4th Grade TAKS Test Information

What Do I Need to Know About the 4th Grade TAKS Test?

What Is the 4th Grade TAKS Test?

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test is given every year to Texas students in grades 3-11. Your 4th grader will be tested in the subjects of reading, writing and math. The TAKS test is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) set of standards.

How Can I Help?

It's important that your child remain on top of her work throughout the school year leading up to the TAKS exam. Stay in contact with your child's teachers and school counselors to ensure that you're able to help her in the areas where it's most needed. Create a positive, structured learning environment at home and if possible, provide your child with a personal, distraction-free workspace.

What Should My Child Study?

The Texas Education Agency provides a lot of specific information on the TAKS exam that you can acquire from their website or from your child's school (www.tea.state.tx.us). The test is presented in a multiple-choice format with three primary sections.

Reading

The reading portion of the 4th grade TAKS test contains fiction and nonfiction passages. Your 4th grader will be required to read each passage carefully and answer a number of comprehension-based questions about them.

Writing

Much like the reading section of the test, the writing section includes a variety of passages that your child will be required to read. However, all of the questions address punctuation, spelling and grammar. Your child is also expected to write an original prose composition based on a prompt.

Math

The math section of the exam deals with basic 4th grade mathematics, such as measurements, charts, graphs, shapes, fractions, multiplication, division and word problems.

Are Practice Tests Available?

You can look online to find general standards-based practice tests and TAKS tests from previous years. You can also find a number of sites that will provide your child with curriculum-based worksheets and activities, although these resources may not be aligned specifically with the TEKS.

Set up a quiet atmosphere that mimics what it might be like on the day of the actual test. Time your child as he takes a 4th grade TAKS practice exam and then correct it. This will enable you to see where he needs the most help.