Teaching Test-taking Strategies to Improve the Academic Achievement of Students with Mild Mental Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the effects of teaching a test-taking strategy to 4 fourth-and fifth-grade students with mild mental disabilities on reading and math achievement. The intervention consisted of a direct and explicit instructional method using a mnemonic strategy. The participants' acquisition and application of the test-taking strategy on reading and math probes were evaluated using a multiple probe across participants design. All participants demonstrated the ability to apply the strategy on probes during the intervention, 2-week maintenance, and generalization conditions. Significant gains in achievement were observed for all participants. Implications of teaching test-taking strategies to students with mild to moderate mental disabilities were discussed.