From Practice to Mastery by Barbara D. Sussman, Maria Villar-Smith, Carolyn Lengel - First Edition, 2005 from Macmillan Student Store

From Practice to Mastery

First Edition ©2005 Barbara D. Sussman, Maria Villar-Smith, Carolyn Lengel

Full of practical instruction and plenty of examples, this handy book gives students all the resources they need to practice for — and pass — the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests on reading and writing.
Students - Buy or Rent
From Practice to Mastery by Barbara D. Sussman, Maria Villar-Smith, Carolyn Lengel - First Edition, 2005 from Macmillan Student Store

Full of practical instruction and plenty of examples, this handy book gives students all the resources they need to practice for — and pass — the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests on reading and writing.

Features

Full of practical instruction and plenty of examples, this handy book gives students all the resources they need to practice for -- and pass -- the Florida College Basic Skills Exit Tests on reading and writing. It includes:

--a helpful introduction that tells students how to use this book to pass the tests. Test-taking strategies are also covered.

--two tests each for reading and writing (pre- and post-tests). The answer key for the pre-tests leads students to specific sections in the book where they can get more help in problem areas. After they've studied in those areas, they can take the post-tests to see where they still need more practice. The answer key for the post-tests provides explanations for each answer.

--detailed yet clear instruction in all the skills covered in the tests--from identifying the main idea of a passage to correcting grammar errors. From Practice to Mastery provides a simple three-part program for mastering each skill. Specifically, the booklet (1) explains a skill or concept through a brief introduction and definition, (2) shows students how to apply the skill, with plenty of examples, and (3) gives students plenty of practice to master the skill -- using the same types of questions they will see on the tests.

--charts, handy lists, and other learning tools to help students understand and master concepts readily.

--an appendix to help students prepare for the writing sample, outlining steps for developing a successful paragraph or essay.

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Table of Contents

PART 1. DIAGNOSTIC PRE-TESTS: READING AND WRITING
    
PART 2. MASTERING THE READING TEST
    
    2.1. Main Idea, Support, and Purpose
    2.1A Identifying the Main Idea
    2.1B Identifying Supporting Details
    2.1C Identifying the Author's Purpose
    
    2.2. Structure and Organization
    2.2A Identifying Patterns of Organization
    2.2B Understanding Connections Within and Between Sentences
    
    2.3. Language Use
    2.3A Identifying Word Meaning Based on Context Clues
    2.3B Identifying Biased Language
    2.3C Identifying Tone
    
    2.4. Reasoning
    2.4A Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
    2.4B Drawing Inferences and Conclusions
    2.4C Assessing Support for Reasoning
    
PART 3. MASTERING THE WRITING TEST
    
    3.1. Main Idea, Support, and Structure
    3.1A Identifying Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
    3.1B Identifying Adequate and Relevant Support
    3.1C Arranging Ideas in a Logical Pattern
    3.1D Using Effective Transitional Devices
    
    3.2. Language Use
    3.2A Choosing Appropriate Words or Expressions
    3.2B Identifying Confused or Misused Words
    
    3.3. Sentence Structure
    3.3A Using Modifiers Correctly
    3.3B Using Coordination and Subordination Correctly
    3.3C Understanding Parallel Structure
    3.3D Avoiding Fragments
    3.3E Avoiding Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
    
    3.4. Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization
    3.4A Using Standard Verb Forms
    3.4B Avoiding Inappropriate Shifts in Verb Tense
    3.4C Making Subjects and Verbs Agree
    3.4D Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree
    3.4E Avoiding Pronoun Shifts in Person
    3.4F Maintaining Clear Pronoun References
    3.4G Using Proper Case Forms of Pronouns
    3.4H Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly
    3.4I Using Appropriate Degree (Comparative and Superlative) Forms for Adjectives and Adverbs
    3.4J Using Standard Spelling
    3.4K Using Standard Punctuation
    3.4L Using Standard Capitalization
    
PART 4. SELF-CHECK POST-TESTS: READING AND WRITING
    
  Appendix: Succeeding on the Writing Sample
    
  Answer Keys and Forms

Barbara D. Sussman

Barbara D. Sussman (BA, University of Rochester, MS, University of Pennsylvania) is an Associate Professor, Senior at Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida. She currently teaches all levels of developmental reading at the Wolfson Campus and has taught at the college for more than twenty years. Previously, she taught in the public school systems in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as a reading specialist. She was chosen by the Florida State Department of Education to create The Florida College Basic Skills Reading Exit Test in collaboration with other reading professors from across the state.

Maria Villar-Smith

Maria C. Villar-Smith is an Associate Professor Senior of English and developmental writing at Miami Dade College. She has taught at the college from 1993 to present. She is fluent in Spanish and French, and is functional in Russian. Her foreign language skills have given her a unique insight and perspective into English language acquisition, making her quite an effective composition instructor. As an initial test creator for the Florida Basic Exit Exam, she was approached to develop a study guide that would aid Florida college students succeed on the exit exam. Author of From Practice to Mastery--Reading and Writing: A Study Guide for the Florida Basic Skills Exit Test, (Bedford/St. Martin 2004), Villar- Smith is also a member of NADE (National Association of Developmental Education) and NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English). She is a graduate of the University of Florida, American University, The University of Paris-La Sorbonne, Norwich Russian School, and Florida International University. She is currently writing her second textbook on developmental English.

Carolyn Lengel