WHY TEST TAKING
IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL
If you are a student, it is obvious why you would want to learn a few
tricks to help you do better on tests. Some parents and teachers, however,
may not be sure this is such a good idea.
One problem with teaching test-taking skills is that students may become
more focused on how to "beat the test" than on learning. Of course,
the best way to do well on an examination is to be thoroughly familiar with
the course content. Learning a few tricks is no substitute for learning
the course!
Nevertheless, it is important for parents and teachers to make sure their
students know these basic skills. Here are three good reasons:
- If some students know these tricks, while others do not, test results
will be invalid.
- Such results are unfair. Good students may lose out in competitive
situations to weaker students who know less, but who nevertheless achieve
higher scores because they are test-wise.
- Such results are also misleading, providing teachers with wrong
diagnostic information. Test-wise students who need help may not get it
if their scores are artificially high.
By teachingall students the same strategies, we achieve a level
playing field.
- Test-wise students may have less test anxiety
- Students may be less intimidated by tests if they have some strategies
for dealing with them.
- Test-wise students demand better tests.
- Since some of the "trickier" strategies for taking multiple-choice
tests only work on poorly written test questions, test-wise students force
teachers to construct better tests.
