The Test-Taking Strategy

Resources:

• The Test-Taking Strategy Research (.pdf)

Research Articles:

• Lancaster, P.E., Schumaker, J.B., Lancaster, S.J.C., & Deshler, D.D. (2009). Effects of a computerized program on use of the test-taking strategy by secondary students with disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 32, 165-179. This study indicated that the Test-Taking Strategy CD is an effective tool for teaching the strategy to secondary students with learning disabilities.
• *Holzer, M. L., Madaus, J. W., Bray, M. A., & Kehle, T. J. (2009). The Test‐Taking Strategy Intervention for College Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 24(1), 44-56.
• *Songlee, D., Miller, S. P., Tincani, M., Sileo, N. M., & Perkins, P. G. (2008). Effects of test-taking strategy instruction on high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 23(4), 217-228.
• *Kretlow, A. G., Lo, Y. Y., White, R. B., & Jordan, L. (2008). Teaching test-taking strategies to improve the academic achievement of students with mild mental disabilities. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 43(3), 397.
• Lancaster, P.E., Lancaster, S.J.C., Schumaker, J.B., & Deshler, D.D. (2006). The efficacy of an interactive hypermedia program for teaching a test-taking strategy to students with high-incidence disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology, 21(2), 17-30. Researchers studying the effectiveness of an interactive hypermedia CD for teaching the Test-Taking Strategy found students earned an average of 42 percent of strategy-use points before instruction and 93 percent after instruction; the study also included think-aloud and student knowledge measures.
• Hughes, C.A., Deshler, D.D., Ruhl, K.L., & Schumaker, J.B. (1993). Test-taking strategy instruction for adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 1(3), 189-198. This study evaluated the Test-Taking Strategy on several measures, including application in regular class tests.
• Hughes, C.A., & Schumaker, J.B. (1991). Reflections on "test-taking strategy instruction for adolescents with learning disabilities." Exceptionality, 2, 237-242. Researchers discuss the Test-Taking Strategy within the context of 14 studies with more than 100 replications of students with LD learning to use strategies.
• Hughes, C.A., & Schumaker, J.B. (1991). Test-taking strategy instruction for adolescents with learning disabilities. Exceptionality, 2, 205-221.

The Story Behind the Test-Taking Strategy from author Charlie Hughes:
This was the first strategy that I was involved in developing and field testing. I had spent a number of years as a middle- and high-school special education teacher and always felt that I was not doing all that I could to help students succeed outside my classroom. When I became a doctoral student at the University of Florida in the early 80’s, I began to read about the work of the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (then called the Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities). I contacted Jean Schumaker and Don Deshler about coming to Kansas to spend time with them to learn more about strategic instruction. During that visit, we met a number of times and through those meetings we began to develop the Test-Taking Strategy. I was immediately attracted to this topic because I knew many students dreaded taking classroom tests, to some extent because they had no planful way to take them. I knew that many successful students have developed “test-wiseness” skills to increase their scores independent of how well they knew the material. We felt ‘our’ students could also benefit from learning these skills, and we were right! Students’ test scores increased after learning the strategy, and students began to be more confidant and positive about taking tests. Of course, we always stressed throughout the instruction that test-taking strategies, while helpful, do not take the place of studying!

Author's Thoughts about Strategic Instruction:
Based on my 25 years of work in the area of strategic instruction, I view this type of instruction as a key approach to the overall education of students with learning disabilities and other students who have difficulty learning. As a teacher, researcher, and parent, I have seen how much strategic instruction benefits students. Students not only learn these strategies and as a result perform better on school-related tasks, there is an overall benefit: they begin to see themselves as successful and competent learners. Another general benefit that I observe is that strategic instruction gives students a way of starting tasks and working their way through them. I often observed students just sitting at their desks looking at the assignment, test, or reading selection not knowing how or where to begin. Strategies are a concrete way of getting started and systematically solving problems and completing tasks. Not a small accomplishment!

Student and Teacher Feedback on the Test-Taking Strategy:
I have taught several groups of students the Test-Taking Strategy, and while some are reticent initially, almost all have said that they are glad they learned it and that they use it every time they take a test. They seem to especially like the guessing strategies, which is great, but again I always remind them that guessing should be the last resort.

Teachers seem to like the strategy, too. Many report teaching this strategy first to get the students to “buy in” to strategy instruction. I think there are other strategies in the curriculum that have larger academic impacts for students, but there is something to be said for motivation, too!