The majority of standardized tests correlate with students' curriculum topics, including language arts, reading, social students and math. It is important for a middle-school student to become knowledgeable about what the test will entail, according to the article, "Succeeding at Standardized Tests," published by Family Education, a resource for parents. Parents should contact their child's teacher, principal or state department of education official to find out what subject areas will be included on the test. Let your child know of this information, and he will have a good idea of what to expect before the testing begins.
Before your middle schooler begins testing, stress the importance of reading and following all directions before answering questions, suggests the article, "Checklist: Test-Taking Strategies," published by Scholastic, a resource for educators and parents. Hastily marking answers without carefully reading the instructions can lead to incorrect answers.
Some middle-school standardized tests require students to write an essay. Middle-school students are expected to understand the concept of writing. In preparation to take a standardized test, it is important to consistently write and achieve successful writing skills, according to EduGuide.com, an online resource for teachers. Middle-school students can practice writing skills by writing in daily journals, jotting notes in class or summarizing a recently read book.
It may seem like students get ample time to complete a section of a standardized test, but many students fail to complete the answers in the set time limit. Tell your child to budget his time wisely. A way to do this is to divide the number of test questions in half or in quarters so that at appropriate times, he can gauge his progress, according to Scholastic. Remind him to ensure he does not accidentally miss a page when he turns the test pages.