STAAR Test Taking Strategies

1. Read the questions first.

 Reading the questions ahead of time will tell you what will be asked. This is what
you focus on when you read.

2. Mark parts of the text where the answers to the questions will be.
 This will allow you to find these parts quickly.

3. It’s ok to go out of order.

 Do parts of the test that are hardest when you are fresh and not tired.

4. Eliminate wrong answer choices.

 Cross out those answers you KNOW are wrong. Then, pick the best answer from
what is left.

5. Annotate text as you read.

 Underline important points.
 Hashtag summaries on long passages

6. Set a question goal and stick to it.

 Figure out how many questions you have to get right for the score you need.
 Circle the questions you know you can answer and focus on those.

7. Take some time on your essay.

 Take time to plan your essay
 Write at least 200 words on your essay.
 Check after you write for content, grammar and spelling.

8. Don’t spend forever on what you don’t know.

 Once you’ve read the questions, do the ones that you know you can answer
FIRST. Go back for the others.

9. Use your dictionary and scratch paper.

 Look up words you don’t know in your dictionary, especially for “meaning”
questions.
 Use your scratch paper to plan, take notes, or keep track of things.