Millions of children (and adults!) use language like this to chat with friends, make weekend plans and stay in touch with out-of-town relatives via email and Instant Messaging (IM). As students head back to school, it is important that this informal writing style of shortened words, improper grammar, lack of punctuation and use of “emoticons,” such as smiley faces, does not follow them back into the classroom.
According to a survey conducted by Sylvan Learning, 91% of teachers nationwide say they do not accept the use of this informal writing style in their students’ assignments.
Parents should talk to their children about using different styles of language to communicate with different audiences, as adults do in work and home environments. Just as students would talk to an adult at school differently than to a friend at the beach, they also need to remember to adjust their writing style. Formal writing for the classroom must be grammatically correct, with full words and proper sentence structure. Slang and shortcuts are commonplace in email and Instant Messaging, but not acceptable in schoolwork.”
Email and IM style of writing isn’t completely bad, since it does encourage students to write more often. In fact, more than three quarters (76%) of teachers surveyed agree that children can benefit from email and IM as a learning opportunity. When crafting emails, children are challenged to carefully choose their words, keep it simple and use relatively few words to convey tone and meaning appropriately. The popularity of Internet writing is also helping children see writing as a fun activity that encourages creative writing, and not just something they “have to do.”
What Parents Need to Know
Parents will soon notice an increasing demand for children to express themselves more effectively in writing. For example, more states are testing writing skills on proficiency exams. College entrance exams, such as the SAT exam, includes a writing section that requires students to write a short essay that reflects their mastery of core reading and language skills.
To do well on these important exams, students need to know how to write clear, well-organized essays in the short time allotted. Parents can help children develop an understanding of the writing process by modeling. Think about a writing project, develop a brief outline and rewrite drafts. By showing children that writing is a multi-step process and not always instantaneous, parents can help their children make the shift to an academic style of writing easier.
What Parents Can Do
Parents can make the most of their children’s interest in email and other computer writing by helping them to avoid using an informal style of writing too often. Show children that writing can be more than a means of communicating with another person by introducing them to online journaling or Web sites that publish children’s poems, letters, editorials, essays or stories. Remember that a healthy combination of both styles can provide the best writing experience for children.
To help children boost their effective writing skills, the experts at Sylvan Learning offer parents the following tips to avoid IM and email style language making its way into schoolwork:
• Talk to children about using different writing styles to communicate with different audiences. Describe the importance of personalizing messages and why it’s important that students know their audience. While it’s okay to close a letter with “C ya” to a friend in an IM, it is not okay to include this slang in homework assignments. Remind them that formality is required in school.
• Have fun with writing. Provide children with enjoyable ways to practice their writing. Involve them with writing grocery lists, thank you notes, dates on calendars and messages. Or, play games like Blurt!®, TriBond® and MadGab® that help build language and vocabulary skills.
• Review schoolwork for IM and email style language. Encourage children to write properly and take the time to carefully review assignments several times before submitting them to the teacher. Review their homework to make sure they aren’t using shortcuts or slang.
• Talk with children to establish ground rules for using IM and email. Work with children to develop a plan for using IM and email to ensure other responsibilities such as completing homework and chores are met before going online to chat with friends. Discuss time limits and make sure they are kept. Consider putting the family’s rules in writing and posting them near the computer.
• Create a writing zone. Whether writing on a computer or with a notebook and pencil, it’s important that children have a well-organized place to write. Set up an area for writing-- a desk or table with a flat surface and good lighting. Make sure the area is free from potential distractions and that writing tools, including a dictionary, paper and pens, are at the children’s fingertips.
• Encourage your child to read. Read with children at least 15 minutes per day – or roughly two hours per week – since reading will help teach them about sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary. Reading and writing support each other, and good readers become good writers. The more children do of each, the better they will be at both.
Sylvan Learning Directors and teachers from Flemington, New Jersey dish on the latest educational trends and what you can do to help your child achieve academic success!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Choosing the Right Tutor Can be as Easy as ABC
According to the Education Industry Association, the demand for tutoring has increased 15-18% in the past year, compared to single-digit growth previously. As a result, the number of tutors has also increased dramatically. Before entrusting your child’s academic future to someone, it is important to ensure that person is the best qualified and will personalize the tutoring to fit the child’s individual needs.
Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages and skill levels, offers easy tips for parents to use when choosing a tutor.
1. Make sure the instructor is licensed or certified. Teachers will need the proper qualifications to assess, diagnose and tutor to a child’s weakness.
