If you're a teacher, albeit a homeschool teacher, you want your student to achieve the best grades possible on the CAT test.
While taking the California Achievement Test (CAT) some children can get so stressed out that they forget the facts or second guess correct answers. It's unnecessary for a child to get upset over taking a test. Reassure the child that if they've done well all year, they'll do well on the test. And even if the child's grades aren't impressive they can still score well on the CAT because the answer is right in front of them. Most questions are multiple choice which is the easiest form for some children.
Study the curriculum for the particular grade of the student, throughout the year. Even though the exact questions of the test are unknown they are generally about well known facts for the specific grade level. Subjects usually covered on the test for elementary and junior high are language, math, science, geography, history and comprehension. There are sub-levels of these subjects, too. For instance language will consist of writing skills, reading skills, spelling skills and more.
Curriculums for your local public schools are usually available online and give the home school teacher a guide for specific lessons. Following the curriculum strictly is a definite plus to succeeding at the CAT's.
During the year refresh the child's memory on certain dates and names. People tend to forget dates and names easily and children are no exception. In each semester spend a little time going over previous semesters' work.
Practice doing timed tests and activities with the child. Each section of the CAT is timed and its good practice for the student to understand time limits. Make sure the child understands the amount of time that he has and let him know that he will not have to rush to meet the time limit.
As a teacher you can introduce the student to a large list of new words but during the test there may not be a single word from the student's list on the test. That's okay. Studying spelling and definitions teaches the child letter combinations and general meanings that will help on the test.
Make a sheet for the child to study. Certain things that should be on the list are mathematical formulas, often misspelled words and a time line for occurrences in the history of the U.S. Review maps, focusing on particular mountain ranges and rivers in our country. Play games to see how quickly the child can find other countries on the globe. Make a chart that shows the leaders of large countries.
Study sheets should be relevant to the age and grade of the child. CAT's are just as challenging to a first grade student as to an eight grader so don't skimp on studying with younger students.
Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and has as little stress as possible the week of the test. It's important that your child not be taking cold medicine or other medications that could make him drowsy during testing. On the day of testing be sure the student is prepared with the correct pencils as stated on the test.
