Using language, symbols, and texts resources

Students read a poem, written from the point of view of an immigrant, then answer retrieval and inferential questions.

This task assesses students' ability to give a book review to a small group.

This resource is for the assessment of team debating at intermediate school. A selection of topics are provided. Oral Language Assessment Guides - Speaking E and G are suitable for this task.

Students retell a myth or legend to another student. Suggestions for the speech content and scoring guides are included.

Students present an instructive speech to the class or small group. Some topics are provided as examples and scoring guides for teachers are attached.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to use evidence in text to make inferences about characters' points of view, and to analyse and synthesise understandings of these characters.

Assessment focus: ability to use contextual clues to infer meaning of a word. (There is a link to the text used for this resource in the Using this Resource section.) SJ-4-3-2004. Text provided.

Students read a recount about New Zealanders travelling in Africa, then answer retrieval and inference questions. The text is provided.

Students read an article on Mother Teresa and then answer short comprehension questions.

Students study a recipe then answer questions showing their understanding of written instructions.

A poem about trying to fly is the basis of this resource. Students read the poem then answer questions on its illustrations, rhyme, content and vocabulary. SJ-3-1-1994.

Students read a narrative about relationships and wanting to impress others. Assessment focus: the author’s construction of a character and an evaluation of this character.

Students use an index page from a book on New Zealand to answer six questions.

This task is about using evidence to find the main idea of a text. Students read a narrative text with a Māori context, find two groups of details, then select the main idea from four choices. Note that the text deals with the hunting and slaughter of pigs, which may be a challenging concept for some of your students. SJ-4-2-2004. Text provided.

Assessment focus: student ability to use contextual clues in order to infer the meaning of a word. (There is a link to the text used for this resource in the Using this Resource section.)

After reading a narrative that explores family dynamics, students identify evidence in the text that supports their thinking. Assessment focus: analysing and evaluating a character and the author's construction of him. (There is a link to the text used for this resource in the Task administration section of the Teacher information pages.) Reading age 8-9. SJ-3-3-2003.

Students read a poem 'Full Moon Tiger' to answer questions about metaphor, contrast, rhyme and alliteration. SJ-2-3-1987. Text provided.

Students read an article about a boy who loves sculpting insects to answer retrieval and inferential questions. (The text used for this resource is in the teacher information pages.) SJ-4-1-1997. Text provided.

Students read part of a play called 'No Circulars' and then answer retrieval and and inferential questions. The play is reproduced in the Teacher information pages. SJ-3-2-1993. Text provided.

Students read a poem and its illustrations to answer retrieval and inferential questions. Text provided.

Students read an extract from a play then answer retrieval and inferential questions. Text provided.

Students read an article on starfish and find factual information to complete a retrieval chart and answer comprehension questions. SJ-1-2-1999. Text not provided.

Students will identify and use nouns, adjectives, and verbs to write a poem that follows the same structure as given in two examples.

Students read about creating a bird ball and respond to six short written questions which assess their comprehension of instructions. SJ-2-2-1994. Text provided.

This task assesses student ability to find the text features of an explanation of a scientific idea.