Question: How Do You Support Students Overwhelmed by Taking Tests?

I see testing anxiety frequently, even within my second-grade classroom. It is so disheartening to see students as young as seven years old get “worked up” over a test. I use several strategies to help combat this, including consistent positive praise and motivating students to set personal goals for themselves. Yes, every student is working towards mastery of an objective, but if they are setting personal, more manageable goals for themselves throughout the educational process, tests may not feel as overwhelming. Additionally, especially in the primary grades, giving students more positive feedback than negative can do wonders for their self-esteem and motivation. Students should never be belittled for their score on a test, but praised for the things they accomplish and supported through the things that are challenging for them so they can continue to reach their goals.  

I think it’s important to understand why the student is overwhelmed. What are they actually afraid of? When you understand that, you can target that fear more specifically.

Sadly I see that overwhelming look all too often with my primary students. And that’s even with standards-based grading for the last 9 years. I usually call them assessments or check-ins and tell my students I need to know what they can and can’t do. So I ask them to “just do your best and I’ll teach you the rest.”

Hello! Here’s what I love that really worked for students. During the school year, we would get in the habit of repeating affirmations each day, especially before tests and quizzes! Students also told me they prefer I call “tests” “quizzes” because they felt less pressure. We decided that if we saw them as opportunities to prove what we know, the stakes also didn’t feel so high. I also loved allowing students to write meaningful quotes on sticky notes and put them somewhere in the room where they could see them during their tests. We also had parents/guardians write notes of encouragement before state testing that students could stick somewhere around the room. This created a very supportive environment where we felt like we could do anything!

I think the best way to deal with test anxiety is lots of low stakes testing practice. My students take frequent small non-graded or low point assessments through the learning cycle. I post practice quizzes and assign them for homework in the weeks leading up to summative exams. My AP classes take difficult exams but I also allow for them to complete test corrections that allows them to earn back partial credit. This allows me to make the exams challenging, to prepare them for the AP exam, without completely discouraging them. 

I’m a middle school ESL teacher. I give my students a practice test. When they think they’re ready, they ask to take the test. And if they fail, they can do it again (a similar though slightly different version), so they know they have a second chance. This reduces considerably their stress level.

And this is all part of a broader framework that includes belts, like in judo (white, yellow, orange, etc.), each representing a different level of difficulty (from pre-A1 to B1). With my guidance, students choose the colour that best suits their level, so they know that the test in relation to the belt will match their skills.

With high school kids I would encourage them to go through tests picking out questions they were comfortable with first and then go back and fill in the ones that were more challenging for them. Merely acknowledging that they find tests overwhelming sometimes helps. With questions they have no idea about last minute guessing isn’t ruled out. I have written tests where the student only has to choose 10 out of 15 questions as an example, too.

Provide a study day to review chapter material; read aloud questions and answers, especially for English language learners, (stay in proximity and help them with process of elimination); provide word banks on the test for matching responses; let students take the test in a quieter setting.

Have some tests that allow for corrections afterwards. A good mix of these will help students understand how to improve their test taking skills. This will force the students to review their mistakes and learn the expectation of the teacher’s exams.

If a student is not used to the atmosphere, they’ll likely fail the test and be too traumatized to review their mistakes and improve.

To help w/test anxiety, I let learners know that I do not require them to take a test the day they return from an absence, even though the test was announced well in advance. We don’t do assessments on Mondays or the day after standardized tests, like the SAT. furthermore, learners can retest sections rather than whole tests (unless that is desired.) I also have a container of fidgets that students can borrow while taking an assessment. The key question I ask myself when making decisions like this : “Am I focused on the learning or other factors that do not have anything to do with it?” 

I teach middle school. About a month before we go test-heavy, I add a LITTLE more to our workload. They don’t even feel it. Then I tell them if they give their best on the tests, I’ll give them the next week off. They do well on the tests, feel rewarded and seen, and we still get through our curriculum. Win-win-win.

I often include silly questions, making fun of myself, or something similar to lighten things up.

I also include a variety of review activities before any test.

A science teacher I know distributes the test to his students and then has them stand up and put down their pencils. Then he encourages them to talk about the test with their classmates. They have the actual test in their hands and are given the opportunity to read it over, ask classmates for help and make sure they are ready. I love how he takes the mystery out of the test and encourages them to think about it before tackling it.

If the test is overwhelming, then change the format of the test. There are other ways to check for understanding.

You can use games, activities, etc. and not rely on a fill-the-bubble or -blank kind of test.

As something as simple as matching words with their definitions can sometimes be enough to let you know that they know what they need to.