Evergreen Park Teachers Create Workbook To Make ACT Prep Fun
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As high school juniors across Illinois get ready to take the ACT later this month, two suburban teachers have come up with a new way to prepare.
As WBBM Newsradio's Nancy Harty reports, Evergreen Park High School English teacher Mary Kate Durkin says the ACT shouldn't have to be all chores and drudgery.
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"Taking the ACT is not going to be fun, but we believe that at least preparing for it should be," Durkin said.
With that in mind, she and colleague Chris Mikulskis decided to create a workbook that follows the same format as the ACT, but incorporate pop culture in the examples.
"All different kinds of topics from pop culture, sports, music, YouTube videos, technology – just things that are relevant and relatable to teenagers' lives," Durkin said.
Durkin says she and Mikulskis gotten positive results from students who've used Fun ACT Prep.
She says practicing helps take some of the anxiety out of the test and the material makes it much easier to stomach.
The workbook came out on Amazon in January. Durkin says they have plans are in works to expand it to a class.
All Illinois juniors are required to take the ACT under No Child Left Behind.
This year, they will take it April 24 and 25 as part of the two-day Prarie State Achievement Exam.
