Testing season is upon us again. While the end of the year can be an exciting time for both students and teachers, it can also be stressful due to the nature of end-of-year state testing. Though testing can be stressful, test prep doesn’t have to be with these quick ELA test prep tips for middle school!
Utilize the released tests.
If I could pick only one thing to use for test prep, it would absolutely be the state’s released version of the test. It is sure to be aligned with the standards and will include passages and questions similar to those your students will see on test day. I strongly encourage you to break the practice test down by passage. It will take your students multiple class periods to finish if you have them take the entire test at once, and then by the time you get around to discussing questions, they will have forgotten their reasoning.
Ensure your students are familiar with the types of questions they will be asked.
Finding reading comprehension passages and questions that resemble what students will see on end-of-year testing isn’t always easy, but it is important. If your students have experience with these types of questions, they won’t be overwhelmed trying to determine what the question is asking, and they’ll be able to focus on answering it. I’ve created a line of informational text quick reads that are perfect for warmups or stations for test prep. This resource may contain short reading passages, but it includes powerful, targeted practice. You can find these passages in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking here!
Prioritize specific standards if you’re short on time.
Ideally, every day would go according to plan, and you wouldn’t have to worry about pacing. I’ve yet to experience a school year in which that has happened. If you know you won’t have enough time to review everything you’d like, you’ll need to cut some things out to make sure you review the most important standards or skills. Deciding what to cut isn’t something you should do arbitrarily. I would recommend using one of two ways to prioritize standards. If data has shown that your students are struggling with a particular skill, such as author’s perspective, I would pull resources that give them targeted practice with that. You could also look at your state’s test specifications to see what standards are tested more than others and decide based on that. I have a bundle of test prep reading comprehension passages and questions that are broken down by skill!
Making sure that your students are ready for end-of-the-year testing doesn’t have to be a source of stress. Using these tips for quick ELA test prep for middle school, you can effectively and efficiently prepare your students by using released tests for authentic practice and being strategic with the other resources you use with your students.
ELA & reading test prep can feel overwhelming for middle school teachers. I hope these tips help! Like what you see here? Join my mailing list for tips, tricks, new products, and more!
