonessentialinformation in a sentence

recognize inappropriate uses of commas

Sentence Structure and Formation Conventions of Usage Conventions of Punctuation

Revise to avoid faulty placement ofphrases and faulty coordination andsubordination of clauses in sentenceswith subtle structural problems

Maintain consistent verb tense and pronoun person on the basis of the preceding clause or sentence

Ensure that a pronoun agrees with itsantecedent when the two occur inseparate clauses or sentences

Identify the correct past and pastparticiple forms of irregular andinfrequently used verbs and formpresent-perfect verbs by using haverather than of

Use punctuation to set off complexparenthetical phrases

Recognize and delete unnecessarycommas based on a careful reading ofa complicated sentence (e.g., betweenthe elements of a compound subject ora compound verb joined by and)

Use apostrophes to indicate simplepossessive nouns

Recognize inappropriate uses of colonsand semicolons

use sentence-combining techniques tocreate more sophisticated sentences;check to avoid fragments, commasplices, and run-ons

Recognize and correct marked disturbances of sentence flow andstructure (e.g., participial phrasefragments, missing or incorrect relativepronouns, dangling or misplacedmodifiers)

Use idiomatically appropriateprepositions, especially in combinationwith verbs (e.g., long for, appeal to)

Ensure that a verb agrees with itssubject when there is some textbetween the two

Use commas to set off simpleparenthetical phrases

Delete unnecessary commas when anincorrect reading of the sentencesuggests a pause that should bepunctuated (e.g., between verb anddirect object clause)

recognize the difference between its andits, your and youre, who and whom

use commas to set off nonessentialappositives or clauses

use semicolons to indicate relationshipsbetween independent clauses

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Table 2: EXPLORE English Test Content Areas40 questions, 30 minutes, 4 essays (300 words each)

Content Area Percentage of Questions

Usage/Mechanics 64%

Punctuation Punctuating breaks in thought 15%Punctuating relationships and sequencesAvoiding unnecessary punctuation

Grammar Assuring grammatical agreement 20%and Usage Forming verbs

Using pronounsForming modifiersObserving usage conventions

Sentence Relating clauses 29%Structure Using modifiers

Avoiding unnecessary shifts in construction

Rhetorical Skills 36%

Strategy Making decisions about adding, revising, or 12%deleting supporting material

Making decisions about appropriateness of expressionfor audience and purpose

Judging relevancy

Organization Establishing logical order 12%Making decisions about cohesion devices: openings,

transitions, and closings

Style Managing sentence elements effectively 12%Editing and revising effectivelyChoosing words to maintain style and tone

WHAT DOES THE EXPLORE ENGLISH TEST MEASURE?

The EXPLORE English Test is designed tosimulate one stage in the writing processthe editingand revising of a nearly finished draft. The emphasisof the English Test is on students application of soundwriting practices. The test measures students abilityto use the conventions of standard written English.Students are also required to choose language or a

style that is appropriate to a certain audience orwriting goal, to choose among a variety of organiza-tional formats, or to determine an overall writingstrategy appropriate to the essay topic. The EnglishTest essays and their accompanying test questionsare primarily generated by, and are reviewed by,practicing classroom teachers, and thus reflectcurrent teaching techniques and curricular emphases.Additional information about the EXPLORE EnglishTest is provided in Table 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPLOREENGLISH TEST

The test questions range from those at the sentence level to those at the paragraphlevel and from those that ask about a section of the essay to those that ask about theessay as a whole. The sample essay below illustrates the test format.

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Jogging at Lake Tom

In the end, everyone gives up jogging. Some find thattheir strenuous efforts to earn a living drains away their

energy. Others suffering from defeat by the hazards of the

course, from hard pavement to muddy tracks, and from

smog to sleet and snow. These can also collapse in their

sneakers. My experience was different, however; I had a

revelation.

It happened two summers ago at Lake Tom. I had been

accustomed to running every day, but that week I decided

to be lazy. I sailed, basked in the sun, and

ate wonderful: lobster, steak, and baked potatoes. By the

fourth day I had to face the truth which my body was

slowly changing to becoming dough.

So I tied on my running shoes and loped out to the

main road in search of a five-mile route.

1. A. NO CHANGEB. drainC. had drainedD. is draining

2. F. NO CHANGEG. sufferedH. sufferJ. suffering with

3. A. NO CHANGEB. Still othersC. They also canD. Its also possible to

4. F. NO CHANGEG. ate wonderfully:H. eating wonderful:J. eat wonderful:

5. A. NO CHANGEB. truth aboutC. truth:D. truth, I saw

6. F. NO CHANGEG. becomeH. beingJ. DELETE the underlined portion.

1

2

6

5

4

3

Sample EXPLORE English Test Essay

14

7. A. NO CHANGEB. Out of curiosity, Lookout Hill Road was turned

ontoC. Having become curious, Lookout Hill Road was

the route I turned ontoD. Lookout Hill Road, having become curious, was

the route I turned onto

8. F. NO CHANGEG. longest, steepest,H. longest steepest,J. longest and steepest,

9. A. NO CHANGEB. house (painted).C. house, and it was painted.D. house.

10. F. NO CHANGEG. laces, of my runningH. laces of my running,J. laces; of my running

Out of curiosity I turned onto Lookout Hill Road and soon

discovered how the road had come by its name. I was

chugging up one of the longest, steepest inclines in the

region. Perched at the top was a ramshackle house, and

only a desire to get a closer look kept me going.

I was exhausted when I reached the crest of the hill.

There I found a native New Englander rocking on the front

porch of the house, which was painted. Mister, I panted,

you sure live on a big hill!

He studied me closely for a moment and then

responded, Yep, and Ive got the good sense not to run up

it. That night I tied the laces of my running shoes around

a rock and dropped them in Lake Tom.

