All Articles tagged Testing

Case Management and Instructional Coaching

March 29, 2021 Brad Hoffman

My Learning Springboard is defined by its success as a multidisciplinary educational consulting firm with expertise in case management and instructional coaching.

The first question we ask – What would benefit the student and your family? – forms the basis of our work. With over 100 years of combined teaching, case management, and school leadership experience at every grade level from preschool through college, our Leadership Team is able to support a wide range of learners and needs. Hence the question, what would benefit your student and your family?

As Board Certified Educational Planners and professional educators, we facilitate case management, instructional coaching, and parent advising to bolster the success of every student. We discuss cases as a professional team based on formal and informal assessments, school documentation, educational testing, and observations in order to make strategic recommendations that support learning. To develop each plan, we apply a 360-degree evidence-based approach to gather data from classroom teachers, learning specialists, or school administrators. Further, we layer in data from psychologists, pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and other related service professionals, as applicable. Even once a plan is in place, we expect to adapt and tailor it as the tutoring or intervention gets underway. We believe that each student’s situation must be carefully considered on an ongoing basis and strategic planning is essential to achieving success.

We take great care to build the right team for you. Our Leadership Team works together with highly qualified and skillful tutors or specialists and related service professionals in partnership with families. We seek relationships with educators and related service professionals who are consummate professionals and have a demonstrated track record of success. They approach their work as compassionate practitioners, which includes having excellent communication skills and a desire to build trusted relationships with all stakeholders.

At the core of our practice is the belief that every student can succeed. We recognize that there are lots of ways to get from Point A to Point B, and all stakeholders ought to work together toward a shared goal. We seek to facilitate a transparent and collaborative process that values working closely with families and schools. In a perfect relationship, we’re all learning from one another, and our students benefit from this cohesion.

Please contact us to discuss our services.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard

When Should a Student Begin SAT or ACT Preparation?

March 15, 2021 Brad Hoffman

In all my conversations with high school parents, and increasingly with middle school parents, I’m asked, “When should my child begin SAT or ACT preparation?” It’s an important conversation to start having early because planning should be individualized. Rather than treating the SAT or ACT as an event for short term cramming, it’s much better to think about the skills and strategies needed for the SAT or ACT that are also important for successful, lifelong learners. Whether we’re coaching reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, or on-the-spot essay writing, the skills we build serve students well beyond the exam. SAT or ACT preparation often becomes the catalyst for closing gaps and reviewing material not previously mastered.

Consider vocabulary development. It’s extremely difficult for students to start memorizing hundreds of flash cards in the months leading up to an exam date. Instead, vocabulary development should take place over the long haul, beginning in early grades and continuing through exam preparation and beyond. Students who read daily and actively engage with texts naturally develop a richer vocabulary. A great way to facilitate vocabulary development is to have students using e-readers with built in dictionaries. Unless required by a teacher, most kids won’t look up unfamiliar words. But with an e-reader, it’s easy to check the definition as one reads. This active reading combined with explicit word study makes a huge difference in critical reading scores.

Math instruction for the SAT or ACT often unveils concepts not mastered at earlier grades. It’s not uncommon to find high school students who struggle, for example, with fractions, percentages, functions, or algebraic reasoning. Our SAT and ACT preparation specifically targets these critical concepts and skills to close these gaps, which usually benefits students in their math course work as well. You can imagine that a student with foundational math weaknesses as a junior in high school might also be struggling in the classroom.

So when should a student begin test preparation? As a general rule of thumb, we recommend that students take a baseline assessment between January to April of their sophomore year. That way we can analyze a student’s performance and have plenty of time to coach the exam throughout the spring, summer, and following junior year as appropriate. Students with very high scores in January of 10th grade can often complete their SAT or ACT preparation by December of junior year if not sooner. Students with relatively lower scores given their school preferences can maximize the remainder of 10th grade and 11th grade and even continue into the fall of 12th grade if needed. Ideally, students complete the SAT or ACT by the spring of their junior year in order to remain focused during their 4th quarter on any upcoming AP exams and/or final exams. Then we can get a jump-start on the Common App essay and supplemental essays during the spring and summer before senior year begins.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard

Using ISEE Preparation to Bolster Middle and High School Readiness

February 12, 2021 Brad Hoffman

The Independent School Entrance Exam, aka the ISEE, and the SSAT, are, perhaps, two of the most difficult standardized tests on the market right now. By design, the ISEE and SSAT assess a student’s skills well above grade level. Unfortunately, many families approach ISEE or SSAT testing as an event that happens during the fall season as part of the admissions process, thus beginning ISEE preparation or SSAT preparation with their children only a few months before the test, which generally leads to greater stress for everyone involved. Instead, it is best to approach the ISEE or SSAT from a different perspective.

We see the ISEE and SSAT as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on academic strengths and areas for growth. We thoughtfully plan instruction to target an individual student’s needs. Starting early allows us to leverage ISEE preparation or SSAT preparation as an authentic and motivating opportunity to help a student get in great shape for the transition into a rigorous independent day school or boarding school.

