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EPCHS Teachers Co-Author ACT Prep Book

Two English Teachers from Evergreen Park Community High School wanted to prove to students that ACT preparation didn't have to be boring. They co-authored a prep book showing the fun side of English and Reading.

Most people don’t associate the ACT with “fun,” but two English teachers from , 9901 S. Kedzie Ave., have managed to do just that through their new book, “Fun ACT Prep English & Reading: Because Test Prep Doesn’t Have to Be Boring.”

The book, which contains 345 questions modeled after the English and Reading portions of the ACT, aims to interest less motivated learners and reinvigorate more serious students.

“We were bored teaching test prep,” says co-author Mary Kate Durkin, “and I knew if I was bored, the students were definitely bored.” Durkin and her colleague, Chris Mikulskis, created their own passages about subjects like Lady Gaga and Paranormal Activity, writing questions modeled after the ACT. “The students’ responses were so enthusiastic that we thought this was a way to really get through to them,” said Mikulskis. They started analyzing the ACT, breaking down the necessary skills and question types, while also polling students on subjects that interested them.

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“We realize the importance of preparing students for the ACT,” says Durkin, “but at the same time, we feel we can reach out to students a bit better if we meet them halfway, teaching them the skills they need to know, but also giving them a chance to read about topics that they care about.”  Mikulskis adds, “The students enjoy it because the subject matter is more interesting, but at the end of the day, they are still challenging themselves and improving their English and Reading skills.”

The book is available on Amazon.com: search for “Fun ACT Prep.”  More information can be found at facebook.com/funactprep; there is also a twitter page, @funactprep, where students can receive weekly test prep tips.

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