Answer Key

Question Answer

1 B2 H3 B4 G5 C6 J7 A8 F9 D

10 F

7

8

9

10

Sample EXPLORE English Test Essay (continued)

THE NEED FOR THINKING SKILLS

15

Every student comes to school with the ability tothink, but to achieve their goals students need todevelop skills such as learning to make newconnections between texts and ideas, to understandincreasingly complex concepts, and to think throughtheir assumptions. Because of technologicaladvances and the fast pace of our society, it isincreasingly important that students not only knowinformation but also know how to critique and managethat information. Students must be provided with thetools for ongoing learning; understanding, analysis,and generalization skills must be developed so thatthe learner is able to adapt to a variety of situations.

HOW ARE EXPLORE TEST QUESTIONS LINKED TOTHINKING SKILLS?

Our belief in the importance of developingthinking skills in learners was a key factor in thedevelopment of EXPLORE. ACT believes thatstudents preparation for further learning is bestassessed by measuring, as directly as possible, theacademic skills that students have acquired and thatthey will need to perform at the next level of learning.The required academic skills can most directly beassessed by reproducing as faithfully as possible thecomplexity of the students schoolwork. Therefore, theEXPLORE test questions are designed to determinehow skillfully students solve problems, grasp impliedmeanings, draw inferences, evaluate ideas, and makejudgments in subject-matter areas important tosuccess in intellectual work both inside and outsideschool.

Table 3 on pages 1621 provides sample testquestions, organized by score range, that are linkedto specific skills within each of the six English strands.It is important to note the increasing level of skill withwriting that students scoring in the higher scoreranges are able to demonstrate. The questions werechosen to illustrate the variety of content as well asthe range of complexity within each strand. Thesample test questions for the 1315, 1619, 2023,and 2425 score ranges are examples of itemsanswered correctly by 80% or more of the EXPLOREexaminees who obtained scores in each of these fourscore ranges.

As you review the sample test questions, you willnote that each correct answer is marked with anasterisk. Also note that a page number next to mostsample test questions indicates where you will find thecomplete essay text. Italicized portions precedingmany test questions are sentences taken directly fromeach essay. When a page number is not given (N/A),the italicized portion provides sufficient information toanswer the question.

Learning is not attained by chance,

it must be sought for with ardour and

attended to with diligence.

Abigail Adams in a letter to John Quincy Adams

16

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeTopic Development in Terms of Purpose and Focus Strand

ScoreRange

Topic Development in Termsof Purpose and Focus

Delete a clause or sentence becauseit is obviously irrelevant to the essay

Determine relevancy when presentedwith a variety of sentence-level details

Add a sentence to accomplish a fairlystraightforward purpose such as illustrating a given statement

1315

1619

2023

2425

For a long-distance vacation with family or friends, especially when driving, larger vehicles will beavailable to rent.

A. NO CHANGEB. friends (usually in the summer)

*C. friends,D. friends

Routine chores such as feeding the chickens or taking thehorses down to the creek to be watered were great adven-tures to me. I also thought traveling to New York City forthe first time was quite an adventure.

A. NO CHANGEB. Tia and Toms mom thinks farming is always an

adventure.C. Chickens always fascinated meespecially when

baby chicks were hatched.*D. DELETE the underlined portion.

The pictures they painted on the walls and ceilings atLascaux include beautiful, lifelike representations of ani-mals that they knew and hunted.

The essay would convey a more nearly complete impres-sion of the cave paintings if the writer were to add whichof the following sentences at this point?

A. The colors might have been even better had thepainters had pots in which to mix them.

*B. The animals that appear most prominently are bulls,horses, and deer.

C. Modern painters have done justice to animals bothwild and domestic.

D. Because the hunters were busy painting, some animalsmight have gotten away.

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:

6566

24

6364

17

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeOrganization, Unity, and Coherence Strand

ScoreRange

Organization, Unity, andCoherenceUse conjunctive adverbs or phrases to show time relationships in simplenarrative essays (e.g., then, this time)

1315

1619

2023

2425

Sarah would repeat this process over and over and overagain until, finally, hundreds of small pieces of cloth hadbeen joined together.

*A. NO CHANGEB. however,C. therefore,D. one says,

Due to the secure nature of the test, it was not possible to provide a sample test question for this skill.

Normally, after two false starts on trails that ended innowhere, I found some prints that I had made hours earliercoming up the mountain.

A. NO CHANGEB. Days later,C. Seriously,

*D. Finally,

For the sake of unity and coherence, Sentence 6 should be placed:

A. where it is now.B. before Sentence 2.C. before Sentence 3.

*D. before Sentence 4.

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:6768

7071

69

Select the most logical place to add asentence in a paragraph

Use conjunctive adverbs or phrases to express straightforward logical relationships (e.g., first, afterward, in response)

Rearrange the sentences in a fairlyuncomplicated paragraph for the sakeof logic

18

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeWord Choice in Terms of Style, Tone, Clarity, and Economy Strand

ScoreRange

Word Choice in Terms of Style,Tone, Clarity, and EconomyRevise vague nouns and pronounsthat create obvious logic problems

Delete obviously synonymous andwordy material in a sentence

Delete redundant material when information is repeated in differentparts of speech (e.g., alarmingly startled)

Identify and correct ambiguous pronoun references

1315

1619

2023

2425

I yelled to Tia and Tom and the three of us ran for the trac-tor, which was now closer than the fence, just as Mert [thebull] began to charge. It arrived at the tractor only secondsafter we had breathlessly clambered atop the high wheelframes.

A. NO CHANGEB. TheyC. We

*D. He

By the fourth day I had to face the truth: my body wasslowly changing to becoming dough.

A. NO CHANGEB. becomeC. being

*D. DELETE the underlined portion.

I found the trail signs, but now the wind was blowing hard,and the swirling snow obscured my view of seeing things.

A. NO CHANGEB. obscuring my view.C. blinds and also changes my view.

*D. obscured my view.

I watched in fascination as it was woven into an intricateblanket on the loom.

A. NO CHANGE*B. the yarn

C. thisD. these

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:

N/A

6566

1314

69

19

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeSentence Structure and Formation Strand

ScoreRange

Sentence Structure andFormationUse conjunctions or punctuation tojoin simple clauses

Determine the need for punctuationand conjunctions to avoid awkward-sounding sentence fragments andfused sentences

Recognize and correct marked distur-bances of sentence flow and structure(e.g., participial phrase fragments,missing or incorrect relative pronouns,dangling or misplaced modifiers)

Revise to avoid faulty placement ofphrases and faulty coordination andsubordination of clauses in sentenceswith subtle structural problems

1315

1619

2023

2425

Only small electrical or clean hydrogen-powered vehicleswill be permitted in cities, and the energy to run them willcome from solar power plants.

