Test-Taking Strategies Everything great test takers must know!

POSITIVE SELF-TALK & BREATHING Self-Talk is TRUE! “I did okay on my practice tests.” “I know this stuff” “I got it right yesterday; I can get it right today” Why ‘Breathing’? Breathing deeply allows you take in more oxygen Oxygen keeps your brain awake

PRACTICE! Practice Positive SELF-Talk The night before the test when you can’t get to sleep... BREATHE! On the morning of the test when you are feeling nervous... BREATHE! As you open the test booklet... BREATHE! When you read the questions... BREATHE!

“Jail” the Detail! Underline or circle the details in the questions. This helps you focus on exactly what the question is asking you to do. Mr. Detail

Be Slick and Predict! Predict what the answer is BEFORE you read the choices. “I think the answer is …”

Slash the Trash! Read ALL of the answer choices! Eliminate any choice(s) that you know are not the correct answer. The choice is obviously “trash!”

Plug it in, Plug it in! Once you have chosen your answer, plug it in and make sure that it makes sense! (this works really well with vocabulary questions). If your answer is missing then you have the wrong answer!

Be Smart With Charts & Zap the Maps! Charts and Maps provide information that you can use to answer questions! Analyze ALL information provided before answering the questions!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! If the directions say read…. READ! Pay close attention to signal words in the directions, such as explain, interpret, and compare. It might say read the story, the passage, the article or the poem. Whatever it is, read carefully!

Be a Whiz…with the Grid! Beware! If the answer is not bubbled in exactly right… YIKES! It will be wrong! Also, if you’re working out a math problem on your scratch paper, make sure to line up the problem correctly.

Keep On Keeping On! If you get to a couple of questions that you just don’t know, don’t give up! Keep trying your best!

If you SNOOZE, You will LOSE! Don’t leave a question unanswered. You will not have ANY chance of getting it right.

Check It Out! When you have completed the test, go back and check your work!

Don’t Skip Around! You should always try to answer the questions in order, as they appear on the test. Taking time to think through each question usually means that your initial answer will be correct.

What if... More than 1 answer seems correct... Make sure you’re considering the whole question. If the answer is partly true then it is probably not right! You cannot choose 2 good answers... Trust your ‘gut feeling’ and pick 1.

Test Phrases mostly about best completes story elements one example most likely best describes according to the article right before right after main purpose most important

******REMEMBER****** You receive NO POINTS for being the FIRST ONE to complete the test!!!