Spring testing season is underway, with standardized assessments end-of-course exams, college entrance exams, and more. For some students, test-taking causes stress and anxiety. If your students or children are feeling the strain, here are a few ways you can provide support.
Ease the pressure
Sometimes, students agonize over making mistakes or about the consequences of their test scores that these fears interfere with their ability to focus on studying or the exam itself. Remind them that while the test may be important in some ways, it doesn’t define who they are as a student or a person. Let your students know that it’s okay to make mistakes, and encourage them not to be too hard on themselves. If your children are taking the SATs or ACTs, emphasize that their scores are just one part of how they’ll be evaluated on their college applications.
Provide test-taking strategies
Some kids feel the most anxiety while they are taking the test itself – for example, panicking if they don’t know the answer to a question. Teaching students simple test-taking strategies can help them get back on track if this happens:
- Getting unstuck: Rather than spending too much time trying to figure out a tough question, students should skip the question and move on to easier ones. This will boost their confidence, and they can go back to the hard questions later.
- Educated guessing: Remind students that for multiple choice questions, even if they don’t know the right answer, they probably know which options are wrong. Encourage them to cross out those so they can focus on the options that are most likely to be the correct answers.
- Read carefully: Prompt students to read questions, source text, graphs, etc. carefully to make sure they’re getting all of the information they need to answer each problem correctly. For longer exams, remind them to scan the whole test so they can plan out how to allocate their time (essay and fill-in questions, for example, will take more time).
Help them rest up and fuel up
Dissuade your children from cramming or pulling an all-nighter before the exam. Numerous studies have shown that sleep aids with memory, so make sure they get some shut-eye. (For more information on sleep study skills, check out this New York Times article). The morning of the test, give your kids a brain-fueling breakfast – nutritionists suggest complex carbohydrates (like oatmeal) and protein (such as eggs).
How do you help your students or kids prepare for exams? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
