Test-Taking Strategies

 As the upcoming FSA approaches, we have been reviewing several strategies to help on the reading test. Students are instructed to use each of these when they take they bi-weekly comprehension tests.  Below is a list of all the strategies we have taught and are encouraging students to use. Make sure you check over their reading tests when they come home to ensure they are following directions. 

*Remember, Achieve 3000 is a great tool to help build their reading comprehension and provides great practice. 

Read all answer choices before answering!

 Bubble in one answer for every question!  Bubble in more than one bubble  on questions with 5 choices. READ how many it wants you to find. If you leave the answer blank, it will be wrong. 

Check over your work! 

1.  Make sure you have an answer for every question

2.  GO BACK and make sure what you underlined matches what you bubbled in!

3.  Pretend you’re taking it all over again!

 Underline the key words in the question stem – so you understand what the questions is asking you to think about.  They are usually bold, italized, or in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Scramble Our Eggs: When answering a sequence of events question, locate each of the events listed as an answer choice within the story by placing the question number and letter beside the event.  Also locate the event listed in the question stem.  Then determine the order in which the events occurred to answer the question.

  STOP and THINK – Is What I’m Reading Making Sense? If not, go back and reread!

  SNAKE FINGERS- Skim the text using your “snake fingers” to locate key words from the question stem in the story and find the answers.  (Reread the complete paragraph where the key words are located to get all the important details/information within the text.)

  RIDICULOUS and WRONG (50/50 Chance Strategy) – Process of Elimination- look for answers that are ridiculous or obviously wrong.  By eliminating at least two answer choices you increase your chances of getting it right!

Plug-It-In – When answering a vocabulary question, replace the word from the story with all answer choices to determine which word means ALMOST the same and makes the MOST sense.

 The Tortoise and the Hare- Pace yourself!  Not too fast and not too slow.  Steady and consistent.

Jump Rope Strategy – Don’t spend too much time on a challenging question.  SKIP OVER IT and come back to it later!