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I'm looking for a book recommendation...


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Well, just because you haven't had any takers yet, I'll give a couple tiny ideas.

 

(1) We've used a book for a couple of years called "Preparing Students for Standardized Testing, Grade 8," by Sitter. Because it covers so many different kinds of standardized tests, it might be helpful for just regular tests. It covered way more than my ds needed for the Iowa Basics, but we just went thru it for the general info.

 

It gives some basic strategies for testing in each area. It covers lots of areas, from grammar to graphs. The only things I don't think it would be good prep for are higher maths and writing.

 

Rainbow Resource was the only place I saw actual sample pages.

 

(2) The Critical Thinking Company website has quite a bit of info on various standardized tests (not the SAT/ACT but all-grade tests), and many of their materials might help kids think through tests.

 

(3) A good online search for "testing strategies" and the like will probably come up with some good testing skills and strategies.

 

(4) There are lots of "study skills" materials out there, but not sure if they are specifically for testing.

 

(5) Another option would be to just get something that was test-heavy (such as a science or history textbook) and do it with your child, modeling how to navigate and succeed in that environment.

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Well I did a search on Amazon and found some things that look promising. I just was wondering if someone had used a book they liked especially well.

 

The specific problems dd has is with the wording of the questions and multiple choice-like standardized testing. It took her 3 times to get her learners permit because the questions were confusing to her. She got it on the third try, but her dad spent hours with her teaching her how to take the test and figure out what the questions were asking. A lot of times she has a difficult time deciphering what the question is asking. If I ask her the question, she can tell me the answer, but when she sees it on paper it's hard for her to process it. Now, some of it is test anxiety, but I still feel it's something we need to work on.

 

Thanks for the ideas ladies.

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I would try the following: give her a few simple multiple choice questions every time you give a test in any subject. Also ask similar questions as short-answer or essay questions. See which works. Then gradually increase the complexity of the questions. There are lots of interactive and normal print-out test banks on the internet. Look around and see what you can find. Practice seems to make perfect.

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Well I did a search on Amazon and found some things that look promising. I just was wondering if someone had used a book they liked especially well.

 

The specific problems dd has is with the wording of the questions and multiple choice-like standardized testing. It took her 3 times to get her learners permit because the questions were confusing to her. She got it on the third try, but her dad spent hours with her teaching her how to take the test and figure out what the questions were asking. A lot of times she has a difficult time deciphering what the question is asking. If I ask her the question, she can tell me the answer, but when she sees it on paper it's hard for her to process it. Now, some of it is test anxiety, but I still feel it's something we need to work on.

 

Thanks for the ideas ladies.

 

I wonder if it would help to give her some kind of ACT prep type book AND the answer key, so she won't feel criticized but instead can be on the search for what the proper answer is and then deduce "why" the proper answer would be selected?

 

Julie

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I wonder if it would help to give her some kind of ACT prep type book AND the answer key, so she won't feel criticized but instead can be on the search for what the proper answer is and then deduce "why" the proper answer would be selected?

 

Julie

 

Thanks Julie, she knows this is a problem for her, so she doesn't feel criticized when we talk about it, but she does get down on herself when she score poorly on her tests. After dh worked with her on her permit tests, it dawned on me that she needs someone to show and tell her the way to take tests. She's an auditory learner, so I think hearing it will be key.

 

This is the one I decided to go with:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/029919194X/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

I think it addresses all the topics we need to cover.

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