Testing and assessment can take many different formats, but one constant is that students should be prepped!!

I stand firmly in this opinion whether I’m talking about a simple knowledge check or standardized state testing. 

There are five main strategies I use to prepare my students for the assessments I plan to use. Most of these five are strategies that should be incorporated throughout the year and not thrown in just before testing.

1. Integrate growth mindset into your teaching and classroom environment.

Growth Mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed. This type of mindset is SUPER important for continued growth and learning especially as students face struggles or adversity along their learning journey.

I like to sprinkle in growth mindset activities throughout the year. I start my first two weeks of school taking a deep dive into growth mindset. I do this by showing students the SCIENCE behind it. I want them to see with their own eyes how our brain structure can change. One example I always provide is how this process is similar to how weight lifting and exercise builds muscle. The brain is like a muscle in that way too!

I’ve found that this approach of SHOWING students versus just TELLING them about it makes a bigger impact and helps students improve specific growth mindset skills.

Just like anything, growth mindset should be reviewed and reinforced over and over again throughout the year. Finding specific moments throughout the year to revisit it will help students continue to build these positive neuropathways.

If you’re interested in learning more about growth mindset and how to incorporate it into your classroom, I suggest checking out the article, “Foster a Growth Mindset in Students Facing Adversity.” The section, “Strategies for Fostering a Growth Mindset,” is particularly helpful. 

Praising the process versus just the outcome and emphasizing the use of the word “yet” are just two of the approaches listed.

2. Build their academic vocabulary.

This is another strategy that can be incorporated throughout the year. Academic vocabulary is words that are used within academic dialogue or text. Often it is also referred to as Tier II vocabulary.

These are words that are used ACROSS CONTENTS within the academic space. If you are looking for a great resource, Vocabulary.com is a great one. Check out this link to see some ACTUAL TIER 2 WORD LISTS. If you click on the link you’ll notice that these lists are place under the tab titled, “Test Prep.” Fitting, no?

There are so many platforms that exist now like Quizizz, Blooket, Quizlet, etc. that you can use to make learning vocabulary more exciting for students (and more automated for you). Even old school pencil/paper/flashcards would probably be a change for them!

Just make sure that you have a routine approach that gives them opportunity for reception (listening and reading) AND production (speaking and writing). This will ensure that your time spent on this doesn’t turn into rote memorization, but instead will foster true learning and application of the focus vocabulary.

3. Get them familiar with the test itself.

I’m not talking about the CONTENT of the test – – this should go without saying – – I’m talking about the STRUCTURE and PLATFORM of the test. 

Any content or skill you are attempting to assess, should be assessed in a way they are FAMILIAR with. If you test them using an exercise, activity, or platform they have NEVER SEEN BEFORE, then you are NOT testing them on their knowledge or skills alone!! 

Instead, you are also testing their capability of understanding and adjusting to a system or platform they have never used before! You’re testing them on their technological skills, system comprehension, or flexibility in regard to following directions. I’m pretty positive that’s not the data you want! AND it creates HUGE gaps in regard to equity and access.

Students should be introduced to platforms, formats, structures, and supports of every assessment before their skills are assessed. If this is state testing, run through the numerous practice tests that are available. If this is an assessment for your class, make sure you’ve done the activity or used the structure MULTIPLE TIMES before actually assessing them with that structure.

4. Notify their support system.

Use whatever parent, guardian, or community outreach communication system your school has. In fact, use more than one. 

Send a letter home. Post a message on your Schoology, Google Classroom, or Seesaw (amongst countless others) page. Send an auto dialer home.

There are NUMEROUS ways that you can notify students’ families that they will be having an upcoming assessment.

Provide them with education and tips as to why making sure their students are well-fed or well-rested is important for their test performance.

Speaking of well-fed, talk to your administrative team or school counselors to determine if any of your students and their families have a more pronounced need in this area. Identify what resources might be accessible for them.

Knowing the structure (or lack of) in your students’ home life will provide you with useful and important insight to their testing performance and test outcome.

5. Create a positive and peaceful environment.

This strategy can be applied throughout the year and then amped up leading up to testing and on the day of testing.

Discuss WITH YOUR STUDENTS what that would look like for them and try to find creative ways to make accommodations. Also, know the needs of your students and MAKE SURE you know what supports your students HAVE A RIGHT to according to their 504s, IEPs, or EL servicing.

Additionally, establishing and reinforcing classroom routines and norms that emphasize the importance of calm and quiet make meeting that expectation on the day of testing that much easier.

Just like adults need visual reminders, students do too. Make sure you have classroom norms posted throughout your space. Create visuals specific for testing expectations and supports available to students.

Circle back AFTER the test to discuss with students how things went. Use these visuals to guide the conversation.

In conclusion,

As teachers it is our duty to cultivate as equitable a space as possible, and preparing students for testing is a CRUCIAL way to do this. It is an achievement that is attained by incorporating supports all throughout the year and during TESTING SEASON. It is also a GROUP EFFORT that takes involvement from the school, family, and surrounding community.

Students should feel supported and confident when approaching testing, and these five strategies will go a long way in creating that dynamic.

I created a free template similar to the reminder in the #4 Notifying Their Support System section above. If you’d like it, just click the button and I’ll send it to your email!

May all your students feel prepared and supported this testing season!