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ITBS PREPARATION ITBS Tests will be held at our school in February 2008. What is the ITBS?. ITBS stands for Iowa Tests of Basic Skills ITBS is a different kind of test and students will most likely encounter new and unfamiliar material. ITBS is multiple-choice. ITBS is timed. TIMING.
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ITBS PREPARATIONITBS Tests will be held at our school in February 2008
What is the ITBS? • ITBS stands for Iowa Tests of Basic Skills • ITBS is a different kind of test and students will most likely encounter new and unfamiliar material. • ITBS is multiple-choice. • ITBS is timed.
TIMING • Take Your TIME! Even though the test is timed—don’t rush! • But don’t WASTE time! Avoid lingering on any one question. If you come to a question you cannot answer, skip it and come back to it later. Don’t forget to also skip it on the answer sheet.
Six Steps of the Process of Elimination • Write the question number and answer choices on scratch paper. • Read the question. • Read ALL the answer choices. • On the scratch paper, cross off any choices that are obviously wrong. • If there is only one choice left, that’s the correct answer! • If there is more than one answer left, take an EDUCATED guess.
How to use Scratch Paper • Eliminate articles and other extra words. • Don’t write in complete sentences. • Cross out mistakes—DON’T ERASE! • Label notes, so you c an refer to them later.
How to answer vocabulary questions • Cover up answers with one hand. Answers often plant ideas in your head about what the word means, and these ideas might be wrong. • Look at each answer and consider its meaning. Eliminate if the word is obviously wrong.
Figuring out parts of speech is important (this is why we diagram sentences!) • Words that serve as more than one part of speech can be confusing. • For example….the word stand has multiple meanings. It is usually a verb, but in the phrase take a stand, it is not a verb. • Knowing the part of speech may help you define the word.
Positive and Negative Words • Even if you can’t remember a word’s definition, you may sense that the word has a positive or negative meaning.
Guessing Figurative Meanings • Sometimes the ITBS will take a word with a common literal meaning and use it figuratively in a way that makes it seem unfamiliar. • If you know that literal meaning, it may help you figure out the figurative meaning. • For example…knowing the literal meaning of crumbled helps you guess that the figurative meaning might be to fall apart or weaken.
Synonyms and Antonyms • The ITBS will ask you to select a synonym for each underlined word. • Remember…synonym means the same.
LOOK for Vocabulary Clues • Look for root words. • Identify prefixes and suffixes. • Decide the part of speech of the word. • Try to determine the positive or negative connotations. • Identify words with figurative meanings.
Six Steps to Reading Actively • Use your scratch paper to write down the title or subject of the passage. • Read the first paragraph. • On the scratch paper, number that paragraph. • Write one or two phrases that summarize the paragraph. • Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each paragraph. • At the end, write a brief, one-sentence summary of the entire passage.
Helpful Reading Comprehension Terms • Passage—the text you read before answering the questions • Main Idea—what passage or paragraph is mainly about • Theme—an idea raised by or discussed in the passage • Summary—a brief statement of main points covered in a passage • Setting—the time period and place in which a passage happens • Figurative Language—language that describes one thing in terms of something else
Different types of Reading Passages • Fictional Passages—parts of novels and short stories • Informational Passages—have essay form • Biographical Passages—tell true stories • Poems—require students to infer meaning • Functional passages—letters, speeches, advertisements, etc.
How to Read a Poem • Read the Title—titles are helpful in figuring out the focus of the poem. • Read the poem slowly and carefully—each word counts • Look for figurative language—poems are rich because each word or phrase evokes emotion • Summarize the main idea, theme, or lesson at the end of the poem—the meaning can also be found in the last stanza
General Strategies for Answering Reading Questions • Read the questions carefully. • Refer back to the passage and your active reading notes. • Use the process of elimination. • Don’t get stuck on difficult questions. • Use key words to locate information.