Helping students prepare for the ITBS is an important process.
The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is administered each year to Iowa students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. The test measures core curriculum proficiency, including math, science, reading, language arts and social studies. Because ITBS results directly affect curriculum and public education standards, teachers and students must help students prepare for the test as much as possible to achieve maximum results.
Instructions
1. Discuss the importance of the test with your teachers. As schools prepare to administer the ITBS, it is important to share with students why they are taking the test and what the results mean for the school. According to information from the University of Iowa's College of Education, students who know how and why their scores will be used are more likely to give their best effort to the test and most accurately reflect levels of achievement. Parents should also be mindful of helping their children understand the importance of the test. Like the teachers, parents should encourage students to do well and give their best effort, even if they don't know the answers to all the questions.
2. Discuss the logistics of test administration. For students who have never participated in standardized testing, it is especially important for teachers to explain how the test will be administered. Teachers should show their students properly mark their answers, read the questions in order and what to do with the tests when they are finished. For most students, a pretest discussion should be enough to clarify the details, but some students may need a little extra guidance.
3. Review the subject material on the test. Because a great deal of material is covered over the course of an academic year, students preparing for an achievement test like the ITBS may need some review to best remember the topics to be covered. School districts that administer the test in the fall each year should review material covered the previous year and schools that administer the test in the spring should review the material covered since the start of school that year.
4. Use practice and sample tests. The creators of standardized tests often distribute sample and review materials with the testing materials to help educators and students prepare for the real test. Along with helping teachers review curriculum and content, the practice materials will help students understand the types of questions they will need to answer and best answer certain types of questions. Most standardized test packets for students include sample questions, which may be enough for most students to perform to the best of their ability without a lot of prior practice.
5. Seek the best environment for focus and effort. On the evenings prior to the standardized tests, parents should make sure their students get enough sleep, along with getting a nutritious breakfast. On test day, teachers and administrators should provide a quiet testing area, free of distractions for students to take the test. Teachers should also provide the maximum time possible for students so they don't feel rushed to finish the test.
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