Spring semester often brings with it a sense of urgency. The school year rapidly comes to a close and it’s filled with a million things on the calendar. One of those being testing! With state testing, SATs, ACTs, and end-of-year exams looming in April and May in most places, this season can feel long, exhausting, and—let’s be honest—a little soul-crushing.
By the time testing season rolls around, students are already stressed, distracted, and counting down the days until it’s over. As teachers, we’re trying to make sure they’re prepared and engaged—without resorting to endless packets or losing our own sanity in the process.
Here’s the good news: ELA test prep does not have to be boring, repetitive, or miserable. It can be engaging and—dare I say it—fun?
Rethinking Test Prep in the ELA Classroom
When I was student teaching years ago, my peers and I agreed on one thing almost immediately: standardized testing is deeply frustrating. My Teaching Methods professor offered a perspective that stuck with me.
He shared that he focused on building reading, writing, and analysis skills all year long, then ran a short test prep “bootcamp” in the weeks leading up to testing. By that point, students already had the skills—they just needed a refresher and a confidence boost.
That approach made perfect sense. The real work happens all year. Test prep should feel like review, not remediation.
I’ve followed that philosophy ever since—but with one important twist: I make test prep engaging.
The Problem with Traditional Test Prep
We’ve all seen it: endless worksheets, dry passages, and multiple-choice drills that cause students to mentally check out. Yes, test-taking strategies matter. But if students aren’t engaged, they’re not learning.
And let’s be real: the actual tests are long, dull, and tedious. That’s exactly why the prep shouldn’t be. The last thing we want is for students to burn out weeks before they even sit for the exam.
Instead of relying on packets alone, I build test prep around high-interest, skill-based activities that feel different, but still target the same standards.
What My ELA Test Prep Bootcamp Looks Like
My test prep bootcamp is structured, intentional, and far more engaging than traditional review. It might include:
- A day working with a high-interest informational text
- A day analyzing a short but powerful piece of fiction
- One or two days completing an interactive ELA escape room
- A creative writing day focused on sensory details and imagery
- Targeted grammar and vocabulary practice woven throughout
Every activity reinforces essential ELA skills—just in ways that keep students motivated and focused.
And it works. This approach helped my students stay engaged and perform well, and I was recognized multiple times for test score growth.
Academic Writing for ELA Test Prep
Writing is always a cornerstone of effective ELA test prep. One of the most impactful changes I ever made was consistently teaching the Jane (or Shaffer) Method for academic writing.
This structured paragraph framework gives students a clear formula for success:
- TS (Topic Sentence) – Introduces the main idea
- CD (Concrete Detail) – Provides textual evidence
- CM (Commentary) – Explains and analyzes the evidence
- CS (Concluding Sentence) – Wraps up the idea
Students love having a roadmap. It reduces anxiety, increases confidence, and leads to stronger literary analysis responses that naturally build into full essays.
In my ELA Test Prep Bootcamp Bundle, I have everything you need to teach this method and support all levels of learners feel confident with it!
Engaging Quick Writes That Build Test-Ready Skills
Quick writes are a non-negotiable in my classroom. We even had a routine called Writing Wednesdays, which students regularly share is a favorite activity—even years later.
During most of the year, these prompts are creative and open-ended. During test prep season, they become more targeted while staying interesting.
For example:
- Argumentative quick writes tied to relevant, high-interest topics
- Descriptive writing prompts focused on sensory details
- Short revisions that strengthen clarity and precision
While these may not seem like your typical testing writing prompts, it’s more about the consistency of having students writing often. Combining this with engaging scenarios they will actually want to write about builds those skills in an engaging way. So, when they do get to those prompts on their tests, its already a fine-tuned muscle they’ve built up.
Inside my ELA test prep bundle, you’ll find more than 50 engaging writing prompts! Creative, persuasive, descriptive. You’ll always have something for them to write about!
“Brain Rot” Rewrites for Diction and Tone
One skill students often struggle with is shifting from casual language to formal academic tone. To practice this, I created warm-up activities I jokingly call “brain rot” rewrites.
Students take a sentence written in modern slang and rewrite it in clear, formal English. This helps them:
- Practice appropriate diction
- Understand tone and audience
- Analyze word choice and connotation
Because the sentences reflect how they actually speak, students stay engaged—and the learning sticks.
“It’s such a fun way to approach the idea of formal writing! My students are excited to work on these. And anytime they WANT to write is a HUGE win!”
Layla G.
