MM G Test Taking Strategies Why What How

MM G Test Taking Strategies Why, What, How Southern Regional Education Board Nancy Blair MMGW Consultant nancy. blair@sreb. org W

Objectives • Why – the impact of teaching test taking strategies to students Company • What LOGO -- effective test taking strategies • How – ways to teach strategies to students March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Company LOGO “Improving test taking skills and knowledge of students is one of the quickest ways to improve test scores. ” (Weller & Weller, 1998) March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Habits of Success What are the HABITS that help students. . . Company LOGO § § § March 10, 2008 Create Relationships Study, Manage Time, and Get Organized Improve Reading and Writing Improve Mathematics Skills Set Goals and Plan for the Future Access Resources Test-Taking Strategies

For BEST Test Preparation § Provide quality instruction throughout the year Company § Teach Test Taking Strategies and LOGO monitor use by students § Practice Ethics in Test Preparation Teach HOW to test, not specific test items March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

All Students Benefit § Test strategies benefit all students but especially: § 20% who are high test anxious LOGO § Helps low achieving students from low socio-economic backgrounds: Minorities ESL students Learning disabled students Company March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Testing 1. Achievement tests evaluate 2 kinds of knowledge: subject matter and how to take a test. 2. Students may know the material evaluated by the test, but if they do not know how to take the test Company they may perform poorly. LOGO 3. Problem solving approach to learning test taking skills and strategies in a workshop format is best way. 4. When we teach specific test strategies, the likelihood that tests will act as barriers to students’ academic opportunities will decrease as ease with testing familiarity improves. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

High Stakes Tests • Explain the importance of doing your best on the test: Student placement decisions Company • Access to some courses LOGO • Reputation of school • Community property values • School funding decisions • • Balance the emphasis on the importance of the test by frequently reassuring the students of they will be well prepared through quality classroom instruction. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Three ways to overcome test anxiety: § Teach students test strategies Company LOGO § Use cooperative groups at learning and practice time § Create a positive environment March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Relieving Anxiety § Relaxation techniques: deep breathing and Company tensing and relaxing LOGO muscles § Visualization § Positive affirmations (self-talk) March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test Taking Strategies § How to understand test directions and test format § How to deal with unnecessary information Company LOGO § Comprehension strategies for reading § Multiple choice questions § Budget time wisely § Educated guesses § Check the test March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test Taking Vocabulary § Teach the “power verbs” often seen on tests. § Review released test items and compile a Company LOGO list of confusing terms students might encounter. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies 12

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § P. § I. Company § R. LOGO § A. § T. § E. § S. Prepare to succeed (P. A. S. S. ) Inspect the instructions (R. U. N. ) Read, remember, reduce Answer or abandon Turn back Estimate or guess (A. C. E. ) Survey or look back March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § P. Prepare to succeed (P. A. S. S. ) Company P – Put your name and PIRATES LOGO on the test A – Allot time and order to the test S – Say your affirmations S – Start the test within 2 minutes March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § A – Allot time and order to the test Company On LOGO classroom tests that have different types of questions with different point values in different sections, this is especially important. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Affirmations § Teach students about “self-talk” “I will stay calm. ” “I will pass this test. ” Company LOGO “I will be positive about this test. ” § Don’t forget to give affirmations often “I know you can do this; you are well prepared. ” “We have worked very hard this year and you really know this material. ” March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § I. Inspect the instructions (R. U. N. ) R – Read the instructions carefully LOGO U – Underline what to do Company and where to respond N – Notice special requirements March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § I. R. U. N. Example Company LOGO Circle the letter next to the most appropriate choice. Write “T” in front of statements that are true. Write “F” in front of statements that are false. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § R. Read, remember, reduce Read the whole questions Company LOGO § Circle or underline important information; cross out unnecessary information Remember what you studied § Make notes in the margins Reduce the choices § Cross obviously wrong answers March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § R. Read, remember, reduce example: Company LOGO Cars, buses, and trains a) are all green in color b) are built of wood c) are forms of land transportation d) are slow March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § A. Answer or abandon Answer the question or LOGOabandon for the moment Company If you abandon a question, lightly mark the item left of the number on the answer document so you remember to come back to it. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § A. Answer or abandon example: Company LOGO Working conditions during the early paleonic period were a) always fair b) never fair c) usually fair d) never dangerous March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § T. Turn back After you finish the test, go back LOGOand answer the abandoned items Sometimes you may find additional helpful information in other test items Company March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § E. Estimate or guess (A. C. E. ) A – Avoid absolutes LOGO C – Choose the longest or Company most detailed choice. E – Eliminate similar choices* *This is tricky! A) 12 inches A) numbers March 10, 2008 B) one foot C) 18 inches B) even numbers C) fractions Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § Absolutes All Company Always LOGO Every None Never Only March 10, 2008 § Non-Absolutes Few Some Seldom Sometimes Most Many Often Usually Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. §E. Estimate or guess (A. C. E. ) Company LOGO Working conditions during the early paleonic period were a) always fair b) never fair c) usually fair d) never dangerous March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. The average length of the four-toed cremuth is Company LOGO a) one foot b) twelve inches c) three feet d) eighteen inches March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

