How to Help Your Child Excel on Standardized Tests: A Parent's Guide

If you have a child attending public school in third grade or higher, you know the LEAP test is coming. The LEAP (Louisiana Education Assessment Program) is administered in the spring to test our babies’ mastery of grade-level content. As an authentic educator and a parent, I have a lot of feelings about standardized tests (and none of them are good), but I understand that schools are mandated to administer these evaluations. Because of that, I do what I can at home to prepare my daughter and help her feel ready. 

Here are some things we can regularly do:

• Boost critical thinking skills through conversation. Having conversations with our children is an effective way to increase their critical thinking skills. Ask them open-ended questions (and follow-up questions) that move them to explain and expand upon their thinking. When watching a movie or reading a book, we can ask our babies what they think may happen or why a character makes the decisions they do. We can encourage them to make connections to their own lives.

• Encourage regular reading of all kinds of texts. This will increase reading stamina and vocabulary. The LEAP includes passages that are narrative, informational, and persuasive/argumentative, and children are expected to read and respond to these passages. Exposure to the different genres will build their literacy knowledge. 

• Practice using an iPad/tablet, keyboard, and mouse so kids feel confident using technology. (Though honestly, they are better at technology than we are, so..)

• Use test vocabulary. There are words that children often come across on tests. Getting them used to these words ahead of time will help them feel more prepared. Check out some of these words below (and click here to download these words as a PDF).

Testing Week

My family and I have started a tradition of having a po-boy picnic the Sunday before LEAP starts. This way my daughter has a nice and peaceful entry into what can be a stressful week. 

There are other things we can do during that week to help our children feel supported like:

• Ensure our children get enough sleep and are well-rested

• Provide our children with a healthy breakfast

• Get our children to school on time so they don't feel rushed

• Project a positive and supportive attitude

Hopefully, with these tips, we can make LEAP testing feel a little bit easier!