Test-Prep Tips
Proper preparation leads to test success.
Share these study strategies with your child before a big test.
1. Map out a study schedule — say, 15 to 30 minutes a night depending on the child's age, how much material there is to cover, and how much other homework has to be done.
2. Find out if the teacher has explained whether the test is short-answer, multiple-choice, essay, or a combination of the three. For the first two kinds of tests, kids will need to know lots of facts and details; for essay tests, thinking about the big picture is more important.
3. Review class notes, textbook chapters, study questions, and other materials together and ask your child what she thinks is the most important info.
4. Help your child write down answers and key pieces of information so she can review them later.
5. Review the basics, like who, what, when, where, and why.
6. On test day, remind your child to read the questions all the way through and answer easy ones first.
7. Follow up: If the results are not what you and your child hoped for, talk to the teacher to find out what was missing in your child's preparation.
