Step 1: Guided Practice
Performance Overview
Top insights
TEKS Progress
Grouped by TEKS standard · only sessions with full per-standard data are combined
Recommended Focus Areas
Last 10 sessions · this profile · current subject first
Today's Session Plan
Phase 1 (≈ 25 min): You'll learn 4 essential strategies with real examples, then apply them in a guided practice with 10 questions. You'll get coaching feedback as you go.
Phase 2 (≈ 60 min): Full-length practice exam with 3 sections, 23 multiple-choice questions, and 3 written responses.
Today's goal is not perfection — it's progress. Every strategy you learn here will make the full exam easier. Trust the process and trust yourself!
Step 1: Guided Practice
4 Strategies That Win on Reading Tests
Return to the Text (R.T.T.)
Every correct answer can be proven by going back to the passage. Before choosing an answer, return to the specific paragraph the question references. Underline the exact sentence that proves your answer. Never rely on memory alone.
Question: “Which sentence BEST shows that Ines was inspired by her father?”
What to do: Return to paragraph 2. Find the sentence where Ines reacts to her father’s words. Choose the answer that uses a detail directly from the text, not a paraphrase.
Common mistake: Picking an answer that sounds correct from memory but doesn’t match the exact wording or detail in the passage.
Eliminate, Then Choose (E.T.C.)
Don’t hunt for the right answer first — hunt for wrong ones. Cross out answers that are too extreme, too narrow, or not supported by the text. This turns a 25% guess into a 50/50 educated choice.
Question: “What is the theme of this passage?”
A) Honesty is always rewarded → Eliminate: honesty isn’t the focus
B) Courage means finishing what someone else started → Keep: Ines finishes her father’s map
C) Children should always follow their parents’ careers → Eliminate: overgeneralization not in text
D) Art is only valuable when it is perfect → Eliminate: directly contradicted by the passage
Eliminate A, C, and D. B is the only answer supported by the text.
Track the Question Type
STAAR ELA questions fall into predictable categories. Recognizing the type tells you exactly what to look for in the passage:
1. Summary — Identify the main idea across the WHOLE passage, not just one part.
2. Theme / Central Idea — What lesson or message does the text communicate?
3. Text Evidence — Which quote BEST proves the claim in the question?
4. Figurative Language — Identify and explain simile, metaphor, personification, or symbolism.
5. Text Structure — How is the passage organized? (compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution)
6. Author’s Purpose — Why did the author write this, and why include specific details?
Written Response Formula: A.C.E.
Use this formula for every written response to earn full credit:
A — Answer the question directly in your first sentence.
C — Cite evidence from the text — use a direct quote or specific detail.
E — Explain in your own words why that evidence proves your answer.
Example: “The fireflies symbolize Abuela’s enduring love (Answer). The text states, ‘She had started to believe they were gone for good, that maybe they had only ever come because Abuela had somehow called them’ (Cite). This shows Lucia connected the fireflies directly to her grandmother, so their return suggests her love never truly left (Explain).”
R.T.T. = Return to the Text · E.T.C. = Eliminate, Then Choose · Track the Type = Know your STAAR question types · A.C.E. = Answer, Cite, Explain
Step 1: Guided Practice
Mini Mock Exam
Step 1: Guided Practice
Guided Practice Score
Great job! You've completed this section.
Step 2: Practice Test
How This Exam Works
Total Time: 60 minutes
This practice exam contains 3 sections and 26 questions (23 multiple choice + 3 written responses).
For multiple-choice questions, select the BEST answer. You'll receive instant feedback after each selection.
For written response questions, write 3–5 complete sentences. Show your work and use the A.C.E. formula: Answer, Cite your calculations, Explain your reasoning.
You may return to any section at any time using the tabs above.
Suggested Pacing
0–20 min — Section 1: Fiction (Questions 1–6)
20–40 min — Section 2: Informational (Questions 7–12)
40–60 min — Section 3: Poetry (Questions 13–18)
R.T.T. Return to the Text · E.T.C. Eliminate, Then Choose · Track the Type · A.C.E. Answer, Cite, Explain
Step 2: Practice Test
Section 1
Step 2: Practice Test
Section 2
Step 2: Practice Test
Section 3
Step 3: Review
Full Exam Score
Email results (optional)
Requires the STAAR dashboard server with optional SMTP in config.json. Preview opens HTML in a new tab if pop-ups are allowed.
Step 3: Review
Answer Key & Explanations
Phase 1: Guided Practice Answer Key
| # | Answer | TEKS | Skill |
|---|
Phase 2: Full Exam Answer Key
| # | Answer | TEKS | Skill Assessed |
|---|
Detailed Explanations — Phase 2
Written Response Rubric (1–4 Scale)
4 — Exemplary: Well-organized, shows all work clearly, explains reasoning in complete sentences, demonstrates strong understanding of the concept.
3 — Proficient: Addresses the question with correct work and at least one explanation sentence. Clear but may lack depth.
2 — Approaching: Attempts to answer but work is incomplete, explanation is missing, or the response is too brief.
1 — Beginning: Off-topic, no work shown, or answer is incorrect with no supporting reasoning.
Model Responses
Step 3: Review
Dr. Elena Santana, PhD
Tutor notes Optional
Session observations, homework, or follow-up topics. Saved per student profile on this device. Included when you copy or print.
Complete Both Phases First
The parent report will generate automatically after the student completes the Phase 2 exam. Click "Submit Exam & View Results" in Section 3 to generate the full report.