Provincial Achievement Test 
                - Plans of Action
                        for:
            Grade 3 - Mrs. E. Monteith

One of the greatest challenges our (BCR) students face when writing the Provincial Achievement Examinations...is their inability/weakness at READING (processing print). 

Even when instructions are read to them, the rest of the exam is NOT, so the students soon face frustration and are overwhelmed at the amount of reading they must do, to answer questions appropriately/accurately in the exams. 

This anxiety soon leads the majority of students to begin guessing without reading, racing through the exam, or emotional outbursts and refusal to even do/complete the exam. 


To prepare the students of my classroom for these examinations, I do the following: 

            TO PREVENT TEST ANXIETY:
 
- begin preparing the students by talking about the exam well in advance (September). This is done in a calm and non-threatening manner. I outline what will be expected of them and what skills they will need, and how I, as their teacher, intend to help them achieve the skills/knowledge/abilities required. 

- As the year progresses, and as the students begin to develop their learning skills and abilities, the required programs of study are presented to them in a wide variety of experiences. The students learn by doing the activities that help to prepare them for the examinations to come. 

- My personal teaching style reflects the understanding that each student is unique and needs the learning process to happen naturally. Learning achievement is not ONLY measured on examinations, but rather, the learning GROWTH that has occured for each child. The TESTS are NOT the main focus...LEARNING 'IS'! 


      TO DEVELOP LEARNING SKILLS & ABILITIES:
              (LEARNING ACTIVITIES)
 
           - Alphabet & Word Knowledge: 

Spelling Program - 
Basic Words List (frequency words) word work

Word Skills - 
letter sound families with reading comprehension cloze activities 

Journal Writing - 
vocabulary and proper grammar development 


           - Reading and Comprehension: 

Reading Skills - 
reading passages with a wide variety of reading skill-builder activities 

Reading - 
guided, oral, choral, echo, silent and independent, whenever possible...a WIDE variety of materials relating to the curriculum areas being studied 

Thinking - 
beginning with 'Listening Tests' (following oral 
instructions), then progressing to independent direction following (print or verbal) 

Effective Reasoning - 
developing critical thinking through group 
DISCUSSIONS and the practice of participating in GROUP concensus 

            - Communication and Writing:
 
Speaking - 
sufficient volume, determined confidence, adequate expression 

Listening - 
Listening Tests, Instruction, Discussion, 
Conversation 

Writing Skills - 
Printing, Handwriting, Note-taking, Drawing and Art activites 

Purpose - 
writing for a WIDE variety of reasons (content, style, requirements)
 
                  - Evaluation: 

Assessment - 
evaluating one's own work, or the work of others, using RUBRICS that are clear and understood and which are also reflected in the REPORTS of learning.
 
Formal Observation - 
learning and behavior anecdotal records 

Reflection and Review - 
thinking aloud on how learning occured 
(independently and/or with the class) 

Portfolios - 
using assessment records, work, and monitoring 
information (student BEST WORK portfolios developing) 

Test-Taking - 
practice with performing in testing situations (quizzes, unit tests, assignments) and development of anxiety-relief strategies 

Formal Evaluation - 
Report Card and required testing 



           - TO DEVELOP MATHEMATICAL                        KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES: 

Our (BCR) students are low learners, lacking the needed energy or desire to participate actively, in many kinds of learning experiences. 

The students are usually visual learners who benefit greatly from practical hands-on activities. 

They do learn to function, in other modes and performance expectations. 


               Knowledge of Number: 

Numeration - 
Counting, Place Value, Patterns, 

Number Facts - 
Operations (Addition,Subtraction,Multiplication, 
introduce Division) in BASIC FACTS UNITS that assist in and promote, speed with computations 

Estimation - 
developing understanding of size and amount through practice of rounding and approximating 

             Knowledge of Concepts: 

Measurement Units - 
Time, Temperature, Direction, Distance, Money, Mass... 

Geometry - 
usually hands-on, practical and life-related experiences, that relate to the culture of the students 

Probability and Problem Solving - 
through the use of activities and games that reinforce decision-making, students observe and participate in actual events which develop their ablity to make successful choices

Data Management - 
through classroom activities and daily recording of information and events