*A. NO CHANGEB. which the energyC. having the energyD. the energy providing

That was the way of the American, he who visited Paris in1845.

A. NO CHANGEB. American. He who

*C. American, whoD. American. Who

Others suffering from defeat by the hazards of the course,from hard pavement to muddy tracks, and from smog tosleet and snow.

A. NO CHANGEB. suffered

*C. sufferD. suffering with

A bike-and-ride system will allow commuters to ride theirbicycles to railways having ridden into the city on them.

A. NO CHANGEB. into the city that will later take them into the railways.C. to railways having carried them into the city.

*D. to railways that will carry them into the city.

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:

6364

1314

N/A

6364

20

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeConventions of Usage Strand

ScoreRange Conventions of Usage

Solve such basic grammatical problems as how to form the past and past participle of irregular but commonly used verbs and how to formcomparative and superlative adjectives

Solve such grammatical problems aswhether to use an adverb or adjectiveform, how to ensure straightforwardsubject-verb and pronoun-antecedentagreement, and which preposition touse in simple contexts

Ensure that a verb agrees with its subject when there is some textbetween the two

Ensure that a pronoun agrees with itsantecedent when the two occur in separate clauses or sentences

1315

1619

2023

2425

Due to the secure nature of the test, it was not possible to provide a sample test question for this skill.

According to a recent report from the Worldwatch Institute,the most optimistic scenario calls for some dramaticchanges in our everyday lives.

*A. NO CHANGEB. optimistically most,C. most optimisticallyD. mostly optimistically

In the end, everyone gives up jogging. Some find that theirstrenuous efforts to earn a living drains away their energy.

A. NO CHANGE*B. drain

C. had drainedD. is draining

Due to the secure nature of the test, it was not possible to provide a sample test question for this skill.

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:

6364

1314

21

Table 3: EXPLORE Sample Test Questions by Score RangeConventions of Punctuation Strand

ScoreRange Conventions of Punctuation

Delete commas that create basicsense problems (e.g., between verband direct object)

Delete commas that disturb the sentence flow (e.g., between modifierand modified element)

Use commas to set off simple parenthetical phrases

Recognize and delete unnecessarycommas based on a careful readingof a complicated sentence (e.g.,between the elements of a compoundsubject or a compound verb joined by and)

1315

1619

2023

2425

Due to the secure nature of the test, it was not possi-ble to provide a sample test question for this skill.

I was chugging up one of the longest,steepest inclines inthe region.

*A. NO CHANGEB. longest, steepest,C. longest steepest,D. longest and steepest,

I could see that the trail had ended though becauseup ahead hand-hewn signs jutted from the snow, indicatingthe directions and distances of other trails.

A. NO CHANGEB. ended, though, because, up aheadC. ended though, because up ahead,

*D. ended, though, because up ahead

I told my parents that thirteen is too old for camp.

*A. NO CHANGEB. parents that,C. parents, thatD. parents. That

Sample Test QuestionsCorresponds toessay on page:

7273

1314

69

23

In our increasingly complex society, studentsability to think critically and make informed decisionsis more important than ever. The workplace demandsnew skills and knowledge and continual learning;information bombards consumers through media andthe Internet; familiar assumptions and values oftencome into question. More than ever before, studentsin todays classrooms face a future when they willneed to adapt quickly to change, to think about issuesin rational and creative ways, to cope withambiguities, and to find means of applying informationto new situations.

Classroom teachers are integrally involved inpreparing todays students for their futures. Suchpreparation must include the development of thinkingskills such as problem solving, decision making, andinferential and evaluative thinking. These are, in fact,the types of skills and understandings that underliethe test questions on EXPLORE.

HOW CAN ANALYZINGTEST QUESTIONS BUILDTHINKING SKILLS?

On pages 2425, you will find an additional essayand some sample test questions. The sample testquestions provide a link to a strand, a Standard, anda score range. Each sample test question includes adescription of the skills and understandings studentsmust demonstrate in order to determine the best

answer. The descriptions provide a series ofstrategies students typically might employ as theywork through each test question. Possible flawedstrategies leading to the choice of one or moreincorrect responses also are offered. Analyzing testquestions in this way, as test developers do toproduce a Test Question Rationale, can providestudents with a means of understanding theknowledge and skills embedded in the test questionsand an opportunity to explore why an answer choiceis correct or incorrect.

Providing students with strategies such as theseencourages them to take charge of their thinking andlearning. The sample test questions that appear inTable 3 on pages 1621 can be used to developadditional Test Question Rationales.

THINKING YOUR WAY THROUGHTHE EXPLORE TEST

Learning is fundamentally about

making and maintaining connections . . .

among concepts, ideas, and meanings.

American Association for Higher Education, American College Personnel Association, & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, June 1998

24

A Discovery in France

Some of the oldest surviving works of art in the world

were discovered by accident during a childs game. Imagine

a youth playing in a field. Consequently, the childs dog

follows a thrown ball into a hole in the ground and vanishes,

but can still be heard barking underground. Scrambling down

after the dog, the astonished child sees in the dim light rocky

cavern walls decorated with paintings of wild animals. As

startled as a hunter at the sudden appearance of game, that

child became the first spectator in thousands of years to

behold the cave paintings of Lascaux, France.

According to experts who examined the cave, the

paintings date from the end of the Old Stone Age. The people

whose painting the cave was painted by were wandering

hunters. They had not yet learned how to plant grain,

domesticate animals, or make pottery. The pictures they

painted on the walls and ceilings at Lascaux include

beautiful, lifelike representations of animals that they knew

and hunted. Working only with natural materials, the

Lascaux painters created subtle shadings of color. The

artists accomplishments are remarkable, because they had

only small, grease-burning lamps for light.

