ECA Test-taking Tips. Wayne High School English Department

Transcription

1 ECA Test-taking Tips Wayne High School English Department

2 Before the Test Eat well the morning of the tests Studies show that you need good nutrition to concentrate and perform your best. Bring the right supplies. Bring three #2 pencils, erasers, or whatever else you'll need on test day. Be mentally prepared as well.

3 Before the Test Practice Practice -- Spend time working through standardized test practice items for several weeks before your scheduled test date. Get a good night's sleep the evening before the test 8 to10 hours is suggested by the AMA. Arrive at the testing facility about fifteen minutes early.

4 Before the Test Leave your cell phone, MP3 player and other electronics at home or in your locker. Have a positive attitude approach this test enthusiastically and positively. Be serious, confident, and strategic.

5 During the Test Read/Listen to the instructions carefully Take your time. Read each question thoroughly, paying close attention to details. Think about the possible answers. Rushing through the test is a good way to miss questions that you could have correctly answered.

6 During the Test o If you come across a question that is difficult, don't spend all of your time on it. Move on and come back to it at the end. Don't second guess yourself by changing your first answers unless you are 100% certain Eliminating wrong answers can increase the chances of selecting the right one

7 During the Test When you finish with each section, go back and review your answers. Sometimes answering a later question on the test triggers something in your brain: you might remember the answer to an earlier question that you could not answer.

8 Test-taking Strategies After reading a story passage with a clear beginning, middle, and end, look for the following patterns: Answers about when and where the story takes place are often found at the beginning. Answers about a problem in the story are usually found in the middle. Answers about how the problem was resolved are frequently found at the end.

9 Test-taking Strategies Answer easy questions first Use appropriate guessing strategies Eliminate wrong answers on tough questions Reread tough questions Look for similarities in wording and phrasing

10 What About Guessing? Eliminate one or two answer choices, if possible Use guessing as a last resort Always flag, circle, or star the guessed answer as a reminder to review carefully Be especially alert to negatives and absolutes. (Always, Never, etc.)

11 Guess Intelligently When guessing, keep in mind the most likely correct answer is: the most complete statement all of the above the longest choice one of two opposites the most general statement

12 Tips for the Writing Section Organization of your response is very important. Use a five-paragraph essay that includes an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Plan your response before you begin to write it. Stay with the topic throughout your response. Vary your sentence structure and word choices. Use specific examples wherever possible. Write legibly a human being grades this. Check your grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling.

13 Reading Test Tips Before you begin reading the passage, read the questions. Use active reading strategies. If the test allows, write in the margins. Analyze the title. This is a quick way to gain insights to the overall theme of the passage. Look for main ideas. Use context clues to determine word meanings. Determine the theme as you read.

14 Tips for Multiple Choice Questions Read the question twice. This simple act will clarify what the question is asking. Put the question in your own words. Read all the answer choices. Eliminate obvious wrong answers. Fewer possible answer choices lead to a higher percentage of right answers. Look for specialized vocabulary. Pay attention to choices such as all of the above or none of the above. Identify key words in the question and answer choices.

15 Essay and Short Answer Tips Read the question twice. State your response directly and concisely. Support your ideas with evidence. Use correct grammar

16 Essay Tips Identify the purpose of the essay. Are you informing, persuading, or entertaining? Identify the type of essay. Is it a narrative, compare and contrast, persuasive, descriptive, or cause and effect essay? Look for direction words in the writing prompts to determine the type of essay the question wants. List your main ideas before you start writing. Take the time to brainstorm and put them in order. Write an attention-getting introduction with a thesis statement as the last sentence. Develop your ideas in the body by stating your main ideas and developing them with evidence and commentary. Write a conclusion. Edit for mechanics and grammar.

17 Give Your Best Effort Do everything you possibly can between now and December 7 to prepare: read stories, magazines, newspapers; increase your vocabulary; learn test-taking strategies; practice writing essays; view the English Department website for how to tutorials.