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Standardized Test Preparation
Prepare Your Students for "That Time of Year Again"
Build students' confidence as you help them master effective test-taking strategies. With these professional tips, sample questions, and lessons, you can more effectively integrate test review exercises into your regular teaching plan without feeling the pressure to cram in test prep.
These articles provide solutions to alleviate test anxiety, including relaxing routines, empowering test-taking tactics, and inventive activities that integrate test-preparation with year-round curriculum. Also, you’ll find alternative methods of assessment to help you identify subjects that require extra attention and familiarize your students with high-stakes testing.
Related Resources for Test Prep:
- Preparing Middle School & High School Students for Standardized Tests
- Tips From Our Teacher Advisors: Assessing Students
Articles
Take Out Your No.2 Pencils: Taking the Stress Out of Standardized Tests
by Donna Clovis
Relieve the stress of standardized test taking by using these suggestions to prepare your students. Examples include practicing time management and creating a positive atmosphere.
by Beth Newingham
Help your students review for a test by engaging them in fun and exciting games.
No Pain, High Gain
by Nell K Duke and Ron Ritchhart
Make connections between successful test-taking strategies and sound general-learning practices. This article features approaches to reading comprehension and math sections, as well as tips for easing test-related stress.
Top 5 Ways to Prepare Students for Standardized Tests
Winning Ideas |
From reading a relaxing book before each test to reviewing older curriculum daily through a competition for candy, see what works for other teachers.
Test-Taking Strategies for Three Subject Areas
In this lesson, students develop test-taking skills that strengthen vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, and enhance language arts mechanics.
Teaching Tip: Preparing for High Stake Testing
These strategies and daily activities could be used all-year long to avoid pre-test cramming.
Help Students Develop Standards for Evaluating Their Work
by Jim Henry
Get advice on showing students how to develop standards for what constitutes excellent work. A teacher discusses how he guided his students to create portfolios and comment on the work of their peers.
Performance Assessment for Reading
by Dorothy Strickland
Instructor Magazine |
Use these instructions to accurately measure your students' reading comprehension skills. This article contains tips on selecting a suitable text, creating writing prompts, and working with scoring rubrics.
Resources
Use these brief reading assignments and comprehension/critical thinking questions to give students practice with the types of text and questions they'll see on standardized tests. From the book: 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice.
Nonfiction Passages for Test Prep Grades 4-5: Soccer & Word Origins (PDF)
Familiarize students with reading and analyzing informational texts such as those they'll encounter on high-stakes tests. From the book 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice Grades 4-5.
Nonfiction Passages for Test Prep Grades 6-8: Bugs & Letter to the Editor (PDF)
Prepare middle schoolers for high-stakes test by providing them with sample passages and questions that let them practice reading and responding to nonfiction text. From the book 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice Grades 6-8.
Lesson Plans
Standardized Test Preparation: Be Prepared — Not Scared!
Provides tips on emotionally preparing students for standardized tests, as well as teaching them the required skills.
Taking the Jitters out of Testing
by Bryna Watkins and Valeta Pafford
Help calm students nerves about standardized testing taking by repeatedly exposing them to practice tests and regularly assessing their skills.
