Reading Competencies Tested on the VCLA
The VCLA Reading Subtest contains five general objectives which define the knowledge and skills that Virginia 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.
0001 Understand the meaning of words and phrases.
- Use context clues to determine the meaning of a word with multiple meanings.
- Use the context of a paragraph or passage to determine the meaning of words or phrases.
- Identify synonyms or antonyms for words in a passage.
0002 Understand the main idea and supporting details in written material.
- Identify the main idea of a paragraph or passage.
- Establish the sequence of events or steps presented in a passage.
- Recognize information, ideas, and details that support the main idea of a paragraph or passage.
- Recognize a writer's expressed or implied purpose for writing (e.g., to persuade, to describe).
0003 Analyze the relationship among ideas in written material.
- Recognize cause-and-effect relationships in a passage.
- Analyze relationships between ideas in opposition (e.g., pro and con) or in agreement (e.g., reasons to support a claim).
- Draw conclusions from information stated or implied in a passage.
0004 Use critical-reasoning skills to evaluate written material.
- Interpret a passage to determine the writer's opinion, point of view, or position on an issue.
- Analyze the stated or implied assumptions on which the validity of an argument depends.
- Analyze the logical structure of an argument and identify instances of faulty reasoning.
- Distinguish between fact and opinion in written material.
0005 Apply skills for summarizing, outlining, and visually representing written materials and for interpreting information presented in graphic form.
- Identify an accurate summary, outline, or graphic representation of information presented in written material.
- Interpret information presented in charts, graphs, or tables.
- Select graphic forms (e.g., bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, tables, timelines, graphic organizers) to present information contained in written material.
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