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OVERCOMING TEST ANXIETY
Presented by
Chareane Wimbley-Gouveia
Learning Center Coordinator
Study Skills Instructor
Overcoming Test AnxietyA Survival Seminar
Seminar Goals
At the end of the seminar, you should be able to answer these questions:
• What is Test Anxiety?
• What Causes Test Anxiety?
• How Can Students Overcome it?
• Where can I find help to relax?
• (If time permits) How do I prepare for tests?
Fear
• Healthy Fears
• Keep us safe• Helpful• Expanding
• Unhealthy Fears
• “Yakky”
• Repetitious• Limiting
Test anxiety is a learned behavior that involves…
• Physical responses– Tension, Headache– Upset stomach,
nausea– Perspiration, – Rapid heartbeat
• Emotional responses– Nervousness– Mental blocking– Worry – Overwhelm, Paralysis
What is the impact of test anxiety?
• If you feel your anxiety is affecting your performance, then it is a problem
2. Test anxiety
3. Can’t study
effectively
6. Interference
with test performance
4. Under- or un-
prepared for exam
5. More test anxiety
1. Test failure
Test-Anxiety Cycle
Van Blerkom, D. L. & Mulcahy-Ernt, P. I. (2005)College Reading and Study Strategies, p.257
High levels of Test Anxiety
Interfere with your ability to
Prepare for,
Think about
or
Take an Exam.
How to Overcome Test Anxiety
Realize, some level of anxiety is normal.
Work to control anxiety’s components:
cognitive, emotional, and physiological
Tolerate discomfort for the possibility of enlightenment
My barn has burnt down.Now I can see the moon.
--Masahide
Cognitive Control
• Prepare Well: Overlearn the Material
• Practice good time management– Space out your studying– Avoid procrastination– Eliminate cramming
• Use active study techniques– Review regularly, test yourself,
Cognitive Control, continued
• When you get your test, do a “mind dump” of material you think
• Answer the questions you know first– Test anxiety symptoms usually subside after
10 – 15 minutes
• Confront irrational beliefs and self-talk
Emotional Control
• Adopt creator position rather than a victim position: – you always have choices!!
• Accept yourself, and your learning needs– Get a tutor, drop the class, allow yourself
to learn and grow at your own unique pace
• Stay in charge of your academic transcript
Emotional Control
• Practice relaxation techniques – long and short
• Recite positive self-talk
• Use visualization
• Identify your TA triggers and plan how you’ll cope with them– Ex: Instructor announcing the time– Consult a counselor if necessary
The Power of Positive Self-Talk
Preparation plus
the power of positive self-talk
Positions us to
achieve our goals in the face of all sorts of obstacles, including the ones we create ourselves!
What’s this a picture of?
Physical Control
• Get exercise everyday– Clear out the stress hormones!
• Do something you enjoy everyday
• Practice relaxation techniques regularly
• Avoid cramming the night before tests
• Get enough rest and proper nutrition
• Set up a calm study environment
Practice Relaxing!
• Conquering Math Anxiety: A Self-Help Work Book by Cynthia Arem
• Find a copyright free relaxation recording at http://www.hws.edu/studentlife/counseling_relax.aspx
Free 15 minute (clothed) back massage every Wednesday from 11-1 p.m. in SL&L (Albany Campus) by advance sign-up.
Visualize a place where you feel calm and peaceful, so you can call up this image when you need to…
T.E.S.T. yourself before exams
T- Teach your self positive self-talk
E- Exercise or do something you enjoy every day
S- Support your beliefs with evidence
T- Talk to others about your feelings
• Source: University of Texas Learning Center, University of Texas, Austin, 2005
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. During testsS - Stay focused on the test
U – Use breathing exercises to self-calm
C – Come to the test on time
C – Create a plan for answering questions
E - Execute your plan
S- Stay Active—if you go blank,move on!
S-- Stop negative self-talk with positive affirmations!
Adapted from: University of Texas Learning Center, University of Texas, Austin, 2005
That’s all, folks!
