Preparing Students for a Math Assessment
By: edHelper Staff Updated: Apr 17, 2023
Are your students ready for the upcoming math assessment?
That's a trick question. Most teachers don't ever feel like their class is 100% ready ahead of the test!
Instead of asking yourself if they are ready, ask if you have done everything you could to help prepare your students with the right practice exercises before the exam.
When you follow the tips on this list, your answer will be a resounding "Yes!"
Practice Problem-Solving Strategies as a Class
There are a lot of great tips you can share with your students on how to work through tricky problems on the test. A few tried-and-true favorites include these:
- Underlining important words
- Rephrasing the question
- Rereading each question twice
- Double-checking answers
- Eliminating answers
If you really want these tips to stick, you have to do more than just tell your class about them. You have to show them how to use these strategies when faced with a real problem.
Display a question on the board and work through it together. Model what it looks like to underline important words, ask students to help you rephrase the question so it's easier to understand, and mark off answers you know are wrong before settling on the right answer.
Then, work together as a class or have students work in pairs or small groups to solve some math problems. Give them a chance to practice important test-taking skills, and they will be more likely to use them.
Practicing these skills can also boost their confidence, which is important when it comes to helping your students develop a positive mindset ahead of the assessment.
Use Worksheets to Practice Important Skills
Worksheets get kind of a bad rap, but they remain one of the best ways for students to solidify their learning, practice problem-solving, and follow directions, which are all important skills for students to have before a math assessment.
The trick is finding the right worksheets and doing them the right way.
Choose worksheets based on the skills your students need to practice. Then, give them a chance to practice in a variety of ways.
Let them work in pairs, have them solve the problems in groups, and go through especially tricky problems together as a class. Talk about all the different ways students can find the correct answer and what they should do if they don't know the right answer. Let them grade their own worksheets, and consider letting your students grade each other's work.
When you go beyond passing out worksheets for students to complete alone, you give your class a chance to dive deeper into the problem-solving process. That practice will help them when they find themselves face-to-face with a tricky problem on the exam.
Give Students a Demo Test
One of our favorite teacher tactics is to allow students to experience the test-taking environment ahead of the assessment. That means arranging the room the way it will be on the assessment day, but it also means giving them a sneak peek at what the test will look like.
Most testing companies have demo tests that you can practice with your students. That way, they can see what the test will look like and how the questions will be formatted, and they can see exactly how much time they will have to complete each section.
The best part about demo tests is that you can work through problems together. Give students the opportunity to work on the test like they will on test day, then go through the problems together. You can practice test-taking strategies, build their confidence, and clarify expectations so the actual assessment goes smoothly.
Play Math Games
Practicing ahead of an assessment can get dull when you're just working through problems and completing worksheets together. So you can give students a little bit of a break while still enabling them to practice by playing fun math games!
You might play a game together as an entire class, or you might break students into smaller groups to play. It gives them the ability to practice important concepts, but they also get to have fun and learn from each other while doing it.
Just make sure you choose games that target the skills students need to practice ahead of the test. A few ideas include these:
Jeopardy-style games that enable you to add your own questions
Swat-it, where students use a fly swatter to find the right answer on a poster board using a blank board game template to create your own game of review questions.
Don't forget about online games! Kids love technology, so allowing them to play with an app online is a great way to ensure they get plenty of math practice.
Put Students in Peer Tutoring Pairs
Peer tutoring can be tricky. It has the potential to negatively affect student self-esteem when they are being tutored, while student inexperience can make tutors bad at their job.
That said, peer tutoring is still a great option because it has the potential to help your students develop critical thinking skills ahead of the upcoming math assessment.
The trick to effective peer tutoring is to carefully set up your students for success. A few strategies to try include:
- Have students role-play teacher and student, letting each one play each part at least once.
- Help students develop the ability to give positive and corrective feedback the right way.
- Provide written prompts for each pair to work through together.
- Have students partner with a younger or older class, letting the older students take on the role of tutor.
- Mix up peer tutoring pairs depending on the skills you are practicing.
If you're worried that some of your students won't react well to peer tutoring, make it an optional activity. Allow students to sign up for peer tutoring so only those students who are open to the experience are paired up with each other.
Find Creative Ways for Students to Remember Important Concepts
Sometimes, it isn't getting down to work and calculating the answer that students have trouble with. It's remembering how to calculate the answer.