2. Look for an instructor with experience teaching children the same age as your child.
3. Request an assessment. An individualized analysis of a student’s strengths and weaknesses can determine a child’s unique needs and help set goals. Also, insist on progress updates as a child passes through each step of the learning program.
4. Define your goals. Are you trying to keep your child from failing? Are you looking to challenge a child who is already doing well in school? Be sure your child’s instructor understands your objective and is skilled enough to meet it.
5. Find an instructor with specific expertise in the subject of your choosing. Just because someone is a math genius, it doesn’t mean he is qualified to teach other subjects.
6. Make a personality match. Determine what kind of teacher the student has excelled with previously.
7. Ask teachers how they will help your child master a specific skill. A good instructor will require that a child learn a specific skill before advancing to the next academic level. Find a teacher who will work with parents and teachers to create an individual program.
8. Obtain recommendations for instructors from family and friends.
9. Ask prospective instructors for references from previous employers and students, or hire a respected supplemental education company, such as Sylvan Learning, that has a proven record of academic success.
Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages and skill levels, offers easy tips for parents to use when choosing a tutor.
1. Make sure the instructor is licensed or certified. Teachers will need the proper qualifications to assess, diagnose and tutor to a child’s weakness.
2. Look for an instructor with experience teaching children the same age as your child.
3. Request an assessment. An individualized analysis of a student’s strengths and weaknesses can determine a child’s unique needs and help set goals. Also, insist on progress updates as a child passes through each step of the learning program.
4. Define your goals. Are you trying to keep your child from failing? Are you looking to challenge a child who is already doing well in school? Be sure your child’s instructor understands your objective and is skilled enough to meet it.
5. Find an instructor with specific expertise in the subject of your choosing. Just because someone is a math genius, it doesn’t mean he is qualified to teach other subjects.
6. Make a personality match. Determine what kind of teacher the student has excelled with previously.
7. Ask teachers how they will help your child master a specific skill. A good instructor will require that a child learn a specific skill before advancing to the next academic level. Find a teacher who will work with parents and teachers to create an individual program.
8. Obtain recommendations for instructors from family and friends.
9. Ask prospective instructors for references from previous employers and students, or hire a respected supplemental education company, such as Sylvan Learning, that has a proven record of academic success.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
SAT/ ACT® Tests: 12 Steps To Success
More than three million college admissions tests are administered each year, making the SAT and the ACT® two of the most important exams that a high school student will ever take. To ease the pressure off testing and achieve the best results, Sylvan is offering a 12-step guide to help high school students prepare for the SAT and ACT® exams, often considered the gateway to college acceptance.
1. Take the tests in the spring of junior year or fall of senior year of high school.
2. Know the instructions for each section before beginning the test, you won’t have to waste time reading them during
the exam.
3. If you don’t know a test answer and can’t eliminate any incorrect answer choices, skip the question and only go back if time permits. For the ACT, remember to go back and take a guess on any unanswered questions, since there’s no penalty for incorrect answers.
4. Never leave an easy question blank. Easy questions have easy answers.
5. Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
6. Eliminate answers. If you can eliminate at least two incorrect answers, you generally increase the probability of guessing correctly.
7. Save your time. Don’t spend too much time on any single question. Make sure you have enough time to answer as many questions as possible, in order to rack up as many points
as possible.
8. Focus on what the question is really asking. If you don’t fully understand the question, finding the correct answer is going to be tough.
9. Rushing only hurts you. Work at a good pace and keep track of the time remaining for
each section. Enter the exam with confidence.
10. End each section by reviewing. If time permits, revisit the questions you didn’t answer.
11. Don’t try to cram for the SAT/ACT overnight. Proper preparation takes weeks, even months, of review.
12. Register for a SAT/ACT prep class at least eight weeks before the testing date to gain extra studying assistance and additional confidence.
1. Take the tests in the spring of junior year or fall of senior year of high school.
2. Know the instructions for each section before beginning the test, you won’t have to waste time reading them during
the exam.
3. If you don’t know a test answer and can’t eliminate any incorrect answer choices, skip the question and only go back if time permits. For the ACT, remember to go back and take a guess on any unanswered questions, since there’s no penalty for incorrect answers.
4. Never leave an easy question blank. Easy questions have easy answers.
5. Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
6. Eliminate answers. If you can eliminate at least two incorrect answers, you generally increase the probability of guessing correctly.
