ELA MCAS Strategies

When you get your passage, what is the first thing you should do?

• Read the directions

• Skip to the multiple choice

• Start highlighting

• Take a nap

When you receive your reading passage, after reading the directions, title and background information, what should you do next?

• Answer multiple choice

• Doodle in the margins

• Start Reading

• Skip to the Constructed Response page and take a peek at what the question is, so you can get a head start on highlighting evidence from the text.

Before you have read the passage, after looking at the writing prompt, what is the next step?

• Start Writing

• Begin reading the passage

• Ask to go to the bathroom

• Skip ahead and read the ending of the passage.

How many times should you read the passage?

• 2 or more

• 1 and done!

• We have to read the passage?

What do good readers do while they are reading?

• Do not highlight and take notes

• HIghlight important key details (especially those that relate to the writing prompt).

• Briefly read then go right to multiple choice.

After you have read the passage twice and highlighted what is next?

• Take a nap

• Move on to the multiple choice section

• Skip to the writing prompt

• Move on to the next reading passage

When you don't know a multiple choice answer what should you do?

• Make a lucky guess

• Leave it blank

• Fill in all of them

If you are taking a test online, which tool is the best when answering multiple choice questions?

• Highlight text tool

• Answer Eliminator Tool

Is it necessary to go back into the text to help answer a multiple choice question?

• Yes, always!

• No, never, I have a great memory.

What is a helpful tool to use before you write your constructed response?

• Graph paper

• Graphic Organizer