State By State ELA Common Core

posted by Karen Quinn, The Testing Mom - January 23rd, 2015

In order to help you child prepare for the ELA Common Core or any standardized test battery, it’s important to understand the test itself. Here we’ll review the basics of the ELA Common Core as well as some helpful tips on test prep.

Regional Testing

While some standardized tests are given nationwide, others are more specific and given only in a certain state. You can find a full breakdown of state by state standardized tests at http://www.time4learning.com/testprep/.

State by state standardized tests can create a feeling of confusion. However, keeping track of which tests your child will be taking is very simple once you know which online resources to use. Speaking with your child’s teachers or school officials can also be quite helpful.

How to Prep

The first step in test prep is becoming familiar with the upcoming test’s format. The ELA Common Core, for example, tests a variety of subjects (English, social studies, science, math and history), but the main focus is on English skills and literacy. This is due to the reason for the test’s creation – high school seniors graduating without a firm grasp of basic English skills.

Prepping for the English portions of the ELA Common Core is rather obvious. The other sections, however, can be more challenging. While they test some traditional aspects, such as recalling specific facts and dates, they also integrate English skills.

To most effectively help your child prep for state by state standardized tests, choose sections of text from their textbooks which offer both data recollection and language skill questions. Ensuring that your child understands what they are reading is just as important as their ability to recall specific figures.

As always, remember to keep things light and (if possible) fun during test preparation. Children who feel that they are pressured to attain a high score are at risk of developing testing anxiety, an ever-increasing concern in today’s high-achievement academic environment. This condition can be almost debilitating, and often leads to inaccurately low test scores. Keep things light and as short as possible to promote a relaxed and confident attitude on testing day.