Writing Content Tested

 

The FCAT Writing+ test measures the writing elements of focus, organization, support, and conventions, which are integral to the Sunshine State Standards. The test includes a prompt that presents a topic which students must respond and multiple-choice questions. Grade 10 students demonstrate their writing skills by producing, within 45 minutes, a written draft response to an assigned prompt, which asks them to persuade (persuasive writing) or to explain (expository writing). Students also respond to multiple-choice questions which assess prewriting, drafting and revising, and editing. The editing skills include capitalization, punctuation, spelling, usage, and sentence structure.

 

Writing Process

The student prepares for writing by recording thoughts, focusing on a central idea, grouping related ideas, and identifying the purpose for writing.

 

The student drafts and revises writing that

 

  • focuses on the topic, is purposeful, and reflects insight into the writing situation;
  • provides an organizational pattern with a logical progression of ideas;
  • includes effective use of transitional devices that contribute to a sense of completeness;
  • includes support that is substantial, specific, relevant, and concrete;
  • demonstrates a commitment to and an involvement with the subject;
  • employs creative writing strategies appropriate to the purpose of the paper;
  • demonstrates a mature command of language with freshness of expression;
  • uses a variety of sentence structures;
  • and contains few, if any, convention errors in mechanics, usage, punctuation, and spelling.

 

The student produces final documents that have been edited for correct spelling, correct use of punctuation, correct capitalization, correct usage, and effective sentence structure.

Reading Content Tested

 

The FCAT Reading tests employ a wide variety of written material to assess students’ reading comprehension as defined in the Sunshine State Standards. These tests include informational and literary reading passages. Informational passages are written to provide readers with facts about a particular subject and may include magazine and newspaper articles, editorials, and biographies. Literary passages are written primarily for readers’ enjoyment and may include short stories, poems, folk tales, and selections from novels. Tests for Grades 9 and 10 assess the following SSS reading comprehension skills and processes:

 

Words and Phrases in Context

  • selects and uses strategies to understand words and text
  • makes and confirms inferences from a reading text
  • interprets data presentations (e.g., maps, diagrams, graphs, and statistical illustrations)

 

Main Idea, Plot and Purpose

  • determines stated or implied main idea
  • identifies relevant details
  • identifies methods of development
  • determines author’s purpose and point of view
  • identifies devices of persuasion and methods of appeal
  • identifies and analyzes complex elements of plot (e.g., setting, tone, major events, and conflicts and resolutions)

 

Comparisons and Cause/Effect

  • recognizes the use of comparison and contrast
  • recognizes cause-and-effect relationships

 

Reference and Research

  • locates, gathers, analyzes, and evaluates information for a variety of purposes
  • selects and uses appropriate study and research skills and tools according to the type of information being gathered or organized
  • analyzes the validity and reliability of primary source information and uses the information appropriately
  • synthesizes information from multiple sources to draw conclusions