7. Save your time. Don’t spend too much time on any single question. Make sure you have enough time to answer as many questions as possible, in order to rack up as many points
as possible.
8. Focus on what the question is really asking. If you don’t fully understand the question, finding the correct answer is going to be tough.
9. Rushing only hurts you. Work at a good pace and keep track of the time remaining for
each section. Enter the exam with confidence.
10. End each section by reviewing. If time permits, revisit the questions you didn’t answer.
11. Don’t try to cram for the SAT/ACT overnight. Proper preparation takes weeks, even months, of review.
12. Register for a SAT/ACT prep class at least eight weeks before the testing date to gain extra studying assistance and additional confidence.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Final Tips to Prepare for the New Jersey ASK
It's that time of year again...
This Tuesday, May 3rd,marks the beginning of the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge tests or NJASK for elementary and middle schoolers across the state. May 3-6 will be testing for 6th,7th and 8th graders, while the following week, May 9-13 will be testing for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.
Testing has become an integral part of an American education. More and more states are requiring testing proficiency for promotion and graduation, and parents need to help prepare their children for these exams. Sometime last week, your children should have brought home a sample test booklet. If you did not receive this booklet or may have misplaced it, you can find it here: https://www.measinc.com/nj/njask/default.aspx .
In final preparations for these weeks of testing, we have prepared a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help your children prepare for exams.
DO make sure your child completes homework assignments and class projects. Because tests reflect overall achievement, the more effort your child puts into learning, the more likely he or she will do well on tests.
DON’T judge your child on the basis of one test score. Test scores are not the perfect indicator of what your child can achieve, and a variety of factors can influence a test score. If your child has been struggling for the majority of this school year, however, and they do poorly on the NJASK, it may be an indication that they are having trouble with the bigger picture of school and may need some extra outside help.
DO, however, use your child’s test results to chart his or her academic progress. Educational assessments are among the best diagnostic tools educators and parents have at their disposal. By using rest results wisely, both you and your child’s teacher can build a personalized learning program with home activities that will help your child succeed.
DO support your child. Praise her for what she does best. When your child feels good about himself, he will do his best.
DO provide books and magazines for your child to read at home. Reading new materials can encourage your child to learn new words that might appear on a test. For a suggested age-appropriate reading list, visit www.BookAdventure.com.
DON’T allow your child to skimp on sleep or breakfast. Make sure that your child is well-rested and eats a well-balanced breakfast on school days- especially the day of a big test. A well-rested, healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.
Good luck to all of our students on your NJASK!
This Tuesday, May 3rd,marks the beginning of the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge tests or NJASK for elementary and middle schoolers across the state. May 3-6 will be testing for 6th,7th and 8th graders, while the following week, May 9-13 will be testing for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.
Testing has become an integral part of an American education. More and more states are requiring testing proficiency for promotion and graduation, and parents need to help prepare their children for these exams. Sometime last week, your children should have brought home a sample test booklet. If you did not receive this booklet or may have misplaced it, you can find it here: https://www.measinc.com/nj/njask/default.aspx .
In final preparations for these weeks of testing, we have prepared a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help your children prepare for exams.
DO make sure your child completes homework assignments and class projects. Because tests reflect overall achievement, the more effort your child puts into learning, the more likely he or she will do well on tests.
DON’T judge your child on the basis of one test score. Test scores are not the perfect indicator of what your child can achieve, and a variety of factors can influence a test score. If your child has been struggling for the majority of this school year, however, and they do poorly on the NJASK, it may be an indication that they are having trouble with the bigger picture of school and may need some extra outside help.
DO, however, use your child’s test results to chart his or her academic progress. Educational assessments are among the best diagnostic tools educators and parents have at their disposal. By using rest results wisely, both you and your child’s teacher can build a personalized learning program with home activities that will help your child succeed.
DO support your child. Praise her for what she does best. When your child feels good about himself, he will do his best.
DO provide books and magazines for your child to read at home. Reading new materials can encourage your child to learn new words that might appear on a test. For a suggested age-appropriate reading list, visit www.BookAdventure.com.
DON’T allow your child to skimp on sleep or breakfast. Make sure that your child is well-rested and eats a well-balanced breakfast on school days- especially the day of a big test. A well-rested, healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.
Good luck to all of our students on your NJASK!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
READY, SET, READ: Inspiring Young Children to Have Fun Reading
Understanding and Nurturing Reading Skills for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Children
Reading is an adventure that begins early in a child’s life and should extend beyond the classroom. Children exhibit certain reading behaviors at a young age. By understanding and nurturing these behaviors, parents can make reading fun and inspire their children to develop a lifelong friendship with books.
For pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children, this is their first introduction to reading. They are just beginning to understand that print holds meaning and use illustrations to give meaning to stories and words. Younger children enjoy listening to stories read aloud, and by engaging children in the world of reading, parents can help their children become more proficient readers. Sylvan Learning recommends that parents spend at least one hour per week – 10 to 15 minutes a day – performing some type of a reading activity with children.
To help parents nurture their children’s reading behaviors, the experts at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offer these tips and ideas for reading at home with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students:
• Make cookies together. Read the recipe aloud to your child.
• Read directions to your child when completing a project.
• Subscribe to a magazine for your child (Ladybug, Your Big Backyard, Zoobooks, etc.) to learn about topics of interest to him.
• Pick a storybook character (Arthur, Strega Nona, etc.) and pretend that character is coming for dinner. Help your child plan activities that character would like.
• Help your child relate read-aloud stories to events in her life.
• Read stories aloud and act them out.
• Engage your entire family with “Drop Everything And Read” time each day.
The Internet can also provide many opportunities for children of all ages who are looking for new things to read. Book Adventure is a free, Sylvan-created, interactive, reading, motivation program that can be found online at www.BookAdventure.com. Parents can help children choose books from more than 7,500 titles, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teacher and parent resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading.
Reading is an adventure that begins early in a child’s life and should extend beyond the classroom. Children exhibit certain reading behaviors at a young age. By understanding and nurturing these behaviors, parents can make reading fun and inspire their children to develop a lifelong friendship with books.
For pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children, this is their first introduction to reading. They are just beginning to understand that print holds meaning and use illustrations to give meaning to stories and words. Younger children enjoy listening to stories read aloud, and by engaging children in the world of reading, parents can help their children become more proficient readers. Sylvan Learning recommends that parents spend at least one hour per week – 10 to 15 minutes a day – performing some type of a reading activity with children.
To help parents nurture their children’s reading behaviors, the experts at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offer these tips and ideas for reading at home with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students:
• Make cookies together. Read the recipe aloud to your child.
• Read directions to your child when completing a project.
• Subscribe to a magazine for your child (Ladybug, Your Big Backyard, Zoobooks, etc.) to learn about topics of interest to him.
• Pick a storybook character (Arthur, Strega Nona, etc.) and pretend that character is coming for dinner. Help your child plan activities that character would like.
• Help your child relate read-aloud stories to events in her life.
• Read stories aloud and act them out.
• Engage your entire family with “Drop Everything And Read” time each day.
The Internet can also provide many opportunities for children of all ages who are looking for new things to read. Book Adventure is a free, Sylvan-created, interactive, reading, motivation program that can be found online at www.BookAdventure.com. Parents can help children choose books from more than 7,500 titles, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teacher and parent resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading.
Monday, April 18, 2011
INCREASED COLLEGE ENTRANCE COMPETITION = INCREASED TEST STRESS
The pressure is on. Today, more high school students are applying to more colleges, earlier than ever before. The number of early admission applications has increased dramatically, with some universities seeing double digit jumps. To begin the college process, most students applying to competitive colleges now take the SAT*/ACT® more than once.
Students today know clearly what students in the past may not have known - systematically preparing for the SAT/ACT gives them confidence. They know how to budget their time, they know what the test looks and feels like, they know important strategies like when to guess at an answer. They go into the test practiced and confident. Knowing the content is, of course, the major part of success, and confidence is the icing on the cake.
Students can take the SAT/ACT as many times as they like, but educators suggest taking the tests no more than two or three times. Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of in-center and live, online tutoring at home to students of all ages and skill levels, offers the following tips to help ease the pressure of testing and achieve the best results:
• Take the tests in the spring of junior year or fall of senior year of high school.
• Know the instructions for each section before you begin the test, you won’t have to waste time reading them during the exam.
• If you don’t know a test answer and can’t eliminate any incorrect answer choices, skip the question and only go back if time permits. For the ACT, remember to go back and take a guess on any unanswered questions, since there’s no penalty for incorrect answers.
• Trust yourself. Rely on your instincts.
• Never leave an easy question blank. Easy questions have easy answers.
• Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
• Eliminate answers. If you can eliminate at least two incorrect answers, you generally increase the probability of guessing correctly.
