The ANSWER Key to Open Response
The purpose of our ANSWER Key to Open Response training is to teach students a routine for answering reading comprehension open response questions on state tests AND as a strategy for comprehending content information.
Open response questions require students to integrate reading comprehension, organization and planning, and writing skills in order to successfully construct an answer that represents their reading comprehension ability and skills. For the purpose of state tests, ANSWER Key is applied to ELA reading comprehension open response questions, not subject-specific open response (e.g., math, science). As a content classroom comprehension strategy, the routine can be used with any subject area reading material.
Professional development for The ANSWER Key to Open Response consists of a one-day training that shows teachers how to teach the following steps in the routine:
- A: Analyze the Question
- N: Note plan
- S: Skim, read and select
- W: Write the Response
- ER: End by Reviewing
During the training, teachers learn to provide student with constructive feedback using a feedback checklist (included), and they have the opportunity to practice with sample state ELA open response questions at various grade levels. Participants also learn to generate their own open response questions from classroom material across content areas.
The ANSWER Key to Open Response is intended for teachers of grades 3-11 who prepare students for ELA reading comprehension assessments and content teachers who want to learn a strategy for improving content reading.
Follow-up support is available on an as-needed basis.