Test Taking Strategies

1. Test Taking Strategies To help you do your best!

2. How is the EOG scored? • There are 5 achievement levels for reading and math. • A level 3, level 4, and level 5 are considered as passing scores. • Level 1: Student has limited skills and knowledge to be successful in 4th grade. • Level 2: Student has partial skills and knowledge to be successful in 4th grade. • Level 3: Student has sufficient skills and knowledge to be successful in 4th grade. • Level 4: Student has solid skills and knowledge to be successful in 4th grade. • Level 5: Student has superior skills and knowledge to be successful in 4th grade.

3. Before the Test! • Go to bed at an early hour and get a good night’s sleep. • Eat a hot and healthy breakfast (no junk food)! If you normally do not eat breakfast, do so on test days! • Your brain believes what you tell it, so always keep a positive attitude by telling yourself you WILL do well and that you know a great deal of the information! • Don’t give up before you begin! • You have been taught all that you need to know to do well! So… show what you know!!!!! • Take a few deep breaths to relax. Clear your mind of anxious thoughts and worries.

4. During the Test! • Take the test seriously and have a positive attitude. • Read, listen and follow directions carefully! • You can write in your test booklet. • SHOW YOUR WORK in the test booklet next to each problem. This will make it easier to recheck answers later. • Double-check the answer you bubbled in. You will find your mistakes if you recheck your work. • Even one corrected answer may make the difference between passing and failing!

5. During the Test! • Manage your time wisely. Don’t spend too much time on one problem. Choose the best answer and move on. Place a star in your booklet to remind yourself to come back to problems with which you had difficultly. Don’t change any answers unless you are sure you should (after working them out again). • Do not skip any answer!!! Answer every question. • Be sure to bubble in your answer sheet NEATLY! • Check to make sure the number that you are bubbling on your answer sheet matches the number in your test booklet! Check often to make sure you do not get misaligned!!!!

6. During the Test! • After reading the passage, read the question and each answer carefully. • Read ALL the answer choices before making your choice. • Return to the passage to find clues that help you find the correct answer (text evidence). • Use the SUPER reading strategy on reading passages! • Go through the problem solving steps (circle numbers, underline key words, read the question and think about what the problem is asking you to solve!!!) • When you come to a question you do not know the answer to… cross out silly answers and then go back and reread the text. • Change difficult names in the passage to names you can remember.

7. During the Test! • MAKE yourself concentrate. • Give your best effort on the entire test! Don’t slack off at as you near the end – every correct answer counts! • Answer questions in the book by circling the right answers BEFORE you bubble it in on your answer sheet!!!! • Study any pictures, charts, graphs, or other diagrams! They are there for a reason!!! • Make a mental picture of what you are reading as you read. • Check to make sure all questions are answered reasonably.

8. During the Test! • Re-read the passages. Never guess at an answer without going back into the selection to look for it. • Watch out for negative words in directions, such as NOT or OPPOSITE. These words tell you exactly what answer to look for. Such words often appear in bold or italic print, or in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. • Read parts that are more difficult SLOWLY. • Read chunks of the text then stop and silently retell parts of the selection to yourself and ask yourself questions.

9. During the Test! If you are having trouble concentrating or remembering what you learned… • Close your eyes! • Take several slow, deep breaths (breathing deeply will help you regain focus)! • Remember this is only a test and you can do it! • Try your best on EVERY question! • Don’t give up! • Remember to believe in yourself! • Remember that I believe in you!!!!!

10. After the Test! • Go back to difficult problems! (work them out again and/or reread) (you should have marked these with a star) • Check to make sure that your answers are reasonable! • Recheck your math! Careless mistakes can be corrected by double-checking your work! • Do not just flip through your book! That is not considered checking your work! Use every minute wisely! • The BEST way to improve your score is to use your time wisely and recheck answers as many times as possible.

11. After the Test! • Check each number on your answer sheet to make sure that you did not skip any answer! • Be sure you bubbled in your answer sheet neatly and no stray marks are on your answer sheet (straighten up as you need)! • Check to make sure the answer you bubbled in is the answer you chose! Go back and check using your booklet! You can not check unless you compare what you have in your booklet to what you have on your answer sheet! This can be a serious problem!

12. Songs to Lighten the Mood! Rock This Test! • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIdhw1R4xys What Does the Test Say! • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJRSD7RBQD4 Let it Go! • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb16D43FCWQ Test Me, Maybe! • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXkmiGKjouQ