Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In this blog post, we’ll explore why personalized test prep is so important. Keep reading to learn more!
Teachers, can you hear it? That’s the sound of summer drawing near. But before the final bell rings, spring testing takes center stage—nearly as common now as blooming flowers. Ensuring student success during this busy season means keeping content fresh in their minds.
Across the country, most schools are in the midst of testing. Some wrapped up last week, others started a few weeks ago, and many more will begin soon. In Baltimore, for instance, students will spend the next three weeks taking the PARCC exams, while in Virginia, they’re preparing for the SOL. Regardless of the test, the key to success is focused preparation.
All of this makes testing at this time of year extremely challenging for teachers. Teachers have to find a way to keep students motivated and engaged in class so they do their best on exams.
The key to student success on exams depends a lot on how confident they feel in the material they are being tested on. That means practice. Students need to prepare for test taking in a way that’s fun and engaging so they aren’t wracked with nerves when they are taking the real test.
How can you achieve this worthy goal? By playing games of course!
It might sound crazy to some, but a great strategy to personalize test prep is to use learning games! Think about it. Students are a little stir-crazy. They can hear summer coming and spring break is either just around the corner or just gone by. Students really need some engagement, and science games offer just that.
In our pilot of short curricula games last year, our research statistically proved that when students learn with games they have higher levels of simple fact recall and are thus able to give more sophisticated answers to complex questions on tests.
But don’t take our word for it. We have a lot of teacher Ambassadors who have already thought of some great ways to use games to prep for their exams. Here are some of their suggestions:
Success Stories on Personalized Test Prep with Games
Let’s go through some success stories about how teachers got great outcomes through personalized test prep with amazing games!
Five classroom teachers share how they’ve used games to differentiate test preparation, create targeted review playlists, and empower students to take control of their learning.
Read on to see how these success stories could inspire new approaches in your own classroom.
Renee Ekhoff, Nebraska
Recently, we were studying adaptations and natural selection. We used the life science games — Walter’s Travels and Survival of the Fittest — to identify adaptations, both behavioral and physical. The students applied their practice to their review for the quiz and the adaptation poster. It was awesome to see students using adaptations they had learned through the games on their projects! — Renee Ekhoff, Nebraska
Ann Pottebaum, Iowa
(When working on personalize test prep for students) I have reviewed the games and selected ones that best fit our learning objectives. Then, having projected the games up, we worked through them together to introduce the sites/types of games available to study for exams.
The students thought they were great. What an interactive way to study and review as we finished our units on atoms, molecules, compounds, and bonding! — Anne Pottebaum, Iowa
Caitlin Unterman, Virginia
We used the natural resources games to help review renewable vs nonrenewable sources. We also used oceanography (weather and the ocean) to review ocean currents. — Caitlin Unterman, Virginia
Elizabeth Lewellen, California
LOL has been an invaluable tool for helping my students prepare for the state test. Students have been giving me personal requests for the topics they feel they need to review the most.
Every student is different. With LOL I only need to launch a playlist for the different topics requested, and in this way, I’m differentiating the review practice for each student. It’s awesome. It’s empowering for me and the students feel very catered to when they feel their personal needs for instructional focus are being met. — Elizabeth Lewellen, California
Mariana Garcia-Serrato, California
For test prep in 8th grade, I displayed the complete list of LOL learning objectives. Students were invited to peruse them and decide which ones each of them wanted to review.
Then I created different playlists for groups and individuals based on their perceived needs, with a couple of special invites for concepts that were covered in previous years. Having that list of discrete learning objectives proved an easy way for them to decide what to study! — Mariana Garcia-Serrato, California
Personalized Test Prep: Key Takeaways
- Keeping Content Fresh
As testing season approaches, it’s vital to keep subject matter top-of-mind so students remain confident and prepared.- Engagement Through Games
Incorporating fun, interactive learning games helps reduce stress, boosts motivation, and can improve recall of key facts.- Differentiated, Personalized Prep
By creating targeted playlists or allowing students to choose specific objectives, teachers can tailor review materials to individual needs—enhancing both focus and confidence.- Proven Success in the Classroom
Teachers report real improvements when using game-based strategies: students better retain information, apply concepts more effectively, and feel empowered by having a say in their own test prep.Want to try out our learning games? Sign up today on the Legends of Learning platform.
Good luck with testing and the rest of your school year!
