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
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 Phonological Awareness for Grades K through 1
Phonological awareness is the structure of oral language. It involves the awareness that oral language is comprised of sounds and the ability to manipulate these sound parts in various ways (blending, segmenting, deleting, adding, substituting).
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.
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.
Understand New Vocabulary Using Roots and Affixes (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to determine the meaning of grade-level academic English words derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and affixes.
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.
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.
Reading Strategies
This resource group teaches students a wide variety of reading strategies. It touches on such issues as careful reading and follow-through, context clues, capitalization, transition words, features of printed text, and the relationship between text and illustration.
Words from the Wild: R
Jahreese identifies words containing the letter "r" around his neighborhood in Harlem. This resource teaches reading, decoding, spelling, and vocabulary.
Road Trip—Long U
Knowing that "ew" and "u" produce the same sound, Henry and Charlotte play a game collecting words using those letters/letter combinations from signs and billboards along the road.
Martha's Perspective—Martha Speaks | PBS KIDS Lab
Help children build vocabulary using this Martha Speaks video! Martha defines the word perspective.
Screen reader support enabled.