Finding creative ways for your students to remember important concepts when it's test time can help.
Anchor charts are always a great idea. They include any visual aid that demonstrates math concepts, formulas, or problem-solving strategies. You can hang them on the wall and remind students to look at them as they are working. You could also display them on the board during quiet work time, or you could even make flashcards for each student to keep on their desk.
Just make sure you don't leave them out during test time unless the standardized testing rules say they can be used during the assessment.
Mnemonics are great too! Use a tried-and-true favorite, like "The alligator has to open its mouth wider for the larger number" when dealing with greater than and less than, or make up a goofy mnemonic of your own with your class. The weirder, funnier, and simpler it is, the more likely your students are to remember it.
Offer Opportunities for Students to Practice at Home
It seems like homework is a dirty word. That means students aren't getting enough math practice at home.
But by practicing outside of school, students have the opportunity to make their knowledge permanent. That really comes in handy during the test.
The good news is that practice at home doesn't mean students have to be glued to a worksheet at the kitchen table for hours on end after school! Even just five or ten minutes of extra practice every day is a great way for students to work on important math skills.
There are several ways to provide your students with more opportunities to practice math at home:
Give your students a workbook and ask them to complete one page every night.
Give students and parents a list of math apps that they can play at home.
Create a list of YouTube lessons your students can watch at home.
Teach kids a math game in class. Then, have them take it home and play with their parents.
Math Assessments and Hybrid AI Learning Workbooks and Games
Try these math worksheets for assessment and online game learning.
1st Grade Math Assessments
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FAQs
Preparing Students for a Math Assessment? ›
Features of a Good Math Assessment Question
Good assessment questions elicit explanations, diagrams, and justifications for an answer. A good assessment can yield responses that allow a teacher to analyze evidence of student learning that goes beyond what students did right or wrong.
- Practice problem-solving and timing. Take a practice test, and use the results for smarter studying. ...
- Write down formulas, then read directions carefully. ...
- Show all your work, before and during the test. ...
- Estimate and deduce. ...
- Check work (and practice doing it)
- Be transparent in your expectations. ...
- Use formative assessments to provide practice with feedback for summative and high stakes assessments.
- Use rubrics whenever possible and provide them in advance.
- Teach what “good preparation” looks like in your discipline.
Features of a Good Math Assessment Question
Good assessment questions elicit explanations, diagrams, and justifications for an answer. A good assessment can yield responses that allow a teacher to analyze evidence of student learning that goes beyond what students did right or wrong.
If you're being asked to take a math placement exam, you should expect to see questions covering a wide variety of math topics. The basics of arithmetic will be covered – addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, and fractions.
How do I practice for an assessment test? ›Preparation for assessment tests
To prepare for your assessment you can practice by taking various online tests. For example, you can practice by taking the free IQ test. By taking different online tests you practice the timing and experience the way questions are asked, and in addition train your memory and intellect.
Tests. Standard tests such as true or false, matching, open-ended, multiple-choice and justified multiple-choice are common in the math classroom. Traditional testing assesses student recall and comprehension of basic skills. It is also one of the faster ways of evaluating student learning.
What is student assessment techniques? ›Classroom assessment techniques (CATs) are quick evaluations of student learning that can be implemented in class to provide information about student learning before students are evaluated on higher stakes graded exams or assignments.
What are the common assessment techniques used by teachers? ›- 3-2-1 Format. 3-2-1 Format is a quick and simple student writing activity.
- Focused Listing. Focused Listing is a quick and simple student writing activity.
- Muddiest Point. ...
- One Minute Paper. ...
- Think-Pair-Share. ...
- Concept Mapping. ...
- Jigsaw. ...
- Memory Matrix.
PRINCIPLES FOR ASSESSING MATHEMATICS LEARNING. In this chapter, three educational principles based on content, learning, and equity are set forth to guide changes in mathematics assessment.
What are the 3 stages of evaluation in mathematics? ›
Hence, Based on Tyler's model which is on objectives the correct order of steps of evaluation in mathematics: Selection of objectives. Identification of situations. Selection of evaluation methods.
What is the best formative assessment for maths? ›In math, for example, formative assessment tools such as pop quizzes, asking students to build something, calling on students during class, and playing classroom games where students must apply what they have learned are used to gauge comprehension.