• Save your time. Don’t spend too much time on any single question. Make sure you have enough time to answer as many questions as possible, in order to rack up as many points as possible.
• Focus on what the question is really asking. If you don’t fully understand the question, finding the correct answer is going to be tough.
• Rushing only hurts you. Work at a good pace and keep track of the time remaining for each section. Enter the exam with confidence.
• End each section by reviewing. If time permits, revisit the questions you didn’t answer.
• Don’t try to cram for the SAT/ACT overnight. Proper preparation takes weeks, even months, of review.
• Register for a SAT/ACT prep class at least eight weeks before the testing date to provide extra studying assistance and additional confidence.
For more information regarding Sylvan Learning and our SAT and ACT Prep classes, visit http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/test-preparation/index.cfm.
Students today know clearly what students in the past may not have known - systematically preparing for the SAT/ACT gives them confidence. They know how to budget their time, they know what the test looks and feels like, they know important strategies like when to guess at an answer. They go into the test practiced and confident. Knowing the content is, of course, the major part of success, and confidence is the icing on the cake.
Students can take the SAT/ACT as many times as they like, but educators suggest taking the tests no more than two or three times. Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of in-center and live, online tutoring at home to students of all ages and skill levels, offers the following tips to help ease the pressure of testing and achieve the best results:
• Take the tests in the spring of junior year or fall of senior year of high school.
• Know the instructions for each section before you begin the test, you won’t have to waste time reading them during the exam.
• If you don’t know a test answer and can’t eliminate any incorrect answer choices, skip the question and only go back if time permits. For the ACT, remember to go back and take a guess on any unanswered questions, since there’s no penalty for incorrect answers.
• Trust yourself. Rely on your instincts.
• Never leave an easy question blank. Easy questions have easy answers.
• Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
• Eliminate answers. If you can eliminate at least two incorrect answers, you generally increase the probability of guessing correctly.
• Save your time. Don’t spend too much time on any single question. Make sure you have enough time to answer as many questions as possible, in order to rack up as many points as possible.
• Focus on what the question is really asking. If you don’t fully understand the question, finding the correct answer is going to be tough.
• Rushing only hurts you. Work at a good pace and keep track of the time remaining for each section. Enter the exam with confidence.
• End each section by reviewing. If time permits, revisit the questions you didn’t answer.
• Don’t try to cram for the SAT/ACT overnight. Proper preparation takes weeks, even months, of review.
• Register for a SAT/ACT prep class at least eight weeks before the testing date to provide extra studying assistance and additional confidence.
For more information regarding Sylvan Learning and our SAT and ACT Prep classes, visit http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/test-preparation/index.cfm.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Is Your Teen Ready for the Test?
Your teen is in school mode and everything is going a mile a minute. The next SAT/ACT test date is right around the corner and parents should know where their teen is in preparing for and taking the exam.
Planning for tests such as the SAT and ACT is extremely important in a teen’s educational career. As a parent, knowing how ready your teen is to take the SAT/ACT is vital to helping them plan and prepare to do their best.
In order to help parents assess their teen’s “SAT/ACT readiness,” Sylvan Learning has created a quick quiz.
SAT/ACT Readiness Quiz:
Please answer the following questions with a “yes” or “no.” For each “yes,” give yourself and your teen 2 points. At the end of the quiz, add up your points and see how prepared your teen is for SAT and ACT.
1. Do you and your teen feel confident that his classes and school have prepared him for the SAT/ACT?
2. Have you and your teen identified her weakest subject areas and developed a strategy for those portions of the tests?
3. Is your teen familiar with the rules of the SAT vs. the ACT?
4. Have you bought a test prep review book for your teen?
5. Have you made a SAT/ACT study schedule with your teen to set aside a minimum amount of time each day or week?
6. Has your teen made his own flashcards outside of those provided in a review packet?
7. Has your teen taken more than one practice exam for the SAT or the ACT?
8. Has your teen practiced writing an essay in 25 minutes?
9. Has your teen developed a time strategy for the tests?
10. Has your teen enrolled in or taken a test prep course?
SCORING
0-5 Points
It's never too late for your teen to begin preparing for either test! Here are tips that your teen can use to begin preparing now. And remember, there are always multiple test dates!
• Buy a test preparation book.
• Make flash cards.
• Enroll in a test preparation class.
• Take a practice SAT/ACT test.
5-10 Points
Congratulate your teen on beginning to practice for the SAT/ACT. Now is a perfect time for your teen to concentrate on creating a "SAT/ACT study guide." Here are some tips you can give your teen to get started.
