Super QARfor Test-wise Students

Taffy Raphael & Kathryn Au

Senior Authors

Why the World NeedsSuper QAR. . .

Increasing Accountability Pressures No child left untested! Mandated federal testing, grades 3-8 Testing related to state and district

standards

The Challenge

To meet two goals– Prepare students to perform well on tests– Keep quality of education high

• Higher level thinking• Reading comprehension• Rich Content

Higher Level Thinking

Importance in the Global Community Rising Standards Most recent evidence: changes in the

SAT (June 27, 2002 newspapers)

SAT Revision for 2005

25-minute essay question to be added– Plus multiple choice grammar / usage items

Verbal section renamed “critical reading”– Drop analogies section– Add short prose passages to test reading

Math section– Add questions from 3rd year high school algebra

Concern for Students

Present emphasis on basic skills All students can also benefit from

instruction in higher level thinking In general, students of diverse

backgrounds have few opportunities for such instruction

QAR - Question Answer Relationships Research-based A strategy to promote higher order

thinking An approach to test preparation A language for talking about questioning

activities

In the BookRight There: A “detail” type of question, where words used to form the question and words that answer the question are often “right there” in the same sentence.

Think & Search: The answer is in the text, but readers have to “think & search” to find the answer; sometimes within a paragraph, across paragraphs, or even chapters.

In My HeadAuthor and Me: The information to answer the question comes from my background knowledge, but to even make sense of the question, I’d need to have read and understood the text.

On My Own: The question relates to the text, but I could probably answer this one even if I had never read the text. All the ideas and information come from my background knowledge.

QAR: A Development Model

In the Book In My Head

Right There Think & Search Author & Me On My Own

Explanation Compare/Contrast

Cause/Effect

Research-Based

• Studies published in leading refereed journals

• Raphael, T. E., (1986). Teaching question-and-answer-relationships, revisited. Reading Teacher, 39(6), 516-522.

• Raphael, T. E. & Wonnacott, C. A. (1985). Heightening 4th grade students' sensitivity to sources of information for answering comprehension questions. Reading Research Quarterly, 20(3), 282-296.

• Raphael, T. E. & Pearson, P. D. (1985). Increasing students' awareness of sources of information for answering questions. American Educational Research Journal, 22, 217-236.

• Raphael, T. E., & McKinney, J. (1983). An examination of 5th and 8th grade children's question answering behavior: An instructional study in metacognition. Journal of Reading Behavior, 15, 67-86.

• Referenced in all major reading textbooks

• Described in numerous professional resources

Program Content

Comprehension strategy focus– Fiction and nonfiction across the curriculum– Metacognition

Preparation for all test formats– Multiple choice– Short answer– Extended response

Activities for partners, groups, whole class

Teacher Resource Books

•Formal lessons•Concept•Booster

•Extension activities•Tips for just before the test

Program Content

Phases of Instruction

Phase 1: Concept Lessons teach students QAR.

– Grade 1 = 10– Grades 2 - 8 = 5

Phase 2: Booster Lessons promote application– Grade 1 = 5– Grades 2 - 8 = 8

Lesson Plan

Set the purpose Model (includes thinking aloud) Coach Build Independence Reflect

Overhead Transparencies

Phases of Instruction

Phase 1: Concept Lessons teach students QAR.– ..Grade 1 = 10– Grades 2-8 = 5

Phase 2: Booster Lessons promote application.– Grade 1 = 5– Grades 2-8 = 8

Lesson Plan

Set the Purpose Model (includes thinking aloud) Coach Build Independence Reflect

Student Activity Book

Texts of different genres, subject areas Space for writing questions, reflection, group work Sample test items

Student Book

Strategy Posters

Grade 3 Grade 6

Student Bookmarks

Grade 2

Big Books -- Grade 1

Why Use QARs?

Leads to quality instruction in core comprehension skills

Builds confidence among students in question-asking and question-answering situations

Provides a language to talk about comprehension strategies

Provides a language to talk about test requirements