Choosing The Right Practice Test
It’s one thing to know and have mastered the academic objectives for a particular grade level. It’s another thing to be able to demonstrate this knowledge on a test.
So, how do you help your child do his or her best on their next achievement test?
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One option is to buy a book of drills. Some of these books are actually created by the publishers of achievement tests themselves. In these books, students complete page after of page of framed, multiple choice items. Practice, practice, practice is the strategy here. After a while, though, students can begin to say to themselves, “All right, already, I’ve got it. Can we move on to something else?” Their well-trained noses are smelling “busy work,” something we, as homeschoolers, try to avoid.
Another option, one that we provide, is a test simulation product. Our two book series, Achieving Peak Performance and the One Hour Practice Test aren’t designed to drill your student toward success. They are designed to introduce your student to how achievement tests work and how to show what you know in this context. They simulate the test experience before the student is faced with taking the actual test.
Why do we offer two series of books?
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Achieving Peak Performance was written first. It was linked to the CAT test that most homeschoolers were testing with here in the Northwest at the time. When the Terra Nova 1 was released, grades 4-12 were structurally different, so the One Hour Practice Test was created as a revised version of the APP to reflect the changes in the new test.
- Previously, there was a separate reading test and a separate language expression test. With the new Terra Nova 1, the two were combined.
- Previously, there was a separate math computation test and a separate math problem solving test. These two were also combined.
- Another change with the release of the Terra Nova 1 was that spelling, vocabulary, and language mechanics were moved from the survey portion and put in the optional plus portion of this test.
Terra Nova 2 has followed this same pattern. Terra Nova 3, when available for homeschool use, will likely follow this same pattern too. And, as a side note, the version of Terra Nova 3 we will be using will not be Common Core aligned. But, that’s off into the future.
Which practice test should you buy?
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For students in grades 1-3, both Achieving Peak Performance and the One Hour Practice Test work fine. They both provide a good test simulation.
For students in grades 4-12, the One Hour Practice Test more closely aligns with the Terra Nova 2 Survey while the Achieving Peak Performance test more closely aligns with the additional Terra Nova 2 Plus portion.
Please note that there is not yet a One Hour Practice Test for grade 7, so the Achieving Peak Performance can be used instead.
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| Achieving Peak Performance | One-Hour Practice Test |
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| Separate reading and language test | Reading and language combined |
| Separate math computation and math problem solving test | Math computation and math problem solving combined |
| Spelling, vocabulary, and language mechanics section | Spelling, vocabulary, and language mechanics not included |
| Aligns with original CAT test and Terra Nova Plus Section | Aligns with Terra Nova Survey test |
Regardless of which practice test you use, both simulate the real test.
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Students will learn to work under a time limit and experience responding to similar answers in a multiple-choice context. The academic content covered will be virtually the same.
Thanks for reading!
Curt Bumcrot, MRE
Do you have a student who is struggling in a subject like math or reading? Our tutors are now available during the summer to help your student get a head start on the upcoming school year! Click here to inquire about tutoring today.
