Larry Ferlazzo teaches English and Social Studies at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California. He has written five books on education, writes a teacher advice blog for Education Week Teacher, and has his own popular resource-sharing blog. He began his public school career after working for nearly 20 years as a community organizer.

This article is adapted from Larry’s new book, Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies For Student Motivation, just published by Eye on Education.

“So much rides on the results of standardized tests these days. They’re even talking about making student scores worth 50 percent of my own evaluation and using them to determine my pay! I don’t want to spend weeks “drilling and killing” my students with test-prep work sheets. What am I supposed to do?” — A teacher’s question

by Larry Ferlazzo

How can you best prepare your students for standardized tests while doing no harm to them?

Much has been written about the many problems with high-stakes testing. A paper coauthored by top motivation researchers Netta Weinstein and Richard Ryan (2010) has listed a few of the problems resulting from high-stakes testing, including “teaching to the test, narrowing of curricula, [and] crowding out of enriching student activities” (p. 230). A 2011 report from the National Academy of Sciences also criticized the negative impact high-stakes testing has had on student learning.

Ted Appel, principal at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California, has characterized test results as being useful for being “data-informed,” but cautions against using them to be “data-driven.” What’s the difference? If schools are data-driven, they might make decisions like keeping students in algebra classes who may be ready to take a higher level of math so that the school does well on the algebra state test. Or, in English, teachers might focus a lot of energy on teaching a strand that is heavily emphasized on the tests—even though it might not help students become lifelong readers.

In other words, data-driven schools can tend to focus on their institutional self-interest instead of what’s best for the students. In schools that are data-informed, test results are just one more piece of information that can be helpful in determining future directions.

Becoming better at taking standardized tests is nowhere near as important as the countless other purposes of education, such as developing greater self-control, a stronger ability to cope with stress, and a willingness to look at problems and mistakes as opportunities to learn. Nevertheless, we live (as community organizers say) in the world as it is, not in the world as we would like it to be. In the current world, high-stakes standardized tests are a reality.

Effective and ethical ways to prepare our students

Given the high-stakes testing realities, besides being the best teachers we can be during the year (as well as being advocates of reducing or eliminating standardized test use and replacing it with more effective evaluation tools, such as teacher-developed assessments and student portfolios), what are the most effective and ethical ways we can help prepare our students to do their best on these tests and, at the same time, help them develop strategies to cope with other high-stress situations they may face in the future, including job interviews and oral presentations?

This excerpt offers a few suggestions that may help. In my new book Self-Driven Learning, the full chapter provides extensive research-based evidence and lesson plans that teachers can use to oppose common but disruptive and time-intensive test prep activities that are prevalent in many schools today.

The hope is that we teachers will do no harm to our students, while at the same time assisting them to bring their best efforts to the task—and, perhaps, learn a few strategies that might help them successfully prepare for other challenging situations in their lives.

The ideas here are designed to make test prep and taking tests less demeaning, distressing, and depressing exercises—to teachers and to students—than they are so often today.

Research shows that at least 15 percent, and possibly as much as 30 percent, of a test taker’s success could depend on his or her motivation and other ambiguous factors. Here are some ways teachers can ethically help increase the odds that students maximize their potential in the context of these “factors.”

Invoke a Success Mindset

Asking students to take a minute or two prior to the test to write about a successful personal experience or to write about another successful person has resulted in higher test scores.

My personal favorite activity in this category is to give students five minutes to respond to this prompt:

Think about one of your ancestors, and write about one or more successes he or she had in life. Write a few sentences about the person, and draw a picture that represents him or her, and/or his or her success.

Then, after a few minutes, I have them share with a partner, which incorporates the next activity described in this chapter—having a conversation.

This ancestor exercise builds on research that found having students spend a few minutes just thinking about ancestors—deceased or alive—or writing about them prior to taking a standardized test will result in greater effort and better results. The researchers concluded that thinking about the success of those with whom we are genetically connected, and the problems that they have overcome, makes us believe that we have similar qualities.

An additional benefit: Teachers can learn some amazing things about students and their families. Here are a few condensed examples of what students have written:

• My auntie finally finished her college years.

• My mom’s grandmother’s mom was a slave and was alive when slavery ended. She got to celebrate, and even if she hadn’t anywhere to go it was a special moment for her.

• My dad got to America. He got papers.

• My grandpa was born in Mexico and grew up there. Growing up he messed around with ropes because he loved the style, so he got really good and great with horses. He never lost a match. It’s about how many you catch and all you have is a horse and a rope.

• One good, successful person that I know is my dad. I think that he is a successful person because when something bad happens in our family he always knows what to do.

• My grandfather was a CIA soldier. That was one of his success because he helped Americans during the Vietnam War.

