Preparing Your Child For Standardized Tests

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As your child progresses through the educational system, one of the ways in which he will be evaluated is through standardized tests. While most of the test can be answered by how well he knows the content, scores are not solely an indicator of content knowledge. The following article includes tips for improving scores on Language Arts Reading and Comprehension portions of standardized tests.

How many times have you spoken to other parents and heard the statement “Sandy just isn’t a good test-taker”? Perhaps you yourself have used that very expression, or have watched your child become more agitated and nervous as a standardized test looms on the horizon. The truth is, scoring well on standardized tests isn’t just about knowing content; it is understanding how to effectively approach the test. Here are a few tips to help your child minimize some of their test-taking anxieties.

Read the questions (not the answers choices) before you begin reading articles. This way your mind will already be looking for those places in the reading that will help you answer the questions.

After you have read the article and are beginning the questions, read through every possible response and eliminate any that you know to be incorrect. This will allow you to focus on the most likely answers.

Look for words in the article that appear in the question. Also, in terms of main idea, look at how many times a word appears in the article.

If you have narrowed down your correct answer choices, but cannot decide between two:

Look for the one with the most specific details

Look for the longest answer

Do not worry about how names (or words) are pronounced- you do not have to say them out loud. Instead, come up with a nickname. If you read the name Herbozkijolam, mentally rename him “Herb.” Don’t waste time trying to pronounce the full name in your head every time you see it.

If a date is given in the question, scan the article for it. Your answer will most likely be in that general area.

Be mindful of absolutes. If an answer includes “always” or “never” or any other word that signifies an extreme, try finding that specific fact in the article before choosing it as a correct answer.

Most of all, encourage your child, and remind them that who they are is not synonymous with a score on a standardized test.

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By: JAndrews

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