Reading Competencies Tested on the CASA
The CASA Reading subtest contains four general objectives which define the knowledge and skills that Indiana educators and teacher educators have determined to be important for educators to possess. Each objective is expanded upon by descriptive statements. Descriptive statements provide examples of the range, type, and level of content that may appear on the test for questions measuring the objective.
An outline showing these objective and descriptive statements is shown below.
Objective 0001: Meaning of Words and Phrases
- applying knowledge of word structure, context, and syntax to determine the meanings of words and phrases in a text
- determining the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
- understanding figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
- determining the denotative and connotative meanings of words and phrases
Objective 0002: Main Idea, Supporting Details, and Text Structure
- determining the central ideas or themes of a text
- analyzing the development of central ideas or themes of a text
- analyzing the structure of a text, including how specific sentences and paragraphs relate to one another
- recognizing ideas that support, illustrate, or elaborate the main idea of a text
- recognizing an effective summary or outline of the main idea and key supporting ideas and details of a text
Objective 0003: Purpose and Point of View
- recognizing a writer's stated or implied purpose for writing
- recognizing how a writer's choice of words or phrases expresses meaning and influences readers
- determining a writer's opinion or point of view
- assessing how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text
Objective 0004: Critical Reasoning
- identifying cause-and-effect relationships in a text
- drawing conclusions and making inferences from stated or implied information in a text
- recognizing the assumptions on which an argument depends
- evaluating the argument and claims made in a text, including the validity of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence
- analyzing how two or more texts address similar themes or topics
- assessing the credibility, objectivity, or bias of a text
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