Improving Your Students' Test Taking Skills
(Grades 2-12) / Flex Course
PDI Course Number: 30T03 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC41458
Course Description
Are you looking for strategies to help your students prepare for high-stakes testing? This online course focuses on strategies that improve students' test-taking skills. Teachers will learn how to effectively build students' problem-solving skills by boosting their comprehension using a variety of strategies such as test cues, word parts, and strategic guessing. Techniques for using mnemonics and other memorization techniques will be shared. Teachers will also explore a variety of test formats in order to better help students become test-wise. Specific test-taking strategies will be explored in an effort to help students improve their standardized test scores, causing them to feel more confident answering all types of questions including essay, multiple-choice, short answer, and even performance-based tasks. Finally, teachers will gain several time management techniques that are designed to help students make the most of the testing time frame. This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from UC San Diego Extension. For detailed information on university credit, click here.
"The content of this course is very comprehensive. All types of testing concerns were addressed and I became more aware of test "clues" even after many years of teaching." - Victoria Goodhue
This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units or 5 quarter units of graduate-level credit from UC San Diego.
You have up to one year from the date you are enrolled to complete a flex course.
Print our customized course approval form to share with your school district.
- Introduction to Curriculum Standards
- The History of Standardized Testing
- An Introduction to Standardized Testing
- Assignment #1: Write an autobiography
- Test #1
- Growth Mindset
- Metacognition and Problem Solving
- Creating Effective and Engaged Lifelong Learners
- Assignment #2: Article reflection
- Test #2
- Time Management for Better Test Taking
- Understanding Test Formats
- Teaching Test Study Techniques
- Assignment #3: Share your expertise
- Test #3
- Teaching Memorization Techniques
- Teaching Guessing Techniques
- Test Cues and Word Parts
- Test #4
- Success Strategies for Standardized Tests
- Success Strategies for Essay Tests
- Success Strategies for Objective Tests
- Success Strategies for Performance-Based Tasks
- Test #5
- Sample Standardized Test Battery Categories and Questions
- Preparation Activities
- Preparing Students for High-Stakes Exams
- Assignment #4: Create two tests on a basic subject and include testing cues
- Assignment #5: Course Reflection
View PDI's Catalog of Courses
Check out a list of all PDI graduate-level online courses or sort by grade level or subject area.
Register Now!
Quick access to register for PDI's online courses using our secure system.
Learn More about PDI
Find out how to reach PDI and get answers to any questions you may have.
