7 Effective Tips to Survive Testing Season with your ELLs

Surviving Testing

It is here! Testing season…it is almost like it should get it’s own season. For English Language Learners this can be an extremely stressful time for your students. There have been many times that the ELLs burst into tears, anxiously clicked through the exams, and asked to take 20 bathroom breaks. I am not a strong believer of “survival mode” however I found myself there when it comes to testing season. This past month my students had a district Common Assessment, WIDA, IREADY, and MAP Assessments. They are also preparing for the upcoming state assessments. Initially I was going through the motions when this time of year came around, but this year I decided to do something different.

Positive Talk:

Encourage positive talk among your students. Everyday when the students come in have them say a positive affirmation about themselves. There is a teacher at my school that does a chant where the students beat on the desk and chant “We are smart” to the We Will Rock You song. It is important to get the energy up in the classroom.

Goal Setting

Work with your students with goal setting. Before the assessments, I inform the students of their data and have them set attainable goals. SMART goals will be a great way to get your ELLs involved in goal setting.

Involve Parents and Guardians:

Before the assessments call the parents and let them know about the assessments they will be taking for the upcoming week. You can speak with them to ask them to encourage the students and have a good breakfast. For middle schoolers I ask the parents to ensure they go to sleep at a good time.

Brain Breaks:

I love brain breaks in the classroom, and assessments are not any different. If it is possible, provide the students a brain break. Give them time to stretch, go to bathroom, and gather their thoughts. It will be the boost they need to get back into testing. You can also use this to time give encouragement to the students.

Bubble Wrap:

Students love popping bubble wrap before the exam. It is a wonderful stress reliever before taking exams. It is a quick and easy stress reliever for students.

Snacks:

Just in case my students didn’t eat, I have granola bars and fruit on hand. Students will have a hard time concentrating if they are hungry. Inquire if your school can purchase some snacks for the students on the testing days.

Incentives:

This year during testing I put some incentives in place for the students. For example, the students that met their growth goals had a coffee shop invite. Also we were able to take the students who attended tutoring to prepare for an exam go-karts.

This year for testing has been a challenge, however with these tools in place it has made it a lot easier for the students. Comment on how you are preparing your students for testing season.