Escape Rooms for ELA Test Prep and Review
Games, challenges, and puzzles are powerful tools for test prep. ELA escape rooms transform review into an immersive experience where students must apply skills to move forward.
Instead of answering isolated questions, students:
- Analyze passages
- Make inferences
- Identify mood, conflict, symbolism, and figurative language
- Collaborate to solve problems
In my ELA test prep bundle, I have included TWO escape rooms that students LOVE!
One escape room places students inside a haunted manor, where they must break a centuries-old curse using literary analysis. Another fantasy-based escape room follows a hero’s journey through Eldoria, reviewing point of view, symbolism, and conflict.
I enjoyed this resource for review and will be using it again for STAAR review. – Nicole Rhodes
Used with my classes the week of Halloween when they were less focused than normal. Great to have them up out of their seats to find clues – helped I had a prize for the team that finished first!- Jessica Bergen
These activities can be used for test prep, skill review, sub plans, or creative assessments—and they consistently increase engagement and retention.
Mini Study: “Salvation” by Langston Hughes
I’ve also included a mini study on Langston Hughes’ short memoir “Salvation.” This brief but powerful text is ideal for helping students practice close reading and narrative analysis while exploring inner conflict, mood, theme, and author’s purpose. Because the text is short and emotionally rich, it allows students to engage in deep, meaningful analysis without feeling overwhelmed—making it especially effective for test prep and skill-building.
It’s a flexible resource you can use in a single class period while still pushing students to think critically about belief, identity, and disillusionment.
What’s Included in the Mini Study
- 2-page printable PDF with student-friendly close reading and analysis questions
- Detailed answer key with modeled responses for easy grading or review
- Instructional PowerPoint to guide discussion and demonstrate how to arrive at strong analytical answers
- Standards- and skills-aligned questions targeting tone, inner conflict, theme, diction, and author’s purpose
Using Short, Powerful Poems for ELA Test Prep
Poetry is one of the most effective—and often underused—tools for ELA test prep. I recently added four short but powerful poems to the ELA Test Prep Bootcamp bundle that are perfect for sharpening analysis skills without overwhelming students.
Because these poems are concise, they work beautifully as daily warmups, station activities, or choice board options during an ELA test prep bootcamp. Students can focus on close reading, figurative language, tone, theme, and author’s purpose—all skills that frequently appear on standardized tests.
The poems included are:
- “Tattoo” by Ted Kooser – A deceptively simple poem that invites deep analysis of symbolism, memory, and meaning.
- “Still Here” by Langston Hughes – A powerful exploration of resilience, tone, and theme that works well for short constructed responses.
- “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson – Ideal for reviewing figurative language, symbolism, and interpretation.
- “The Tyger” by William Blake – A classic choice for examining imagery, diction, and complex thematic questions.
These poems give students repeated, low-stakes practice with poetry analysis while keeping prep engaging and manageable. Whether students are working independently, rotating through stations, or choosing their own texts, poetry offers a rich way to review essential ELA skills without burnout.
Grammar Practice (With a Fun Twist)
Grammar test prep doesn’t have to be dull. Instead of isolated drills, students correct errors in engaging paragraphs featuring pop culture references like gaming, YouTube, and familiar characters.
This approach turns grammar into a puzzle rather than a punishment. Students stay focused, retain the concepts, and feel more confident when grammar questions appear on standardized tests.
The ELA Test Prep Bundle: Done-for-You and Student-Approved
Because teachers are already stretched thin, I created an ELA Test Prep Bundle that pulls all of these strategies together in one ready-to-use resource.
Inside the bundle, you’ll find:
✅ High-interest informational texts and podcast-style lessons
✅ Two interactive ELA escape room challenges
✅ Grammar practice with pop culture connections
✅ Jane/Shaffer Method writing support
✅ Additional skill-building activities designed for engagement
This bundle saves time, reduces stress, and keeps students actively involved during test prep season.
Why Teachers Love This ELA Test Prep Approach
💡 Saves Planning Time – Everything is ready to go
💡 Builds Student Confidence – Review without overwhelm
💡 Engages All Learners – From reluctant readers to advanced students
💡 Feels Different – Same standards, better delivery
Final Thoughts
Test prep is part of our reality as ELA teachers—but misery doesn’t have to be. With the right strategies and engaging activities, test prep can reinforce skills, boost confidence, and actually work.
Let’s make ELA test prep more effective, more engaging, and far less painful—for both teachers and students.
Around the World With Mrs. C 