Test-taking skills: a missing component of deaf students' curriculum

Often, conclusions about what students have learned in school are based on their performance on standardized or informal tests. For several reasons, these tests may not accurately reflect deaf students' learning. The author discusses the limitations of tests and other "products" administered to students during or after reading that are interpreted as reflecting comprehension of what is read. The author also reviews documented differences in test-taking abilities of deaf and hearing students, and describes specific compensatory test-taking strategies used by deaf readers. A rationale is provided for including a formal test-taking skills component in the curriculum for deaf students. Finally, the author discusses portfolio assessment and contemporary societal forces working against academic testing.