More research: Girls just seeing images of famous women scientists on the walls has resulted in higher science scores. Though research has not yet been undertaken to explore the additional implications of these study results, it certainly couldn’t hurt to place images of successful scientists and professionals representing different ethnic groups and genders around the classroom. (The research behind these strategies can be explained to students so they can use it to prepare for future high-stakes activities.)

Build Social Capital through Conversation

Dividing the class into pairs and having them talk about a social issue for 10 minutes prior to a test has been found to result in higher scores. This kind of social interaction and building of “social capital” increased mental processing speed and working memory, according to researchers.

Why? It appears to warm up the brain, especially areas like working memory and concentration, which are used in both social engagement and taking a test.

To facilitate the process, students could possibly determine their own topics and partners prior to testing day. Though the social issue discussed in the research experiment was a current event, it appears that researchers believe any topic of mutual interest that can be sustained for ten minutes would achieve the same effect (as long as it took place between friends).

Another study found that just asking participants to spend eight minutes getting to know another person produced similar results. A few guided questions could energize the “getting to know you” process. Again, teachers can explain the research behind this activity and discuss it as a tool that students might use in preparing for future challenging situations.

Provide Refreshments

Researchers have found that providing students with peppermints on test days has resulted in higher scores. It is thought that they both provide glucose for the brain that can enhance memory and that their odor somehow increases student attention.

Drinking a cup of water twenty minutes prior to taking a test has also had positive results. Researchers are not exactly sure why results on tests improved, but others suggest that students being better hydrated is an important reason for the improvement.

Once again, in addition to potentially providing the right refreshments to students on test day, teachers can explain their effect on performance and students can consider getting them on their own in the future—prior to tests and at other times when they want to be as focused as possible.

Acknowledge Test-Taking Stress

Some of us — students and adults — just don’t do well in high-pressure situations like taking tests. Researchers have found that having students write about their test-taking thoughts and worries for ten minutes prior to the start of the exam “canceled out the negative effects of test anxiety.” The researchers believe that putting the worries on paper helped clear the working memory of stressful clutter that would disrupt cognitive functions.

You’ll find other research-based ideas for test preparation in Chapter 7 of Self-Driven Learning. None of them are earth-shattering or magical, but they may help reduce the damage these tests can cause to our students, and to our schools and educators who also feel the heat of the high stakes spotlight. My hope is that they will also provide our students with strategies that can help them be more successful in the future, where high-stakes situations will certainly arise.

This article was adapted and excerpted with permission from Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation, by Larry Ferlazzo, Copyright © 2013 Eye On Education, Inc. Larchmont, NY. All rights reserved

Dr. Debbie Silver is an award-winning educator, 30 year veteran of the classroom, staff development instructor, and university professor. Her numerous recognitions include being named the Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. She’s taught on almost every grade level.

This article is adapted from her new book Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight: Teaching Kids to Succeed (Corwin Press, 2012). Read our MiddleWeb review here.

by Debbie Silver

I grew up hearing the adage, “It’s not so much about what you say as how you say it.” I generally agreed with that idea. As a positive, enthusiastic teacher I often used effusive praise and all kinds of “rah-rah” exclamations to boost my students’ self-esteem and willingness to participate. I bubbled out meaningless phrases like, “You are so smart!”  “You’ve got a natural talent!”  “You are the absolute best ever!” with little regard to whether or not these particular phrases did anything to enhance self-efficacy in my learners.  I just wanted them to feel good.

Whenever my students failed I would quickly try to cover it up or minimize its importance so they wouldn’t lose any confidence by saying things like, “Oh, that test was really hard,” or “Well, maybe science is not your thing.” However, through my studies on the art and science of engaging learners I have come to believe that our choice of words is an often overlooked critical factor for inspiring learners to be independent, self-motivated students.

It really IS about what you say

To understand the damaging effect of inappropriate word choices, it is important to examine a psychological concept called attribution theory. Bernard Weiner (1980) asked subjects why they were or were not able to achieve certain goals. He recorded all their responses. He was able to sort the participants’ responses into what later came to be classified as one of four groups:

• Task  (“That assignment was so easy.” “The textbook was way too hard to read.”)

• Luck (“I guessed correctly about what to study.” “She only asked about stuff I didn’t know was going to be on the test!”)

• Innate Ability or Talent (“Being good at sports just runs in my family.” “I can’t draw anything – never could and never will.”)

• Effort (“I studied really hard, and I was prepared this time.” “I didn’t put the time into this assignment I needed to.”)

The four factors listed above represent the primary causal factors cited by individuals as explanations for their success or failure on certain tasks. Three of the four of these have something in common that should be particularly enlightening for teachers. The first three attributions are all beyond the control of the learner. They are external factors that cannot be influenced by the student. If learners attribute their success or lack of success to one of the first 3 factors, they are basically giving up their locus of control (their belief that they have power over what happens to them).

