Test Anxiety
The most effective method of reducing
anxiety involves having the student successfully
experience the situation that produces anxiety.
For some students repeated exposure to one minute timings using the Think
Fast program will reduce anxiety to testing.
Other students will require a more structured approach with test anxiety.
The tutor may set up simulated test situations.
One
very successful method requires the student to answer three questions.
These questions look at the student’s beliefs that lead to feeling
anxious. These three questions are:
1.
What is the evidence?
2.
What is another way of looking at it?
3.
So, what if it happens?
The
student feels anxious about taking tests because he/she holds certain beliefs
about tests. These beliefs need to
be tested and explored. These
beliefs become the evidence mentioned as the first question.
These beliefs or evidence might be, “I always freeze on tests, everyone
will be watching me, I’m too anxious even to read, I can’t do anything to
control my anxiety”. Each student
will have their own evidence or beliefs so the first step is creating a list of
beliefs.
What
is another way of looking at it? This
second question is important because test anxious students are quite limited in
their views about taking tests. The
anxiety and their beliefs interfere with their ability to reframe testing.
One alternative way of perceiving test taking is to reframe it from a
problem to an opportunity to learn how to better handle anxiety.
Knowing that anxiety is reduced through repeated successful exposures,
the test anxious student can learn to view successful test taking as a way to
reduce anxiety. Each time the
student takes a test it is a practice session for reducing the anxiety.
Taking a test can be a process of information gathering.
Is everyone watching the student? Was
the student too anxious to read the questions?
Gathering information about the validity of the student’s beliefs is
part of the second question. Once
the test is finished the student can rate the actual “awfulness” on a 0-9
scale.
So,
what if it happens? Some students
might want to rate the awfulness of the anxiety on a 0-9 scale and to rate the
likelihood, 0-9, that the student will feel anxious.
If either awfulness or likelihood is low this may reduce a student’s
anxiety. When considering this
outcome all students need to identify (1) their resources to prevent the anxiety
and (2) their resources to accept and handle it.
What is the evidence?
|
1. |
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
What is another way of
looking at it? Check the accuracy of
the beliefs.
|
1. |
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
So, what if it happens?
A.
What are my resources to prevent it?
|
1. |
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
B.
What are my resources to accept it?
|
1. |
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
|
|
4. |
|
|
5. |
|
Inoculation
for Test
Students
receive inoculations for many diseases and there is an inoculation tutors can
use with test anxious students. Before
the student enters a test setting he/she often thinks about taking a test.
Often this is like running a movie of the experience through their
thoughts complete with unpleasant consequences.
Becoming aware of those thoughts and learning to replace them with more
realistic thoughts is part of the inoculation process.
Like an inoculation, learning to interpret test taking in a more helpful
manner before actually taking the test can be beneficial.
So, the first step is preparing for the provocation of taking a test.
Below are a number of replacement thoughts the student may use.
Preparing
for taking a test
1.
This is going to upset me but I know how to deal with it.*
2.
Just think, what do I have to do?*
3.
I can work out a plan to handle this.*
4.
I can manage the situation, breathing helps with my anxiety.
5.
If I find myself getting upset, I’ll know what to do.*
6.
Try not to take this too seriously.
7.
This could be a difficult situation, but I believe in myself.
8.
Time for a few deep breaths of relaxation.
Feel comfortable, relaxed, at ease.
9.
As long as I am relaxed, I am in charge.
Once
a student actually is in the testing situation the inoculation can continue by
using the following thoughts.
Taking
the test
1.
Stay calm. Just
continue to relax.
2.
Thinking about my plan will help.*
3.
Don’t make more out of this than you have to.
4.
There is no need to rush. I
can control the pace.
5.
I’m on top of this situation and it’s under control.
6.
I get better at this with every test.
It is just practice.
7.
Don’t blow this out of perspective, it is just a test.
8.
I am prepared, I am ready.
Once
a student begins to feel the sensations of anxiety the inoculation can continue
by using the following thoughts.
Anxiety
arousal
1.
My muscles are starting to feel tight.
Time to relax and slow things down.
2.
It is time to take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
3.
My anxiety is a signal to take a deep breath.
4.
I know it is impossible to be both anxious and relaxed so take a
deep breath.
5.
Worry leads to more worry, it is time to relax.
6.
Let’s approach this point by point.*
Once
the student has completed the test it is time to reflect.
Reflection
a.
When the student had difficulty with test anxiety.
1.
Don’t beat yourself up, instead focus on when the anxiety first
became strong.
2.
I will get better at this with practice.
3.
Can I smile about this? It
is probably not so serious.
4.
This is a complex problem and it will take time to straighten out.
5.
Take a deep breath.
b.
When the student has coped well with test taking.
1.
I handled that one pretty well, it worked.
2.
That wasn’t as hard as I thought.
3.
This really feels good, I am getting better.
4.
I could have gotten more upset than it was worth.
5.
I’m doing better at this all the time.