Because the Iowa Assessments and the ITBS are used by homeschoolers, private schools, public schools and for gifted and talented programs to assess each student’s progress by age and grade level, we highly recommend using our Digital Tutor online interface to help your child practice. You can see how quickly your child completes questions similar to the test and improves performance with practice. This is especially helpful as the test is timed. To help instill the skills your child will be tested for, we also have plenty of other fun and educational games you won’t find in schools or anywhere else online. All of these resources are included with a TestingMom.com Fast Track membership.
Ideally, students need 30-60 days to adequately prepare for an achievement test, like one of the Iowa tests. This allows them time for sufficient exposure to the different types of questions they’ll be asked for their current grade, age and subtest level.
Sample Practice Questions
Tips to Make Test Prep Fun for the ITBS – Iowa Test
- Play timed games with your child – including video games. Hasbro’s original Perfection game is great for Iowa Assessments and ITBS because it teaches your child to match abstract and concrete shapes efficiently! This will come in handy on the mapping and diagramming subsections of the Iowa Test.
- Watch relevant game shows as a family, like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! It may sound counterintuitive to suggest watching T.V. as a form of test prep, but Wheel of Fortune is a fun way to help younger kids pick up spelling and reading-comprehension skills. Additionally, Jeopardy! covers a broad spectrum of information about politics, science, social studies, nature and other trivia that may come up on Levels 9-14 of the Iowa Test. Seeing people clap, win prizes and have fun answering test-like questions can help instill a positive mindset whenever it’s your child’s turn to answer. This activity may even help your child to imagine that they too are on their own game show!
- Listen to audio books in the car or at home, especially during long drives or at dinnertime. Since listening, vocabulary and language skills are assessed at every level of the Iowa Test, playing audio books that feature fables, fairy tales and classic children’s literature (like The Velveteen Rabbit or Just So Stories) is a subtle way to fit Iowa test prep into your everyday routine. Your child is sure to enjoy this activity as special way to bond with Mom or Dad. Even book-averse kids will expand their vocabularies without even realizing it!
- Online Quizzes and Games: There are numerous websites, like Testing Mom, offering fun quizzes and games that can serve as an excellent ITBS practice. They help in building memory retention and conceptual understanding in a fun, competitive way.
- Flashcards: Make studying a game by using flashcards. Testing Mom has a variety of flash cards on Amazon to help prepare for the ITBS. Create a stack of flashcards with questions on one side and the answers on the other. This method can help in memorizing facts, formulas, and vocabulary.
- Study Groups: For older students, encourage your child to form a study group with friends. This allows for a fun, collaborative learning experience and also instills teamwork skills.
- Educational Apps: There are plenty of educational apps available that provide interactive learning experiences. They can be used to reinforce topics in a fun and engaging way.
- Break and Reward System: Implement a break and reward system during study sessions. After a designated period of focused studying, allow your child a break to do something they enjoy. This could also involve rewards like their favorite snack or extra playtime.
- Real-life Applications: Use real-life scenarios to teach the concepts that will appear on the ITBS. This can make the learning process more engaging and meaningful for the child.
- Puzzles and Brain Games: Incorporate puzzles and brain games into the study schedule. Sudoku, crosswords, or other logic puzzles can help improve problem-solving skills and are a fun diversion from typical study materials.
- Creative Arts: Utilize creative arts to make studying enjoyable. For example, your child could create a song or poem to remember a difficult concept.
- Outdoor Learning: Take learning outside. Studying in parks or other open spaces can provide a refreshing change of environment and make learning more enjoyable.
- Create a Mock Test Competition: Create a mock test with Testing Mom printables and have a friendly competition among friends or family members. This can help familiarize your child with the test format and decrease test anxiety.