How Each ITBS Subject Is Assessed

ITBS Subject Area And How It Is Assessed:

1. Vocabulary    
Each multiple-choice question presents a word in a short phrase or sentence, and students select the answer that most nearly means the same as that word.

2. Reading Comprehension    
Passages are fiction, fables, tales, poetry, interviews, diaries, biographical sketches, science and social studies materials. Approximately two-thirds of the questions require students to draw inferences or to generalize about what they have read.

3. Language Arts    
K-1 students’ abilities to understand linguistic relationships -- how language is used to express ideas are measured. Questions are presented orally by the teacher, and students choose from a set of pictorial responses.
For grade 2, a major portion of the test deals with skills in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and skills in usage and expression in writing. For these tasks, the questions and response choices are read by the teacher as students read silently. A separate score is provided for spelling.
For older students, separate scores are given for Capitalization, Punctuation, and Usage, and Expression.

4. Mathematics    
For grades K-2: Beginning math concepts, problem solving, and math operations. Areas covered include numeration, number systems, geometry, measurement, and the use of addition and subtraction in word problems. Questions are presented orally, and response options are pictures or numerals.
Older students have separate categories for Math Concepts and Estimation, Computation, and Problem Solving /Data Interpretation.

5. Science    
Here there is emphasis on the methods and processes used in scientific work. In addition, many questions measure knowledge and skills in the areas of life science, earth and space sciences, and physical sciences. Students are required to use the concepts and principles of science to explain, infer, hypothesize, measure, and classify.