Why were the Lascaux pictures painted, and for whom?

According to one theory, the animals were painted as part of

a hunting ritual. Because one animal is sometimes painted

right over another, perhaps the ceremonial act of drawing

pictures to inspire the hunters was, indeed, more important

than producing finished works of art.

The essay is a description of some of the oldestsurviving works of art. If the students read through theessay once before answering the questions, as thedirections instruct, they will get a general sense of theessay; such an initial reading should help inform theirthinking as they respond to the questions. In the caseof informational writing, such as this essay, all theinformation needed to answer the questions isprovided in the essay. During a testing situation, it would be useful for students to raise the sorts ofquestions they ask themselves in the process of their own writing, such as, How should the essay beorganized? and How formal or informal should theessays style be?

1. A. NO CHANGEB. However, theC. Nevertheless, the

*D. The

The first sample question deals with the organization of ideas and the correct use of transitional words. In this example, the student should go through each of the possible choices to determine which is best. The first choice(Consequently, the) is clearly wrong because thereis no cause-and-effect relationship between theyouths playing in the field and the dogs following a ball down a hole. The second choice (However,the) is incorrect because it implies an oppositionalrelationship between the second and third sentences,where no such relationship exists. The third choice(Nevertheless, the) also implies an oppositionalrelationship between the youths playing in the fieldand his dogs following a ball down a hole, where no such relationship logically exists. Hence, no transitional word is needed here and choice D (The) is the correct choice.

3

Use conjunctive adverbs or phrases to expressstraightforward logical relationships (e.g., first,afterward, in response)

2023 score range

Test Question Rationale

Organization,Unity, andCoherence

1

2

25

2. F. NO CHANGEG. by whom the cave painting was

*H. who painted the caveJ. by whom the cave painting was painted

The second sample question measures thestudents sense of precision in the choice of words,effective management of sentence elements, and use of relative pronouns. The student who correctlyanswers this question has, first and foremost, rejectedchoices F, G, and J due to their unnecessarilyconvoluted and wordy construction. Students whoselect choice H (who painted the cave) have anunderstanding of clear and concise language. Thisquestion presents students with a revising and editingtask that measures the students awareness of clarityin writing and their skill in eliminating redundancy.

3. The essay would convey a more nearly completeimpression of the cave paintings if the writer were toadd which of the following sentences at this point?

A. The colors might have been even better had thepainters had pots in which to mix them.

*B. The animals that appear most prominently arebulls, horses, and deer.

C. Modern painters have done justice to animals bothwild and domestic.

D. Because the hunters were busy painting, some ani-mals might have gotten away.

The last sample question measures the studentsunderstanding of appropriateness of expression inrelation to purpose, specifically focusing on the writingtask of adding supporting material. This question is anattempt to place the student in the writers shoes byoffering a set of choices that a writer might encounterin the act of composing or revising. If the studentcarefully reads the question, she or he can determinethat the focus here is on strengthening the essay byadding supporting material. Choice A can be rejectedbecause it deviates from the paragraphs flow bytalking about matters of painting technique. Choice Ccan also be rejected because, by mentioning whatmodern painters might have done, it goes completelyoff topic. Choice D can be best described asirrelevant. The correct answer, choice B, offers asentence that logically elaborates on the precedingsentence.

Add a sentence toaccomplish a fairly straightforward purposesuch as illustrating a given statement

2425 score range

Test Question Rationale

TopicDevelopment inTerms of Purposeand Focus

Delete obviouslysynonymous and wordymaterial in a sentence

1619 score range

Test Question Rationale

Word Choice inTerms of Style,Tone, Clarity, andEconomy

26

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LINKASSESSMENT WITH INSTRUCTION?

Assessment provides feedback to the learner andthe teacher. It bridges the gap between expectationsand reality. Assessment can gauge the learnersreadiness to extend their knowledge in a given area,measure knowledge gains, identify needs, anddetermine the learners ability to transfer what waslearned to a new setting.

When teachers use assessment tools to gatherinformation about their students, then modifyinstruction accordingly, the assessment processbecomes an integral part of teaching and learning.Using assessment to inform instruction can helpteachers create a successful learning environment.

Students can use assessment as a tool to helpthem revise and rethink their work, to help integrateprior knowledge with new learning, and to apply theirknowledge to new situations. Connecting assessmentto classroom instruction can help both teachers andstudents take charge of thinking and learning.

As teachers review student performances onvarious measures, they can reexamine how to helpstudents learn. As Peter Airasian, the author ofClassroom Assessment, says, Assessment is not anend in itself, but a means to another end, namely,good decision making (p. 19). Linking assessmentand instruction prompts both teachers and students totake on new roles and responsibilities. Throughreflecting together on their learning, students andteachers can reevaluate their goals and embark on aprocess of continuous growth.

ARE YOUR STUDENTS DEVELOPINGTHE NECESSARY SKILLS?

EXPLORE can be administered in eighth or ninthgrade to provide students with an early indication oftheir educational progress in the context of the post-high school educational and career options they areconsidering. The results from EXPLORE can be usedto help students make adjustments in their coursework to help ensure that they are prepared for whatthey want to do in and after high school.

EXPLORE and PLAN are developmentally andconceptually linked to the ACT and thus provide acoherent framework for students and counselors anda consistent skills focus for teachers from Grades 8through 12.

Because EXPLORE is linked to PLAN, studentsreceive an estimated PLAN Composite score alongwith their EXPLORE scores. These scores can beused to evaluate students readiness for high schooland to plan an appropriate course of study.

THE ASSESSMENT-INSTRUCTION LINK

Every objective, every lesson plan,

every classroom activity, and every

assessment method should focus on

helping students achieve those

[significant] outcomes that will help

students both in the classroom and

beyond.

Kay Burke, editor of AuthenticAssessment: A Collection

27

As students and others review test scores fromEXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT, they should be awarethat ACTs data clearly reveal that students ACT testscores are directly related to preparation for college.Students who take rigorous high school courses,which ACT has defined as core college preparatorycourses, achieve much higher test scores thanstudents who do not. ACT has defined core collegepreparatory course work as four or more years ofEnglish, and three or more years each ofmathematics, social studies, and natural science.

