Here are some things children need to know so they can do their best on an exam:

• Write answers clearly. Some kids think that teachers will give a hard-to-read answer the benefit of the doubt. Just the reverse is true: If the teacher can’t read the child’s answer, she’s less likely to count the response correct.
• Write in pencil so he can erase parts of an answer if he changes his mind.
• Use good penmanship.
• Check spelling carefully.
• If writing an essay, make sure to follow the rules of good grammar, accurate spelling and logical paragraph construction.
• Review answers carefully. Sometimes, students get an incorrect answer because they’ve made a simple error. It is possible to catch many careless errors by carefully reviewing answers a second time. Teach your child to use all the time she has available to her.
• Never cheat. There are several reasons why children should be taught not to cheat on exams—the most important being that cheating is wrong. You can also point out to your child that cheating is a very dangerous practice—anyone who gets caught cheating on an exam is likely to earn zero points.

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