Test Anxiety

Decreasing Test Anxiety & Increasing Test Preparation

Many tests are a measure of the way you study-your ability to organize a mountain of material-as they are a measure of your knowledge of the material itself. One of the key problems many students face: test anxiety.

What does it mean when a student states they have test anxiety? For many students, it really means they don’t study well (or prepare well). For some students, it could mean they are easily distracted, can’t remember, or their ‘mind goes blank’. Decreasing test anxiety starts with test preparation. Does your child know the answers to these questions?

What material will the test cover? Know the expectations of the test.
What types of questions will be on the exam? (matching, true/false, short answer, etc.)
Can I teach the material easily and accurately to someone? Accuracy and speed=fluency
Do I know the material independently-without any cues or prompts from my parents or teachers? If not, ask for extra practice, review and ask for feedback from the teacher.
Do I review the material regularly? The more often you review, the less likely you will need to pull all-nighters a couple days before the test. Stay on top of the material, ask questions, review notes, attend teacher tutorials consistently-not just the day before the test.
Do I complete the extra practice/extra credit/complete all of the homework? (Always a good idea, more practice helps with achieving content mastery)
How much time do I usually spend studying? If you spend hours studying and you are earning a D, time to reassess the time you’re spending or misspending.
Do I test myself? Write down questions as you are studying and taking notes.
Do I attend a teacher tutorial after the test? You want to review your test results, understand the questions, correct your mistakes, and ask for feedback from your teacher

Big Three Fears

In this video, Thomas Frank names the BIG THREE fears surrounding taking tests and provides strategies for each.

Fear of Repeating Past Failures
- You are not defined by your past mistakes.
- But your mistakes can provide an opportunity to learn. Analyze your past mistakes! Go over your past tests with your teacher to make sure you understand what happened last time. Why did you get the answers wrong? Do you understand the right answers now?
Fear of the Unknown
- See what you're able to learn about the test in advance - how many questions is it? What type of questions will be asked?
- Quiz yourself in a similar setting spending the same amount of time per question as you will on the test.
- If you are allowed to, you can even study in the room that you'll take the test.
Fear of the Stakes
- Practice some positive self-talk and reframe the test in your mind. Each test is an opportunity to show what you've learned, and one test does not hold complete power over your future. '

4. We want to add one final fear: Fear of Being Unprepared.

Be sure you check out all of the other studying strategies on the BIG MAC to make sure you are preparing to your fullest potential (think - spaced studying versus cramming, think - active, recall strategies rather than passive strategies).

And remember, you can always talk to your counselor or any trusted adult if you're concered about anxiety of any kind.

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