How can I help my student improve skill areas that received low test scores?
First, you need to diagnose what the problem is. Because skills and understanding are built upon one another as a student learns, one weak skill or misunderstanding can have significant interference in a student’s progress. Meet with your student's teacher or counselor to review the test results and their classroom performance. Look for multiple indicators to confirm and support your student’s strengths and weaknesses. Discuss available resources that can help you pinpoint these areas, such as the PASeries® diagnostic tests, then find supplemental materials that the student can work on at home to improve their learning.
It is important to note that a single test score is not a perfect indicator of ability. Therefore, don't emphasize the significance of any one test result. A student can become anxious with too much pressure or criticism and end up performing poorly on a test. There are also numerous other factors to consider – illness, attitude, motivation, classroom environment, social relationships, etc. One or many of these may be affecting a student's performance. |
