Test-taking Strategies to Foster Student Achievement

1. Test-taking Strategies to Foster Student Achievement Marcia Torgrude Education Specialist mtorgrude@tie.net

2. Test taking time! • Think of the strategies you are using as you take this test. • Timed – 10 minutes • Questions – 10 • Reading and Math

3. Strategies You Used

4. Testing Conditions That Foster Student Achievement • What were the positives I provided? • What were the negatives? • Page 6

5. General Strategies • Compare the test-taking strategies to the ones you used – page 7

6. Testwiseness • What did you observe in the questions? • Did you use any of the Testwiseness techniques?

7. What does a test check for? • What a student actually knows about a content area. • How well a student can take tests.

8. SCORER • S = Sheduletime • C = Clue words help • O = Omit difficult questions • R = Read directions • E = Estimate answers • R = Review test • Look over the whole test. • Decide how much time you have for each question. • Use all the time given. • Stay Calm. • Mark questions you don’t know with a star (*). • Keep going and then come back to skipped questions when you are finished with the other questions. • Understand the question before you answer test questions. • Highlight or circle key words in the directions. • Visualize the steps in your mind. • Read a difficult question through three times. • If you don’t know the answer to a question, make a best guess and ask yourself, “Does this make sense?” • Check the value of the question. If it is worth three points, make sure have three points in your answer. • Try not to leave any blanks or unanswered questions. • Make sure each question is answered. • Check over the bubble sheet. • Make sure your name is on the test. • Sometimes a word in the question will help you think of the answer. • Clue words include explain, factor, solve, compare, and contrast.

9. Multiple Choice Basics • Does South Dakota penalize for guessing? • Try to answer the question in your mind before answering. • Be sure to look at all answers before answering – there may be more than one correct answer. • Read #5 – which do you want to remember NO

10. True/False Strategies TRUE! • When in doubt, answer – • What words could make the question false? • What word tend to make the question true? • Look for words that change the meaning of the statement • Prefixes • Double Negatives

11. “Splashdown” or “Braindrain” Strategy • Write as much as you know about finding area on a piece of scratch paper. What is the area, in square centimeters, of the shaded figure on Chester's grid? Show or explain how you got your answer. Chester drew a rectangle that had the same area as the shaded figure on the grid above. What could be the dimensions (length and width) of the rectangle he drew? Show or explain your answer.

12. QAR Strategy What are Question-Answer Relationships? B =Right There Questions B+ =Think and Search H =On My Own H+ =Author and Me Read the box on page 16

13. QAR Strategy

14. Check out the websites • http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/general/testtaking.html • http://www.testtakingtips.com/test/index.htm • Ten Tips for Terrific Test Taking - http://www.studygs.net/tsttak1.htm

15. Videos and Articles Series of YouTube videos: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0P5U9s4wYE Article: • http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4006