ACT works with colleges to help them developguidelines that place students in courses that areappropriate for their level of achievement asmeasured by the ACT. In doing this work, ACT hasgathered course grade and test score data from alarge number of first-year students across a widerange of postsecondary institutions. These dataprovide an overall measure of what it takes to besuccessful in a standard first-year college course.Data from 98 institutions and over 90,000 studentswere used to establish the ACT College ReadinessBenchmark Scores, which are median courseplacement scores achieved on the ACT that aredirectly reflective of student success in a collegecourse.

Success is defined as a 50 percent chance that astudent will earn a grade of B or better. The coursesare the ones most commonly taken by first-yearstudents in the areas of English, mathematics, social studies, and science, namely EnglishComposition, College Algebra, an entry-level CollegeSocial Studies/Humanities course, and CollegeBiology. The ACT scores established as the ACTCollege ReadinessBenchmark Scores are 18on the English Test, 22 onthe Mathematics Test, 21on the Reading Test, and24 on the Science Test.The College ReadinessBenchmark Scores werebased upon a sample ofpostsecondary institutionsfrom across the UnitedStates. The data fromthese institutions wereweighted to reflectpostsecondary institutionsnationally. The Benchmark

Scores are median course placement values for theseinstitutions and as such represent a typical set ofexpectations.

College Readiness Benchmark Scores have alsobeen developed for EXPLORE and for PLAN, toindicate a students probable readiness for college-level work, in the same courses named above, by thetime the student graduates from high school. TheEXPLORE and PLAN College Readiness BenchmarkScores were developed using records of studentswho had taken EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT (fouryears of matched data). Using either EXPLOREsubject-area scores or PLAN subject-area scores, weestimated the conditional probabilities associated withmeeting or exceeding the corresponding ACTBenchmark Score. Thus, each EXPLORE (125) orPLAN (132) score was associated with an estimatedprobability of meeting or exceeding the relevant ACTBenchmark Score. We then identified the EXPLOREand PLAN scores, at Grades 8, 9, 10, and 11, thatcame the closest to a 0.5 probability of meeting orexceeding the ACT Benchmark Score, by subjectarea. These scores were selected as the EXPLOREand PLAN Benchmark Scores.

All the Benchmark Scores are given in Table 4.Note that, for example, the first row of the table shouldbe read as follows: An eighth-grade student whoscores 13, or a ninth-grade student who scores 14, onthe EXPLORE English Test has a 50 percentprobability of scoring 18 on the ACT English Test; anda tenth-grade student who scores 15, or an eleventh-grade student who scores 17, on the PLAN EnglishTest has a 50 percent probability of scoring 18 on theACT English Test.

EXPLORE PLANTest Score Test Score ACT

Subject Test Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Test Score

English 13 14 15 17 18

Mathematics 17 18 19 21 22

Reading 15 16 17 19 21

Science 20 20 21 23 24

Table 4: College Readiness Benchmark Scores

USING ASSESSMENT INFORMATIONTO HELP SUPPORTLOW-SCORING STUDENTS

28

Students who receive a Composite score of 13 orbelow on EXPLORE will most likely require additionalguidance and support from their teachers and familyin order to meet their academic goals, particularly ifone of those goals is to attend a four-year college oruniversity.

Because EXPLORE, PLAN, and the ACT share a common score scale, each student who takesEXPLORE receives an estimated PLAN Compositescore range. This estimated score range predicts howa student might expect to perform on PLAN as a highschool sophomore. The estimated score ranges, forboth eighth-grade test takers and ninth-grade testtakers, are reported in Table 5.

Table 5 indicates that, for an EXPLORE Compositescore of 12, when EXPLORE is taken in Grade 8 thelower limit of the estimated PLAN Composite scorerange is given as 13 and the upper limit is given as 16.That is, an estimated PLAN Composite score range of13 to 16 is reported for eighth-grade students withEXPLORE Composite scores of 12. Similarly, whenEXPLORE is taken in Grade 9, a students EXPLOREComposite score of 12 results in an estimated PLANComposite score range of 11 to 14.

Since both EXPLORE and PLAN are designed tobe curriculum-based testing programs, somestudents performance on PLAN will fall outside theirestimated PLAN Composite score range. If studentsdo not maintain good academic work in school, theiractual PLAN Composite scores may fall short of theirestimated score ranges. Conversely, some studentswho improve their academic performance may earnPLAN Composite scores higher than their estimatedscore ranges.

Eighth or ninth grade is a good time for students,parents, counselors, and teachers to take stock of astudents progress. EXPLORE test scores and otherperformance indicators should be discussed in thecontext of the students future goals, previousacademic preparation, and plans for future highschool course work.

As educators and parents look over a studentsacademic performance, the way the students scoresand goals match up can suggest a course of action.

Estimated PLAN CompositeEXPLORE Score RangeComposite for 8th Graders for 9th GradersScore Low High Low High

1 8 11 8 12

2 8 11 8 12

3 8 11 8 12

4 8 11 8 12

5 10 13 8 12

6 10 13 9 12

7 10 13 9 12

8 10 13 9 12

9 10 13 9 12

10 11 14 10 13

11 12 15 11 14

12 13 16 11 14

13 14 17 12 15

14 15 18 13 16

15 16 19 14 17

16 17 20 15 18

17 18 21 16 19

18 19 23 18 21

19 19 23 19 22

20 20 24 20 24

21 21 25 21 25

22 23 27 22 26

23 24 28 23 27

24 25 29 24 28

25 27 30 26 30

Table 5: Estimated PLANComposite Score Ranges

29

As educators and parents look over a studentsacademic performance, the way the students scoresand goals match up can suggest a course of action.For example, a student who wishes to become ajournalist will need a solid English background. A highEnglish Test score can be used as evidence that thegoal is realistic. A low score (or subscore) suggeststhe student should consider ways of improving his orher English skills through additional course workand/or additional assistance in the area.