What is the purpose of assessment in mathematics teaching? ›The primary purpose of assessment in the maths classroom is to upgrade knowledge, understanding and skills. Assessment is fundamental to the process of teaching and learning and forms an important part in the lives of pupils and teachers.
What questions are asked in assessment? ›- True-or-false. True-or-false questions can be useful in all three types of interview assessment tests. ...
- Agree-or-disagree. ...
- Multiple choice. ...
- Matching. ...
- Short answer. ...
- Essay. ...
- Story-based. ...
- Verbal.
- Observations.
- Interviews.
- Show Me.
- Hinge Questions.
- Exit Tasks.
- directly relate to the learning intentions or particular learning outcome.
- are explicit about what learners are required to do.
- are time efficient and manageable.
- include clear and explicit assessment criteria.
- provide challenge for the full range of learners being assessed.
To create your own assessment, you need to define your objectives, set up a question plan, define your scoring system, prepare a personalized report and pour everything into one tool. Finally, make your assessment easily accessible.
What are the 4 major assessment method? ›WHEN YOU PERFORM a physical assessment, you'll use four techniques: inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
What are the 4 common assessment methods? ›A Guide to Types of Assessment: Diagnostic, Formative, Interim, and Summative.
What are the traditional assessment tools in mathematics? ›Traditional assessment tools:
The most widely used traditional assessment tools are multiple-choice tests, true/false tests, short answers, and essays. True/false tests: True/false items require students to make a decision and find out which of two potential responses is true.
What is the first step in preparing for assessment? ›
The first step is that of creating your objectives. Your objectives must cover the state standards. Your assessments need to tell you whether your students understand the state standards. The second step is to create the assessment.
What is the first thing you should do when you are preparing for your assessments? ›- Give yourself enough time to study. ...
- Use flow charts and diagrams. ...
- Practice on old exams. ...
- Explain your answers to others. ...
- Organize study groups with friends. ...
- Take regular breaks. ...
- Plan the day of your exams. ...
- Drink plenty of water.
Good assessment follows an intentional and reflective process of design, implementation, evaluation, and revision. The Cycle of Assessment relies on four simple but dynamic words to represent this process: Teach, Measure, Reflect, and Plan & Improve.
What are the 7 techniques that can assess the learners? ›There are seven techniques that can be used, the assessment of performance, attitude assessment, written assessment, project assessment, product assessment, the use of portfolios and self-assessment. Performance appraisal is an appraisal done by observing the activities of learners in doing something.
What is the most effective way to assess student learning? ›Information about student learning can be assessed through both direct and indirect measures. Direct measures may include homework, quizzes, exams, reports, essays, research projects, case study analysis, and rubrics for oral and other performances.
What is the 3 2 1 classroom assessment technique? ›A 3-2-1 prompt helps students structure their responses to a text, film, or lesson by asking them to describe three takeaways, two questions, and one thing they enjoyed. It provides an easy way for teachers to check for understanding and to gauge students' interest in a topic.
What are the best classroom assessment practices? ›- Align your assessments' criteria to learning objectives. ...
- Ensure the assessment rubric is clear. ...
- Ensure the assessment instructions and feedback are clear and student-oriented. ...
- Consider balancing formative and summative assessments.
Thus, broader terms including self-report, survey, questionnaire, and checklist often are used to describe commonly used methods of affective assessment.
What is the most commonly used assessment tool? ›The employment interview is probably the most commonly used assessment tool. The interview can range from being totally unplanned, that is, unstructured, to carefully designed beforehand, that is, completely structured.
What are the 3 C's of assessment? ›The Three Cs Model integrates the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission's accreditation standards. The three major concepts of this model -- Context, Content, and Conduct -- relate to one or more of the accreditation standards.
What are the three 3 general steps of assessment? ›
- 3 Step Assessment Process*
- Step One: Outcomes.
- Step Two: Information (Evidence)
- Step Three: Action.
There are key similarities and differences between the 3 aspects of classroom assessment: assessment for learning (for teachers), assessment as learning (for students) and assessment of learning (for teachers).
What is the first step in evaluating in math? ›The first step in evaluating an expression is to substitute the given value of a variable into the expression. Then you can finish evaluating the expression using arithmetic. Evaluate 24 – x when x = 3. Substitute 3 for the x in the expression.
