How to Prepare Your Homeschooler for Standardized Tests

Most homeschoolers resent taking tests, but to fulfill government requirements, they understand that they are a necessary evil. If your homeschooling child is required to take standardized tests, here is a guide to preparing them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. To take standardized tests, your children must first be able to read well and follow instructions. Therefore, reading and reading comprehension must be practiced daily. This might sound simplistic, but even the most basic of education will prepare a homeschooler for standardized tests.
2. Look into alternate assessments for children who have reading and writing problems taking tests. Most school systems will allow alternate educational assessments for students. This may include special proctoring, or even verbal exams.
3. For children who freeze during testing, you will need to prepare them for the act of taking the test. Give them short fun tests using timers. Give them answer sheets with bubbles to fill in. Teach them to use a calculator, as most testing services will allow your child to use them.
4. Be aware of national test taking standards and milestones for children the age and grade level of yours. This way you can ensure that your child does not have educational holes and gaps in learning.
5. Purchase test taking workbooks: Have your child take the practice tests and review all of the answers with the child. In years that we are not required to take standardized tests, I like to have the practice test count as our yearly-standardized test.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice test taking skills so your student will be comfortable with different aspects of the test.
• Do not show anxiety toward the tests. Your children will react to the exams in the same way you do. If the testing makes you anxious, they will make your child anxious too.