This column explains three ways that teachers can improve reading test performance. Basically, the idea is that instead of teaching students to respond to particular question types as is typical of test preparation despite the ineffectiveness of this practice, it is better to teach students to read the test passages more effectively. Three research-proven ways to do this are teaching students to interpret word meanings through context, teaching them to reduce or breakdown sentences to make sense of their meanings, and teaching students to sustain effective silent reading for extended periods of time.