I just signed up for the October RICA and I am not sure where to start. It all seems a little overwhelming...I had such a horrible time with the CSET, and I don't want to go through that again. Any tips or suggestions would be great. I have already purchased the Zarrillo book, "Ready for RICA." I am just not sure how to organize myself or even where to start. Thanks again!
Have you taken reading instruction methodology courses? Have you student taught and dealt with teaching reading in the classroom? These are both good preparation for RICA. If you have done these, and if you did reasonably well on the first part of Subtest I, you're probably in pretty good shape. Some CSUs and county offices of education offer RICA prep. It may also be that you can rustle up some people with whom to form a study group. In addition, Rossi & Schipper's Case Studies in Preparation for the California Reading Competency Test seems finally to be out in a third edition (ISBN 0205494722) - many people have found the second edition extremely helpful. You can always post questions here on A to Z...
I am beginning my credential program in just one week and I will be taking my first literacy class during that time. By the time the test rolls around, the class will be just about finished. I also passed subtest I on my first try on the CSET, it was II that gave me such agony....I will check the library for the book you suggested TG. Thanks for your help and I know I can always check back here with questions.
I want to get an early start because if I have a hard time like I did with CSET, I want to make sure I have plenty of time to retake the test. You cannot be issued your credential until you have passed the RICA, right?? My program is only nine months long.
Okay, but it doesn't make sense to try RICA without having the coursework that's supposed to support it. How many reading/literacy classes have you got, and when are you taking them?
I start my classes next week, 8/29 and they end mid-October. The test is in the beginning of October. The only classes I have are my pre-requisite classes, so maybe one or two, but they were not mainly focused on the concepts of the RICA. They only "touched" upon them briefly. I am familiar with some of the concepts....I am not going into it completely clueless, but I signed up mostly just to give myself lots of time in case I have to retake it and my first literacy class will be just about finished when I do actually take the test.
Wellllll, all right, I suppose... The Rossi & Schipper book won't be in the library in the third edition, because it got issued just last week, but your chances of finding the second edition aren't too bad. You might also find it for cheap on Amazon or eBay or on http://www.powells.com, the Web site of the West Coast's best independent bookstore, which runs a good-sized used book operation.
Thanks TG, I will check it out. Another reason that I signed up for the test is because certain members of my family remember how much I struggled with the CSET and they remembered me mentioning how I had to pass the RICA before being issued a credential. Someone asked me about it recently and grandma heard me talking about it, so, I basically was told by my grandmother to sign up immediately because she was paying for it and she wouldn't shut up about it...so I did and it saved me $140! Oh well, if I don't do it this time, she can keep paying the $140 fee.....(she is very persistent by the way, to the point of exhaustion)
Ah, that's a very different kettle of home cookin'... in that case, go ahead and give it a shot scot-free. I've had any number of students shock themselves by taking a subtest "just to see what it's like" - and pass it, I suspect partly BECAUSE they weren't putting much pressure on themselves. (Which should also serve as a warning, all: don't be tying yourselves in knots!)
Alright, sounds good TG, I'll keep you posted. I am sure I will be back on this board soon with more questions.
