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Teaching and Assessing
Comprehension Strategies - 3rd Grade

TACS-3 addresses the following comprehension strategies commonly found in third grade standards and assessments: Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies – 3 (TACS-3) is a teacher resource designed to teach third grade students how, when and why to use comprehension strategies. This powerful resource was developed to provide teachers with tools to teach the important strategies that students need to become proficient readers, and effective test takers. TACS-3 was developed using a research based instructional model. It has proven to guide students to automaticity by selecting the appropriate comprehension strategy when reading.

Vocabulary (Context Clues, Dictionary, Best Definition) Genre Format Written Summary Character Traits / Emotions Cause / Effect Order of Important Events Main Idea / Supporting Details Plot / Story Problem Setting Text to Support Meaning Use of Graphic Organizers Author’s Purpose Support of Interpretation Inference (Drawing Conclusions / Predictions) Fact and Opinion

"Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies has raised 3 grade TAKS scores through very specific lessons modeled by the teacher. It has given students the ability to construct the meaning of texts in both fiction and nonfiction."
--Nancy Wooten, Grand Prairie, Texas, Pre K-5 Literacy and Language Arts Facilitator

TACS-3 is organized into five strategic sections each consisting of three selections and an assessment. Teachers use a four-step teaching model identified by Fielding and Pearson: teacher modeling, guided practice, independent practice and application of strategies. The strategies are presented in the order of difficulty so that students practice the most difficult strategies repeatedly to help them become proficient.

Expository and narrative texts of increasing length and difficulty are presented. Formats vary to provide a realistic representation of everyday reading and standardized tests. The selections are engaging, combine genre, and are made up of a controlled word count.

Detailed easy to use lesson plans are provided for each reading selection. Writing activities are integrated in each section.

As noted each section concludes with an assessment. The primary purpose of the assessment is to inform instruction. Instructions assist the teacher to use the test data to formulate tailored instruction for students. These cumulative assessments are formatted to mimic in appearance standardized tests, and test procedures. Length and difficulty of the assessments increases in each succeeding section. Teachers determine how and when to use TACS-3. Instruction can be whole class, small group or individualized.

TACS-3 features:

Self contained everything needed to teach the 15 comprehension strategies are included Requires only minutes each day to build to mastery by standardized test date Proven research based instructional model East to use step-by-step lesson plans Most effective one teacher resource book is needed for the entire class Original engaging reading selections using both expository and narrative writing Assessments mimic standardized and state test formats

Teaching Materials for Standardized Reading Tests - 3rd Grade - $60.00

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TACS-3 Also Available with Spanish Supplement

The Spanish Supplement is to be implemented with Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies – 3rd Grade. The fifteen student passages, five cumulative assessments, cumulative final assessment and student activities have been translated for use with Spanish readers. The Spanish Supplement pages correspond with the English version and have the same page numbers for quick location.

When implementing the program, use the lesson plans and information included in the English version of Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies – 3rd Grade to guide instruction.

Note: Because of the differences in languages, some passages in the Spanish Supplement have different vocabulary words underlined. The teacher will need to use the strategies outlined in the English teaching plans and transfer them to underlined words in the Spanish passages.

Teaching Materials for Standardized Reading Tests - 3rd Grade
with Spanish Supplement - $70.00

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Fourth and Fifth Grade Also Available

Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies is available for third grade, fourth grade, and fifth. For more information about TACS-4, click on the book above. For more information about TACS-5, click on the book above.

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Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies Workshops

Teaching and Assessing Comprehension Strategies Workshop helps teachers understand and teach strategies used in standardized assessments and state tests. It provides instruction for best practices with easy to use lesson plans. These strategies modeled help students gain proficiency in the use of comprehension strategies. Click on the workshop link above.