P. I. R. A. T. E. S. § S. Survey or look back Survey to ensure ALL questions LOGO are answered. Switch an answer only if you’re sure. Company March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Teaching Your Students § In some state, students can write on the test booklets; teach them to take advantage of the opportunity. Company § Decide as a team who will teach which strategies. LOGO § Routinely apply practice strategies to practice materials and on classroom assessments. § Decide which strategies ALL teachers will expect students to use on classroom assessments or CRT practice items. March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Teaching Your Students § Give bonus points for use of the PIRATES strategy If using workbooks that can’t be written in, run off some questions for practice OR have students copy a Company LOGOquestion on to paper then use the strategy. § Practice, practice analyzing the logic of test items – What are the key words in the item? Why are some answers NOT correct? How could you eliminate some choices? March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Packets of Information § Guidelines for various types of test items § Tip sheet – “Eight Ways to Prepare Students for High-Stakes Tests” Company LOGO § PIRATES Test Taking Strategy and bookmark template § Twelve Words chart § Test of Franzipanics March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § With a partner, apply the strategies we have discussed and try to figure out the correct answer for each item. Company LOGO § Let’s use the A. C. E. strategies A – Avoid absolutes C – Choose the longest or most detailed choice. E – Eliminate similar choices March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 1. The purpose of the cluss in furmpaling is to remove Company c. cloughs LOGOa. cluss-prags b. tremalis d. plumots A. No C. No E. No March 10, 2008 No clues using A. C. E. , so look for information in the stem to appear in the answer choices. Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 2. Trassig is true when a. lusp trasses the vom Company LOGOb. the viskal flans, if the viskal is donwil or zortil c. the belgo frulls d. dissles lisk easily A. No C. Yes E. No Some people pick a. because of the appearance of the root “trass. ” March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 3. The sigla frequently overfesks the trelsum because Company LOGOa. all siglas are mellious b. siglas are always votial c. the trelsum is usually A. Yes tarious C. ----d. no trelsa are feskable E. ----- March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 4. The fribbled breg will minter best with an a. derst c. sorter Company LOGO b. morst d. ignu A. No C. No E. No March 10, 2008 Look for other clues – the answer has to start with a vowel. Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 5. Among the reasons for tristal doss are a. the sabs foped and the foths tinzed Company LOGOb. the kredges roted with the orots c. few rakobs were accepted in sluth d. most of the polats were thonced A. No C. No E. No March 10, 2008 Look for other clues – the answer should be plural. Test-Taking Strategies

Test of Franzipanics § 6. Which of the following (is, are) always present when trossels are being gruven? c. shum and vost Company a. rint and vost LOGO b. sot and plone d. vost A. No C. No E. Yes Test-Taking Strategies March 10, 2008

Test of Franzipanics § 7. The mintering function of the ignu is most effectively carried out in connection with Company LOGOa. a raxma tol b. the groshing stantol A. No c. the fribbled breg d. a frally sush C. No Look for other clues – refers back to #4 March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies E. No

Test of Franzipanics § 8. a. Company LOGOb. c. d. Huh? When all else fails, look at the pattern of the answers: 1 -A; 2 -B; 3 -C; 4 -D; 5 -A; 6 -B; 7 -C; 8 -? March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies

In Closing “It becomes apparent that to even up the score, we should teach all students LOGO how to take tests. That’s right; test-taking skills can be learned—if you make it your business to teach them. ” Company Campanile, 1981 March 10, 2008 Test-Taking Strategies