Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA)
Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.006(c-1) requires that students who do not meet the passing standard on the Grade 6 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading test must be administered a reading assessment at the beginning of grade 7. The Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) was developed with Texas students to be a valid and reliable instrument for determining students’ areas of instructional need.
The TMSFA is based on valid and reliable scientific research, thoroughly measures each domain of development, and is user-friendly. The following three domains of development are assessed using the TMSFA.
- Text Comprehension (Reading)
- Word Analysis
- Fluency
Explain the Influence of the Setting on Plot Development in Literary Text/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how the setting in a story can influence the development of the plot.
Analyze Point of View in Literary Texts/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to analyze different points of view, including first person, third-person omniscient, and third-person limited.
Understanding Drama (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to explain a playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions.
Understanding Poetry (English 7 Reading)
You will learn the importance of graphical elements (e.g., capital letters, line length, word position) in the meaning of a poem.
Imagery and Figurative Language (English 7 Reading)
You will be able to identify figurative language and understand how it creates imagery, appeals to the senses, and suggests mood.
Make Connections Between and Across Literary Texts (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to make connections between and across texts, including other media (e.g., film, play), and provide textual evidence.
Target 2% Lessons to Support Phonics for Grades K through 5
Phonics is the relationship between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. These phonics activities are designed to enhance the instruction of all teachers of reading and to meet the learning needs of all students, as indicated by data.
Target 2% Lessons to Support Fluency for Grades K through 5
Fluency is the ability to read text effortlessly, allowing the reader to concentrate on meaning. Fluency includes reading accurately, quickly, and with prosody (appropriate phrasing, expression, and attention to punctuation).
Target 2% Lessons to Support Vocabulary for Grades K through 5
Vocabulary knowledge is an essential component of comprehension, language proficiency, and reading growth for all students.These vocabulary activities are designed to enhance the instruction of all teachers of reading and to meet the learning needs of all students, as indicated by data.
Target 2% Lessons to Support Comprehension for Grades K through 5
These comprehension activities are designed to enhance the instruction of all teachers of reading and to meet the learning needs of all students, as indicated by data.
Colombian Folktale: Pastorcita
This video features the Colombian story Pastorcita in both English and Spanish. Pastorcita has many elements that are similar to “Little Bo Peep.
Using the Present Progressive Tense | No Nonsense Grammar
Present progressives describe an action in progress, or something that started in the past and is still happening. It is formed with the helping "to be" verb in the present tense and the present participle of the verb.
Simple and Compound Sentences | No Nonsense Grammar
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb and by itself contains a complete thought. A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Using Proper Punctuation for Titles | No Nonsense Grammar
Small works (short stories, essays, magazine and newspaper articles, etc.) are indicated with the use of quotation marks. Larger works, such as books or movies, are indicated either through italics (in typing) or underlining (handwriting).
How to Recognize a Phrase | No Nonsense Grammar
A phrase is a group of related words that does not include both a subject and a verb. It only has one or the other!
Edison: Boyhood and Teen Years
Find out how young Thomas Edison’s curiosity got him into trouble, and how, during his teen years, he lost his hearing but gained confidence as an aspiring inventor, in this video adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: Edison.
Book Buddies | Engaging with Literature
Watch as two teachers create Book Buddies with 3rd and 5th graders in this half-hour video from Engaging with Literature. Book Buddies offers students a chance to explore a book they are familiar with in new ways.
Lesson Builder Template | Engaging with Literature
Download this lesson builder template as a framework for reviewing and analyzing your classroom literature lesson.
Using Commas and Quotations | No Nonsense Grammar
Quotations and commas are two very useful punctuation tools that indicate dialogue and brief pausing in sentences. Learn how to use them correctly!