First, using the College Readiness Standards,school personnel might explain EXPLORE scores tostudents and parents. Then, using reports and testdata from classroom teachers, grade point averages,and data from district and state tests, educators andparents can help students make decisions aboutwhich academic areas students might need additionalassistance with, which student goals might need to beredirected, and which junior high or high schoolcourses to take.

A rigorous high school curriculum is often thestrongest predictor of entering college and earning adegree. . . . This suggests that for students who planto go to college, demanding coursework as early aseighth grade will increase their chances for collegesuccess. As [high school] course requirementsbecome standard, it is important to ensure that thecorresponding course content prepares students for the rigors of college (Noeth & Wimberly, 2002,p. 17).

In addition to planning for high school course work,taking remedial classes if necessary, and beginning tomatch career goals to known talents, eighth-gradestudents who want to attend a four-year college oruniversity should begin educating themselves aboutsuch schools. Some students, particularly those whoseparents did not attend college, may not have access toinformation about postsecondary education. Thoughmany students . . . attending urban schools may havethe desire and expectation, they may not have theskills, knowledge, and information they need to enterand complete a postsecondary program. Many . . . do not have the informational resources, personalsupport networks, continual checkpoints, or structuredprograms to make college exploration and planning atheme throughout their daily lives. . . . Students needtheir schools, parents, and others to help them plan forcollege and their future careers (Noeth & Wimberly,2002, p. 4).

College admission policies vary widely in theirlevel of selectivity. ACT Composite scores typicallyrequired by colleges having varying levels ofselectivity are shown in Table 6. This informationprovides only general guidelines. There is considerable overlap among admission categories,and colleges often make exceptions to their statedadmission policies.

Admission Typical Class Rank Typical ACT Composite ScoresPolicy of Admitted Students of Admitted Students

Highly Selective Majority of accepted freshmen in top 10% 2530of high school graduating class

Selective Majority of accepted freshmen in top 25% 2126of high school graduating class

Traditional Majority of accepted freshmen in top 50% 1824of high school graduating class

Liberal Some of accepted freshmen from lower 1722half of high school graduating class

Open All high school graduates accepted 1621to limit of capacity

Table 6: The Link Between ACT Composite Scores and College Admission Policies

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ALOW-SCORING STUDENT?

Low-achieving students tend to be those studentswho score low on standardized tests. Students whoslip behind are the likeliest to drop out of school andleast likely to overcome social and personaldisadvantages.

According to Judson Hixson, a researcher at theNorth Central Regional Educational Laboratory(NCREL), students who are at risk should beconsidered in a new light:

Students are placed at risk when theyexperience a significant mismatch betweentheir circumstances and needs, and thecapacity or willingness of the school to accept,accommodate, and respond to them in amanner that supports and enables theirmaximum social, emotional, and intellectualgrowth and development.

As the degree of mismatch increases, so doesthe likelihood that they will fail to eithercomplete their elementary and secondaryeducation, or more importantly, to benefit fromit in a manner that ensures they have theknowledge, skills, and dispositions necessaryto be successful in the next stage of theirlivesthat is, to successfully pursue post-secondary education, training, or meaningfulemployment and to participate in, andcontribute to, the social, economic, andpolitical life of their community and society asa whole.

The focus of our efforts, therefore, should beon enhancing our institutional and professionalcapacity and responsiveness, rather thancategorizing and penalizing students forsimply being who they are. (Hixson, 1993, p. 2)

Hixsons views reveal the necessity of looking at allthe variables that could affect students performance,not just focusing on the students themselves.

Low-achieving students may demonstrate some ofthe following characteristics:

difficulty with the volume of work to be completed;

low reading and writing skills;

low motivation;

low self-esteem;

poor study habits;

lack of concentration;

reluctance to participate in class or to ask for helpwith tasks/assignments; and

test anxiety.

Many of these characteristics are interconnected.For example, a low-scoring student cannot completethe volume of work a successful student can if it takesa much longer time for that low-scoring student todecipher text passages because of low reading skills.There is also the issue of intrinsic motivation: studentsmay have little desire to keep trying if they do nothabitually experience success.

Some low-scoring students may not lackmotivation or good study habits, but may still be in theprocess of learning English; still others may havelearning disabilities that make it difficult for them to docomplex work in one or two content areas.

Again, we must not focus only on the studentsthemselves, but also consider other variables thatcould affect their academic performance, such as

job or home responsibilities that take time awayfrom school responsibilities;

parental attitude toward and involvement instudents school success;

students relationships with their peers;

lack of adequate support and resources; and

lack of opportunities.

For example, some students who score low ontests are never introduced to a curriculum thatchallenges them or that addresses their particularneeds: Much of the student stratification withinacademic courses reflects the social and economicstratification of society. Schools using trackingsystems or other methods that ultimately place low-income and marginal students in lower-levelacademic courses are not adequately preparing themto plan for postsecondary education, succeed incollege, and prepare for lifelong learning (Noeth &Wimberly, 2002, p. 18).

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As Barbara Means and Michael Knapp havesuggested, many schools need to reconstruct theircurricula, employing instructional strategies that helpstudents to understand how experts think throughproblems or tasks, to discover multiple ways to solvea problem, to complete complex tasks by receivingsupport (e.g., cues, modifications), and to engageactively in classroom discussions (1991).

Many individuals and organizations are interestedin helping students succeed in the classroom and inthe future. For example, the Network for Equity inStudent Achievement (NESA), a group of large urbanschool systems, and the Minority StudentAchievement Network (MSAN), a group of schooldistricts in diverse suburban areas and small cities,are organizations that are dedicated to initiatingstrategies that will close the achievement gap amonggroups of students. Many schools and districts havefound participation in such consortia to be helpful.

According to Michael Sadowski, editor of theHarvard Education Letter, administrators and teacherswho are frustrated by persistent achievement gapswithin their school districts have started to look foranswers within the walls of their own schools. Theyrestudying school records, disaggregating test scoreand grade data, interviewing students and teachers,administrating questionnairesessentially becomingresearchersto identify exactly where problems existand to design solutions (Sadowski, 2001, p. 1).

