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.   

1. Text Comprehension (Reading)  
2. Word Analysis  
3. Fluency  

LAR utilizes many techniques to help students learn the content. This is done by breaking the concepts down into smaller/targeted concepts, utilizing color coding, charts, mnemonics, graphics, audio clips, easy-to-grasp written and/or auditory explanations that students can internalize with ease; font size for emphasis; practice quizzes for students to self-check for understanding; level quizzes that progress from surface knowledge  --> to connecting several concepts --> to applying the content to practical examples. 

These learning techniques are especially beneficial for students who are English Language Learners (ELL), Limited English Proficient (LEP), English As Second Language (ESL), Special Education (SPED), and/or Sect. 504 students.

Visit the Language Arts Resources site to access student lessons, quizzes, and more! 

You will learn how to make connections between and across texts, including other media (e.g., film, play), and provide textual evidence.

You will learn how to analyze different points of view, including first-person, third-person omniscient, and third-person limited.

You will learn how the setting in a story can influence the development of the plot.

You will learn how to explain a playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions.

You will learn proofreading techniques to use in checking for correct capitalization.

You will learn proofreading techniques to use in checking for correct spelling.

You will proofread and mark errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

You will be able to analyze the persuasive impact of rhetorical structures and devices in famous speeches.

You will be able to analyze the quality, relevance, and credibility of evidence that supports or opposes an argument.

You will be able to write a short story with interesting and believable characters.

You will be able to write a short story with a well-developed conflict and resolution.

You will be able to use various literary strategies and devices, including dialogue and suspense, to enhance the plot in a short story.

Given a prompt, you will write a short story.

You will learn how to make inferences and draw conclusions about similar themes in various texts by finding supporting evidence within the texts.

You will become acquainted with the origins and meanings of foreign words and phrases frequently used in English texts.

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.

You will apply what you learned in previous lessons, (1) Linguistic Roots and Affixes, (2) Denotation and Connotation, (3) Origins and Meanings of Foreign Words, (4) Cognates, and (5) Reference Materials, to improve your fluency and comprehension.

Students demonstrate their knowledge of capitalization rules in a proofreading exercise.