i-Ready Test Prep: Best Methods for Success
The i-Ready Diagnostic, now called i-Ready Inform™ for Reading and Mathematics, is different from a traditional test. Because it’s adaptive, the questions change based on how a student responds. A child may see easier questions in some areas and much more challenging questions in others as the assessment determines what the student knows and what they’re ready to learn next.
That means the best i-Ready preparation isn’t cramming the night before or memorizing hundreds of answers.
Instead, focus on three things:
Build the skills. Practice the format. Prepare your child to keep thinking when the questions get hard.
i-Ready Test Prep Tips for Students
1. Practice Reading and Math regularly.
The more comfortable you are with the underlying skills, the easier it will be to concentrate on solving the problem instead of worrying about the test.
2. Practice in short, focused sessions.
You don’t need to practice for hours at a time. A focused practice session followed by a break can be more productive than continuing once you’re tired or distracted. The right session length depends on your age and attention span.
3. Read the entire question before answering.
Don’t choose an answer simply because it looks familiar. Read the directions, question, and answer choices carefully.
4. Pay attention to charts, graphs, diagrams, and pictures.
If a question includes information, it’s probably there for a reason. Review all the information before choosing an answer.
5. Watch out for distractors.
A distractor is an incorrect answer choice designed to look reasonable. Before choosing an answer, make sure it answers the question asked.
6. Eliminate answers that don’t make sense.
If you aren’t sure of the answer, look for choices you know are wrong. Eliminating them can help you choose more thoughtfully.
7. Don’t panic when the questions get hard.
This is especially important on an adaptive assessment. A difficult question doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing badly.
You may even see something you haven’t learned yet.
Use what you know, make your best choice, and keep going.
8. Don’t rush.
Your goal isn’t to be the first person finished. Take enough time to understand each question and think through your answer.
9. Stay focused on your own test.
Don’t worry about whether the student next to you is ahead, behind, or already finished. Their assessment may be giving them different questions anyway.
10. If you get frustrated, reset and move on.
Take a slow breath, relax your shoulders, and focus only on the question in front of you.
One hard question doesn’t determine your entire score.
The Most Important Thing to Tell Your Child Before i-Ready
Children sometimes assume that if they see questions they can’t answer, they’re failing.
With an adaptive assessment, that’s the wrong message.
Before test day, tell your child:
“You’re probably going to see some questions you don’t know how to answer. That’s okay. The test is trying to figure out what you know and what you’re ready to learn next. Read each question carefully, do your best, and keep going.”
That simple explanation can keep a child from getting discouraged when the assessment gets challenging.
i-Ready Test Prep Tips for Parents
Understand What the Assessment Is Designed to Do
i-Ready isn’t simply measuring how many questions your child gets right.
Because the assessment is adaptive, students can receive different questions at different levels of difficulty. The goal is to gather information about your child’s current Reading and Math skills and help educators understand strengths, areas needing support, and what your child may be ready to learn next.
Focus on Skills Instead of Scores
It’s tempting to focus entirely on your child’s score or percentile.
Instead, use preparation time to strengthen the skills behind the score.
For Reading, that may include:
- Vocabulary
- Reading comprehension
- Main idea and supporting details
- Making inferences
- Understanding fiction and nonfiction
- Phonics and decoding for children who still need those foundational skills
For Math, it may include:
- Number sense
- Computation
- Fractions and decimals
- Word problems
- Algebraic thinking
- Measurement and data
- Geometry
The specific skills should match your child’s grade level and individual needs.
Practice Consistently
Ten productive practice sessions spread over time are generally more useful than one giant cram session right before testing.
Create a reasonable schedule that works for your child. Younger children may do better with very short sessions, while older students may be comfortable working longer.
Stop before practice turns into a battle.
You want your child thinking:
“I can figure this out.”
Not:
“I never want to see another math problem again.”
Review Mistakes
Don’t just count how many questions your child got right.
The questions they miss can tell you much more.
Ask:
“What made you choose that answer?”
Sometimes you’ll discover that your child didn’t understand the concept. Other times, your child knew the material but misread the question, overlooked important information, or made a simple calculation error.
Those require different kinds of practice.
Don’t Make Practice Too Easy
If your child gets every practice question right immediately, the material may not be challenging enough.
Include some questions that require your child to stop, think, and try different strategies.
Learning how to respond when the answer isn’t immediately obvious is valuable preparation for an adaptive assessment.
Practice Online
Because the assessment is given digitally, children should be comfortable answering questions on a computer or tablet.
They should know how to select answers, scroll when necessary, work with information displayed on a screen, and stay focused while working digitally.
This is especially important for younger children who may understand the academic material but have less experience completing online assessments.
Keep Test Day in Perspective
Make sure your child gets a normal night’s sleep and eats a good breakfast. Avoid turning test morning into a major event.
Your attitude matters.
If you act as though this assessment will determine your child’s entire future, your child may believe you.
Instead, keep your message simple:
“Take your time, think carefully, and show what you know.”
How TestingMom Can Help With i-Ready Practice
TestingMom’s i-Ready-style practice questions can help children strengthen Reading and Math skills while becoming more comfortable with the types of thinking required on an online adaptive assessment.
With a TestingMom.com membership, children can practice interactively through Digital Tutor and work on skills at their own pace.
Practice shouldn’t be about memorizing answers or trying to “beat” an adaptive assessment.
The goal is to help your child:
Know the skills. Understand the questions. Think through challenging problems. And keep going when the answer isn’t obvious.
Those are useful skills on i-Ready—and in the classroom long after testing is over.
See if TestingMom.com supports your child’s test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.
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My child is trying to solve the i ready problem but he can’t get in. What should I do?
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