4 More Ways to Prepare Students for Standardized Testing

Like it or not, standardized testing is not an educational fad that has come and gone. And even worse is that, as much as we like to tell students that a test score doesn't define who they are, those scores can have an impact on students' future. 

For my middle school students, those test scores determine which high schools they are eligible to apply to. For high school students, those test scores can determine which colleges they apply to and the grants and scholarships they'll be awarded. And if students seek education beyond a four year degree, those test scores can determine their eligibility for law school, medical school, and more.

That's a lot of pressure for students (and their teachers too). I try to alleviate some of that pressure by making sure my students feel as prepared as possible as we approach standardized testing (find other stress relieving ideas here). While that preparation has really been happening all year long through our curriculum, it can be reassuring for students when they know that the activities we are engaging in are explicitly prepared them for the upcoming test. I previously wrote about nine different ways to help prepare students and boost their confidence levels. Read on for four more ideas.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 2/19 Topic: Standardized Testing

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, February 19, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about standardized testing.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Test Prep Strategies: Tips To Prepare Students For The Format & Content

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about test prep strategies for the ELA classroom. Middle and High School English Language Arts teachers discussed standardized testing, preparing students for the content and format, and tips for dealing with students with test anxiety. The highlights are below.

Prepare students for the content:
*make sure lessons are aligned with the standards
*explicitly teach test taking skills like the Bump It Up strategy
*constantly review & reinforce literary terms
*teach students how to break down difficult vocabulary
*read challenging texts
*have students evaluate and score anchor essays
*use what you're already reading independently as content for test prep. It doesn't ALWAYS have to be boring passages.

*look at questions stems, read and annotate text then answer questions

Prepare students for the format:
*if your test is computerized, practice with different types of testing formats: drag and drop, drop down menu, etc. and be sure students know how to use tools like the highlighter or the tiny 2 at the top to indicate a hidden 2nd text
*use released tests to practice
*make sure students know how many questions, passages, writing prompts to expect
*practice the vocabulary that will be used on the test
*teach process of elimination and how to navigate "tricky" wording

*mark tests for evidence of answers

*if your test is timed, give a practice test with not enough time so students can practice being rushed

*use the rubric the state will score writing on throughout the year so students will be comfortable with expectations

Easy test anxiety:
* don't let students see you stressed; if you have confidence in your students, they will have confidence in themselves
*use a fake, humorous test to get students to loosen up
*teach relaxation strategies like using the Calm app for meditation
*use funny videos like Pixar shorts to review literary terms
*watch a Ted Talk on body language and practice poses that relieve anxiety
*print off last year's scores, then after talking about goals for this year, have each student put their old score through a shredder

*make test prep unique with bright colors & celebrity pictures for different sections
*address anxiety through individual conferences

Helpful resources:
*Tips for making exam review fun
*Released test samples for high school from PA with rationale for answers and writing anchors
*Create a "Do What" chart for responding to writing prompts
*AP Lit Help offers resources and a 30 day countdown to the exam
*Use Kelly Gallagher's article of the week as nonfiction practice with response questions

*WritingFix has a vast amount of resources for K-12 teachers using the 6+1 Writing Traits

Hope you'll join us next Tuesday night,  February 16th at 8pm EST to talk about inclusion in the classroom. The questions for our next chat will be posted here on Sunday.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction. 

If you missed this most recent chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Test Prep Strategies

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

New in 2016 is our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, which we would love to have you join even if you aren't on Twitter. 2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.

On Tuesday, February 9, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on test preparation strategies.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: Are your students required to take standardized tests? How many/often? What time of year? #2ndaryELA

8:10 Q2: How do you help students prepare for the content on high stakes tests including the SAT, ACT, and AP exams? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: How do you help students prepare for the format of high stakes tests including the SAT, ACT, and AP exams? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: Do you have students that suffer from test anxiety? How do you help students de-stress before or during testing? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: -Share a test preparation resource that you find invaluable (book, article, blog post, type of technology, etc.) #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Got Test Stress? 5 Ideas for Easing Student Anxiety

Testing is stressful for teachers, but even more so for students, especially as more and more states require "exit exams" or include proficiency on standardized tests as a graduation requirement. It's a lot of pressure at such a young age, so it's no wonder you've got students biting their nails and on the verge of tears as testing season approaches.

The best way for students to be at ease with testing is for them to feel prepared. I recently wrote about nine effective ways to prepare students for standardized testing, but there are also times when you need to step back and give your students a break. Here are five ideas on how to do just that.

9 Effective Ways to Prepare Students for Standardized Testing

"Oooo goody, it's time for standardized tests!" said no teacher ever. And while none of us are excited about it, we all want our students to be prepared and successful. Depending on the needs of your students, you may spend a day or a week or several days spread out over several weeks gearing them up for their upcoming standardized test. Below are nine different ways to help you prepare your students and boost their confidence levels for the approaching exam.