What is the difference between assessment and evaluation in math? ›Evaluation is a process of judging someone based on their importance, knowledge, and merit using rules and methods. Assessment is the recording and interpreting various data to obtain an appropriate measure of skills, knowledge, and attitude to improve the individual's overall performance.
What is the order of evaluation in math? ›The order of operations is a rule that tells the correct sequence of steps for evaluating a math expression. We can remember the order using PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right).
What is the difference between summative and formative math assessment? ›What Is the Difference Between Formative and Summative Assessment? If formative assessment measures how a student is learning during a course of study, summative assessment is designed to measure “how much” a student has learned after a unit or course has reached its completion.
What are rubrics in math assessment and evaluation? ›Use of rubrics in mathematics assessment
Rubrics can help teachers analyze and describe students' responses to complex tasks and determine students' levels of proficiency. In addition, rubrics give students more specific criteria detailing what is expected and what constitutes a complete response.
Assessment and evaluation are essential to student success in mathematics. The purpose of assessment is manifold: Assessment yields rich data to evaluate student learning, the effectiveness of teaching, and the achievement of the prescribed curriculum outcomes.
What is the AfL technique in math? ›AfL is an approach that creates feedback between students and teachers to help structure and guide students' learning. Feedback can be informal or formal, and can include peer and self-assessment.
What are the five areas of assessment? ›...
There are five main areas that assessment reporting should cover.
- Learning Outcomes. ...
- Assessable Outcomes. ...
- Assessment Alignment. ...
- Assessment Planning. ...
- Student Experience.
How do you get 100% on a math test? ›
- Strategizing and Time Management. ...
- Practice With Mock Tests. ...
- Create a Formula Notebook. ...
- Positive Attitude. ...
- Strategies to Follow During the Exam.
- Time Management. ...
- Consider the Hardest Questions. ...
- Conceptualize the Answer Before You Write. ...
- Draw a Diagram, Wherever Possible. ...
- Think About the Logic of Your Solution. ...
- Be Wary of Rounding and Units. ...
- Check your Work Towards the End.
Work slowly through the problems and make sure to read each one carefully. Double check your work if you have time to make sure you are answering correctly. Some math placement tests are timed, but others are not. If yours is timed, do the questions that take you the least time first and then move onto harder ones.
How many questions is a math diagnostic assessment? ›Have students answer diagnostic questions until all of their levels have been pinpointed. This usually takes about 75-80 questions for math and 55-65 questions for English language arts, and can be done over the course of a few sessions.
How many hours should I study for a math exam? ›The general rule of thumb is that for each credit hour, you should spend 2-3 hours a week outside of class studying. For example, in a 3-credit class, you should spend 6-9 hours each week outside of class studying, and for a 4-credit class, you should spend 8-12 hours per week.
How do you get a+ on a math test? ›- Understand the subject. Before you even begin to study for tests or exams make sure you understand what you are going to study. ...
- Color Coding. ...
- Finding your niche. ...
- Conquer the mountain first. ...
- Making notes. ...
- Take time to exercise. ...
- Study breaks. ...
- Diet.
- Get all your tests, notes, homework, etc. in order.
- Schedule times each day to review the course material (see time management.)
- Free your schedule from other responsibilities as much as this is possible.
- Do not cram!
The Math Placement Exam (MPE) is used to determine a student's proper placement for enrollment to precalculus or introductory calculus courses.
How hard are math placement tests? ›Is a Math Placement Test Hard? College math placement tests are not certainly difficult. These examinations basically cover Algebra which you studied in high school, so whether or not the math placement test is hard relies on your high school performance.
What happens if you fail a math placement test for college? ›You cannot fail a placement test.
The test determines what courses you will be placed in when you begin at college. Depending on your score, you may need to take extra developmental courses or you may be able to start regular college courses right away.
How long should a math diagnostic take? ›
The assessment is up to 30 questions and generally takes 60-90 minutes to complete. After the assessment, an individualized Prep and Learning Module is available for students to refresh their knowledge on forgotten topics.
How many pages is a math internal assessment? ›The Maths IA forms 20% of your overall grade for Maths studies, SL and HL. The IBO recommend that it is 6-12 pages in length and includes maths that is commensurate with the level of difficulty of the course.
What grade level is iready for? ›i-Ready Personalized Instruction is a research-based program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade with an individualized plan for instruction based on each student's performance on the i-Ready Diagnostic test.