Prepping kids for a STUPID standardized reading test that is more about tricking them than measuring learning is the worst. Also needed because the kids hate doing poorly. Not looking for “don’t do it then” takes. Anything helpful sure but I am full on overly idealistic takes 😉
@mrbgilson Reading a test is another genre of text. This is how you read a poem. This is how you read a play. This is how you read a test. Check out this PD book. It’s a few years old and looks at the US, but there are definitely some strategies and teaching suggestions that will be useful.
@mrbgilson It’s sad because we’ve created a generation of students who think the test is more important than the everyday learning.
@mrbgilson First, I hear you. Second, one thing we’ve tried to do is teach them that “test reading” is a skill they can unpack and master. Some basic psychometric lessons allow them kids to demystify the test in important ways. And it’s the same skills they’ll use on the SATs / ACTs.
@mrbgilson Tell them the test is not assessing them but trying to determine how well the school as a whole is doing.
@mrbgilson If people advertise that they can help you get a perfect score on the ACT, is the ACT effective of showing knowledge or revealing test tricks? How much of our standardized prepping is showing student “tips and tricks”?
@mrbgilson I tell my 4th graders that it’s written by bergens (from Trolls) and by seeing through their trickery we defeat them and save the trolls once and for all Idk why but it works every year- or at least gets them to laugh at the insanity that are some of those multiple choice Qs
@mrbgilson You could use past exams to have students work in pairs or groups of four to take a short portion of the test per day. They learn from each other and learn techniques that are helpful in them feeling confident on test day.