Test Prep and the Daily 5

Hello!

    Test taking season is upon us!  During this time, many educators try to teach their students every last concept and give them every available tool that could help them to be successful on the standardized assessment. As teachers, all we want is for our students to feel confident.  Stop!  Sometimes I feel that instead of giving our students confidence, we need to give some to our teachers. I don't think that is done enough.  I want you to take a deep breath and know that every lesson you have taught, every skill you have instructed, and each concept that has been mastered has prepared your students for this point in time. They are ready and so are you!

(http://www.rtsd.org/Page/4201)

     I have this confidence after reading an article about how the activities that are done every day in our classrooms benefit our students on standardized tests.  Specifically, if you execute the Daily 5 procedure in your classroom, you can also rest assured that your students are prepared for test taking. Janice Such, a reading specialist and instructional coach, posted an article in regards to the Daily 5 and how it supports the high stakes testing that has to be given throughout the country.  The Daily 5 consists of the following components, all of which support standardized assessments:

• Passion: Students will do well on tests when they have a love for reading and writing.  That is truly the foundation of the Daily 5 and something that is practiced each and every day using this model.
• Read Alouds: When teachers share beloved books with their students, they not only show the joy of reading on their own faces (which is contagious, in my opinion) but helps students build background knowledge, introduces various genres, and shows students how books work.  When reading the text aloud, correct phrasing, expression, and pace are modeled.  For some students, this might be the only opportunity they get to interact with text at or above their reading level.  What an experience!  The more interactive the read aloud (with partner talk, questioning, and think alouds), the more beneficial to the students.
• Stamina: Through the Daily 5, stamina is mentioned countless times.  During this process, students can actually see that the more they focus and get better at a skill, the amount of time they can sit to complete the task becomes longer.  Stamina is essential during test taking since the assessments can be extremely time consuming.  Reminding students of how long they are able sustain focused reading and writing during the day will show students that they can easily handle whatever time limits the test places on them.
• Read to Self: Since students can choose texts of their own during this time, they are able to increase their confidence and ability to concentrate.  Using the skills learned in guided reading while completing Read to Self will increase their comprehension and help them read the text closely during testing.
• Work on Writing: This part of the Daily 5 allows students to write what they want, take risks, practice a writing style that interests them, and gives students a chance to express their thoughts.  This entire process creates a writing habit in students and builds confidence which will help them during any situation.
• Word Work:  During this portion of Daily 5, students get to discover and explore word parts, prefixes, suffixes, compound words, and base words.  This manipulation of letters and words helps students with decoding which they will need when reading and answering vocabulary questions on standardized tests.
• Read to Someone: When students read with one another, they practice fluency, thinking while reading, retelling, and constantly check for understanding.  Even though test taking is done individually, having students practice these skills with a partner will allow them to improve when reading by themselves.
• Listen to Reading: Many new standardized tests ask students to interact with videos and various forms of multimedia.  Since the students have practiced listening closely to what is being read as well as how to manipulate the functions on computers and other devices during Listen to Reading, students will be prepared for what they might encounter on a test.

     If you would like to read the entire article, please feel free to read it HERE.

     Feel confident in knowing that the procedure that you put into place in your classroom and practiced throughout the year will greatly benefit your students during test taking.  They will do GREAT!

Enjoy!