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TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES

FCAT

Florida DOE: FCAT Publications for Teachers

http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatpub2.htm

A web page with a variety of FCAT resources for teachers including released tests, content focus for each subject area and “What Every Teacher Should Know about FCAT.”

Alachua County: Facing the FCAT Together

http://www.sbac.edu/~lms/FCAT.htm

Ideas for parents and students when taking FCAT

Broward County: High Stakes Testing: Managing Test Anxiety

http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/psychologicalservices/pdf/TestAnxiety.pdf

Strategies for students, parents, and teachers to reduce test anxiety

Dade County: 101 FCAT Tips

http://teachers.dadeschools.net/jenriquez/psms/documents/101FCATTIPS101FCATTIPS.pdf

Strategies for taking FCAT prior to the test, during the test, and by subject area

Escambia County: Testing Tips

http://www.escambia.k12.fl.us/schscnts/sute/testing1.htm

Elementary math and writing strategies

Florida Achieves
http://www.floridaachieves.com/(uqxotn55tjbxnry3dgmrzin3)/Default.aspx

This website includes both FCAT Explorer and FOCUS – which is a new resource for implementing Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model.

Florida Center for Instructional Technology

http://fcit.usf.edu/publications/default.htm
Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology and Pinellas County, this staff development tool is designed to help teachers prepare students for the FCAT.

Florida Virtual School
http://www.flvs.net/_students/fcat.htm
The Florida Virtual School and The Florida Learning Alliance's FCAT Prep Courses are designed to prepare students for the 8th and 10th grade FCAT Tests.

Hillsborough County FCAT Tips for Teachers and Parents

http://apps.sdhc.k12.fl.us/sdhc2/instruction/FCAT/index.htm

Manatee County FCAT Resources

http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/fcatresources.htm

A variety of FCAT preparation resources

NEFEC FCAT Prep Resources

http://www.nefec.org/resources/linklist.asp?category=11

Putnam County FCAT Resources
http://www.putnamschools.org/Karen/fcathome.html
Provides FCAT links for parents as well as a link to NEFEC, which gives the history, an overview, and training for the FCAT.

South Florida Museum Practice FCAT Test

http://www.southfloridamuseum.org/ed_pdf/e_ai_fcat_practice.pdf

Test Preparation Practice/Review

http://www.testprepreview.com/fcat_practice.htm

Teachers

Chicago Public Schools: Preparing Your Elementary and High School Students to Take Standardized Tests

http://www.intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Preparation/preparation.html

These booklets provide school staff with research-based strategies for helping students perform better on standardized achievement tests, and examine test-taking skills, test-wiseness, test anxiety, and test performance.

Helping Children Master the Tricks and Avoid the Traps of Standardized Tests

http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-4/tests.htm

Lists some of the mistakes and suggests several teaching strategies that may be useful to teachers when preparing their class to take standardized tests.

Scholastic:

No Pain, High Gain: Standardized Test Preparation

http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/assessment/nopain.htm

Take Out Your No. 2 Pencils

http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/assessment/take_out_pencils.htm

Overcoming Test Anxiety

http://www.inspiringteachers.com/tips/assessment/anxiety.html

Strategies for teachers to use when helping students overcome test anxiety.

Preparing Students to Take the California Standards Test

http://www.pasadena.k12.ca.us/filemgmt_data/files/InstructionalInsights.pdf

Although for California, provides test taking ideas for standardized tests.

Tennessee: Test Strategies for Students, Parents, and Teachers

http://www.state.tn.us/education/tsteststrategies.htm
Preparing for the test, during the test and after the test strategies

Parents

DOE: FCAT Test Taking Tips for Parents to Remember

http://www.putnamschools.org/Karen/test_taking_tips.pdf

Ideas for parents when helping their children prepare for tests

Arizona: Year Round Activities to Develop Testwise Students

http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/Resource/Parenttestbkltelem.doc

Preparing for tests with children

Students

California: Objective Test Taking

http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/testsobjectives.doc

Ideas for objective tests including preparation and test wiseness

Making the A: How to Study for Tests

http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-1/study.htm

Techniques for taking essay, multiple choice, and other types of exams are reviewed.

Exam Strategies

http://www.ucae.uncc.edu/study-smarter/Workshops/PDFfiles/EXAM%20STRATEGIES2.pdf

Includes scheduling time, planning for unread material, reviewing, and utilizing effective test-taking techniques

How to Study for Essay Tests

http://www.ucae.uncc.edu/study-smarter/Workshops/Essay/essaytest1b.html

Includes instruction/direction words for essay questions, how to predict test questions, and taking the test (seven pages)

Michigan: General Tips and Test-Taking Strategies

http://www.westbloomfield.k12.mi.us/testing2/tips.html

Ideas to reduce test anxiety, when you get the test, and before turning in a test

Pennsylvania: Test-Taking Strategies

http://www.bucks.edu/%7Especpop/tests.htm

Before, during and after the test

Test Taking Strategies

http://www.byu.edu/stlife/cdc/learning/strategy.php
This web site offers general guidelines for test taking and recommendations on how to successfully respond to specific types of tests such as true/false, essay, and multiple-choice.

Test-Taking Strategies

http://php.unc.edu/ovcsa/caps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=0

Suggestions for general, essay, objective and problem tests

Taking In-Class Essay Exams

http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources/handouts/inclassessays.pdf

Preparation for the test, day of the exam, and taking the exam

Test Taking Skills: Effective Study Techniques for Essay Tests

http://www.csbsju.edu/academicadvising/help/testskil.htm

Suggestions for essay tests include how to predict questions from notes, practice writing answers, and plan an approach to answering the actual test questions.

Texas:

How to Keep Calm During Tests; Are You “Test Anxious?”

http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1305.html

Test Anxiety: Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/tc/acacou/2702faqtestanxiety.html

Problem-Solving Tests

http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1443.html

Reducing Test Anxiety

http://fhss.byu.edu/anthro/Anthropology/tstanxiety.htm

Three main areas a student can work on to reduce test anxiety include mental preparation, physical preparation, and relaxation techniques.

Wisconsin: Test Taking Strategies

http://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/intermediate/Test-taking.htm