A student may get a low score on a standardizedtest for any of a number of reasons. To reduce theprobability of that outcome, the following pagesprovide information about factors that affect studentperformance as well as some suggestions about whateducators and students can do before studentsachievement is assessed on standardized tests likeEXPLORE.

WHAT ARE SOME FACTORS THATAFFECT STUDENT PERFORMANCE?

Many factors affect student achievement. DianeRavitch, a research professor at New York University,has identified several positive factors in her book TheSchools We Deserve: Reflections on the EducationalCrisis of Our Time (1985, pp. 276 and 294). Thesefactors, which were common to those schools thatwere considered effective in teaching students,include

a principal who has a clearly articulated vision forthe school, and the leadership skills to empowerteachers to work toward that vision;

a strong, clearly thought-out curriculum in whichknowledge gained in one grade is built upon inthe next;

dedicated educators working in their field ofexpertise;

school-wide commitment to learning, to becominga community of learners;

a blend of students from diverse backgrounds;

high expectations for all students; and

systematic monitoring of student progress throughan assessment system.

There are also factors that have a negative impacton student achievement. For example, some studentsmay not know about, know how, or feel entitled totake academic advantage of certain opportunities, likecollege preparatory courses, college entrance exams,and extracurricular learning opportunities (Goodwin,2000, p. 3).

All students need to be motivated to perform wellacademically, and they need informed guidance insorting out their educational/career aspirations.Teachers who challenge their students by providing acurriculum that is rigorous and relevant to their worldand needs (Brewer, Rees, & Argys, 1995; Gay, 2000),and who have a degree and certification in the area inwhich they teach (Ingersoll, 1998) and ampleopportunities to collaborate with their peers(McCollum, 2000), are more likely to engenderstudents success in school.

MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE

Using assessment information, such as thatprovided by the EXPLORE, PLAN, and ACT tests inACTs Educational Planning and Assessment System(EPAS), can help bring into view factors that mayaffecteither positively or negativelystudentperformance. Reviewing and interpreting assessmentinformation can encourage conversations betweenparents and teachers about what is best for students.Using data is one way of making the assumptions youhave about your students and school, or the needs ofstudents, visible.

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Collecting assessment information in a systematicway can help teachers in various ways. It can helpteachers see more clearly what is happening in theirclassrooms, provide evidence that the method ofteaching theyre using really works, and determinewhat is most important to do next. As teachersbecome active teacher-researchers, they can gain asense of control and efficacy that contributes to theirsense of accomplishment about what they do eachday.

There are many different types of assessmentinformation that a school or school district can collect.Some types yield quantitative data (performancedescribed in numerical terms), others qualitative data(performance described in nonnumerical terms, suchas text, audio, video, or photographs). All types, whenproperly analyzed, can yield useful insights intostudent learning. For example, schools and teacherscan collect information from

standardized tests (norm- or criterion-referencedtests);

performance assessments (such as portfolios,projects, artifacts, presentations);

peer assessments;

progress reports (qualitative, quantitative, or both)on student skills and outcomes;

self-reports, logs, journals; and

rubrics and rating scales.

Reviewing student learning information in thecontext of demographic data may also provide insightand information about specific groups of students, likelow-scoring students. Schools therefore would benefitby collecting data about

enrollment, mobility, and housing trends;

staff and student attendance rates and tardinessrates;

dropout, retention, and graduation rates;

gender, race, ethnicity, and health;

percent of free/reduced lunch and/or publicassistance;

level of language proficiency;

staff/student ratios;

number of courses taught by teachers outsidetheir endorsed content area;

retirement projections and turnover rates; and

teaching and student awards.

WHAT CAN EDUCATORS ANDSTUDENTS DO BEFORE STUDENTSTAKE STANDARDIZED TESTS?

Integrate assessment and instruction. BecauseEXPLORE is curriculum-based, the most importantprerequisite for optimum performance on the test is a sound, comprehensive educational program. Thispreparation begins long before any test date. JudithLanger, the director of the National Research Centeron English Learning and Achievement, conducted afive-year study that compared the English programsof typical schools to those that get outstanding results.Schools with economically disadvantaged anddiverse student populations in California, Florida, New York, and Texas predominated the study.Langers study revealed that in higher performingschools test preparation has been integrated into theclass time, as part of the ongoing English languagearts learning goals. This means that teachers discussthe demands of high-stakes tests and how they relateto district and state standards and expectations aswell as to their curriculum (Langer, 2000, p. 6).

Emphasize core courses. ACT researchconducted in urban schools both in 1998 and 1999shows that urban school students can substantiallyimprove their readiness for college by taking a moredemanding sequence of core academic courses inhigh school. Urban students taking a more rigoroussequence of courses in mathematics and science andfinding success in those courses score at or abovenational averages on the ACT. Regardless of gender,ethnicity, or family income, those students who elect to take four or more years of rigorous English coursesand three or more years of rigorous course work inmathematics, science, and social studies earn higherACT scores and are more successful in college thanthose who have not taken those courses (ACT &Council of Great City Schools, 1999). Subsequentresearch has substantiated these findings andconfirmed the value of rigor in the core courses (ACT, 2004a; ACT & The Education Trust, 2004).

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Teach test-taking strategies. Students may behelped by being taught specific test-taking strategies,such as the following:

Learn to pace yourself.

Know the directions and understand the answersheet.

Read carefully and thoroughly.

Answer easier questions first; skip harderquestions and return to them later.

Review answers and check work, if time allows.

Mark the answer sheet quickly and neatly; avoiderasure marks on the answer sheet.

Answer every question (you are not penalized forguessing on EXPLORE).

Become familiar with test administrationprocedures.

Read all the answer choices before you decidewhich is the best answer.

Students are more likely to perform at their best ona test if they are comfortable with the test format,know appropriate test-taking strategies, and areaware of the test administration procedures. Testpreparation activities that help students perform betterin the short term will be helpful to those students whohave little experience taking standardized tests or whoare unfamiliar with the tests formats.

