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Preparing for State Testing
The best resource to prepare your students for the upcoming state testing is the released test items from the State Department of Education:
http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013‐09‐05/blue‐prints‐pldsitem‐specs# Released Items.
Because these are items from previous state tests, we can be assured that the format and content will be similar to what students will encounter this year during testing.
The OCCT testing is around the corner and teachers work diligently to ensure that students are prepared to perform well on these tests. Best practices and high-quality teaching should not be sacrificed for the sake of OCCT test preparation.
Test taking may be taught as a genre study to help demystify testing for students.
Students should feel that they can crack the code and be successful test takers. Teachers may utilize mini lessons during shared reading that focus on test-taking strategies like
reading directions, filling in the answer sheet, and double-checking
Science and Test Prep
SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ADOPTION
responses.
Teachers should emphasize that the difficulty of the test has to do more with the type of
language the test is written in, often using words and phrases that are not
used except for standardized tests. Examples include, “author’s purpose,”
“according to,” “most likely,” “passage,” and so on. Once students master the language skills of the test, students can often meet the challenges of the assessment. During
independent reading, students can practice reading short passages;
however, saving the largest part of independent reading time for reading
authentic texts. Students should feel that testing does not take priority over the practice of reading. Challenge students to read for longer periods of time, building reading
stamina. Teachers should collaborate with one another to decide what works best for students. For more information on successful test preparation please read
read “Meaningful Practice: Test Prep in a Third-Grade Public School Classroom.”
Kontovourki, S. and Campis, C. (2010),Meaningful Practice: Test Prep in a Third-
Grade Public School Classroom It's in the Curriculum Newsletter
Daily Times of Testing Window Starts on April 10 Ends May 8 Springdale ends May 1
Proctors go to assigned locations 8:15 am
Teachers (Test Administrators) check out test tubs in Building Test Coordinator's (BTC) office at 8:20 am
8:30 am Testing Begins
10:30-11:00 am Testing Ends
Teachers (Test Administrators) take tub to BTC and check in booklets