EQAO Grade 6Parent Information Night

Welcome!

EQAO-helping to track your child’s success! What's the importance of EQAO?

Tracking your child's progress in Literacy

Agenda Overview of EQAO EQAO and My Child What Can I do to help My Child Prepare for

EQAO? Classroom Supports Reading: What is EQAO looking for? Writing: What is EQAO looking for? Math: What is EQAO looking for? Wrap-up

What is EQAO? It is a standardized test based on the Ministry

Expectations that is administered by the Province in Grade 3 and Grade 6

The Grade 3 and 6 Assessments test READING, WRITING and MATHEMATICS

It assesses a student’s learning up to their current grade level (for example- Grade 6 EQAO assesses the learning done between Grades 4-6)

It is a way to check students’ preparedness for the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics and the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

A Message from EQAO- What is it? What is it for?

What is EQAO? A message from the Ministry

Fast Facts about EQAO Assessments based on the Ontario Curriculum

expectations in Language Arts and Mathematics

window for testing is from the end of May to the beginning of June

Students will be writing their tests during 3 days

Students will be provided with snacks and breaks during the testing dates

Students are able to have extra time to complete tests if needed

How does EQAO help your child

EQAO’s Junior assessments of reading and writing and mathematics provide valuable information at a key stage of elementary education

These results, along with the information your child’s teacher gathered through assessments and observation, can help identify your child’s strengths and areas that require work

CR Marchant’s EQAO Results for the past 3 Years

2007 2008 2009

Reading 53 66 47

Writing 57 66 56

Math 51 57 39

Differences Between a Classroom Assessment and EQAO Assessment

Classroom Assessment

assessment for learning based on where the

student is with respect to the Ontario Curriculum expectations

a variety of accommodations based on student needs - greater teacher support

a variety of tools, strategies, approaches and formats

EQAO Assessment assessment of learning based on the Grade 6

Ontario Curriculum expectations

prescribed timed tasks limited accommodations

based on EQAO criteria written responses only independent

demonstration

Classroom Supports Encouraging students to use assistive technology

and manipulatives if needed Using previous EQAO Student exemplars as

examples and learning tools in the classroom Sharing and deconstructing the EQAO terms with

the students Provide opportunities for students to practise

answering multiple-choice questions and develop strategies such as eliminating answer choices.

Learning Goals and Success Criteria in all classrooms

Classroom SupportsReading- Critical Learning Pathways which test the

learning of reading strategies throughout the year

-Main Idea- Inferencing- Point of View

Modeled Reading, Guided Reading and Independent Reading

Reading a Variety of Texts Direct teaching of skills- such as finding

supportive evidence from a text and making relevant connections

Classroom SupportsWriting- Teaching the Students to use the writing

process Giving feedback for improvement during

process Modeled Writing, Guided Writing and

Independent Writing Exposure to a variety of forms and their

respective conventions Exploring possible form, purpose and audience

for each writing activity Direct teaching of skills, such as conventions

and revising Inclusion of real-life writing tasks

Classroom SupportsMathematics- Providing students with opportunities to

compare mathematical concepts to enhance their understanding

Have students provide a variety of ways to justify their answers

Provide opportunities for students to construct and deconstruct concepts

Instruct students to make drawings when appropriate as part of their problem-solving process

Continue to model appropriate problem-solving strategies

Use of manipulatives to help with understanding

How can I support my child in writing the test?

Let your child know that the assessment is important to you

The best way to support your child in writing the test is by supporting his or her success at school throughout the year.

Encourage them to share their thoughts and opinions about texts and experiences

Encourage them to clearly explain their ideas and provide examples through conversations

Discuss what your child is learning with them

How can I help them in the days before the test?

Ensure they have plenty of sleep Ensure they have a healthy lunch and a

good breakfast Talk with them about their pre-test

feelings Remind them to be calm and to do their

best Remind them to take their time answering

their questions Remind them to review their work before

handing it in

Students Need:

to express what they know and how they know it;

to investigate and problem-solve; to use appropriate resources and

materials; to have test-taking skills and strategies; to have a calm, encouraging

environment.

Types of EQAO Student Responses

short answers

extended responses

multiple choice

Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

Students with IEPs will have access to accommodations for testing depending on their strengths and needs

Your child’s accommodations for the test are located on the bottom of page 2 under the section titled “Accommodations for Standardized Assessments”

Some Accommodations could include: Use of assistive technology Quiet setting Prompts to return student’s attention to task Verbatim scribing

Are EQAO tests based on the material taught in the

classroom?

