Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Language and Learning

Vocabulary for Math Word Problems

Teach students to look for "key words" that will indicate certain mathematical operations:

	Addition		Subtraction		Multiplication		Division		Equals
	increased		decreased by		of		per, a		is, are, was,
	by		minus, less		times, multiplied by		out of		were, will
	more than		difference		product of		ratio of,		be
	combined		between/of		increased/decreased		quotient of		gives,
	together		less than, fewer		by a factor of (this		percent		yields
	total of sum added to		than		one is both addition/subtraction AND multiplication!)		(divide by 100)		sold for

Vocabulary for Essay or Similar Tests Requiring Students to Write Answers

The following are some examples of vocabulary that can be taught to students to assist them with essay questions. Teach students to look for key words in test directions and questions such as: choose, describe, explain, compare, identify, and so on.

Examples of words to learn for essay tests

Compare - Show similarities between things.
Contrast - Show differences between things.
Define - Give the formal meaning of a term.
Describe - Tell in detail about something.
Diagram - Make a drawing and label it.
Discuss - Give details and, if relevant, the positive and negative points of a subject as well as evidence for these positions.
List - Give a series of points and number them 1, 2, 3, "
Outline - Give the main points and important secondary points. Put main points at the margin and indent secondary.
State - Give the main points.
Summarize - Give a condensed account of the main points.

Strategies to aid in following directions

• Produce sentences at a slightly slower rate, with slightly increased vocal volume, and clear facial expression and gestures. This can help with the natural speech-reading process used by students who may have a central auditory processing disorder.
  
• Have the student look at you while you are giving the directions.
• Naturally segment directions with brief pauses before the next group of words is presented (for example, "Open your test booklets - to page 5 - and start with question number 10").
  
• Have the students say the directions over softly to themselves or silently.

Tips on Taking Exams

• Do the easy questions first. This is a good technique whether you are writing an essay test or answering questions. Research has shown that tackling easy items first on a test tends to produce better results than doing the difficult items first on the same test. So skim over the test and find where to begin. On an objective test, don't spend a lot of time worrying about a tough item. Skip it and come back to it later. On an essay test, write the easy items first but leave plenty of space so that your answers will be in the correct sequence.
  
• On an essay test, write down something for every item. Be sure to read the directions. You may be asked to write only part of the items. Then, for each item you select, write something. Don't leave any item blank. The worst than can happen is that you get a zero for the question anyway. But if you write down something-maybe even a little wild and apparently unrelated-you may pick up a few points.
  
• On objective tests, if you change your mind, think about whether you want to change your answer. Many students think that their first answer to a test item is the best. Perhaps you have changed your response to an objective item and found out later that you were wrong. "Never again," you tell yourself, "I'll stick to my first choice." But you probably also changed answers many times and got them right. Sometimes it is better to change your answer, but if you aren't sure then perhaps your first response is best. You could test out this suggestion. If so, keep track of some of your answers on classroom tests. Then you can get a sense of whether your first reaction is typically correct, or if you are more accurate when you reconsider and change your answer.

• Read through the test quickly, answering only questions that you are sure about. Many times clues to answers can be found in other questions.
  
• Read the entire question and all the possible answers. Sometimes the last answer is the best answer even though other answers might work.
  
• Read all possible answers, marking through the first letter of those you are pretty sure are not correct. Usually a multiple-choice question will have one correct answer, two that are distractors, and one that is definitely wrong.
  
• Find the distractors. Sentences with the words "always, "never," "none," and "all" are often distractors - but not every time. Be careful.
  
• If you can find one or two distracting answers to a question, then look closely at them as they may give you the clue to the correct answer. Ask yourself, "What makes this a distractor?" and then select the best answer.
  
• If you have two answers that you feel are equal, select one and write a brief rationale for your choice in the margin.
  
• If you change your mind and have a good reason for doing it, change your answer on multiple-choice tests.
  
• On standardized tests, leave unknown questions until last. If you have time, count the number of As, Bs, Cs, and Ds you've already answered. Sometimes there will be an equal number of each, and odds are that if you have fewer of one letter that may be the one you should tend to select.
  
• Never leave a multiple-choice question unanswered unless you will be penalized for wrong answers. You have at least a 25% chance of getting it correct just by accident. If you can eliminate two choices, you are just as likely to get it right as you are to get it wrong.

Tips for Essay Tests or Similar Tests Requiring Students to Write Answers

• Before the Test
  • Try to predict and practice writing the answers to questions that you think will be asked.
  • Know the jargon.
  • Essay questions might contain such clue words as:
    • Trace
      
    • Discuss
      
    • Illustrate
      
    • Define
      
    • Evaluate
      
    • Compare and Contrast
• During the Test
  • Read as quickly as you can through all the questions before beginning to write. Estimate the time you can allow for each question.
    
  • Plan to answer all the questions that you know first.
    
  • Be sure to read each question carefully to determine what is really being asked. Sketch an outline in the margin or on scrap paper making sure that all the important points are included in your answer and that they follow a logical order.
    
  • When writing your essay answers, start a separate paragraph for each of the main ideas or statements within one essay answer. Put your details and examples under their respective main ideas. This helps with organization and writing mechanics.
    
  • Read over your paper before you turn it in. Check for completeness in expression and ideas, and for mechanical errors.
    
  • Use all of your test time. Leave only when the teacher calls time.

For questions about this information, contact the Special Education Team at 608-266-1781.

Last updated on 6/17/2008 2:54:38 PM