Test Taking Strategies for the Classroom February 27, 2013 Oxford Preparatory Academy

Powerful Words Make sure students know these powerful words that increase student achievement on standardized tests: analyze, compare, contrast, describe, evaluate, explain, formulate, infer, predict, sequence, summarize, support, trace

Powerful Words AnalyzeBreak apart; see what it’s all about CompareIdentify all the ways two or more things are alike. ContrastIdentify all the ways things are different.

Powerful Words Describe Tell all about (5 senses) Evaluate Judge by set criteria Explain Tell how

Powerful Words FormulateMake; create InferRead between the lines PredictWhat will happen next (based on evidence)

Powerful Words Sequence Put in time order Summarize Give me the short version Support Back up with details Trace List in steps

Teaching Strategies Teach Mathematics and Language Arts Strategies separately. Do lots of modeling with them. Have a poster for both types of strategies. Poster should be large and have pictures as well as steps. Poster will be removed during STAR testing.

Strategies for Mathematics 1. Read the problem at least three times. Make a mental picture of what is being read.

Strategies for Mathematics 2. Locate key words in the question. MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING!

Strategies for Mathematics 3. Identify key numbers and labels.

Strategies for Mathematics 4. Eliminate unnecessary data

Strategies for Mathematics 5. Thoroughly study any graphs, charts, or diagrams

Strategies for Mathematics 6. Determine the operations/strategies needed to solve the problem.

Strategies for Mathematics 7. Solve: SHOW YOUR WORK! (On scrap paper, draw a picture, label charts and graphs according to the key, fill in place value chart, draw a number line, etc.)

Strategies for Mathematics 8. Evaluate the solution. DOES THE SOLUTION ANSWER THE QUESTION? DOES THE SOLUTION MAKE SENSE?

Strategies for Mathematics 9. Check your solution with the choices. If your answer is not found, repeat steps one through eight.

Strategies for Mathematics 10. Eliminate wrong answers.

Strategies for Mathematics 11. Mark the correct answer.

Strategies for Language Arts 1.Read the title/subtitles. Predict what the passage is about.

Strategies for Language Arts 2. Carefully study any graphs, charts, or diagrams.

Strategies for Language Arts 3. Number the paragraphs.

Strategies for Language Arts 4. Read the questions carefully, circling key words. MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING!

Strategies for Language Arts 5. Beginning with the title, read the passage thoroughly at least two times. Make a mental picture of what is being read.

Strategies for Language Arts 6. Read the first question and answer choices to get an idea of what the answer may be. Do not mark your answer choice.

Strategies for Language Arts 7. Return to the passage and identify the answer, or clues that support the possible answer.

Strategies for Language Arts 8. Return to the question and eliminate the wrong answers.

Strategies for Language Arts 9. Mark the correct answer and find the number of the paragraph where the answer/clues are located. (Highlight or underline in the passage where you found the answer or clues to the answer.) Remember, you have to prove your answer is correct.

Strategies for Language Arts 10. Repeat steps six through nine for the remainder of the questions.

Strategies for Language Arts 11. Check to make sure all questions are answered reasonably.