Summary
In this first ACT English prep activity, students will focus on reflecting on their score from taking the test and setting a goal for a future ACT. First, students review and reflect on test-taking tips from other students. Then students review their existing English scores before setting a goal to reach on the ACT and the English test when they take the test again. Students choose at least one action to practice as a good habit leading up to the ACT, and they record their progress towards meeting their goal. This is the first activity in a 10-week "Power Up" series for ACT prep.
Essential Questions
How can I increase my ACT score?
Learning Objectives
Understand the purpose of the ACT and the importance of the English section.
Evaluate current ACT performance and set a realistic goal for the overall test and the English component.
Materials List
Activity Slides (attached)
Goal Setting handout (attached; one per student)
MyACT Quick Start Guide document (attached; for teacher use)
Sticky notes (one per student)
Coloring utensils (highlighters or colored pencils; 1–2 per student)
Pencil/pen
Device to access ACT score or a printed report (for each student)
Calculators (optional)
Introduction
5 Minute(s)
Introduce the activity using the attached Activity Slides. Share the essential question on slide 3 and the learning objectives from slide 4. Next, display slide 5 and explain to students that they will be watching a video with tips from students who have taken the ACT and are sharing what has worked for them.
Play the video on the slide, “ACT Advice from Students #2.”
Show slide 6 and ask students to share the Point of Most Significance (POMS) from the video. What point or suggestion did they feel was the most valuable?
Activity
25 Minute(s)
Show slide 7 and direct students to access the ACT student portal at my.act.org. Let students know that they can track their progress and set goals from test to test if they have access to their ACT online portal.
Have students navigate to their score report. If you have students who have taken the ACT multiple times, remind them that we will be focusing on their highest score to date. Hand out the Goal Setting handout. Display slide 8 and have them use coloring utensils to fill in their current composite score and English score, but have them wait to fill in their goals.
Display slide 9. Share with students that, while some schools are moving toward a test-optional format, the ACT can be important in obtaining scholarships and school admissions. If you have students who plan to enter the workforce directly after high school, let them know that improving this score can provide more options if they later decide to pursue a degree. Share that their scores are also used to show the state what students have learned. If your school has an average goal to achieve, you can share that here.
Display slide 10. This slide shows how many English questions a student must get correct to get each ACT score from 1 to 36. For example, to score a 28, they would need to answer 61 questions correctly.
Invite students to set a goal for a range of scores. First, ask students to consider what goal they can reach for their next composite and English scores, thinking about what they have just seen on the previous slides. Recommend one step above where they currently are, but allow students to set a goal for two steps if you feel like they are ready for the commitment and dedication it would take for a more significant score jump. Remind students that they can improve their score each time they take the test and that this goal is only for the next time they take the test at school. Direct students’ attention back to the slide and ask them to look at the rows with scores in their range. Have them record on their goal sheet the number of problems they would need to get correct.
Move to slide 11, which has directions for calculating the percentage of correct answers students would need to meet their goal. Using a calculator or scratch paper, have students find their goal percentage by taking the number of questions they recorded on their goal sheet and dividing it by the total number of questions on the English test (75). Have them multiply that answer by 100 and record the percentage.
Ask the class to think about the following question: “What is an action you can take between now and the next ACT exam to help improve your score?”
After giving the students a few moments to think, move to slide 12. Ask students to read through the list of possible actions on their handout and commit to one action they can practice in the coming weeks. Explain that in the coming weeks they will have the option to add other actions. For now, based on what they know about themselves and their goals, have them commit to just one action they can take and practice as a habit. Have students record the number of their selected action in the chart at the bottom of their handout. If they prefer and have enough room, students can instead copy the entire goal.
Ask students to use the columns to record each date they practice that skill to power up their ACT abilities.
Wrap-Up
5 Minute(s)
For a helpful visual representation of classroom goals and to monitor goal setting, use the strategy Sticky Bars as an Exit Ticket for the activity. Find space on a wall or use large chart paper and put the numbers 1–6 along the bottom x-axis. Display slide 14. Give each student a sticky note and have them write their name on the note. Next, have students come up to the chart and place their notes above the goal they selected, creating a bar graph. This visual can be used from week to week to check in with students about whether they are working on their goals or to discuss which goals are most important to the class.
Next Step
Complete next week's activity, "Power Up: English ACT Prep, Week 2," which will review usage.
Research Rationale
Standardized testing in high schools has long been used as a metric for assessing college readiness and school accountability (McMann, 1994). While there has been debate surrounding the accuracy of such metrics, as well as concerns regarding equity, many institutions of higher education continue to make these scores part of the admissions process (Allensworth & Clark, 2020; Black et al., 2016; Buckley et al., 2020). In addition to admissions, it is important to keep in mind that standardized test scores can also provide students with scholarship opportunities they would not otherwise have (Klasik, 2013). Although the topic of standardized testing continues to be debated, effective test preparation can ensure that our students are set up for success.
With several benefits to doing well on college admissions tests, it is important to consider how best to prepare students for this type of high-stakes test. Students from groups that may historically struggle to find success, such as those in poverty or first-generation college students, especially stand to benefit from effective test preparation (Moore & San Pedro, 2021). The American College Test (ACT) is one option students have for college admissions testing that is provided both at national centers and school sites. Taking the time to understand this test, including the timing, question types, rigor, and strategies for approaching specific questions, can help prepare students to do their best work on test day and ensure their score is a more accurate representation of what they know (Bishop & Davis-Becker, 2016).
Resources
ACT. (2019, June 5). How to Apply for an ACT Fee Waiver. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/8KVRiyY6h0I
ACT. (2022). MyACT Quick Start Guide. https://success.act.org/s/article/MyACT-Quick-Start-Guide
ACT. (2023). ACT Fee Waiver Program. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration/fees/fee-waivers.html
Allensworth, E. M., & Clark, K. (2020). High school GPAs and ACT scores as predictors of college completion: Examining assumptions about consistency across high schools. Educational Researcher, 49(3), 198-211.
Bishop, N.S. & Davis-Becker, S. (2016). Preparing examinees for test taking: Guidelines for test developers and test users. 2nd edition.
Crocker, L. (Ed). In Handbook of test development (pp. 129-142). Routledge.
Black, S. E., Cortes, K. E., & Lincove, J. A. (2016). Efficacy Versus Equity: What Happens When States Tinker With College Admissions in a Race-Blind Era? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 38(2), 336–363. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44984542
Buckley, J., Baker, D., & Rosinger, K. (2020). Should State Universities Downplay the SAT?. Education Next, 20(3).
Hamilton County Schools. (2019, September 25). Act advice from students #2. YouTube. https://youtu.be/mMzsxmwWlq8
K20 Center. (n.d.). POMS: Point of Most Significance. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/101
K20 Center. (n.d.). Sticky Bars. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/129
Klasik, D. (2013). The ACT of Enrollment: The College Enrollment Effects of State-Required College Entrance Exam Testing. Educational Researcher, 42(3), 151–160. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23462378
McMann, P. K. (1994). The effects of teaching practice review items and test-taking strategies on the ACT mathematics scores of second-year algebra students. Wayne State University. https://www.monroeccc.edu/sites/default/files/upward-bound/McMannP.-the-effects-of-teaching-practice-review-items-ACT-mathematics-second-year-algebra.pdf
Moore, R., & San Pedro, S. Z. (2021). Understanding the Test Preparation Practices of Underserved Learners. ACT Research & Policy. Issue Brief. ACT, Inc. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED616526.pdf