The ISEE is a product of the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), a global not-for-profit organization providing admissions and achievement assessment, as well as instructional services for preschool through 12th grade students. The ERB is also the publisher of the CTP-5 grade level achievement tests used by many independent schools. There are three versions of the ISEE test:

Primary Level 2 (PL2), Primary Level 3 (PL3), and Primary Level 4 (PL4) for students applying for admissions to grades 2, 3, or 4 respectively.
Lower Level (LL) for students applying for admissions to grades 5 and 6. The standards assessed on the Lower Level ISEE cover English and math instruction through grade 6 and into grade 7.
Middle Level (ML) for students applying for admissions to grades 7 and 8. The standards assessed on the Middle Level ISEE cover English and math instruction through grade 8 and into grade 9.
Upper level (UL) for students applying for admissions to grades 9 through 12. The standards assessed on the Upper Level cover English and math instruction through grade 11 and into grade 12.

The math content for all levels is based upon the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Included on the tests are: Numbers and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, Probability, and Problem Solving. There is a Mathematics Achievement section comprised of multiple-choice skill-based questions and a Quantitative Reasoning section comprised of multiple-choice word problems. Calculators are not permitted.

The English content on each assessment is informed by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) standards. The Verbal Reasoning section is comprised of synonyms, single word response items, and phrase response (or paired response) items. The Reading Comprehension section is comprised of items targeting Main Idea, Supporting Ideas, Inferential Comprehension, Vocabulary, Organization/Logic, and Tone/Style/Figurative Language. For students applying to grades 5 through 11, there is also a 30-minute, on-the-spot essay based on a given prompt. It’s expected that students will write a thoughtful, well-constructed 5-paragraph essay that includes a strong hook to lure the reader into the essay, a compelling thesis statement, solid topic sentences at the beginning of each body paragraph, and a terrific conclusion.

The SSAT, published by The Enrollment Management Association, is similarly leveled and informed by NCTM standards. The elementary level test is used for admissions to grades 4 and 5. The middle level test is used for admissions to grades 6-8. And the upper level test is used for admissions to grades 9-12.

Unlike most other standardized tests for which our students prepare–New York State testing, the CTPs, Stanford Achievement Tests, the SAT or the ACT–the ISEE, like the SSAT, is specifically designed as an above-grade level measure. While other assessments measure grade level achievement, the ISEE and SSAT require students to demonstrate proficiency beyond what they have learned in the classroom.

Therefore, our most successful students prepare anywhere from 45 to 90 hours for this test, depending on their baseline scores and specific needs. ISEE preparation or SSAT preparation is best planned as a slow and steady effort. We typically get started almost a full year ahead of when students will officially test, which means we’re usually starting in January or February with an eye toward November, December, or January testing. The demands of the math sections are particularly intense, so we recommend starting with accelerated math instruction as early as 3rd grade if a family is considering a fifth grade or middle school transition. We then transition into more formal preparation by January of the 4th grade school year with an eye toward December testing as a 5th grader. For public school students, this windup often includes preparation for 3rd and 4th grade state testing since mastery of these grade level standards is a prerequisite for successful performance on the ISEE or SSAT. Test-taking strategies are explicitly instructed, but there is no shortcut for the sheer volume of content that needs to be taught to get students to perform above grade level.

There are many variables to consider regarding the overall admissions strategy for any student applying to a competitive independent or boarding school. Whichever route you take, test preparation is an important part despite the test-optional shifts we’ve seen, so it’s best to develop a plan early and to include your children directly in the process so that they can take ownership for it. When we partner with families, we discuss the value of SSAT or ISEE preparation as an investment in a successful start to middle or high school. This perspective creates a more meaningful experience and helps students, parents, and teachers better measure the impact of test preparation. The more comfortable and confident the student is going in to the test, the more successful the results tend to be.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard

Vocabulary Development for Secondary Aged Students

February 3, 2021 Brad Hoffman

Intentional vocabulary development for secondary aged students contributes to school success and establishes the foundation for the best possible future. The emphasis on reading proficiency by fourth grade often means that students who still need support get little attention thereafter. Sometimes students who did fine with elementary reading begin to show strain as reading expectations increase at the secondary level. Fun activities, using online software programs, can help grow vocabulary. The best way to help students become good readers isn’t to focus exclusively on academic reading. In addition, expanding reading to cover the multiple areas of interest in their lives increases their funds of knowledge and reveals the real contribution that reading can make to a full life.

Students who struggle with reading may give excuses like noisy surroundings, task difficulty, unfair teachers, or various forms of interference. These stem from a fear of lacking expected skills. They may avoid reading, by forgetting the books they need, claiming other work is more important, or simply procrastinating. Knowing words help readers appreciate narratives and that often helps reintroduce the pleasure of reading. Reading support grows confidence so students are better able to ask for help when they need it.

