Test Anxiety

Northwest High SchoolMarch 14, 2007

Parent Involvement Activity

Take out your #2 pencil…

Question #1

• What is the length, in feet, of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs that are 6 feet long and seven feet long, respectively?

• A) square root of 13• B) square root of 85• C) 13• D) 21• E) 42

“One hundred cartloads of anxiety will not pay an ounce of debt.”

Italian Proverb

What is anxiety?Anxiety is a basic human emotion consisting of fear and uncertainty that typically appears when an individual perceives an event as being a threat to the ego or self-esteem.

• One of the most threatening events that causes anxiety in students today is testing. When students develop an extreme fear of performing poorly on an examination, they experience “test anxiety.”

Do I have test anxiety?

You probably have test anxiety if you answer “yes” to four or more of the following :

1. I have a hard time getting started studying for a test.

2. When studying, I find many things that distract me.

3. I expect to do poorly on a test no matter how much or how hard I study.

4. When taking a test, I experience physical discomfort, such as sweaty palms, an upset stomach, a headache, difficulty breathing, and muscle tension.

5. When taking a test, I find it difficult to understand the directions and questions.

6. When taking a test, I have difficulty organizing my thoughts.

7. When taking a test, I often draw a blank.

8. When taking a test, I find my mind wandering to other things.

9. I usually score lower on tests than assignments and papers.

10.After a test, I remember information I couldn’t recall during the test.

Test Anxiety

• Test anxiety is a major factor contributing to a variety of negative outcomes, including:– Psychological

distress– Academic

underachievement– Academic failure– Insecurity

• Test anxiety is composed of 3 major components:–Cognitive–Affective–Behavioral

Cognitive• Students who experience test anxiety from

the cognitive perspective are worriers who lack self-confidence.

• They may be preoccupied with negative thoughts, doubting their academic ability and intellectual competence.

• They are more likely to overemphasize the potential negative results and feel helpless when in testing situations.

• Some may feel the need to answer every question on the test correctly. When they do not, they feel incompetent.

Affective

• From the affective perspective, test anxiety causes some students to experience physiological reactions, such as increased heart rate, nausea, frequent urination, increased perspiration, cold hands, dry mouth, and muscle spasms.

• These reactions may be present before, during, and even after the test is completed.

BehavioralTest-anxious students express anxiety behaviorally by procrastinating and having inefficient study and test-taking skills.

Overcoming Test Anxiety

While test anxiety may not disappear completely, there are strategies to ease the anxiety.

Parent Do’s and Don’ts

• Don’t be too anxious about your child’s test scores.

• Do encourage your child to do his or her best.

• Don’t pressure your child; you may stress him out!

• Keep a positive attitude about tests.• Mark test days on your calendar so

you are aware of testing.

Parent Do’s and Don’ts

• Make sure your child gets enough sleep before the test.

• Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast, but avoid heavy foods that may make him groggy.

• Also avoid sugary foods that may make him hyper.

• Make sure that she gets up early enough to be on time for school.

Parent Do’s and Don’ts

• Let your child relax for a few hours before bedtime. It is stressful for a child to study all night.

• Be proactive…contact school officials if you have questions about your child’s test scores.

Student Do’s and Don’tsBefore the Test

• Avoid thinking you need to cram the night before the test.

• Approach the exam with confidence.• Use whatever strategies you can to

personalize success:• Visualization• Logic• Talking to yourself, etc.

• View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you’ve learned. After all, you are prepared.

Student Do’s and Don’tsBefore the Test

• Strive for a relaxed state of concentration.• Avoid speaking with any fellow students

who express negativity or will distract you.• Get a good night’s sleep the night before

the exam.• Eat a healthy breakfast:

– Fresh fruits and vegetables reduce stress– Avoid foods with high sugar content.

• Arrive at school early.• Promise yourself a post-exam reward.

Student Do’s and Don’tsDuring the Test

• Read the directions carefully• Budget your time • Change positions to help you relax• If you go blank, skip the question and come back

to it later.• For multiple choice questions, read all the options

first. Then eliminate the most obvious. If you’re still unsure, go with your first impression.

• Don’t panic if other students finish before you; there’s no reward for being the first done.

If you find yourself getting anxious…

– Tell yourself: “I can be anxious later. Now is the time to take the exam.”

– Relax. You are in control.– Take slow, deep breaths.– Don’t think about the fear.– Pause. Think about the next step and keep

going, step-by-step.– Mentally praise yourself.– Expect some anxiety.– Think for a moment about the post-exam

reward you promised yourself.

After the Test

Whether you feel you did well or not, be sure to follow through on the reward you promised yourself – and enjoy it!

In Conclusion

• Test anxiety is something that impacts students from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and all grade levels.

• It is absolutely normal to feel test anxiety.

References

• United States Department of Education

• www.how-to-study.com/testanxiety• www.justmommies.com/article/testan

xiety• ERIC Counseling and Student

Services Clearinghouse