ABSTRACT
This study evaluates the extent of the test-taking skills and test scores of grades 1 periodical tests in Mathematics. The locale of the study is in Sto.Niño Elementary School, Capoocan I District, Leyte Division with one (1) Grade 1 teacher and her seventeen (17) learners were involved. This research utilizes a survey tool used to measure the extent of test-taking skills of grade 1 learners in terms of test preparation skills, test engagement and strategy and review and checking of the answers used by Munoz & Minas (2024) in their study on, “Test-taking skills and academic performance in primary grades”. Further, to measure the test scores of Grade 1 learner in Math, the researcher gathered the 4th quarter periodical test score of the learners in Math. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that the grade 1 learners demonstrated a Very High extent of test-taking skills, showing that they possessed effective abilities in following directions, understanding test instructions, managing time, and answering assessment tasks appropriately during the Quarter 4 Mathematics periodical tests. With these data, the learners were able to obtain High to Very High rating on test scores in periodical test in math. Furthermore, the study established a significant relationship between test-taking skills and test scores in periodical test in math, implying that learners with better test-taking skills tended to achieve higher academic performance in Mathematics. This finding confirms that test-taking skills contribute significantly to learners’ success in examinations because such skills help learners answer tests more confidently, accurately, and efficiently. Therefore, strengthening test-taking skills among Grade 1 learners may further enhance their academic achievement and overall learning performance.
Keywords: Test-Taking Skills, Test Scores, Grade 1 Periodical Tests, Intervention Plan
INTRODUCTION
Assessment plays a central role in measuring student learning and guiding instructional decisions in the basic education curriculum. For learners in lower grades, particularly Grade I, assessment practices serve not only as a measure of performance but also as a tool for learners to build foundational skills. Among essential assessment competencies, test taking skills represent a key factor that influences how learners interpret questions, manage time, regulate responses, and ultimately perform in classroom evaluations. At the same time, item analysis of periodical tests helps educators examine the effectiveness, difficulty, and discriminating power of test items — ensuring that assessments are reliable, valid, and aligned to learning competencies.
Developing strong test taking skills is especially important for young learners, as research reveals that early assessment experiences shape learners’ confidence, understanding of assessment formats, and their approach to dealing with examination stress (Munoz & Minas, 2024). Moreover, assessments that lack quality control may produce misleading interpretations of student performance, leading to inappropriate instructional responses (Gonzales & Liwanag, 2023). Therefore, linking test taking skills with comprehensive item analysis is vital as it provides a dual perspective: how students perform and how well the test instruments measure what they are intended to assess.
In the elementary setting, periodical tests are commonly used to monitor ongoing academic progress. However, the reliability and fairness of these tests often depend on item construction, content relevance, and alignment with grade level competencies. A study by Ramirez and Torres (2025) showed that many classroom tests used for Grade I learners contained items that were either too easy, ambiguously worded, or misaligned with intended competencies. Their findings suggested that poor item construction not only lowers assessment quality but also negatively affects learners’ performance and motivation. Furthermore, test taking difficulties such as misinterpretation of questions, anxiety, and lack of familiarity with assessment formats have been identified as contributing factors to lower test performance among early grade students (De Vera & Hernandez, 2024).
This study is anchored on the premise that assessment practices should not only evaluate learning outcomes but also support learners’ growth. In the early stages of schooling, especially in Grade I, learners are still developing foundational academic and metacognitive skills. Test taking situations present opportunities for young learners to demonstrate knowledge, but they also reveal potential weaknesses in comprehension, response strategies, and familiarity with assessment formats.
Research indicates that test taking skills are significant predictors of student performance, particularly in early grades where learners may misinterpret questions, struggle with time management even in untimed tests, or feel anxious in assessment situations (Munoz & Minas, 2024). Without understanding how these skills affect performance, teachers may rely solely on score results without addressing underlying factors that hinder achievement.
Considering these concerns, conducting detailed item analysis along with identifying learners’ test taking skills becomes a necessary step toward enhancing both teaching and assessment practices. Item analysis offers teachers empirical evidence on item difficulty, discrimination indices, and distractor functioning — enabling educators to refine tests, adjust instruction, and support learners more effectively (Alcantara et al., 2023). Likewise, understanding test taking behaviors provides a basis for intervention plans that strengthen learners’ assessment competencies, reduce test anxiety, and promote positive assessment experiences.
Similarly, item analysis is a powerful evaluative tool that supports teachers in improving the quality of their assessments. According to Alcantara et al. (2023), item analysis provides insights into which test items function well and which do not, enabling teachers to revise assessment instruments accordingly. Without item analysis, teachers may continue using tests that contain poorly performing items, producing inaccurate representations of learning outcomes.
Recognizing these interrelated concerns, this study aims to investigate the test taking skills and item analysis of Grade I periodical tests, using the results to design an intervention plan that supports both learners and teachers in improving assessment outcomes.
This study evaluates the extent of the test-taking skills and test scores of grades 1 periodical tests in Mathematics of Sto. Nino Elementary School, Capoocan I District, Leyte Division. The findings of the study were basis for the proposed intervention plan.
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