Calling on all parents and students! The time is approaching near for EQAO testing to occur, so please review the dates below, so your child has time to prepare. It might be the end of March, but the EQAO is administered at the end of May, which is only two months away!

What are the dates of the EQAO tests in 2016?

• Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test: March 31, 2016
• Primary Division and Junior Division (Grade 3 and Grade 6)
  Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics: May 25 to June 8, 2016

Grade 3 EQAO

• Wednesday, May 25 to Friday, May 27, 2016
• Make-up Monday, May 30, 2016

Grade 6 EQAO

• Tuesday, May 31 to Thursday, June 2, 2016
• Make-up Monday, June 6, 2016

Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics (Academic & Applied)

• Semester 2: June 1 to June 16, 2016​​​​

Please note: Although the EQAO exam dates are accurate. Each school determines its exact testing dates during this period. The testing takes place during a 2-week period in late May and early June. Please check with your child’s school to find out the exact dates the EQAO tests will be administered.

What’s in an EQAO test?

EQAO tests measure students’ overall knowledge in the three following subject areas: reading, writing, and math curriculum in grades 3 and 6, of mathematics in grade 9 and literacy in grade 10.

Why do students have to write EQAO tests?

Standardized testing has been a quite popular form of finding out students’ general knowledge and current skill levels. Since EQAO tests are sourced directly from The Ontario Curriculum, which is based on all classroom instruction, the tests do not require special preparation. Still in this article, we’ll give you some helpful tips on how to prepare your child for the EQAO, so they get a good night’s rest the day before their exam.

Students are required to write the EQAO test because it helps parents:

• Measure their child’s cumulative knowledge and skills related to the Ontario provincial standard.
• Track their child’s achievement from elementary school to secondary school.
• Identify trends in their child’s learning at school.
• Identify their child’s general understanding of all school subjects.
• Use the results to support their children’s learning and comprehension skills.

So now that you know why EQAO tests are so important in your child’s educational path, here’s five tips on how to prepare them for their upcoming EQAO test.

EQAO prep tip #1 – Review homework

The best thing is to take about 30 minutes every day to go over your child’s homework related to reading, writing, and mathematics. Ask them if they have any difficulty in one area and focus on helping your child get the correct answers.

EQAO prep tip #2 – Practice sample questions

You’ve heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect,” so for EQAO preperation it’s a good idea to get some sample questions. Some teachers give sample questions, or you can get them online. Here’s some grade 6 math questions from past EQAO exams. They’re great for practising and you can also get an idea as to what your child will be expercted to answer.

EQAO prep tip #3 – Talk to them about the test

Talk to you kids about the EQAO test and let them know the test results are useful to know, but that the results won’t impact them directly (except in grade 9, where the results can affect 10% of a student’s mark). Reassure your kids to do their best, but not to get too stressed out about it.

EQAO prep tip #4 – Get some tutoring help

It’s a proven fact that kids who get extra tutoring hours, do better at school! So if your child is a little anxious about taking the EQAO test, it’s a good idea to get them a tutor who can focus solely on EQAO preparation.

At ICan Education, we have great teachers who have assisted students with EQAO preparation and the results have been astonishing! It’s amazing what a few hours of extra tutoring hours can do for a child’s EQAO test performance. So feel free to contact the nearest ICan Education centre near your area and tell us you’d like to register your child for EQAO preparation hours, and we’ll take care of the rest!

The EQAO test results

Results are released in September the following school year. Your child will receive EQAO’s Individual Student Report from their school.

Do you have any preparation tips you’d like to share about the EQAO? Have you taken the EQAO and want to share your experience? Please leave your comments and questions below, we’d love to hear from you!