3rd Grade TAKS Test and Preparation Ideas

How Can I Help My Child Prepare for the 3rd Grade TAKS Test?

What Do I Need to Know About the TAKS Test?

Beginning in 3rd grade, children in Texas public and charter schools take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test every spring. The TAKS test for 3rd grade includes reading and math sections. Your child's teacher will prepare him over the course of the year by teaching all the skills outlined in the state learning standards, which are called TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).

Your child's TAKS scores can be used by you and his teachers to make decisions about the following school year. Additionally, the assessments are used to monitor the progress of students over the years.

What Can I Do to Prepare My Child for the TAKS Test?

You can do fun reading and math activities to supplement what your child learns in the classroom. Encourage your 3rd grader to improve comprehension by reading a variety of texts and devoting at least 30 minutes a day to reading at home. Discuss what she reads afterwards. She can also practice reading passages and answering questions online.

To prepare for the math TAKS exam, your child can complete math review worksheets from a variety of websites. Give her assistance when necessary, and be sure that she shows her work. That way, you can identify the steps that she struggles with.

It's also important to provide you child with a good environment for homework and studying. Set a routine and stick to it to get her in the habit of studying at the same time every day. If your child does well throughout the 3rd grade school year, she will probably do well on the TAKS test.

What Does the TAKS Test Contain?

You may want to review the TEKS for 3rd grade to find out what math and reading skills your child will be tested on. The Texas Education Agency provides TEKS information on their website (www.tea.state.tx.us).

For the reading portion of the exam, your child will be expected to read several passages and answer multiple-choice questions about each one. The math section tests your child on measurement, fractions, arithmetic, tables, graphs and shapes.

Are Practice Tests Available?

You can search online for previous 3rd grade TAKS tests that your child can use for practice. Recreate a test environment by setting her up at a quiet workspace with minimal distractions, and time how long it takes her to complete the practice test. If you would like your child to complete additional TAKS preparation, search online for free standards-based games and activities, which are available on numerous websites.