Released August 1, 2008
MURFREESBORO, Ark. - Clammy hands, heart palpitations, dizziness. Not side effects on a medicine label, but symptoms of test anxiety. Students who prepare correctly, however, have nothing to fear, says Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"Students who are not good at taking tests normally have not prepared themselves properly to take tests," she said.
There are several ways parents can help their children prepare for tests. Ensuring the student attends class consistently is vital. Also, reading the textbook and other class material before a discussion can allow the student to retain more information.
Studying before a test is also a key in reducing anxiety. Re-reading the information and writing key concepts, definitions, lists and other important material are solid study skills for students to develop.
"Encourage your child to read and write down information that will be covered by examinations," McKinnon said.
The more information is re-read, the easier it is recalled. In addition, writing down key definitions, terms and ideas is excellent rehearsal for the actual test. Writing down material forms a mental picture, allowing the student to retain the information for a longer period of time.
Another method to reduce test is anticipating what will appear on the test. Test material comes from various sources - textbooks, workbooks, discussions, worksheets, outside reading materials or miscellaneous handouts. The sources of the test questions should guide the student's studying.
"If three-fourths of the test will be taken from the textbook, three-fourths of your child's study time should be spent on reviewing the textbook," she said.
Parents can also help their children by discussing different kinds of test questions, like multiple choice, true-false, matching, short answer and essay.
Tests give students a chance to show how much they know, how much they have learned and what they need to work on to become a better student. Discussing tests, and why tests are such a major part of school, can help demystify test-taking and reduce student anxiety.
"Tests are really not monsters. They have no fangs. They need not be feared," McKinnon said.
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/august2008/0801schooltests.htm
Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187, ljames@uaex.edu
