Welcome to Task II Homeppage
TaskII: Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding
a) Extended written response to informational materials (text and visual)
b) Multiple-choice questions on basic comprehension
Performance Indicators
- Interpret and analyze complex informational texts and presentations...
- Use a combination of techniques to extract salient information from texts.
- Make distinctions about the relative value and significance of specific data, facts, and ideas. iWrite research reports, feature articles, and thesis/support papers on a variety of topics.
- Present a controlling ideas that conveys an individual perspective and insight into the topic
- Use a wide range of organizational patterns
- Support interpretations and decisions
- Use standard English skillfully
The Purpose of the Assessment
The purpose of Task 2 is to assess how well students are able to:
- read two informative texts;
- select the important ideas and information presented in the texts;
- use this information to write a well-developed essay;
- for a specific audience and purpose.
This task provides us with information about how well students are ale to read and analyze informational texts and how well they are able to produce an extensive piece of informative writing(i.e., essay, article, letter) using appropriate information from the texts( Standard 1: Reading and writing for Information and Understanding).
Summary of Specifications,
- text and graphic could serve as a useful complement to the academic curriculum
- Information will be still relevant several years from now
- Text is substantive, informative, and engaging
- Text is free from gender, ethnic, and cultural bias; stereotyping; and treatment of controversial of emotionally charged topics (e.g., death, violence, homelessness, criticism of authority figures).
- Information can be applied to another context for a legitimate purpose
- Graphic supplements the information in the text
- Taken together, text and graphic do not exceed 1000 words
Administration Time
3-hour session: Task I & II
Status
Prototype-Spring 1998
First administration: June 1999