5 Strategies to Help Students Turn Reading Into Test Prep
With US News and World Report releasing their ACT®/SAT® summer reading list, it is the perfect moment to dive deeper into how test-prep students can make the most of their reading practice.
While targeted and personalized test-prep programs - like those that can be created with Clear Choice curriculum materials - can help students make significant score gains, purposeful reading practice can help further round out the test-prep experience.
Here are our 5 best tips to help students maximize their test-prep reading efforts:
1 - Read from a variety of genres and styles
The readings on the SAT® and ACT® come from a variety of different genres spanning fiction and nonfiction, prose and poetry. Some selections are short, standalone passages while others are excerpts from larger works.
If students are selecting reading material to help develop their literacy skills, be sure to urge them to push beyond their comfort zones into topics, authors, and styles they would normally overlook. Some types of reading to be sure to try include:
Literary classics (Pride and Prejudice, Pygmalion, A Farewell to Arms, Hamlet, etc.)
Historical analysis
Memoirs/biographies/autobiographies
Sociology
Philosophy
Economics (particularly texts geared toward the general public)
Environmental science
Reputable news sources (New York Times, Washington Post, Columbia Journalism Review, etc.)
A varied reading diet will help expose students to diverse viewpoints, complex syntax structures, and new vocabulary. Not only that, the ability to actively shift between different types of reading will help build the literary agility and stamina required for a successful Test Day experience.
2 - Read from a variety of time periods
Just as different genres help students stretch their reading horizons, diving into texts from different eras can also help students strengthen their reading abilities. When students revisit genres, suggest that they opt for selections from an earlier or later time period than their previous choices. Not only will this expose them to different vocabulary and compositional styles, but it can lay the groundwork for comparative analysis - a common ask on the SAT® and ACT®.
For instance, reading 1845’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and then Eric Forner’s 2007 analysis in Nothing But Freedom: Emancipation and Its Legacy provides grounds for a discussion of how historical views on slavery have evolved. It highlights the difference between a focused biographical account and comparative historical research, as well.
The same strategy works with literature. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Roaring Twenties portrayal of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby looks a lot different than that same “dream” in Arthur Miller’s post-war classic, Death of a Salesman.
When it comes to text variety, varying publication dates can be just as important as varying genres.
3 - Have a dictionary handy
Using context clues to decipher new words is a critical skill on both the SAT® and ACT®. A diverse reading diet throughout the test prep process will certainly increase exposure to new words and usage patterns. That said, unverified assumptions about word meanings will only have so much value.
Unlike on Test Day, practicing students have access to tools to check their contextual assumptions when it comes to unfamiliar words. Reaching for the dictionary is a great way for students to check their work as they read to see how well they are doing at deciphering the meaning of the new words they come across.
A word of caution: while electronic dictionary options are plentiful, they are often tied to black holes of potential distractions. For this reason, relying on a smartphone, computer, or other device to look up words may not be an optimal choice. Suggest students to go for the old-fashioned Mirriam Webster paperback or a dedicated electronic dictionary device.
4 - Use critical thinking questions to push deeper comprehension
Many times, a reading’s true value lies beneath the surface. Test prep students must push beyond the urge to skim and breeze through their literary practice. Growth happens when they intentionally dig deeper. Depending upon the text in question, this can often be easier said than done.
As a test-prep tutor, you can provide some critical thinking guidance for your students to help ensure they get the most out of their reading practice. Offer guiding questions that steer students toward unpacking tougher concepts like theme, mood, implied meanings, allusions, and comparisons. Don’t be afraid to consult “cheater” sources like Cliff’s Notes, Barron’s Booknotes, or teacher-created resources that might help you come up with some guidance for texts that you, yourself, are not totally familiar with.
5 - Keep a reading journal
Reading is a skill that requires reflection just as writing is a skill that requires practice. By keeping a reading journal, students can take a “two birds, one stone” approach to maximize their practice efforts. When students slow down and log their reading-inspired learnings and understandings, it helps them to internalize their findings and can provide fodder for future test prep discussions.
When suggesting a reading plan for your test-prep students, be sure to include some type of journaling expectation. The journal can be handwritten or digital (naturally better suited for sharing with a tutor), but ultimately, the most important thing is that it exists and gets used.
In the journal, make it a point to create dedicated sections for the aforementioned key focal areas:
Reading list/log including titles, authors, genres, and time periods
New vocabulary words, contexts, and definitions
Guiding questions, reflections, and comparative analysis
If maintained, a test-prep reading journal can be a handy way to review words, skills, and insights from throughout the test-prep process.
All told, reading is a critical component of a strong test-prep plan. As a test-prep tutor, setting the expectation that a student reads isn’t enough. Be sure to provide guidance on both what to read and how to read so students can get the most out of their practice time.
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