Let’s Talk… Test Talk!

1. Let’s Talk…Test Talk! Learning More About the End Of Grade (EOG) Tests EQ- How can I perform better on tests using what I know from Reading class? Karen Gouge - 2009

2. Let’s Talk About the EOG… • What things make you nervous? • What things are you confident about? • What do you know about the test? • What things do you think you still need to learn? Karen Gouge - 2009

3. What is “Test Talk”? • Today you will learn more about the format of the test. • What does the test look like? • What kinds of things can you expect to see? • What things are eye catching? • How do the test makers try to trick you? • How can you be a smart test taker? Karen Gouge - 2009

4. Let’s Start at the Beginning – What do you think about testing? True or False? • You have to be a great reader to do well on the EOG. • You have to know every word on the test to pass the EOG. • You don’t have to practice reading to do well on the EOG. • You can pass the test without reading carefully. • You need to know all of the meanings of new vocabulary to pass the test. Karen Gouge - 2009

5. Let’s Think…Do you have to be a “great” reader? • Students who do well on the test are not always “GREAT” readers. Instead, they might be: • Smart readers • Strategic readers • Average readers • Good readers Karen Gouge - 2009

6. Do you have to know every word? • If you already know every word there is to know, you do not need to be in school. • You do need to know what to do when you come to a word you don’t know. • http://www.kbumreading.com/files/PDF_KB_Fix_Up_Strategies_Cards_2007-2008.pdf Karen Gouge - 2009

7. Do I have to practice? YES! Like anything else you want to be good at, you need practice with testing to become a better test taker. Karen Gouge - 2009

8. Can you pass the test without reading carefully? • Reading carefully involves becoming a strategic reader…you have a strategy to follow for every genre you read. • The strategy you use might be different for each genre. • Testing strategies can be used in other genres, but you won’t see certain test formats in regular reading. Karen Gouge - 2009

9. Do you need to know the meanings of every word on the test? • If you knew all of the meanings, you would be a walking dictionary! • You need to know how to figure out the meaning of those words to help you understand what you are reading. Karen Gouge - 2009

10. Let’s Look At A Test Selection… • With a partner, mark anything on your paper that “sticks out” or that you notice about this selection. • Be ready to talk about what you marked and explain why you marked it. • Think – What can I learn from marking this selection? Karen Gouge - 2009

11. So Let’s Review… True or False? • You have to be a great reader to do well on the EOG. • You have to know every word on the test to pass the EOG. • You don’t have to practice reading to do well on the EOG. • You can pass the test without reading carefully. • You need to know all of the meanings of new vocabulary to pass the test. Karen Gouge - 2009

12. There You Have It… Now YOU have what you need to be a good test taker! Try your best and you’ll do GREAT on the test! Karen Gouge - 2009