RPDP Secondary Literacy Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program RPDP.net    

RPDP Secondary Literacy Test Taking Strategies for Reading by Jill Leone Reading Specialist Copyright © 2006

RPDP Secondary Literacy Get ready to pass proficiency!

RPDP Secondary Literacy Which one of these expressions fits your mood when you have to take a big test?

RPDP Secondary Literacy Almost nothing scares us more than hearing the word:

RPDP Secondary Literacy When you take a test, you’re really being tested on two things:  How much you know about the subject.  How much you know about taking a test.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Test-taking is like riding a bicycle. You get better and better at it with practice.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Learning how to take tests is a win-win situation and improves: your self confidence your test scores

RPDP Secondary Literacy  Prepare mentally.  Think positive.  Stay relaxed and confident.  Get lots of sleep.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Take your time and relax. Don’t be a clock watcher! It’s distracting.

RPDP Secondary Literacy  Make sure you understand the directions.  Don’t skip the sample questions and answers!

RPDP Secondary Literacy Read the questions first - Helps focus your attention. Directs you to the most important parts of the page. Break complicated questions into smaller parts.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Three important rules – Read all of your answer choices. Compare choices. Make sure you read and answer all parts all parts of each question.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Make sure you understand what each question is asking. Think about what you will need to look for to answer correctly. STOP!

RPDP Secondary Literacy Write in your test booklet! Read the questions twice before you read the passage. Look for key words. Circle or underline them.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t be alarmed if you need to read both the questions and passages more than one time.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Choose the Best Answer. Never choose an answer that ’ s not Never choose an answer that ’ s not - supported by the selection or your own prior knowledge Read and think!

RPDP Secondary Literacy Choose the Best Answer. Answers are often stated in words different from the reading passage. A passage about the Civil War discusses the casualties of war, but the answer choice might use the word fatalities.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Choose the best answer by eliminating choices that don’t make sense. GUESS on questions you don’t know.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Try to visualize what you’re reading about. Connect to what you already know.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Do all the problems in your test booklet first. Don’t bubble in answer sheet until after you’ve finished the entire test – and gone over it.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Break up long passages into smaller parts. “Chunking” them makes them more manageable. Stop every paragraph or two and think about key ideas.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Never choose an answer that contains any wrong information. If any part of an answer choice is wrong, don’t choose this answer.

RPDP Secondary Literacy not not least least none none never never except except Watch out - for tricky or negative words in questions:

RPDP Secondary Literacy Which of the following is NOT a requirement for graduation? yesno Read your answer choices and either yes or no to each. yes The choices that you answered yes are not correct. one choice no The one choice you answered no is your correct answer. answer

RPDP Secondary Literacy Which of the following is NOT a requirement for graduation? A.American Government (yes) B.English III (yes) C.American History (yes) D.Spanish I (no) The answer choice you answered NO is the correct answer.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Be careful of answer choices with extreme or absolute words such as: all always never no one everyone

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t ignore little words like but and yet. They can really change the meaning of a sentence. He tried hard but never made a shot.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t choose an answer just because it’s a sentence you read in the passage. Make sure each answer you choose answers the question you’re working on NOW! Watch for related questions - Information for one question can be “given away” in another.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Skimming is glancing quickly at a page to get an idea of topics and important ideas.

RPDP Secondary Literacy A test question asks about the setting of Pearl Harbor. Once you have read the passage all the way through, go back and skim until you find the parts that discuss the time and place, which make up the setting. Now, read this part carefully.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Many tests ask you to identify the main idea. This is the most important reading strategy you’ll ever learn. The main idea is the key thought or idea in a passage. It’s what authors want you to understand and remember most.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t confuse a supporting detail with the main idea! Supporting details just explain or give more information about the topic.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Reread the first and last sentences. Then, sum up everything in one sentence. Skim the reading passage to see how many times each answer choice is discussed.

RPDP Secondary Literacy

On some East coast beaches, flags are used to indicate the condition of the surf. A red flag indicates to swimmers that the surf is dangerously rough. A yellow flag is a warning or caution; swimmers should stay near the shore. A green flag means that the surf is calm. Whatever the condition of the surf, a swimmer should always be careful.

RPDP Secondary Literacy On some East coast beaches, flags are used to indicate the condition of the surf. A red flag indicates to swimmers that the surf is dangerously rough. A yellow flag is a warning or caution; swimmers should stay near the shore. A green flag means that the surf is calm. Whatever the condition of the surf, a swimmer should always be careful.

RPDP Secondary Literacy The main idea of this paragraph is – A.surfing the waves. B.safety precautions for swimmers. C.flags used to tell surf conditions. D.East coast beaches. How did you do?

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t always expect to find all of the events given to you in correct order. after Pass up your homework after you sit down. First,second, First, sit down, and second, pass up your homework. incorrect correct

RPDP Secondary Literacy When you have to choose the correct meaning of a word, remember to read The sentence the word is in The sentence right before The sentence right after

RPDP Secondary Literacy Facts can always be verified to be true or false. With facts, there’s no other reasonable point of view. An opinion is a statement made by someone who believes it is true. There can be other points of view.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Think about the writer’s: purpose for writing key points or main ideas style and techniques overall tone intended audience viewpoint use of content, text features, and structure

RPDP Secondary Literacy Headings/subheadings Words in capital letters Bold print Underlined words Italicized words Bulleted words

RPDP Secondary Literacy When you’re asked to make an inference or conclusion- You have to make an intelligent guess. The correct answer is usually not in one specific place. Corbis.com

RPDP Secondary Literacy Good readers – combine prior knowledge with the words on a page. Your job is to interpret meaning.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Try each answer choice to see if it answers the question.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Make sure you fill in all blanks completely so the machine that grades the test records all your answers.

RPDP Secondary Literacy

Is it OK to change an answer? What do you think?

RPDP Secondary Literacy Sometimes we’re nervous the first time we go through a test. We’re concentrating on finishing. Once we know the end’s in sight, we relax and think more clearly.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Don’t get upset if other students finish before you. Take your time, don’t panic, and keep working till you’re done.

RPDP Secondary Literacy

Check answer sheet. Check answer sheet. Make sure you bubbled correctly. Use test booklet as marker to check each line.

RPDP Secondary Literacy Be quiet and respectful. Don’t disturb others still working.

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RPDP Secondary Literacy Permission is granted to copy (unmodified) all or part of this PowerPoint for educational, personal, non- commercial use off-line as long as the copyright message (Copyright © 2006 by Jill Leone) is maintained on the title page. This material may not be sold, duplicated on other websites, incorporated in commercial documents or products, or used for promotional purposes. Copyright © 2006 by Jill M. Leone Copyright Notice