In one of Instructor Magazine's Tips articles, a third grade teacher offers a suggestion of including a mnemonic device to remind students of certain test-taking strategies they need to remember. Mnemonic devices can be created to address the strategies needed for specific tests in the different content areas or for general strategies that can be useful for any standardized test. A tutor can work with a student or group of students to create personalized mnemonic devices, addressing specific needs, if necessary.
Tutoring is the ideal time for students to become familiar with the types of tasks they will need to complete in standardized testing. Whether reading short passages and answering questions or solving math problems, students can be exposed to the same types of tasks several times during tutoring sessions, so they become comfortable with these tasks and learn strategies to complete the tasks in the different content areas. The repeated exposure to each type of task will gradually eliminate any intimidation a student might feel over having to do a particular test.
Students need to be exposed to the design and language of standardized tests before they need to take the actual test. This can be achieved by reviewing previous versions of the test so that the students can become familiar with the font used, the way the test is organized and how the directions are given. During tutoring, students and tutor can read and analyze the directions given for the overall test and for particular sections, so that students can feel comfortable with all the language used. Tutoring is a good time for students to identify those words that can create confusion and find the intended meaning.
Most standardized testing is timed, and tutoring is an ideal time for students to learn how to manage time when taking a test. Individual or small group tutoring provides a wonderful opportunity to break down a standardized test into the different sections so that students can judge how much time they realistically need to complete a particular section. A tutor can try to recreate the testing environment as much as possible, but limit the practice to just one section until the students feel comfortable with it and are secure about the time they must spend to complete it.