Be ready to prime and implement proactive strategies that will enable students to access and achieve in both classroom and test-taking contexts.

• Prime students by adequately preparing them so they can experience success.
• Proactively model and expose students to environmental factors in the learning space (examples: test format, classroom setup, physical boundaries, rules and procedures for instruction or a test).
• Provide a consistent visual or vocal cue that indicates the presentation of important information, practice, or process. This cue allows students to prepare their brains for incoming information (examples: bell, song, movement, visual sign, a designated place, posture).
• Prime positive learning experiences by:
  • Explaining the purpose for the particular practice,
  • Modeling the practice,
  • Providing multiple activities of guided practice, with teacher support,
  • Providing multiple opportunities for independent practice with corrective feedback.

REMEMBER: The better prepared students are, the less "threat" there will be in the learning or assessment situation.

(Allen, R.H. (2002). Impact teaching: Ideas and strategies for teachers to maximize student learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.)

Set the stage for successful high stakes test performance by embedding a few strategies in your curriculum regularly throughout the year.

• Encourage purposeful integrated reading, writing, and discussing to make connections between content areas as well as real life applications.
• Teach reading comprehension strategies such as main idea, inference, and self-questioning.

Direct instruction in a few test-taking strategies will also help students prepare for high-stakes tests. After being modeled and practiced during the instructional stage, these strategies should be supported and embedded throughout the school year:

• Looking over the entire test quickly to determine how much time to spend on each section.
• Skipping questions that you don’t know the answers to and returning to them after you complete the rest of the test.
• Avoiding answers that include the words "all," "none," "always," or "never."
• Omitting one or two obvious wrong answers and focusing on the remaining choices.
• Re-reading material in texts, tests, and questions to clarify information.
• Practicing necessary skills for taking a variety of tests on the computer.
• Practicing a variety of test formats. Guide students to recognize and understand the process for different formats and vary these in your instruction.

For more information and ideas, go to:

• Information from the Virginia Department of Education to familiarize students with the new SOL content and technology-enhanced items:
  http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/
• Practice items of the new content including audio for IEP accommodation, practice with online tools, and narrated demonstration of technology-enhanced item types:
  http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/practice_items/
• VMAST practice and links to other alternative and alternate assessments:
  http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/alternative_assessments/ vmast_va_mod_achievement_stds_test/practice_items/
• SIM Strategic Instruction Model® Learning Strategies:
  http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/brochures/LSoverview.pdf
• The Art and Science of Teaching/Teaching Inference
  (Robert J. Marzano):
  http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/ apr10/vol67/num07/Teaching-Inference.aspx
• Teaching During Reading Self-Questioning Strategies
  (The University of Kansas):
  http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=instruction/ reading_comprehension/teacher_tools/teaching_during_ reading_self_questioning_strategies
• Test Taking Tips: http://www.testtakingtips.com