NJASK TESTING TIPS 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th Grade NJASK Pep Rally & Academic Awards Assembly

TEN TERRIFIC TEST-TAKING TIPS o Show up on time! o Start off on a positive note, arriving late may result in additional stress and/or missing out on a test section, which requires additional time later. Stay focused and relaxed. Keep your mind on the test, but don’t tighten up. Try to stay loose and cool so you can move through the questions one by one. Sit comfortably. Don’t hunch over or stiffen up. Sit in a relaxed way and keep your posture loose do you don’t add aches and pains.

TEN TERRIFIC TEST-TAKING TIPS Expect (and accept) a little bit of stress. Don’t worry if you still have some stress while you begin the test. The key is to accept it and not let worrying make your more stressed. Read the directions. Take a minute to read the test instructions. This will keep you from making simple mistakes and guarantee that you won’t waste time going back. Pace yourself. Know ahead of time how many questions there are and how quickly you will have to move through each one.

TEN TERRIFIC TEST-TAKING TIPS Don’t rush. Try to keep a good pace…but never rush through a question. Don’t get distracted. Keep your eyes on your paper, unless it’s to occasionally glance at the clock. Focus on the stuff you know. If a question stumps you, move on to the next one. Pass the question and come back if you have time. Use ALL your time. If you happen to finish the test before time is up, don’t sit there staring into space. Go back over the questions.

NIGHT BEFORE/MORNING OF Be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before. Eat a healthy breakfast that will keep you focused during the test, such as cereal, oatmeal, and fruit. Arrive to school on time, as to not miss any portions of the test. Give yourself enough time to prep yourself and make sure you have all the items you need for the test.

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Directions Read and listen to all directions carefully so they understand what is expected. Remember the importance of budgeting your time wisely. Turn your text booklet pages with care so you don’t accidentally miss a page.

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Tackling Multiple Choice Questions Read all the answers and answer any questions which you know immediately Eliminate wrong answers and make educated guesses by using context clues and recognizing detractors. Mark or star any questions you skip so it will be easier to go back to question later.

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Dealing with Reading Passages Reading all the questions associated with the passage before actually reading the passage. Underline key words, phrases, ideas and go back to the text to find evidence or clues to support answers. Utilize text features such as captions, illustrations, graphs, and charts.

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Approaching Open-Ended Questions R-restate the question A-answer the question C-cite text support with explanation/example E-extend (only 1extension or addition is necessary)

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Taking Account of Math Questions Remember the importance of showing your work and writing legibly. Even if a problem is incorrect, you can still receive partial credit if your work can be read and evaluated. Check for careless errors such as forgetting to use labels, misplacing decimal points, or adding incorrectly.

TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Wrapping Up Go back and check your answers if time allows. Check the answer key often to make sure answers line up with questions.

BEST OF LUCK!!!