Tests are important as they help evaluate your child’s needs and progress.
You can assist your child to prepare for testing by doing the following:
- Discuss the importance of testing.
- Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before a test, and make sure your child eats properly the day of a test.
- Maintain a pleasant home environment and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
- Ensure that your child is present during testing (children perform better when taking tests in their groups rather than at a make-up time).
- If the test is of the kind where you need to review (such as a spelling test), assist your child with practice.
- If your child is disappointed after taking a test, reassure him or her that there will be plenty of opportunities to improve and succeed.
- Pray with your child before he or she leaves for school.
Reminders to give your child on the day of a test:
- Relax. Just do the best you can.
- Your first choice is usually correct. Don’t change an answer unless you have a good reason to do so.
- Be aware of keywords such as “all,” “now,” “always,” “never,” “only,” “exactly”.
- In multiple choice questions, the longest answer should be considered, since test writers want to be sure the correct answer is accurate.
- When two answers are opposites, one of them is often correct.
- Watch for negative words like “not,” “no,” “never”.
- Look for information in some of the questions. This information may help you answer other questions.