SAT Chalk Talk
The SAT is a few months away, but that time can fly by. In this chalk talk, we share six ideas that have worked for school districts to squeeze SAT prep in to already hectic schedules.
1: Structured bell ringers.
Start each class with a question of the day. Structure things so that students have a week of bell ringers all dedicated to one topic. Familiarizing your students with the questions that most frequently come up on the test can make a big difference on their scores. You can also draw questions from SAT’s free released practice tests.
2: Introduce timing to your tests.
The SAT’s time limits can cause students anxiety. Help alleviate this by providing time limits on your tests. These don’t have to be aggressive time limits; just get your students accustomed to working against a clock.
3: Model the process of elimination.
The process of elimination is the core test-taking skill on any standardized test, but students don’t learn it on their own. Model the process of elimination by showing students why the wrong answers are wrong. This can be as important as helping students understand why the right answer is right.
4: Provide “SAT Lesson of the Week”
In the six weeks leading up to the SAT test date, have each core teacher provide one lesson each week focused on SAT skills. They can choose the skills that most tightly connect with what they’re trying to accomplish in their classes. This gives your students 24 SAT prep sessions before their test date. If your teachers don’t have time to plan activities, they can still have their students sign in to Khan Academy and work through the program during the allotted time.
5: SAT mini-tests in homeroom or enrichment.
An SAT mini-test is one small part of an SAT test (for example, one Reading passage, or six Math questions). Mini-tests help your students practice their pacing and are much more engaging than a full-length practice test. You can fit them in to homeroom, an enrichment period, or provide them for subs to use. Time each mini-test, then go over the answers afterward.
6: Add SAT challenge questions to your quizzes.
Students who complete their tests early can try their hands at the SAT challenge question you provide in order to pick up a bonus point or just stave off boredom.