Maximizing Scores on Functional Skills English Assessments

• English
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Special Education

Maximizing Scores on Functional Skills English Assessments

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify how marks are distributed among questions. At the end of the lesson, you will understand the importance of using the text to inform your answers. At the end of the lesson, you will know how to read texts without letting personal biases affect your comprehension. At the end of the lesson, you will be able to construct responses that are appropriately detailed for the marks available. At the end of the lesson, you will recognize the benefits of writing on the question paper to aid in answering questions. At the end of the lesson, you will understand the strategy for reading texts and answering questions effectively.

What do you already know about maximizing scores on English assessments?

Understanding question mark allocation

Mark Allocation: The distribution of marks across various questions, indicating the complexity and depth of response required.

Utilizing the text in responses

Text Utilization: The practice of using the given text in the exam to inform and support your answers.

Reading comprehension without prejudice

Reading without Prejudice: The approach of interpreting text based on its content alone, without influence from personal knowledge or opinions.

Providing sufficiently detailed responses

Detailed Responses: Providing thorough answers that cover all aspects required by the question to secure all possible marks.

Writing on the question paper as a strategy

Question Paper Notation: The strategy of marking up the question paper with notes, underlining, or highlighting to assist in answering questions.

Effective reading and answering techniques

Reading and Answering Strategy: A methodical approach to first understand the text, then the questions, and lastly to answer the questions using information from the text.

Definitions

Mark Allocation: The distribution of marks across various questions, indicating the complexity and depth of response required. Text Utilization: The practice of using the given text in the exam to inform and support your answers. Reading without Prejudice: The approach of interpreting text based on its content alone, without influence from personal knowledge or opinions. Detailed Responses: Providing thorough answers that cover all aspects required by the question to secure all possible marks. Question Paper Notation: The strategy of marking up the question paper with notes, underlining, or highlighting to assist in answering questions. Reading and Answering Strategy: A methodical approach to first understand the text, then the questions, and lastly to answer the questions using information from the text.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.