An Introduction to Standardized Testing

Standardized tests comprise a very important role in your child's education. Many children will take at least one standardized test every year, which means many teachers will spend significant class time on test preparation. The results can reflection the teachers' efforts as well as that of the the students. In some states, standardized tests are the yardstick for determining whether a child gets to progress to the next grade level.

Many parents want to know the purpose of standardized tests. The answer is that these tests help evaluate the performance of students, teachers, even whole school districts. The results provide information on a child's ability to learn new material, as well as his grasp of the material he's already supposed to understand. With that information, teachers can identify areas where specific students need more attention, while officials can identify the strengths and weaknesses in the approach of a given teacher, school or school district.

Of course no test is perfect and some students have difficulty with testing in general, no matter how familiar they are with the material. Many factors can affect a child's performance. Perhaps the coursework she has studied is not represented in the testing material. Maybe she hasn't had a good breakfast or a good night's sleep. There are a number of things a parent can do to help a student succeed.

Start Preparing Early

While test prep courses and brushing up are a good idea, nothing beats a solid foundation. Keep up with your child's progress throughout the year.

• Encourage good study habits
• Stay in touch with your child's teachers
• Focus on reading and math basic skills - both are important on test day
• Put special focus on filling skill gaps, especially in reading and math

Don't Just Send Him Off to Take the Test!

A child may not realize that the test isn't the end of the world. Don't downplay its importance, but don't over emphasize it either. Stay in conversation about it and address any questions he has. Help him to know you're in it with him!

• Make sure he gets enough sleep the night before he takes the test and eats a good breakfast on testing day
• Be sure he has every tool he needs - pencils, erasers, paper, a calculator, etc.
• Let him talk about his fears or hesitations - help him to keep things in perspective
• Plan a fun outing or special treat of some kind for after the test

Tips for Test Day

• Read the instructions and ask anything that isn't clear
• Answers the easier questions first.
• Reads all answer choices
• Fill in the ovals completely, erasing any stray marks
• Check the question number against the number on the answer sheet
• Numbers questions on his scratch paper so that he can easily find his work.
• Don't linger too long on a single question - skip it and come back to it later.
• Don't worry about running out of time