College of Education & Human Services

Undergraduate Programs
Scholarships

Educator Preparation

WIU Basic Skills Test Preparation Page

In the 2018 the Teacher Education Test Success Committee was formed. The mission of the committee is to provide a coordinated and communicated system of support to help teacher education students increase test scores so that they can fulfill the basic skills requirement, in preparation for student teaching. The committee has Four Initiatives to help teacher education students increase test scores so that they can fulfill the basic skills requirement.
The Four Initiatives (details below) are:

  1. Getting Started and Coaching
  2. Tutoring
  3. Rocky Resources Workshops
  4. Course - EDS 275

Getting Started and Coaching

This is the getting started and planning step. The teacher education major who has not yet met the basic skills requirement should learn how they can meet the basic skills requirement and become familiar with the available resources for helping them meet the requirement. The student can meet with their TEP (Teacher Education Program) adviser, attend a group presentation, meet with an academic coach, or look at this web site on their own. The student should identify their strengths and challenges and make a plan to prepare to meet the basic skills requirement. Students are invited to seek assistance from an academic coach or TEP adviser on an ongoing basis.

Overview of the SAT Test and Free Test Prep Links

Introductory Video:

(The video shows the 4 pages linked above.)

The Khan Academy provides many free, online resources and practice tests to help you prepare to do well on the SAT Test. Here are some useful pages from the Khan Academy:

Academic Coaching

Tutoring

This is academic help in math, reading, writing, and language. Students seeking assistance in mathematics will go to the math tutors (<<drop in times). Students seeking assistance in reading, writing, and language will go to the Writing Center (appointments are encouraged, call 309-298-2815). Students are encouraged to bring specific questions or prompts to the tutors.

Rocky Resources Workshops

This is help with stress management, effective studying, test preparation, and test-taking strategies. The UAASC (University Advising & Academic Services Center) offers 30-minute Rocky's Resources Success workshops each semester. Part of the student’s plan should be to attend specific workshops to better put themselves in a position to succeed.

Course - EDS 275

EDS 275 This 0-semester hour course is for students who are close to student teaching and have not yet met the basic skills requirement. This is an 8-week course. In the course the student students improve their basic academic skills and test preparation and test-taking strategies, so they can fulfill the basic skills requirement. This will be offered first 8 weeks and second 8 weeks in the spring 2019 semester. If you want to take it, see your Teacher Education advisor and STARS. Course title: EDS 275: Teacher Education Basic Skills Preparation.

This web page is provided by the Western Illinois University Teacher Education Test Success Committee.

Our mission is to provide a coordinated and communicated system of support to help students increase test scores so that they can fulfill the basic skills requirement, in preparation for student teaching.

Background

Students in Illinois who are studying to be a teacher must pass a Basic Skills Requirement. This requirement can be fulfilled by achieving a sufficient score on either the TAP Test, ACT Test, or the SAT Test. For the SAT numerous practice tests, tutorial videos, and extensive practice materials are available online, free of charge, as linked above. More information on the Basic Skills Requirement.

Recommendations for the SAT

Math - Handout ~ Slides

Reading, Writing, Language - Handout  ~ Slides

Detailed test specifications and descriptions here.

Jim Olsen, Committee chair.

Page updated: January 11, 2019