How to Prepare for the CRCT

Students in Georgia show their skill in the CRCT.

The CRCT tests are criterion-reference tests that all students, grades one through eight, take annually in the state of Georgia. As a criterion-reference test, this test measures students' understanding of state of Georgia education standards, and does not, like a norm reference test, allow for comparison between Georgia's students and those across the country. Much of the information that you need for success on the CRCT, you obtain through going to school, completing your work and studying throughout the year. There are, however, some things that conscientious students can do to prepare prior to this test to ensure that they achieve the highest possible score.

Instructions

1. Review basic test taking strategies. By carefully reading each question, reading all answers before selecting one and using process of elimination to narrow down the options before selecting a final answer, you can increase your score on this test. Keep these basic principles in mind as you prepare to complete the CRCT test.

2. Read frequently. To build your reading skills, you must read regularly. Visit your library and read novels or short stories from books or children's magazines. This extra reading practice will help you shine on your CRCT test.

3. Review your math book chapter by chapter. To prepare yourself for the math section, you must make sure that you remember the math concepts that you have learned. Start at the beginning of your math book, and move through the chapters, reading the information and completing practice problems to ensure that you are familiar with the content it contains.

4. Practice identifying the main idea and supporting details of a reading passage. Many CRCT questions ask you about these reading elements. As you read in the months and weeks leading up to the CRCT, stop and ask yourself to identify the main idea, and pick out the details that support it. This practice will help you complete questions dealing with these elements with more confidence.

5. Use context clues, instead of the dictionary, when you encounter unknown words. You may encounter words with which you are not familiar on the CRCT. To ensure that you can identify the meaning of these words, become a skilled user of context clues. Instead of looking terms up, study the words that surround the term to determine what they may mean. If you still can't figure it out, then resort to dictionary use.

6. Practice inferring. Students are asked to infer on some CRCT questions. To infer means to make an educated guess based on information presented to you. For example, you can infer that it is rainy if the story mentions a character using an umbrella. When you read short stories or non-fiction passages in the days leading up to the test, consider what things you could infer from what you read.

References

• Georgia Department of Education: CRCT Information
• Gwinnett County Public Schools: Preparing for the CRCT
• Bulloch County Schools: Helpful Hints for Parents and Students to use during CRCT Testing