The Test Taking Strategy How do your students

The Test Taking Strategy

How do your students approach tests?

Let’s Take A Test!

What strategies did you use?

Good test takers • Attend to important parts of the test. • Prioritize • Search for clues. • Make educated guesses. • Use positive self-talk. • Use time wisely.

Pretest and Make Commitments Page 12 in your manual

DESCRIBE Page 16 in your manual

Test Taking • • P I R A T E S Before starting the testto succeed. sych up / Prepare nspect the instructions. ead, Remember, Reduce During the test nswer or Abandon urn Back stimate urvey After finishing the test

SIM helps students become…

Test Taking PIRATES

Taking a test is like being a PIRATE… • Pirates go for the gold! • Pirates use all the necessary tools to get the treasure. • Pirates have a plan that will lead to the treasure.

P = Prepare to Succeed • P ut your name and PIRATES on your paper. • A llocate time and order to sections. • S ay affirmations. • S tart within 2 minutes.

I = Inspect the Instructions • R ead instructions carefully. • U nderline what to do and where to respond. • N otice special requirements.

R= READ, REMEMBER, REDUCE • Read the whole question. • Try to remember what you studied. • If there are choices, reduce the # of choices by marking out the ones that are definitely incorrect.

A = ANSWER or ABANDON • If you remember the answer… then answer the question. • If you don’t know the answer…abandon the question. Mark it so you can return to it later.

T = Turn Back • Go back to the abandoned questions and answer them. • You may remember the answers by now, or you may have found clues in the test.

E = Estimate • A void absolutes. • C hoose the longest or the most detailed answer. • E liminate similar choices.

S = Survey • Look over the test to see if you answered all the questions. • Make sure you answered questions in the right way. • Change an answer only if you are sure!

Test Taking Strategy Mnemonic Devices • • PIRATES PASS (P Step - Prepare to Succeed) RUN (I Step - Inspect Instructions) ACE (E Step - Estimate) If you PASS and RUN, you’ll score more points and ACE the test.

MODEL Page 39 in your manual

I – 15 Min. Pam Leitzell PIRATES

II – 10 minutes

I – 15 Min. III – 10 minutes Pam Leitzell PIRATES

IV – 15 minutes II – 10 minutes V – 10 minutes

I – 15 Min. III – 10 minutes Pam Leitzell PIRATES

IV – 15 minutes II – 10 minutes V – 10 minutes

Verbal Practice Page 47 in your manual

Controlled Practice • Teacher controls the practice • Provide elaborative feedback Page 54 in your manual

ADVANCED PRACTICE • Students practice on tests from their general courses. • Students begin to build confidence Page 63 in your manual

GENERALIZATION Orientation - Awareness Activation - Use strategy in varying situations Adaptation - Thinking about the thinking Maintenance - spot checks Page 63 in your manual

Scoring (Page 89) • Scores are received for: – General test taking skills (Possible 8 pts. ) – Following instructions (Possible 10 pts. ) – Test items (Possible 54 pts. )

Help Students Raise Test Scores