Stepping Into Your Future: CAHSEE English Preparation

Instructor: Dr. Anita Cruse

E-mail: cruse3333@gmail.com

Course Website: cahsee.cvc.edu

Course Description

This class is a preparation course for students studying for the English Language Arts portion of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

This course focuses on becoming a better, more active reader, writer, and test taker. It is especially geared towards students who have finished high school but have not yet passed the English Language Arts portion of the CAHSEE. The ELA course includes four modules with instruction in reading, writing and word analysis. This course will include both online interactive lessons that the student can complete independently or with others and real time lessons with an online instructor.

Instructor On-line Office Hours

Posted on course site

Also available by email

Course Meeting Times:

The "live", on-line lessons will be held weekly and dates and times for particular site(s) will be posted. The instructor will have a web cam and a microphone so that students will be able to watch and hear the lesson. Students can also speak and project their own cam during the lesson.

These live, on-line sessions will include lessons that introduce, reinforce and supplement the topics in the course and reinforce the necessary elements for success. The lessons may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Interactive reading lessons using supplemental texts
2. Guided exercises that help the student through the steps needed to answer CAHSEE items that relate to the lesson
3. Mini-lessons related to concepts in the modules

Students Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

1. Complete practice CAHSEE items
2. Increase use of active reading strategies
3. Increase use of active writing strategies
4. Increase use of word analysis of unknown vocabulary

Course Resources

This course uses the Moodle platform. This allows for discussion, links, resources, Wikis, and other online assistance. The following can be found on the site:

• Interactive Lessons: This is the primary resource for the class. It includes lessons that will assist the student with becoming a more active reader, writer, and test taker while assisting the student with topics covered on the CAHSEE.
  The interactive lessons in each module include:
  1. Introduction and demonstration of strategies
  2. Interactive guided practice
  3. Independent practice
  4. A 'Think Like the Testmaker' component that assists the student in making connections between using strategies in 'real world' reading and writing and using those same strategies in taking an English Language Arts test like the CAHSEE
• Supplemental texts may be used in the live lessons
• Glossary of Terms: A glossary of all of the vocabulary related to the ELA portion of the CAHSEE prep course
• Email for Help: At any time, a student can email the instructor. The instructor will answer emails as promptly as possible, usually the same day
• Social Forum: Students can chat with other students and work together to learn the CAHSEE-related material
• Links to Other Resources: Other sites that contain CAHSEE-related materials will have links on the moodle page

How to be a Successful Student in this Course

• Work on the interactive computer lessons at least three times per week.
• Attend all of the Weekly Live Sessions.
• Ask for help when you get stuck.
• Join the Social Forums.
• Do not be afraid to make a mistake. Reflecting on mistakes is the best way of learning.

Lesson Topics and Sub-Topics:

MODULE ONE: Being an Active Reader

1.0 Thinking While You are Reading

(Strands covered by the CAHSEE that are embedded and addressed in this lesson - Word Analysis, Literary Response, Reading Comprehension/Informational Texts/Expository Critique)

1. Strategy lesson and demonstration
   1. Making predictions using the title and other details
   2. Noticing details and thinking about why they are important
   3. Asking questions about text
   4. Making connections to what you have read before or previous experience
   5. Using clues from text to think about story, characters, etc.
2. Practicing with different kinds of texts, guided practice and independent
   1. Fiction text practice
   2. Informational text practice
3. Thinking like a test maker
   1. Strategy lesson and demonstration
      Using practices learned in 1.1 when doing a reading test item
      Keeping head notes
      Reading test directions and questions
      Reading the text
   2. Practicing with test items
      Using practices to answer questions
      Why some answers work and others do not

Standards addressed in demonstration and practice test items:

• Word Analysis - Literal and figurative meanings
• Expository texts - related to author's purpose, tone, etc.
• Literary Response and analysis
• Literary Response & analysis (narrative analysis) - determine characters' traits by what characters say about themselves
• Literary response & analysis (narrative analysis) - author's development of time & sequence (using literary devices)

2.0 Predicting With Text

(Strands covered by CAHSEE that are embedded and addressed in this lesson - Word Analysis, Literary Response, Reading Comprehension)

1. Strategy lesson and demonstration
   1. Reading portions of the text
   2. Pausing to make predictions
   3. Looking for evidence in the text
   4. Confirming or revising predictions
2. Practice using the strategy with fiction and informational texts
3. Thinking like a test maker
   1. How a test maker designs questions
      Constructing an item
   2. Demonstration
      How making predictions works on a test
   3. Practice with test items
      Informational text practice - test item
      Fiction text practice - test item
      Why some answers work and others don't

Standards addressed in demonstration and practice items:

• Word Analysis - denotative & connotative meanings; literal & figurative meanings
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts)
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts - comprehension & analysis) - Extending ideas in primary or secondary sources
• Literary Response - Analyze author's development of time and sequence
• Literary Response & analysis - determine characters' traits by what they say about themselves
• Literary Response - explain interactions between characters & impact on plot

