How to Incorporate Test Prep for Language Arts in Middle School

If your schedule is already packed, read here for tips to easily get in some test prep.

Standardized testing. These two words invoke fear and dread in many middle school teachers. When considering test prep for language arts, the struggle is compounded because many states include students’ scores as part of a teacher’s evaluation. Teachers are feeling the pressure to finish teaching all the concepts kids will need to know, and then praying that the kids will not only remember them but choose to use what they’ve learned on the test. We want to easily incorporate test prep into our day, but it feels like an impossible task.

If your schedule is already packed, read here for tips to easily get in some test prep.

In addition, teachers need to figure out how to prepare kids for testing with items such as test-taking skills, how to best attack an open-ended question, and what new “keywords” standardized tests are currently using. It’s enough to make teachers really, really stressed out.

Although I can’t solve this entire problem, I can lend a few tips on how I easily incorporate test prep in my middle school language arts class. Be sure to read to the end for information for an easy and relaxing idea for students when they finish testing.

Some Tenets of Good Practice for Test Prep for Language Arts

In a perfect world, kids should be naturally prepared for standardized tests based on your curriculum and how you incorporate bits and pieces of it into your assessments. In my humble opinion, we really should NOT prep kids because it doesn’t give us a true indicator of a student’s abilities.

With that said, we know that this is unfortunately not the way the world works any longer. So as teachers, we are tasked with having to do this without bombarding and overwhelming our kids.

What it should look like

In a realistic world, here is what I believe a good, balanced test prep should look like in a middle school setting:

Brief but consistent
Make it fun (ok, engaging) when possible
Addresses test taking skills
Addresses difficult content with which kids historically struggle
Worked through with guidance from the teacher

What it should NOT look like

Here is what I believe test prep should NOT look like

Long test prep lessons that replace regular instruction
Worksheets that are all independent and never discussed
Assigning test prep for homework and not giving feedback
Doing so much that kids are burned out when they finally start the test

Tip #1 for Test Prep for Language Arts: Keep it Brief

As teachers, we are so consumed with making sure that our kids get every single concept that they need. I am guilty of overdoing it on many occasions. It certainly comes from all of the best intentions…but you know what they say about good intentions and the road to nowhere.

With that said, find brief moments in your day in the weeks leading up to the test. I would honestly keep test prep to maybe 2-3 weeks before and really no more. One year I did a month and it was WAY too much for them. By the time we got to the test, they were so sick of it (and so was I).

If you can find 15 minutes for 3 days a week, I think that is perfect. Your job here is not to go over every possible thing…you will overwhelm yourself and more importantly, you will overwhelm your students. I have tried many things, and here is what I like the best:

Beginning of class: Use the first 15 minutes (AKA “bell ringer” “do now” “anticipatory set”) to do a quick activity. This can be anything you want. If you want to cover a longer concept, break it up and make it your activity for the whole week. Check out my set of bell ringers on TPT.
End of class: I might start something at the end of class and have kids finish at home if needed. Then, I will go over it in our next test prep session.
What I would NOT do: Make one day a week “test prep day”…kids will dread it and so will you. I speak from experience.

Bell ringers make test prep quick but effective.

Tip #2 for Test Prep for Language Arts: Keep it Natural

In my opinion, the best way to incorporate test prep is to use it in what you are teaching that week. I realize it is not always possible, but look for some ideas.

For example, if you are doing a reading unit on historical fiction, that is a great time to look for theme. You could discuss theme, why it’s important, how to recognize it, and how you could possibly use it in your own writing. Then, give kids 15 minutes to write a historical fiction piece (give them a clear prompt) and ask them to use theme. You might want to take 2 sessions for this.

You could also incorporate a test-taking skill into what you are currently teaching. For example, you could create a test question for your current unit. Have kids try it, and then go over some strategies (crossing out obvious incorrect answers, finding keywords in the question, etc.).

Again, whatever you do, you have to go over it. The worst thing you can do is to assign something and not give kids feedback.

Tip #3 for Test Prep for Language Arts: Keep it Fun

Making test prep fun isn’t always easy, but it’s essential to keep students engaged and motivated. At the very least, prep should feel interactive rather than rote or dull.

Games are a perfect way to do this—think quiz-style competitions, vocabulary bingo, or even digital review platforms like Kahoot! or Quizizz. You can also try collaborative activities, such as “escape room” challenges where students solve reading or grammar puzzles to unlock the next clue, or peer-teaching exercises where students create their own review questions for classmates.

Even something as simple as giving students choice—like picking which passages to analyze or which review activity to play—can make a big difference.

For teachers looking for ready-to-use solutions, some of my resources can help. They combine fun, engaging practice with aligned test prep, saving you planning time while keeping your students motivated.

Tip #4 for Test Prep for Language Arts: Examine Work Samples

The writing portion of standardized testing is something that really needs practice. Most of us will give kids some practice prompts after we see the test specs for our grade level. It is absolutely crucial to give tips on pre-writing, pacing, and structure.

In addition, one of the most helpful activities I found was examining different levels of writing that have already been scored. Most standardized tests will give teachers samples of different scores for writing. In my state, rubrics are based on a scale of 1-4 (or 0-3…it’s always changing) and we are privy to writing pieces that have scored at each level and to the annotations that explain why students have scored where they did. My students told me that it made it all come together when they saw the scorers’ notes.

As a side note here, I do use the state rubric throughout the year as part of my writer’s workshop. I don’t use it as their grade, but it is something that I have them use at the end of the unit and try to figure out where their piece fits in the scheme of the rubric guidelines. This way, it is much more familiar to them during test-taking time.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you do, plan ahead and try to incorporate these strategies or your own plan of action. Don’t go overboard because your kids will burn out. Finding that “happy medium” when it comes to test prep is so important.

I also believe it is crucial to give kids a pep talk. Explaining why their test score matters (because believe me, not all of them think it does) is time really well spent. Even the most serious of students “phone it in” because it can all feel very intangible to them. Let the kids know you are pulling for them because you know that it matters. I would also add that they should know that you understand that their score is not the “be all/end all” of how you perceive them as a student.

When students are done testing, there is often a lot of lag time. Many districts don’t allow kids to use their devices, so they usually are told to read. Many of them don’t have the stamina to do this after hours of testing. I have a product called “After the Test“, which are “print and go” activities that will give kids a nice diversion that is quiet but meaningful. Check it out here:

Be prepared for after the test as well!