Tribeca Learning Center
PS 150
334 Greenwich St
New York NY 10013
ph: 212-732-4392
fx: 212-766-5895
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Major Events

TESTING

TEST PREP FOR 3rd - 5th GRADE FAMILIES

Your child’s teacher will be offering additional time for test prep. This school year the third and fifth grade ELA tests will be administered on January 8 & 9 and the fourth grade test will be administered January 8, 9 & 10. The test prep sessions are open to all students, and we strongly encourage you to send your child.

This year we are changing the time of our test prep sessions: they will take place on Thursday mornings from 8:10 to 8:50. This helps children who ride the bus can cannot stay for after school sessions. It also helps avoid conflicts with after school activities.

Because they have test-taking experience, Allison’s fifth graders will have five extra periods of test prep. These will take place from 8:10 AM – 8:50 AM on the following Thursdays: 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, and 1/3.

Danielle and Marina will be working with the more novice test takers 6 days. Third & fourth grade test prep will be held on these Thursdays: 11/15, 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, and 1/3.

In addition to the targeted test prep that will take place on these dates, teachers are already weaving test preparation into their regular curriculum. We are finding that we can support our students to be both capable and enthusiastic readers and test takers – after all, we all know that the best test prep is good reading & writing instruction.

What can you do at home? Again, the best and most effective test preparation for the ELA test is reading and more reading. The research is crystal clear – students who do well on the tests are those who are good readers, and students cannot become better readers without reading. Extensive reading not only builds reading ability, it also helps build stamina – critical for successful test taking!

What is the best material to read for test preparation? Though we do not know what is on a test beforehand, the standardized tests historically emphasize short pieces of non-fiction and fables – the kind of writing in such children’s magazines as Ladybug (easiest), Spider (harder), Cricket (hardest), Faces, Ask, and Click. In fact, occasionally pieces from these periodicals show up on the actual tests! Pretty much anything your child likes goes – but do discourage your reader from spending a lot of time with books that are too hard – or even a bit too hard. Children best develop comprehension skills when they are reading books just right for them (too easy doesn’t hurt here either).

Finally, on Friday, December 7, we will have a morning workshop on the ELA. Stay tuned!

Updated 12/3/07