Helpful Tips

Some tips to help you to get started with ReadyTest A-Z.

Tip #1

Students only need their teacher's username and their student icon to access ReadyTest A-Z from home. You can also assign passwords to each student when you create your roster.

Tip #2

To protect student privacy and display only the first letter of a student's last name, remember to check the appropriate box on your Roster.

Tip #3

Use the Reports to see at a glance how much of the current assignment a student has completed and whether each student is keeping pace. Provide additional opportunities for computer time if needed to ensure students complete one test each week. Remember students can access assignments at school, at home, or anywhere they have a computer with an Internet connection.

Tip #4

Adjust a student's assignment so that the student receives Practice Tests back to back instead of weekly if he or she is out of the classroom for long absences and falls behind the class sequence of Practice Tests.

Tip #5

Print Practice Tests for students who do not have a computer with online access from home or if school computer time isn't available each week.

Tip #6

Practice test-taking as a class by projecting a test and discussing each question along with its rationale.

Tip #7

Another Learning A-Z website, Vocabulary A-Z, allows you to build customized vocabulary lessons and games that support academic vocabulary words common to standardized tests.

Tip #8

Write students' names on plastic cups. Stack them on top of computer station(s) designated for Practice Tests. The student whose cup is on top is "up" at a computer. When a student completes a Practice Test he or she moves their cup to the bottom of the stack and the next student can take their turn.

Tip #9

Place a set of academic vocabulary word cards with targeted test-taking words at your computer station(s) (see Vocabulary A-Z for word lists). Encourage students to practice the word cards as a follow-up activity to their time on the computer.

Tip #10

If you have a class web page, add a link to your Kids A-Z class login page.

Tip #11

If a student takes two or more Practice Tests in in a single sitting, make sure he or she always takes a short break to move, stretch, or get a drink in between each Practice Test.

Tip #12

Encourage students to skip questions or tasks they might have trouble completing and go back to them at the end of the Practice Test.

Tip #13

Use selected Test-Taking Skill & Strategy Lessons with small groups or the whole class before assigning the Practice Tests to individual students, so that each student has some experience with test-taking strategies and skills before taking the Practice Tests.

Tip #14

Model taking a Practice Test for your class. Perform a "walk through" of any Practice Test, demonstrating important skills and strategies (such as using evidence from the text to find answers that students will use on high-stakes tests).

Tip #15

View classroom and individual reports regularly to keep track of skills and standards that students are mastering and skills and standards that require additional instruction.