CRCT/Test Taking Strategies

1. CRCT/Test Taking Strategies Ashley Jimerson Lisa Hendrix

2. How do I better understand and help my students prepare for the CRCT?

3. What is the purpose of the CRCT? • Measures how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the GPS and QCCs • Yields information on academic achievement • Diagnoses student strengths and weaknesses as related to GPS/QCC • Gauges the quality of education throughout Georgia

4. What Content Areas are Tested? • Grades 1-8 take the CRCT • All grades are assessed in reading, language arts, and math • Grades 3-8 are also assessed in science and social studies • Grade 3: reading (must pass) • Grade 5 & 8: reading and math (must pass)

5. CRCT Scoring

6. Predicted Performance on the CRCT 3rd Grade Reading • ITBS: Below 25th percentile • Performance Series: Below a scale score of 2150 5th Grade Reading & Math • ITBS: Below 25th percentile • Performance Series: Below a scale score of: • Reading 2490 • Math 2390 Required to have a spring conference

7. What if a student doesn’t pass? • Attend Summer School (June 4-29) • Receive services and are tested only in the area not passed • Re-take the test without Summer School • Conference is held if re-take is not passed to determine next step of promotion or retention.

8. Online Assessment • See handout for Teacher, Student, and Parent directions • Https://www.georgiaoas.org • Login: Student or Teacher ID and password

9. Practice Assessment • Schoolbox has CRCT practice books. • Contains: • Grade & Subject area specific standards • Practice pages • Mini-tests & Final tests • Answer key

10. Test Taking Strategies • Think positive! • Read all the answers before marking one • Process of elimination • Don’t guess blindly-make an educated guess • Skip, return, check • Underline/notice key words and phrases • Respond to the question that is being asked • Reading Passages: read the questions FIRST • If your answer doesn’t match- rework it • CHECK over your answers • Your first guess is usually right

11. On the CRCTExplain means: • In your own words, tell how or why • Tell about • Discuss

12. On the CRCTSummarize means: • Give the short version • Tell the main ideas or the most important parts • Sum it up So, what happened was . . .

13. On the CRCTCompare means: • Give all the likenesses or similarities between two or more things • How are they alike?

14. On the CRCTContrast means: • Tell all of the differences between two or more ideas • How are they different?

15. On the CRCTDescribe means: • Tell about using the five senses (touch, smell, scent, sound, and look) • Paint a picture using words

16. On the CRCTPredict means: • Tell what you think will happen next • Make a guess about the next event • Think ahead

17. On the CRCTSupport means: • Back up with details • Give reasons for • Give the facts about • Defend your ideas/ beliefs

18. On the CRCTEvaluate means: • Tell the value of • In your words, tell the good and bad parts • Put in rank order • Judge or rate

19. On the CRCTAnalyze means: • Break into parts • Study the individual pieces • Take apart • Look at closer

20. On the CRCTInfer means: • Read between the lines • Make an educated guess • Look for hidden information • Figure out Be a detective!

21. On the CRCTFormulate means: • Put together • Come up with • Create • Make • Design Well, in my opinion . . .

22. On the CRCTTrace means: • Write in order from beginning to end • List in steps • Outline • Track or follow