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
Reading and Writing to a Prompt (English III Reading and Writing)
You will learn skills necessary for reading and writing to a prompt.
Imagery (English III Reading)
In this lesson, you will be able to identify the imagery in a text and evaluate its effectiveness.
How to Read and Analyze a Poem (English III Reading)
You will be able to read and analyze a poem using your knowledge of literary and poetic devices.
Writing a Topic Proposal (English III Writing)
You will learn how to write a topic proposal that addresses your topic, purpose, and audience.
Gaining Understanding and Information from Introductory Material, Headings, and Other Division Markers in Texts (English III Reading)
You will learn how to look at introductory material, headings, and other subdivisions to gain an understanding and an overview of the text’s organization.
Developing a Thesis and Introduction (English III Writing)
You will learn how to write a thesis statement that explains your position about a topic.
Organizing the Structure of a Paper (English III Writing)
You will learn how to organize your essay with relevant evidence that supports your thesis.
Editing for Proper Voice, Tense, and Syntax (English III Writing and Research)
You will practice checking for proper voice, tense, and syntax.
Annotating to Deepen Understanding (English III Reading)
You will learn how to annotate or mark a text as you read and re-read to gain deeper understanding of the text.
Documenting Sources and Writing a Bibliography/Works Cited (English III Research )
You will learn how to cite your sources in the body of your research paper and write a works cited page according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style manual.
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 the Development of Plot through Characters in Literary Texts/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how the internal and external responses of characters, including their motivations and conflicts, contribute to the development of the story’s 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.
Understand New Vocabulary Within Context (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to determine or clarify the meaning of words using context within a sentence and in larger sections of text.
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.
Strengthening Introduction, Thesis Statement, and Organization (English III Research)
You will learn revision strategies you can use to strengthen your introduction and body of your paper.