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
Compare and Contrast Similar Themes Across Time Periods (English II Reading)
You will be able to compare and contrast similar themes from different genres and different time periods.
Origins and Meanings of Foreign Words and Phrases (English II Reading)
You will become acquainted with the origins and meanings of foreign words and phrases frequently used in English texts.
Reference Materials (e.g., dictionaries, thesauri, glossaries) Printed and Electronic (English II Reading)
You will learn how to use dictionaries, glossaries, and thesauri in order to determine meanings of words and phrases, including their denotations, connotations, and etymologies.
Meter and Rhyme (English II Reading)
You will learn to analyze the meter, rhyme scheme, line length, punctuation, and word position in poetry.
Archetypes, Motifs, and Plot in Drama (English II Reading)
You will understand and analyze how archetypes and motifs in drama affect the plot of plays.
Syntax (English II Reading)
You will be able to evaluate the role of syntax in literary non-fiction such as speeches, essays, and other forms.
Evaluate a Text for its Graphics and Visual Appeal (English II Reading)
You will be able to evaluate a text for the clarity and appeal of its graphics.
Synthesize Information in Charts and Graphs (English II Reading)
You will be able to synthesize information that you find in charts and graphs.
Close Reading of Prose: Practice 2 (English II Reading)
You will read carefully in order to identify diction, tone, and irony, and evaluate their impact on the meaning of a text.
Close Reading of Poetry: Practice 3 (English II Reading)
You will read carefully in order to identify allusion, imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, and evaluate their impact on the meaning of a text.
Capitalization (English II Writing)
You will learn proofreading techniques to use in checking for correct capitalization.
Spelling (English II Writing)
You will learn proofreading techniques to use in checking for correct spelling.
Strategies for Editing: Practice Lesson 1
You will proofread and mark errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
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.
Write an Expository and/or Procedural Text (English 6 Writing)
You will learn how to write an expository/procedural text with a variety of sentence structures, rhetorical devices, transitions, appropriate facts, and details.
Make Connections Between and Across Literary Texts
You will learn how to make connections between and across texts, including other media (e.g., film, play), and provide textual evidence.