3.0 Asking Questions with Text

(Strands covered by CAHSEE that are embedded and addressed in this lesson: Word Analysis, Literary Response, Reading Comprehension)

1. Strategy lesson and demonstration
   1. Questioning games
   2. Asking questions while you are reading - types of questions
      Factual
      Vocabulary
      Sequence
      Cause and effect
      Inference
2. Asking questions while you are reading - Demonstration & Guided Practice
3. Thinking like a test maker
   1. Writing questions (from types of questions above), contrasting questions with those of a test maker
   2. Asking questions when you are taking a test - Guided practice with a CAHSEE-type test item
      Factual questions (noticing details, looking for evidence)
      Questions about language (using details & other clues to understand words)
      Understanding evidence
      Making inferences about/from the text
      Why some answers work and others don't
   3. Asking & answering questions when you are taking a test - Independent practice with CAHSEE-type test items (workplace document, poetry,
      Why some answers work and others don't

Standards addressed in demonstration and practice items:

• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts) - generate questions about readings
• Word analysis - literal and figurative meanings
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts) - Synthesizing & summarizing issues or ideas from readings
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts - Expository critique) - author's intent/attitude
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts - Expository critique) - logic of information in functional text (sequence of information & procedures
• Reading Comprehension (Informational Texts - Structural features of informational documents) - analyze structure & format of functional workplace documents
• Literary Response - author's development of time & sequence using literary devices
• Literary Response - interpret, evaluate impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and incongruities in a text
• Literary Response - purpose

MODULE TWO: Being an Active Writer

Strand: Writing Applications

This module will focus on having the student write a persuasive essay, but will focus on general essay writing strategies, as well as writing process, as reflected in the CAHSEE checklist included with prompts across all genres. Supplemental lessons will be provided on the Moodle site to help students practice these strategies in other genres.

1.0 Getting Started

1. Preparing to write as an active writer
2. Reading directions - Writing to a prompt
   1. Using a checklist for your essay (CAHSEE writing checklist)
   2. Identifying what you will be asked to write, including genre
   3. Practice identifying action words and what they mean to understand what you will need to do
3. Generating ideas
   1. Planning your writing
   2. Strategy and demonstration
      Determining which ideas work better than others
   3. Guided and independent practice
4. Independent practice: writing your own essay draft

2.0 Writing Your Draft

Write an organized essay with clear thesis, body and conclusion, including supporting evidence.

1. What does it mean to write an essay where ideas are organized, with a clear thesis, body, including supporting evidence, and conclusion?
   1. What an organized essay looks and sounds like
2. Essay introduction
   1. Analysis of introductions (using CAHSEE rubric)
      Grabs attention
      Has a strong point of view
      Clearly states the author's purpose
   2. Demonstration and interactive practice
   3. Guided practice in analyzing introductions
   4. Analysis of your practice draft
3. Essay body
   1. "State your position, support it with specific examples, and address the reader's concerns." (CAHSEE checklist)
   2. Supporting evidence
   3. Analyzing essays
      Demonstration and interactive practice
      Questions the writer asks self:
      • Do you give examples that support your argument?
      • Do you give details that explain your point?
      • Does the body of your essay make a strong case, persuading your reader to agree with you?
4. Essay conclusion
   1. What does a conclusion look and sound like?
      Analysis of CAHSEE essay
   2. Demonstration and interactive practice
      Finding a new way to restate purpose and thesis
      Adding a new idea that fits with the original argument
   3. Analysis of your practice draft

3.0 Making Your Essay Stronger

1. Why knowing your audience, revising and editing your essay are part of being an active writer
2. Knowing your audience
   1. "Use words that are appropriate for your audience and purpose."
   2. Demonstration and interactive practice
      Addressing the audience
      Choosing words and style to fit the audience
3. Revisting your essay
   1. Re-reading essay and asking yourself questions
      Kinds of questions to ask
   2. Changing the writing
      Take away ideas or parts of ideas that aren't working, don't make sense, or don't fit the purpose of your essay
      Add ideas
      Organize ideas differently
      Change the way you are expressing ideas
   3. Demonstration and interactive practice
      Demonstration
      Guided practice
      Asking questions about a student's essay
   4. Analysis of your practice draft
4. Editing your essay
   1. "Vary your sentences to make your writing interesting to read. Check for mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence formation." (CAHSEE checklist)
   2. How to look over the whole essay - Proofreading
      Reading aloud
      Checking each sentence
      Checking each word
   3. Practice with editing
5. Talking with others about draft essays

MODULE THREE: Being an Active Reader - Strategies for Analyzing Words in Texts

In Development

MODULE FOUR: Being an Active Writer - Part two

In Development