Originally Posted by Iucounu
After reading through this thread, my thoughts on the ethics of prepping for tests in general run along these lines:

1. If the test materials are indicated as secret by the publisher, it's not OK to prep specifically for that test.

2....
5. It's always OK to teach thinking skills. So, for example, the mere presence of analogies on different types of tests doesn't mean one can't expose a child to analogies. For another example, over-the-top stressful hothousing of things like vocabulary wouldn't be unethical test prep, though it would be bad parenting.

6. It's always OK to practice test-taking in general, to lower stress levels etc.

(7. The fact that test prep will inevitably happen to some degree is a compelling reason not to rely just on numbers from one type of test, or maybe any types of preppable tests.)

From page 15:
Quote
Prepare the students for the test... If at all possible, go over the directions for the test�especially those with unfamiliar item formats such as matrices�a day or two before the test. Make up additional practice items to ensure that ALL children understand what they are supposed to do. NEVER start the test unless you are sure that the children understand what they are supposed to do.
From all of this, I conclude that the Mercer Publishing materials are okay to use too. The test publisher seems to allow publication by third parties of extensive study materials, and insists that students be exposed not only to the rules of the test, but even practice questions, at least days in advance of a test.

Thanks Iucounu for your post, as it helped me think more deeply about the question.

I would add that I called the publisher of CoGat and looked at their 'test prep' booklet, asking if a parent or individual teacher could by this booklet. They explained that they only sold this to school districts.

I asked what was in the test prep booklet, and the fellow I spoke to seemed very sure that it was an introduction that would familiarize the children with the type of questions, to be sure that they understood the instructions without a lot of fuss.

I realized that 'test prep' could mean different things to different people. In some instances, checking to make sure that the child understands the directions. In other instances test prep means extensive practicing of the material that is similar (or the same) as the test questions. From my conversation with the publisher, it seemed that their idea of 'allowable test prep' was the introduction of how the questions were worded, not the material of the questions themselves. This leads me to conclude that the test materials are 'secret' although the instructions are open.

I agree that books which practice 'thinking skills' can be useful to families, as can practice of general test-taking skills depending on the circumstance.

And I do find myself very frustrated to hear reports of school districts that give more weight to group IQ tests like CoGat than to individual tests like WISC-IV.

Love and More Love,
Grinity


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