THE RED PILL

DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION ON EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT AND RACE

Test Taking Tips for Poor Readers

What are some good tips to help poor readers do better on standardized tests?

Besides process of elimination and UNRAVEL....

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jay Anderson on February 18, 2014 at 3:28am

First I will to give a link to the UNRAVEL strategy in case anyone is unfamiliar here: http://www.acestutoring.com/images/UNRAVEL.pdf. Next, I will point out that a lot of the exercises Dr. Black mentions are basic and if one works to become proficient in those pretty much any standardized test becomes easy (or at least easier). With those things said (or written), knowing the history and purpose of any test in itself as well as building critical thinking skills and learning how to break apart a question in order to really read it are very important. In summary, one has to become more literate and more numerate. Or in other words, reading is a fundamental skill and there really is no way around it on standardized tests. What's really being tested is whether someone can read the question(s) and provide the appropriate information. But the appropriate information cannot be recalled if one has not had exposure to them. People have even filled suit against ETS the company that makes such tests as the: SAT, GRE, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, etc. claiming that the tests are culturally biased. Well, to address that one needs to start reading and reading everything they can. Reading like anything else is enhanced via practice. Perhaps you could reply with some sample questions and we can proceed to look at those, but again I think there is no way around not learning how to read, because that's the doorway to pretty much everything else in life, at least a good life, and even with that life can be difficult. I'd suggest going that a poor reader work through the Learning to Read book, and start reading something on a topic that interest them, then move on to more challenging works and become better step by step. There really is no way to "rush" learning even though it doesn't have to take as look as some may say in school either. I'll stop here for now but, good question! Let me know if I did not address fully what you were asking as well please.

Permalink Reply by Eclectic Educators on February 19, 2014 at 6:28pm

I agree with all you have said. There is also a language barrier. I speak Greek to them(not their fault). I often tell them that if they can read well, they do not need me! They do not know how true it is. I am told that I "do too much!". Sorry, I teach commas and quotes at the same time. I cannot see teaching one with out the other..lol

There is no interest in teaching public school 4th and 5th graders how to read (damn, I think I just made myself a job!). The focus is on pre-k through 3rd grade. Learning to Read has been offered and declined. The students that did come for a while are definitely better readers and thinkers. I have two students now. One is so excited that she tries to read the book as soon as she sees me! She hounds me and I love it! After another student saw how much fun we were having, she started staying. Just one hour a day for 6 weeks and practice the chart at home, and viola! The school will simply not invest in it and the students are required to take at least 7 tests in a year and every month is used preparing children who cannot read to pass tests. I have explained "the game" to them; what the TCAP was for, why it was created and how to defeat it. They know, or at least I informed them about the ACT and SAT...I even pulled it up on Wikipedia! So that part has been done. There is still a disconnect somewhere and I think it has to do with something you hit on in your response.

Yesterday, I was working with my "12 disciples", and we came upon a question and the correct answer made sense to me but they all got it wrong. After looking at the question again, I could also see why they all chose that(the incorrect) answer....I will pull it up and speak more on it in a few...

Permalink Reply by Jay Anderson on February 22, 2014 at 5:20am

That's funny I was looking at the 12 disciples the same day. I'm interested in what their response was. I may be working shortly with someone in Spanish on the same exercise. I like what you've written, I think most schools tell people what the result of their learning will be, when if real learning is going on, new things will be discovered. "Learning" in school is like a carrot, just like here in Mexico how I might meet someone and am introduced as an English teacher and a parent will say, "Oh my daughter/son is already Learning English in school." And will turn around and get mad at the child when they don't understand what I say in English. Learning doesn't stop, it's not like, "okay I know the Pythagorean Theorem and the quadratic Formula so now I know mathematics." But that's the view most people are given in schools and then they get a piece of paper like in the wizard of Oz that confirms they really do "know" something. Well I think you are doing what can be done by showing the information to the students (and somethings it takes many times) but you cannot learn for them, but at least the seed is there and hopefully in their lifetime they'll help it grow into something useful.

Permalink Reply by Jay Anderson on February 22, 2014 at 5:21am

I also like what you said about teaching the commas and quotation marks at the same time.

Permalink Reply by Eclectic Educators on February 19, 2014 at 6:54pm

Directions Martin is writing an essay about how his family and their neighbor help each
other. Read the paragraph and answer Numbers 21 through 24.

My family helps my neighbor, and she helps us. Mrs. Nelson watches my sister and me until
it is time for us to get on the bus. Every afternoon, I take Mrs. Nelson’s dog for a walk, and my
sister plays with him. ________, Dad mows her lawn.

Read the sentence from the paragraph.
________, Dad mows her lawn.

Which transition would best begin this sentence?
A Then
B Instead
C However
D Sometimes

Martin wants to add a sentence to the beginning of the paragraph. Which sentence best
supports the topic sentence and fits with the rest of the paragraph?
F Mrs. Nelson is nice.
G Mrs. Nelson has become a good friend to our family.
H Every morning, Mom drops us off at Mrs. Nelson’s house.
J Mom and Mrs. Nelson both like gardening.

Which sentence best fits the context and flow of ideas in this paragraph?
A Mrs. Nelson often bakes some cookies for us.
B Mrs. Nelson has a big backyard.
C Mrs. Nelson has lived here for many years.
D Mrs. Nelson also has a little, gray cat.

Which is the best concluding sentence for this paragraph?
F I am glad Mrs. Nelson is my neighbor.
G My sister and I enjoy playing with Mrs. Nelson’s dog.
H Mom wants to get Mrs. Nelson a gift for being so helpful.
J I like it when Mrs. Nelson tells us stories.

Permalink Reply by Jay Anderson on February 22, 2014 at 5:31am

You may want to go through this example in class and make sure the students understand the components: e.g. what is a topic sentence? What does context refer to? etc. You can break down the parts of a paragraph, sentence; whatever. Here it looks like introductory/transition words and phrases are pointed out (adverbs and whatnot).

Permalink Reply by Eclectic Educators on March 17, 2014 at 7:31pm

Yep. I did that. Even the principal got it wrong. His response, "I am glad I only have two more years!"

Back in the day, the question would have been, "Which sentence is about doing/helping?" Which, of course is the topic. They do not see that part, they look deeper in the relationship between the people, more so than their actual actions. Only 2 people chose the correct answer, Raven and myself (she bakes cookies for us). Everyone else chose (she has lived in our neighborhood for a long time).