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Help your child be a good test-taker

By CAROLYN SANDLIN-SNIFFEN

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 7, 2000

It's past midnight, and your eighth-grader is still sitting amid a mountain of notes, books and handouts. She's bleary-eyed and foggy-minded and nowhere near done preparing for her three tests tomorrow.

"When will she ever learn?" you ask yourself.

The reality is that kids aren't born knowing how to study. It takes certain skills to prepare for tests. And since much of that preparation takes place at home, it's a process that parents need to practice with their children.

If you're thinking, "Isn't the school teaching study skills?" perhaps it is, but don't count on it. Even if teachers are able to squeeze in a few lessons on test-taking techniques, children still need parents to reinforce those techniques at home.

It's possible to prepare youngsters to become good students and effective test-takers as early as their preschool years by reading to them, engaging them in lively conversations and encouraging curiosity about daily life. Questions like "How do you think your pet turtle got its shell?" will help develop reasoning powers.

But once children begin elementary school, they will need more structured help in learning how to organize homework, their notes and other materials needed to study for tests. To eliminate those "I've-got-to-know-these- spelling-words-by-tomorrow" blues, post the dates of all tests and quizzes in a prominent spot

By fifth or sixth grade, kids are capable of using a more sophisticated calendar, such as a student planner or organizer. But no matter how independent children act, if you're ever concerned that they're not recording test dates, ask teachers for a test schedule.

The amount of time kids can study at one sitting varies according to age and temperament. Generally, youngsters who are 6 or 7 years old can study uninterrupted for 10 minutes; by age 8 or 9, their study time increases to 15 minutes; by ages 10 to 12, a child can concentrate for 30 minutes; and by the time students enter high school, they can study for at least an hour without taking a break.

Here are some simple strategies that children can use at examination time:

  • Read the directions carefully. Underline important words, such as "compare," "choose two" or "write in complete sentences."

  • Skim through the entire test, taking a look at the types of questions. This will help children to pace themselves.

  • Answer easy questions first and circle harder ones. This way, kids can quickly see what they need to go back and tackle.

  • Budget the time. Note which questions are worth more points and leave plenty of time to answer them.

  • On true-false tests, questions that contain such terms as "usually" and "sometimes" are more likely to be true. Terms such as "always" and "never" are usually in false questions.

  • On multiple choice tests, read the question and think of an answer. Then, compare the answer to all the choices before making a final selection.

  • On essay questions, jot down ideas and make a brief outline before writing. Referring to those notes while writing helps kids stay organized and on track.

  • To improve comprehension on tests that require reading paragraphs and answering questions, try the "two by two" approach. Scan the first two questions, read until the answers are located. Then, move on to the next two questions.

  • When finished, double-check answers and look for careless errors. This is the No. 1 rule of test-taking and sets the A students apart from the rest.

    When the graded test comes back, sit with your child and go over the answers, right and wrong. Corrected tests are guideposts to higher achievement. File the old tests; they make excellent study guides for the future.

    Above all, stress the importance of education. Sometimes we need to spell it out, point blank: "Education is important in our family. We expect you to do your best on tests. We know you can."

    The test-taking skills kids learn in elementary and middle school will be valuable tools throughout their lives, on high school tests and college entrance exams, and even when applying for a driver's license. That's what an excellent education is all about.

    Carolyn Sandlin-Sniffen teaches language arts and reading at Seminole Middle School in Pinellas County.

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