Greg's Tutoring NYC is making available a number of our YouTube livestreams pertaining to the ELA section of the SHSAT, one summary of them is below.
It applies to both SHSAT 8 and SHSAT 9. (And remember SHSAT 9 encompasses ALL SHSAT 8 possibilities).
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And don't hesitate to email us if you're stuck on any problem that you come across in your prep! Have fun and enjoy!
Each section of the ELA presents challenges that the math section normally doesn't run into, though this is not to say the math section does not have its own challenges.
For instance, for the Rev A section, many of you have never formally learned grammar, and so for many, you're flying by osmosis. Similarly for Rev B. Plus for many of you, your teachers accept much of what you write, so notions such as "good writing" are foreign. That/this won't cut it. At the same time, many of you skip over the discussions in your SHSAT workbooks that give you information about some of the constructs and concerns. Doing that won't cut it either. Nor will doing another 1000 questions usually be most helpful. There isn't magic; you need to put in the time on the concepts and topics, only from there will the questions follow.
Definitely read, and yes, read more challenging material. However, that said, three things. The first is that you're being tested on reading comprehension and once you've mastered your literary devices, the challenging material will kick in. The second is not just challenging material read mindlessly but that reading with purposeful reflection and analysis must occur. The third is that with my students I have found that backing off has helped immensely as otherwise many are simply lost having created an atmosphere of depending upon guessing, and that's just not what this exam is about.
As for reading comprehension, again, many of you take the position to read another 500 passages, but for most that's worse that an exercise in futility. This is not a game of chance, and this is not osmosis. One of the single most important things you can do it learn what main idea is. Many of you don't know what it is, can't verbalize what it is conceptually, and can't read a passage and say what the main of idea of the passage is. This is crucial not only for the oft asked main idea questions, but it is a cornerstone of your reading comprehension for all your classes, reading for enjoyment or information, and becomes laced through many questions.
As such, learn main idea, and many of the other aspects of author's craft. Also, you're not only being tested on your reading comprehension of the passage but your reading comprehension of each question and your reading comprehension of every choice given. Every word matters. And some don't. This is often deeper than just what the question is asking. And remember, although you should read the passage, you're not being graded on the passage itself per se, but you're being graded on the questions. Yes, you must understand the passage, but it should not be your only focus.
These are only a few of many ways to improve on the ELA section. I have links to some discussions on ELA, main idea, etc at http://www.GregsTutoringNYC.com/shsat-faqs as well as cover to cover reviews of whole past handbooks therefore this includes their respective full ELA sections.
Back off of the SHSAT ELA for now. Work on say past Grade 6 NYS ELA State Tests and work your way up to Grade 7, Grade 8, and eventually SHSAT level. As you do so, notice the question types, what they're asking of you, and whether you can establish cornerstone concepts such as main idea. With most of my students, I actually start with passages of only 1 paragraph in length. Even simple paragraphs can be confusing. But, they allow you to get to the bottom of things. And be able to cover the literacy aspect in bite-sized pieces instead of monolithic boring monstrosities with many levels of complexity thrown in.
Many of you are looking for tips, at the level where you feel that 2 or 3 tips are going to somehow magically produce results. While tips are great, it doesn't work that way. A lot of this you have to "sweat" for. For instance, if you don't know grammar, you'll get many questions about grammar wrong. The best solution is not to just do more grammar questions, instead the solution is to sit with some grammar rules, do some simpler and focused drill downs, etc. It's the same with the reading comprehension. Practice is important, so reading another passage or doing another practice test in order to make progress is important, but doing only that is a weak strategy and one that is often wasteful, frustrating, demeaning, and in some cases even sends you backwards. Learn author's craft and the literary devices being used first. Otherwise what's before you is a big blob with nowhere safe to start from.
Yes, many ELA passages are "too boring" but that can be overcome, but not if you're only looking for fast solutions. Usually fast solutions do not exist. And contrarily doing more passages without awareness of the underlying concepts and topics are painfully slow solutions, and furthermore usually do not yield the results they should. I'm repeating this because looking for a fast solution creates a vicious circle whereas students never know what they're being asked, and in short, are just guessing. At best educated guessing, but still guessing. But this is an exact exam; it's not guessing. Therefore, reset your perspective and approach to ELA passages.
Read with purpose, interact with the passages, and include author's craft and literary devices into your comprehension strategies. Don't know what they are? This is a good point to learn about them. This means not spending countless hours to find that magic tip. Instead sit down and go through these aspects of literacy independent of the exam, and only when you're experienced with them apply them to the exam. Prep often includes pausing raw practice to learn and study.
Feel free to email me any questions or concerns, or if you're stuck on a specific question.
Consider the following to be an "SHSAT ELA Starter Kit" if you will:
☑️ SHSAT ELA || Topics // What to study? // How to "get better" at ELA?
PDF List of topics
PDF discussion about ELA passages and reading comprehension How to MEMORIZE ELA Passages? + How can I Read Passages Faster?
ELA || "Main Idea" Part 1
ELA || "Main Idea" Misconceptions Part 2
Reading Comprehension Tips
SHSAT || Poetry || Pacing the test 1) Starts with Pacing the test 2) Poetry discussion starts at 49:44 3) More general talk at 1:27:20
SHSAT || Poetry! YAY!! lol
Fall 2022 SHSAT Test Day Poem "The Pebble and the Acorn" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r21e37ikd7M
2023-2024 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form A POEM "Letter from Brooklyn" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0OLQquEtME
2023-2024 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form A POEM "Cross-Purposes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rbX6NdLtww
2023-2023 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form A POEM "Bird Talk" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDr_BoOF7g
2023-2023 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form B POEM "Smallest Spark in Everything" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aCVIIVP9cM
2021-2022 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form A POEM "Ode to Fireworks" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWOtUCHklL4
2021-2022 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, ELA Form B POEM "Serpent Mound" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnTc7Bnorrw
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing Intro, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bgxUpQKiCQ
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing Intro, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHhhigTH-ls
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing A, Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt6Z93ak4hE
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing B, Part 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rjA8csyP6s
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing B, Part 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGGzTHWYoks
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0mXucR3NZA
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE6RNDVau8Q
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxAArOH8Io
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=354PC93Njo0
I really explore this passage fully ripping it to shreds to demonstrate what you guys should be doing both in process and in thought. With practice -- you MUST practice -- this can become natural. As I say throughout many videos, you need to apply this to about 10 passages until it becomes familiar to you. You'll probably kick and scream initially. But as you find yourself understanding the passage more, becoming more engrossed in the passage, knowing what to look for, knowing what to think and do while reading and while analyzing questions and choices, you'll find you're answering more questions correctly and faster.
2020-2021 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0IZoUbH1eI
2017 SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing Intro, Part 1
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing A, Part 2
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing B, Part 3
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Revising/Editing B, Part 4
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 5
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 6
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 7
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 8
SHSAT REVIEW || From Cover to Cover, Reading Comprehension, Part 9
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