The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) is administered in grades 3-8. Effective TCAP test preparation is essential to helping children succeed.
TCAP testing is designed to assess what a child is learning, not just how well they can memorize content, or how good they are at test taking. The goal of these tests is to understand learning gaps to help students succeed.
Tennessee’s TCAP testing procedure started in 1988 and includes assessments for math (3 subparts), language arts (4 subparts), social studies (2 subparts), and science (1 subpart). State law dictates that districts must administer these tests between April 13 to May 8. Grades from TCAP scores will be a percent of a student’s overall grade for grades 3-8.
Learn how to help your child succeed with the best preparation and resources available.
Preparing Your Child for Standardized Testing
Preparing your child for a standardized test like the TCAP requires attention throughout the school year, and not just a cramming session in the days leading up to the tests. You should begin reviewing your child’s academic progress now, to evaluate gaps and ensure they are ready. Here are several steps you can begin taking to prepare your child for the TCAP.
1. Encourage Daily Homework
Homework will help children practice crucial skills and offer a learning checkpoint for their studies. Failing to do homework means missed opportunities for learning and growing, as well as getting teacher feedback.
2. Meet with the Teacher
Sit down with your child’s teacher to ask about areas of growth for your child. Try to do this regularly so that you know where your child is struggling, and the best way to get them help throughout the school year and not just when the situation becomes dire. If an assignment is unclear, ask for clarification before having your child launch into it and risk not learning what the teacher intended.
3. Make Time to Read with Your Child
Reading should be a part of your daily routine. Do your best to make time to sit down and read with your child for at least 10 minutes per day. But if you can dedicate up to a half hour, that’s even better. Allow your child to read about topics that interest them, but also encourage nonfiction reading, as the TCAP includes a great deal of this content. Once you’ve finished reading a chapter or section of text, ask your child about what you read about together. This will help your child with reading comprehension and retention.
4. Practice Filling in Test Answers
Standardized testing might be foreign to your child. Encourage your child to practice filling in an answer sheet with the bubbles like a test form will have. This will help your child prepare for the test. Don’t do all your test prep on a computer where those skills won’t be called upon or won’t apply.
5. Explain What the Test Will Look Like
Ask your child’s teacher if there are sample tests you could use to practice at home with your child. The more exposure they get to the format of the test, the better. Review the format of the test with your child a few times before the day when they must complete the test. Talk about when your child can expect breaks, what to do if they need to use the restroom, or how to find help from a teacher during a test.
6. Remain Calm and Positive Throughout Your TCAP Test Preparation
Regardless of your child’s test history or your concerns about their ability to score well, remain calm and positive. Your child will pick up your emotions and start to feel similarly about testing. You want your child to feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. Use positive reinforcement and tell your child what they do well throughout your test preparation.
7. Reading Retention
In order to invoke good learning skills in the future, it is important that your child is taking in the information and retaining it. If your child is using bad learning habits early on, they will continue this and take it with them throughout life. Make sure you are working with your child to develop these habits so that their reading retention skills develop and they aren’t forgetting the information once the test is over.
8. Maintain Good Sleep and Nutrition Habits
Leading up to test days, make sure your child gets adequate sleep. This includes the weekends before test week. You can’t just focus on sleep the night before the test, as once a child gets behind or out of their sleep schedule, it can be challenging to rebound within one night.
Ensure your child eats nutritious food leading up to test days. This will avoid having them feel hungry and getting distracted during the test, or having trouble sitting still due to unnatural stimulants or sugar in their foods. Nutrition is another area where you don’t want to wait until the day of a test. Ensure nutrition is balanced at least a week before testing begins.
Professional TCAP Preparation Help
The tutors at the Learning Lab can help assess your child for gaps and learning challenges before the TCAP. Then they’ll work with your child to fill those gaps and improve their understanding of the material. They can also help your child learn standardized testing tips to prepare for the TCAP exams this spring.
Most students who are struggling have trouble with math and English Language Arts, which make up the majority of the TCAP test. If your child needs help, look into Learning Lab’s tutoring programs in math and reading. Tutoring could be just what they need to pass with flying colors! Starting in the 2022-2023 year, children in third grade must be efficient in ELA before they can graduate to fourth grade, so it is important to make sure your child is prepared.
Contact the Learning Lab to learn more about the Test Prep Center and ways to boost your child’s confidence and TCAP scores.
Learning Lab – Brentwood:
5500 Maryland Way Suite 110, Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 377-2929
Learning Lab – Nashville:
2416 21st Ave S Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37212
(615) 321-7272
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