Yes. EQAO tests are based on The Ontario Curriculum,

which details the knowledge and skills that students are expected to develop in each subject at each grade level.

Ontario Curriculum Overview

The Achievement Chart from the Ontario Curriculum Documents in Language Art and Mathematics identify four categories of knowledge and skills:

Knowledge and Understanding Thinking Communication Application

The EQAO test will be looking at these categories in both the way the questions are presented to the students and the assessment practices post-test.

Language Arts Assessment- the Curriculum and EQAO

Knowledge and Understanding

Thinking

Communication

Application

• Understanding form and features

•Use of processingskills i.e.: analyzing,integrating, synthesizing,evaluating, and forming conclusions

•Expression and organizationof ideas and information with effective use of mechanics

•Transfer of knowledge and skills and making connections

What is EQAO Looking for in Reading? higher-order thinking comprehension of details and main ideas justification - finding proof think and search - locating information drawing conclusions and making inferences Making relevant connections-text to text, text to self, text to

world developing supported opinions critical thinking and analysis understanding author’s intentions vocabulary and meaningful substitutions Big Idea and Life Lessons

EQAO Reading ExampleFreeze –Up By: Raymond Souster

I wonder at what exact moment (I wish I’d been there)Something or someone said“That’s the very last drop going over.”

And the startled waterfallsuddenly couldn’t budge And knew it was so.

Question: What conclusions can be made about the speaker in the poem “FREEZE-UP”? Use specific details from the poem and your own ideas to support your answer.

What EQAO is Looking for in WRITING

thorough planning; complexity of ideas; flow, sequence; level of detail/description; sense of audience, voice, purpose, form; vocabulary, sentence structures; conventions, paragraphs

What is being assessed in Writing?

1. Content: well-developed responses with sufficient clear, specific and

relevant ideas and information Effective organization response has a thorough relationship to the assigned form,

purpose and audience

2. Topic Development: clear focused, well-developed response with sufficient

specific and relevant ideas and supporting details logical and coherent organization of writing with effective links

between ideas Response has a thorough relationship between the form,

purpose and audience

3. Conventions:■ grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation

Writing Question ExamplesSTORY WRITING

“One day my friends and I went on a walk.” Write a story describing your adventure.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Write an announcement that you would read at a school assembly to convince everyone in

your school that recycling is important.

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPHS

You have been named principal for the day. Describe what you

would do during your day as the principal.

What EQAO is Looking for in MATH

Justify answers using logical reasoning Communication through pictures,

numbers and words Apply learned knowledge to solve multi-

step problems Demonstrate understanding in a variety

of forms

Example Mathematics Question

Carmen wants to install a fence. Each section of fence is 2.4 metres long and costs $6.00 per metre.

Carmen will need 16 sections of fence. How much change should he receive from $250?

Example Mathematics QuestionKeenan places 3 green marbles, 4 yellow marbles and 1 blue marble in a bag.

Keenan then adds 1 green marble and 1 yellow marble to the bag.

Does the probability that Keenan will randomly choose a yellow marble increase, decrease or stay thesame?

Circle one: Increases Decreases Stays the same

Justify (explain with evidence) your answer below.

Where can I get more information?

Education Quality and Accountability Office

2 Carlton Street, Suite 1200, Toronto ON M5B 2M9

Telephone: 1-888-327-7377 Web site: www.eqao.com

References:The information was found on the EQAO website.

“6 Questions to Ask When Looking at Your School’s Results.” Education Quality and Accountability Office website-Parents. http://www.eqao.com/pdf/parent_questions/Cprrbq_PJe_0909_web.pdf. March 23,2010

“A Parent’s Guide to EQAO Tests.” Education Quality and Accountability Office website-Parents. http://www.eqao.com/pdf_e/09/Cpbweb_36e_0909.pdf. March 2 2010

“Questions and Answers for Parents.” Education Quality and Accountability Office website-Parents.http://www.eqao.com/Parents/FAQ.aspx?Lang=E&gr=036. March 23, 2010

“Rubrics.” Education Quality and Accountability Office website-Educators. http://www.eqao.com/Educators/Elementary/036/036.aspx?Lang=E&gr=036. March 23, 2010

“CR Marchant EQAO Results.” Education Quality and Accountability Office website-Board and School Results. https://eqaoweb.eqao.com/pbs/Listing.aspx. . March 23, 2010