The singular attribute a student can influence is the fourth one, effort. Thus, effort is the only factor that can be controlled by the learner. The ramifications of this research are essential to consider when choosing our classroom comments.

When teachers praise innate talent and/or luck, we are basically diminishing the student’s role in her own success. If we allow kids to dismiss their low achievement as a result of the task difficulty, we are complicit in “letting them off the hook.” After all, they cannot control their genetic make-up, fate, or how hard or how easy the undertaking is.

What is important about understanding attribution theory is that adults can use it to help children accept responsibility for their successes and failures. Students can learn how to empower themselves rather than feel entitled or victimized. They can do this by attributing their success or lack of it to something they can control – their effort. Our feedback needs to address only things over which they have control – their choices and their effort.

Effective Feedback

Effective feedback starts with carefully selecting words that are honest, specific, nonjudgmental, and specifically chosen to help the student figure out how to get better. It should inform them about their progress. It should not judge, label, accuse, excuse, or even praise. It provides instructive knowledge that will enhance the student’s performance.

It is important to remember that inefficient learners often have no idea what the adults mean when we say, “you just need to work harder.” We need to provide modeling and incremental steps to help them understand the preparation we want them to use. We have to guide them with specific words towards helpful techniques for practicing efficiently and effectively.

Students thrive on individual, specific attention from caring adults. It is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

Additionally, adults often fail to realize that some of the most effective feedback does not come in the form of statements but rather as questions. Learners appreciate having a fully focused non-judgmental adult interested in their work. The teacher can ask questions such as, “Ramon, how did you decide on that particular design for you paper airplane?” “If you could change one thing about your design, what would it be?” “Can you walk me through your thought process?” Students thrive on individual, specific attention from caring adults. It is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

Effective and Ineffective Praise

Here are some examples of ineffective praise — and of praise that promotes appropriate attribution.

Ineffective: Restricted to global positive reactions. “Good job!” “Awesome!” “Number One!” “You Rock!”
Effective: Specifies the particulars of the accomplishment. “You finished the exercise on time with 90% accuracy.” “Your project meets the highest standards on 3 of the 5 criteria on the rubric.”  “You turned in your assignment every day this week without having to be reminded.”

Ineffective: Shows a bland uniformity that suggests a conditioned response made with minimal attention. “Oh, that’s good.” “It’s fine.” “Uh-huh.” “Way to go.” “Okay.” “Awesome.”
Effective: Shows spontaneity, variety and other signs of credibility that suggest clear attention to the student’s accomplishment. “The details you included in your theme made me feel like I was right there.”  “The way you played that ball showed some quick thinking.”  “That example you just gave was one I never would have thought of, and you’re exactly right.”

Ineffective: Provides no information at all or gives students information about their status. “Okay, turn it in.” “Yes, I see you’re done.” “Don’t worry, you’re fine.” “It’s acceptable.”
Effective: Provides information to the students about their competence or the value of their accomplishments. “This paper clearly demonstrates you’ve attained mastery in this concept. That is something to be proud of!” “In your group today I noticed it was you who smoothed over the argument and got things back on track.” “It seems like you’re the one everyone turns to with their computer problems. Thanks for sharing your skills with your classmates.”

Ineffective: Orients students toward comparing themselves with others and thinking about competing. “Can you make that a little more like Charlotte’s?”  “You’re not keeping up with the other G/T students.” “You still didn’t make the top score in the class.”
Effective: Orients students toward better appreciation of their own task-related behavior and thinking about problem solving. “Do you realize you just exceeded your own personal best record?” “Show me how you solved that difficult problem.” “Let’s take a look at the progress you’ve made these past few weeks.”

~ adapted from Brophy, JE (1981)

Tricky business

Communicating high expectations is a tricky business. The subtleties of our words are not lost on students, and those words carry very strong messages. While it is indeed desirable to let students know we believe in them and their abilities, it is equally important that we use the appropriate words to direct their attention to attributes that help them build a sense of self-efficacy and self-motivation.

We need to choose our words carefully and use effective feedback to help students learn to succeed. While middle grades teachers always need to be mindful of the manner in which we communicate with our impressionable young learners, we must also be aware that what we choose to say is important and part of the teaching act.

Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. — Napoleon Hill

Ames, C.A. (1990). Motivation: What teachers need to know. Teachers College Record, 91, 409-421.

Brophy, J.E. (1981). Teacher praise: A functional analysis. In Review of Educational Research, Spring, 5-32.

Silver, D. (2012). Fall Down 7 Times, Get Up 8: Teaching Kids to Succeed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press/Columbus, Ohio: AMLE.

Weiner, B. (1979). A theory of motivation for some classroom experiences. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71. 3-25.

Weiner, B. (I980). A cognitive (attribution)-emotion-action model of motivated behavior: An analysis of judgments of help-giving. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39 (2), 186-200.