Each of the four tasks below specifically test various listening, reading, and writing skills of students who should have minimum competency in English language arts. In each part of the new New York State Regents Comprehensive Examination, reading, writing, and listening skills, plus critical thinking abilities and note-taking skills are tested. In order to pass this new Regents, students must apply the basic steps of the writing process: planning and prewriting, drafting and revising, editing, and proofreading. Content, organization, and other aspects of writing must all work together in order for a writer to communicate effectively. Holistic scoring (see Appendix G) emphasizes the combination and blending of these elements - - that is, the writer’s whole piece of writing, rather than individual elements.

Part I:

Listening and Writing for Information and Understanding: students respond to a speech by answering mutiple choice questions, and then writing a report.

Part II:

Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding: students interpret technical information from a chart and text by answering multiple choice questions, and then writing a letter or report.

Part III:

Reading and Writing for Literary Reponse: students compare and interpret two-three texts from difference genres by answering multiple choice questions, and then writing an essay.

PART IV:

READING AND WRITING FOR CRITICAL ANALYSIS: students interpret the meaning of a “critical lens” using two works of literature they have read and studied to illustrate their opinion, agreement/disagreement. etc. (Appendix E).

Unlike Parts I, II, and III of the Regents English exam, Part IV contains no reading or listening selections or multiple choice questions. Instead, Part IV asks students to write a critical essay based on analysis of two works of literature that the student has read. Students may choose any works. To provide a specific framework for the essay, the Part IV prompt includes a feature referred to as the “critical lens.” This is a statement or quotation that the student will use to analyze and evaluate the two literary works.

This site was created by Benyonne Schwortz at the NEH Summer Institute "Literatures, Religions, and Arts of the Himalayan Region," held at the College of the Holy Cross, Summer 2008.