• Divide the study guide into three sections: math, critical reading and writing.
• For each section, write down your weak areas.
• Under the weak areas, write down any formulas, vocabulary words or grammar rules that you need to learn.
• Flip through the quick guide once a day.
10-15 Points
Practice makes perfect. Give your teen these testing tips to consider while he continues to map out his strategy for the big day.
• Skip an answer. If you are unsure of an answer, skip the question and go back if time permits.
• Share your time. Don't spend too much time on any single question.
• Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
• End each section by reviewing. Revisit the questions that you either circled or marked with a question mark.
• Stop and check. After every few questions, stop and check to make sure the question number on the answer sheet corresponds with the question being answered in the test booklet.
-more-
15-20 Points
Your teen is on her way to achieving a great score on the SAT or the ACT! Give her these last minute tips to top off her test preparation.
• Enter the exam with confidence. Know the instructions for each section before you enter the exam room -- don't waste time reading the instruction the day of the exam.
• The night before, read a book or a magazine. This is a good way to work your mind with a non-stressful subject.
• Get a good night sleep before the exam.
• Always eat breakfast.
• Relax! You’re prepared. Go in confident.
To find out more about SAT/ACT test preparation opportunities at Sylvan Learning, visit the “College Prep” area of www.SylvanLearning.com
Planning for tests such as the SAT and ACT is extremely important in a teen’s educational career. As a parent, knowing how ready your teen is to take the SAT/ACT is vital to helping them plan and prepare to do their best.
In order to help parents assess their teen’s “SAT/ACT readiness,” Sylvan Learning has created a quick quiz.
SAT/ACT Readiness Quiz:
Please answer the following questions with a “yes” or “no.” For each “yes,” give yourself and your teen 2 points. At the end of the quiz, add up your points and see how prepared your teen is for SAT and ACT.
1. Do you and your teen feel confident that his classes and school have prepared him for the SAT/ACT?
2. Have you and your teen identified her weakest subject areas and developed a strategy for those portions of the tests?
3. Is your teen familiar with the rules of the SAT vs. the ACT?
4. Have you bought a test prep review book for your teen?
5. Have you made a SAT/ACT study schedule with your teen to set aside a minimum amount of time each day or week?
6. Has your teen made his own flashcards outside of those provided in a review packet?
7. Has your teen taken more than one practice exam for the SAT or the ACT?
8. Has your teen practiced writing an essay in 25 minutes?
9. Has your teen developed a time strategy for the tests?
10. Has your teen enrolled in or taken a test prep course?
SCORING
0-5 Points
It's never too late for your teen to begin preparing for either test! Here are tips that your teen can use to begin preparing now. And remember, there are always multiple test dates!
• Buy a test preparation book.
• Make flash cards.
• Enroll in a test preparation class.
• Take a practice SAT/ACT test.
5-10 Points
Congratulate your teen on beginning to practice for the SAT/ACT. Now is a perfect time for your teen to concentrate on creating a "SAT/ACT study guide." Here are some tips you can give your teen to get started.
• Divide the study guide into three sections: math, critical reading and writing.
• For each section, write down your weak areas.
• Under the weak areas, write down any formulas, vocabulary words or grammar rules that you need to learn.
• Flip through the quick guide once a day.
10-15 Points
Practice makes perfect. Give your teen these testing tips to consider while he continues to map out his strategy for the big day.
• Skip an answer. If you are unsure of an answer, skip the question and go back if time permits.
• Share your time. Don't spend too much time on any single question.
• Read, read, read. Read the questions and answers critically.
• End each section by reviewing. Revisit the questions that you either circled or marked with a question mark.
• Stop and check. After every few questions, stop and check to make sure the question number on the answer sheet corresponds with the question being answered in the test booklet.
-more-
15-20 Points
Your teen is on her way to achieving a great score on the SAT or the ACT! Give her these last minute tips to top off her test preparation.
• Enter the exam with confidence. Know the instructions for each section before you enter the exam room -- don't waste time reading the instruction the day of the exam.
• The night before, read a book or a magazine. This is a good way to work your mind with a non-stressful subject.
• Get a good night sleep before the exam.
• Always eat breakfast.
• Relax! You’re prepared. Go in confident.
To find out more about SAT/ACT test preparation opportunities at Sylvan Learning, visit the “College Prep” area of www.SylvanLearning.com
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