Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #86 – March 19, 2011
It’s that time of year again—the time teachers, students, and principals have dreaded for a while. Why do we see grimacing when annual standardized assessments arrive? Even the most prepared teachers and students have some fear of tests, in some cases not so much because of the information needed to pass, but simply a fear of the test itself. This fear is a unique phobia and, yes, it’s called, “testaphobia.“ If a student hasn’t studied for the test, there’s not much that can be done but, if he or she simply has a fear of tests, here are some tips that just might get students a few more correct answers, they would not have gotten before.
Relaxing
When students are about to start the test, it sometimes helps to take a deep breath to relax. Anxiety may reduce confidence and be an obstacle to doing one's best. Take in a deep breath and re-affirm one's certainty and confidence.
Directions
Read and listen to all instructions given. It is imperative to really understand what is expected in each section of the test. Students should ask their instructor to explain any instructions they don’t understand.
Budgeting Your Time
It is not uncommon for students to leave unanswered questions because they run out of time. To avoid this, they should budget their time by taking the total amount of time given for each section, subtracting two minutes (for review), and then dividing the remaining time by the number of problems or questions. This will tell them approximately how much time they have for each question.
Managing Multiple Choice Questions
Did you know research reveals, on multiple choice questions, 3 out of 4 times, the first choice was the correct answer. So students should start out a multiple choice section by answering all the questions they know the answers to. (If they don’t know the answer immediately, put a mark next to it and skip it.) Then, go back over those not known. When finished, unless there is a very good reason for changing an answer, don’t.
Passing the Reading Passages
Success for answering questions related to passages increases when students read the questions prior to the passage. Doing so helps one hone in on relevant points. After reading the questions, students can highlight key words, phrases and ideas relevant to the questions, as clues to support the answers. Use text features such as: captions, graphs, charts and illustrations. They enhance the text and present relevant details.
Scoring on Math Questions
Students are required to show work and to write legibly. Even if the answer is wrong, they may receive partial credit if their work can be read and evaluated. A math question may have more than one part and, therefore, more than one answer. Be sure to answer all of the parts.
Reviewing Your Work
Here’s a way for students to get another correct answer or two. If they have time, they should go back and check all of their work. They should re-check as many answers as time permits. From my experience, they are bound to find something and correct it. But they should only correct things when they are absolutely sure.
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Benjamin Franklin
Good luck to all of you!
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