Ongoing vocabulary development ensures that students have support as reading assignments change: Quizlet allows students to develop their own vocabulary lists (Wordly Wise 3000 has a variety of activities and partners with Quizlet to help reinforce learning); Membean provides focused word building with an algorithm that recognizes when to repeat a word so that it sticks in memory. These vocabulary development activities are easy additions to a student’s educational routine.

Adolescent literacy requires more than fluent-sounding reading and context-based vocabulary explanations. At the secondary level, students need to develop the reading skills to recognize inflections of meaning. Sentence style and tone comes from the author’s vocabulary choices as well as word order. Recognizing such details helps students grasp the underlying meanings of a passage. The subtle distinctions among synonyms also contribute to text analysis.

Reading assignments at the secondary level are longer and more demanding. Textbooks may subdivide sections and provide key word boxes to help students learn new terms, but they do not show how to apply those words or understand their use them in other contexts. Guiding readers through the major vocabulary, however, shows them crucial concepts, develops stronger understanding, and eventually allows them to compare learning topics. This last skill is crucial to success on SAT subject tests and reading portions of standardized tests.

Literature readings shift away from chapter books to dive into texts from historical periods, global cultures, and an assortment of genres, each with their own formal vocabulary. Even contemporary short stories may prove difficult as postmodern plots and various devices create unusual narratives. Students often skip words they don’t know in an attempt to manage the length and density of the assignment. Unfortunately, that avoidance tactic increases confusion. As adolescent years are full of social anxiety, students typically avoid asking vocabulary questions in class where they are in front of their peers.

For a student missing a word in each paragraph, important information gets lost. With each passing page, they lose background context. Such students then struggle to make the kinds of inferences that are expected at the secondary level. Vocabulary development activities like membean or Quizlet provide an immediate response for this situation, but more is necessary. Guided support in how and when to apply background information or call upon a personal response to a passage, among other interpretation strategies, helps students regain confidence and become the independent readers that they need to be as they prepare for college.

Secondary level students who struggle with reading need reading motivation. This is where working with texts and topics that interest them is crucial. Here, they expand the vocabulary relevant to the area that already engages them. They learn how to read with concentration for an extended period of time. They discover when personal responses are appropriate or distract from a focus on the text. They adopt positions from which to argue or defend an interpretation. They recognize the value of research or background knowledge in discussing the topic. Through conversations based on the reading, they begin to produce more convincing arguments by learning how to present information in an orderly fashion.

Vocabulary development for secondary aged students helps them become engaged and proficient readers by cultivating motivation, decoding skills, language comprehension, and personal transactions with the text. Most importantly, it ensures they have the skills for success at school and for the rest of their lives.

By Charlotte Kent, Ph.D. and Private Tutor, and Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed. and Learning Specialist

AP Exams and SAT Subject Tests

January 25, 2021 Brad Hoffman

While SAT and ACT scores demonstrate comparisons of a student’s skills in reading comprehension, English language, and math, the AP exams and, previously, the SAT subject tests, allow applicants to shine by testing subjects they love and often plan to pursue in college.

SAT Subject tests — which the College Board abruptly “retired” in January 2021 — were an important part of the admissions process, especially for the most competitive colleges. Now, students need to leverage the College Board’s AP exams to demonstrate subject mastery. However, AP exams can only be taken once annually in May and are administered at schools. Particularly over the past decade, many private day schools and boarding schools stopped offering AP classes because their faculty didn’t want to be boxed into a curriculum scope and sequence designed by College Board and argued by many secondary educators to be “a mile wide and an inch deep.” Instead, many rigorous independent schools have argued in favor of leveraging their advanced or honors classes for this testing, but that often leaves both content gaps and lacking test-taking skills that need to be supplemented with outside preparation. Moreover, many of these schools stopped coordinating and hosting these AP tests, and it’s not so easy to find another host school, which is an obstacle we’ll face this school year and next school year as educators navigate this testing change.

The TOP 6 AP Exams in 2020 were:

English Language and Composition

US History

English Literature and Composition

World History

US Government and Politics

Calculus AB

The TOP 3 SAT Subject Tests from 2018-2020 were:
Mathematics 2

Biology E/M

US History

Ideally, students initiate their planning and preparation for an AP exam at least 6 months before their anticipated exam date. The good news is that all of these tests are highly coachable, and there are scads of success stories among our tutors and students–the key is to start your test preparation early enough, and work with a specialist who is intimately familiar with the test(s). The best results come from a careful and strategic approach.

As a person who has experienced the admissions process year after year, I find that students who are interested in a particular subject, such as Physics, Chemistry, US History, or French, tend to score very well on AP tests, or, previously, SAT Subject tests because they study something they already like more deeply.

By Brad Hoffman, Board Certified Educational Planner, and Grant Bergland, Private Tutor

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All Articles tagged Testing

Case Management and Instructional Coaching

When Should a Student Begin SAT or ACT Preparation?

Using ISEE Preparation to Bolster Middle and High School Readiness

Vocabulary Development for Secondary Aged Students

AP Exams and SAT Subject Tests

Company Overview

School Planning

Private Tutoring

Test Preparation