Tests can be overwhelming. It’s common for children to experience test anxiety, so it’s important to know how to help your child. There are various things you can to do help your child perform their best on a test. If you’re interested in learning how to help your child overcome test anxiety, keep reading.
Explain How the Test Works
If you’re wondering how to help your child overcome test anxiety, it’s important to explain how the test works. Although it’s common for kids to take tests throughout the year, many children still get anxious before a big test. It’s common to get anxious when you don’t know what to expect. Make sure to explain how the test operates to minimize their anxiety. If it’s an adaptive test, explain what computer adaptive testing is. You can also explain the point of taking the test to your child. For example, you can explain to your child that the test’s goal is to guide their learning. If a child knows the test is designed to help them, it may help calm their nerves. Lastly, make sure to notify your child if the test is timed or untimed. This can help them determine how long to spend on each question.
Go Over Test-Taking Strategies
Make sure to go over test-taking strategies before the test. For example, instruct your child to read all the directions before answering a question. Encourage your child to do their best with each question. Emphasize that they shouldn’t leave any questions blank, even if they don’t know the answer. It’s also helpful to explain how to narrow down a choice. Explain that they should eliminate the answers they know are incorrect to help narrow down the right answer. These test-taking strategies can help your child feel more confident when they begin the test.
Teach Relaxation Strategies
Test anxiety makes it hard to concentrate at times. One way to teach your child how to overcome test anxiety is to teach them relaxation strategies. For example, you can teach your child about breathing exercises. Breathing exercises are incredibly helpful to alleviate anxiety. There are many different relaxation strategies to help overcome test anxiety, so feel free to try a few until you find one that works.