Search out other sources of help. Schoolpersonnel in urban or high-poverty middle schoolscan investigate programs such as GEAR UP, whichprovides federal funds for schools to prepare low-income middle school students for high school andcollege preparation through multiple school reformefforts. School districts, colleges, community organizations, and businesses often form partnershipsto provide teachers with enhanced professionaldevelopment opportunities to ensure they have thenecessary tools and strategies to teach middle schooland high school effectively (Noeth & Wimberly, 2002, p. 18).

WHAT DO THE EXPLORE ENGLISHTEST RESULTS INDICATE ABOUTLOW-SCORING STUDENTS?

Students who score 13 or below on the EXPLOREEnglish Test are likely to have some of the knowledgeand skills described in the EXPLORE English CollegeReadiness Standards for the 1315 range. Low-scoring students may be able to demonstrate skills ina classroom setting that they are not able todemonstrate in a testing situation. Therefore, thesestudents need to become more consistent indemonstrating these skills in a variety of contexts orsituations.

The EPAS English College Readiness Standardsindicate that students who score 13 or below tend todemonstrate some of the following skills:

Use conjunctive adverbs or phrases to show timerelationships in simple narrative essays (e.g., then,this time)

Revise sentences to correct awkward andconfusing arrangements of sentence elements

Revise vague nouns and pronouns that createobvious logic problems

Use conjunctions or punctuation to join simpleclauses

Revise shifts in verb tense between simpleclauses in a sentence or between simpleadjoining sentences

Solve such basic grammatical problems as how toform the past and past participle of irregular butcommonly used verbs and how to formcomparative and superlative adjectives

Delete commas that create basic sense problems(e.g., between verb and direct object)

Overall, these students need practice solvingsentence-level writing problems of a more sophis-ticated sort, though. They also need to talk aboutorganizational strategies in writing, about howimportant it is to choose the transition word that isexactly right for the context, about how to carefullyreorder sentences in order to emphasize certainaspects of the material, and about what informationmight be considered irrelevant to specific texts orportions of texts. Students who score 13 or below onthe EXPLORE English Test are, in general, less able

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to deal with writing issues that ask them to makedecisions about large pieces of text. These decision-making skills are necessary to EXPLORE: on theactual test, sentences are not presented in isolation,as they are in examples we present in this guide. OnEXPLORE, all sentences are part of a larger essay,and students often cannot answer questions correctlywithout referring to and making decisions about largerpieces of text.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY ABOUTTHE PROFICIENT WRITER?

A great deal of research in the 1970s and 80sexamined what student writers actually do as theycreate their work. Researchers hoped to learn whatthe average student needs to be taught in order tobecome proficient at the craft of writing. Among theleaders in these investigations were Emig (1971), Perl(1979), Calkins (1980), Flower and Hayes (1981), andGraves (1983). Emigs research (1971) suggested thatcreating a finished piece of writing is not a simple,linear process but a recursive one, in which writersmove back and forth between stagesfor example,drafting, editing, revising, drafting new portions,generating other ideas, and then revising and editingagain. This finding shifted teachers focus from theend productthe finished essay, story, or researchpaperto the process that proficient writers use asthey build their work. Emig identified five stages of thewriting process, stages that do not always necessarilyproceed in this order:

Prewritinggenerating ideas, thinking about thepiece one is planning to work on

Draftingwriting out a rough copy of the piece

Revisionliterally, this means reseeing,rearranging, revisioning the piece that has beendrafted

Editingfixing mechanical errors such as spellingor grammatical mistakes

Publicationthe sharing of a finished product

Teaching students how to effectively use thisprocess, and helping each student find his or her ownrecursive writing strategies, has been emphasized inwriting education and research for the past thirtyyears now. Teachers promote learning about thewriting process in a variety of ways. For example,teachers can help students work at their writingthrough

use of writers workshops where teacher andstudents comment on student writers in-processwork,

collaborative writing circles where peers helpeach other rework drafts, and

conferences between teacher and student beforethe students work is finished and ready forpublication.

Besides helping students work through the writingprocess, many teachers use writing as a way ofhelping their students learn across content areas(Langer & Applebee, 1987). Through daily informaljournal writingwhether that journal writing consists ofthe student jotting down questions about literatureread, taking notes on current events, entering drafts ofa homework assignment, or recording experiments inbiology classthe student will gain understanding ofthe subjects he or she is studying. All students, butparticularly students who score low on standardizedtests, need daily, informal writing practice. Suchconsistency of practice has been shown to improvestudents attitudes toward writing in general.Moreover, combined with careful responses from theirteachers, daily informal writing encourages studentsto use a more sophisticated thinking process duringwriting (Christenbury, 1998).

But just because a student writer receivesinstruction in the writing process, just because astudent is provided with daily opportunities to recordexperience in journals, that students finished piece ofwriting will not automatically be one most would rateproficient. What is it, then, that makes the differencebetween the work of writers whose end product isgood enough and writers whose end product is not?

Researchers have recently compared the thoughtprocesses of expert, or more accomplished, writerswith those of novice, or less mature, writers. Brysonand Scardamalia describe the thought process of theexpert writer as being one which involves problemsolving at a sophisticated level. As expert writerscompose, these researchers say, they move betweensolving problems of contentdeciding what to sayand solving problems of rhetoricdeciding how tosay it. As these writers work, the content they use fortheir text is reconfigured and they often see it in a newlight. As the content changes, so the form in whichthe writers present the content changes. Eachdecision the writers make about which ideas toinclude in their papers, for example, forces them tomake new decisions about where to place those

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ideas in relation to the material already present. Eachdecision the writers make about what tone to presenttheir ideas in forces them to make decisions aboutwhat material is appropriate to that tone. With thisback-and-forth problem-solving process comes asense of creating something entirely new, which maybe the reason so many expert writersRobert Frost,for exampledescribe their experience of writing as being one of discovery (p. 147). The novelist E. M.Forster captures the experience of many expertwriters when he recounts the anecdote of an old ladyasking, How can I tell what I think till I see what Isay? (Forster, 1927, p. 101).

In contrast, novice writers do not describe theirwriting process as being one in which they learnsomething new. These less mature writers show littleevidence of working out a connection between formand content. Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) foundthat novice writers conceive of a writing project asbeing simply the telli