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Basic Skills Test Preparation

Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) Preparation at Dominican University

In keeping with its mission, Dominican University provides students with information about the test and resources that offer test preparation for the Illinois Basic Skills Test. Taking time to prepare for the test is important, given that the Illinois Board of Education recently increased the cut-off score needed for education students to pass the Test. The math test has one new area: probability. To test your knowledge or review concepts, you might want to access Probability Games as www.free-training-tutorial.com/probability. Choose Math Games, or Kahn Academy at www.khanacademy.org.

Before coming to a test study session, you are encouraged strongly to register for the BST-Prep and use the study materials provided or take the ICTS Diagnostic Practice test. These online sites will help you identify specific areas of need to be addressed in the study sessions.

Resources to help you prepare for the Illinois Basic Skills Test:

1. BST-Prep

The School of Education at Dominican University gives you access to an excellent online study guide created by the Illinois Community College Board. The guide includes a lesson for each of the Illinois Learning Standards that are addressed in the Test. These lessons provide explanations of the major concepts for each of the learning standards. There is also a practice test called a Learning Survey that will help you identify areas for further study for the real test.

For access to this online study guide, please click on the follow link:

http://www.basicskillsprep.org/login.jsp

Click on "Register Student"
Enter Dominican’s candidate passcode: 11BW6UO4OH (NOTE: all caps and "O" is a letter, not a zero)
Complete the student information section.
You will be given a user name________________and temporary password____________________. Write it down.
Click on Main that takes you back to the login page.
Once logged in, you will be asked to change your password. Again, write it down.

2. Illinois Certification Testing System Preparation Resources

The Illinois Certification Testing System provides useful resources to prepare for the test, including:

Study guides for the test at http://www.icts.nesinc.com/il_studyguide_opener.asp
A Diagnostic Practice Test at http://www.icts.nesinc.com/IL_practest_opener.asp. This practice test is much like the real test you will take. It gives results and useful informaiton about areas of need for further study.
A practice test for the Test of Academic Proficiency is available at: http://www.icts.nesinc.com/IL_viewPT_opener.asp . This practice test and practice materials are not free.

3. Academic Enrichment Center

If you are looking for tutoring in specific areas of the test, you will find help in Dominican’s Academic Enrichment Center. Before arranging a session at either of these centers, please take at least one of the practice tests listed above to identify specific concepts and test questions you need to work on in the session.

For help in Reading Comprehension and Language Arts,
contact the Writing Lab at: jicsweb1.dom.edu/ics/Resources/Student_Services/Learning_Resources/Writing_Lab.jnz

For help in Mathematics,
contact the Math Clinic at: jicsweb1.dom.edu/ics/Resources/Student_Services/Learning_Resources/Math_Clinic.jnz

4. Study Sessions

Study sessions are offered throughout the year by SOE faculty. Technology is available to work on the practice tests and instructors will be available to help with areas of concern. If you have already taken one of the on-line practice tests, please bring the results with you.

UPCOMING Study Session date(s):
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. This is the last prep session of the academic year. Please register with Sr. Mary Kremer, OP at mekremer@dom.edu to ensure enough resources for all.

For further questions and concerns about preparing for the TAP Test, please contact Sr. Mary Kremer, OP at mekremer@dom.edu