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What age to do standardized tests if you want to do them?


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I would like to eventually test DD to see how she would do and to get her used to standardized testing in general. I really feel that test taking is a skill and I would like her to have some practice at it.

 

We belong to a coop that is offering the Iowa. DD is finishing second grade. Would you test this year? Wait until third? What age do you feel is a good age to start testing?

 

Our state has no requirements. This would just be for our own information.

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I started doing it that early. I don't know that I can think of a compelling reason for 2nd grade vs. 3rd or 4th, though. I just thought it was a good idea to get used to the idea of taking tests.

 

It's worked out well for us. Our kids are used to how tests work now, so as we're reaching the age of more important tests such as the ACT they're much more at ease with it all.

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I started when oldest would have been in 3rd PS grade & do them every other year. This year, I'll be testing two (oldest & dd#2). Since we use the ITBS, I can test them at the same time for their particular levels.

They are just for our information. (It really didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. However, it is nice to know I'm not "breaking" them.)

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2nd grade has the advantage that, for most tests, it's the last year that doesn't require a separate bubble sheet. Starting at 3rd means two different sets of skills at the same time-answering the questions, and transferring the answer over.

 

My DD started testing in 1st with a local homeschool group,and loved the experience. I think it helped that the 1st grade test was short and the proctors took the kids out on the playground while waiting for older grade levels to finish and parents to pick up their kids :).

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My state requires testing starting in third. My DS1 just finished his first experience with a standardized test, and it went well for him. We had someone administer the PIAT-r. I'm sure there are more informative tests, but he tends to be anxious and the test format is very non threatening. I was not interested in working a whole lot on the "skill" of bubbling in on a scan tron, and I knew if he got off track while filling in the bubbles he'd get very worked up. Since this was our first testing experience, the PIAT-r was great, IMO. He actually enjoyed it and told me as much. It was also short (35-40 min).

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We started in K (yearly testing is required here beginning at age 7, which was 2nd grade for us), but we started with the Woodcock Johnson III. It's an oral test given by a certified tester and short (about 45 min). I did it at that age for our own information and chose the WJIII as a good one for a wiggly 5 yo. When she was in 2nd grade, we switched to the ITBS at home to give her experience in a different sort of test (bubble test) that was longer. We've varied between the two since. Part of my reasoning to start early was to get her used to testing as just something to do, not as something stressful or scary. In our case, it seems to have worked. Prior to testing, I did have her practice with the bubble test format so that it wasn't intimidating to her.

 

She did the EXPLORE through the Duke TIP last year as an introduction to longer, harder tests done in a group setting (it's an out of level test offered to TIP participants in 5th/6th grade), though we still had to do an achievement test. This year, she did the ACT (again through Duke), which does count as an achievement test. It will also give her more practice toward ACT/SAT for high school.

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Our state first requires testing in third grade. I looked into having my kids start in second grade to give them a practice year with the test, but after talking to the company that supplies the testing proctor for our homeschool group, he recommended to wait until third. With the tests they were using (CAT at that time), he said at the second grade level much of the test is read to the student, and that it disrupts the flow for the rest of the testing group (through 8th grade). I ended up just administering a practice test at home to give them the feel of how it would be.

 

Erica in OR

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