How Teachers Can Help Students with Test Anxiety

Exam time is full of stress and anxiety because of this loads of students fail. As exam time comes closer students become more fearful of what will happen if they fail? There is no one to encourage only a few lucky kids to have a strong support system. The rest of the students carry the exam burden alone.

In some cases exam fear can trigger poor results, reinforcement of their failure can negatively affect a student's well-being. It is, therefore, becomes a teacher's responsibility to keep students calm and manage exam pressure.

Menachem Moscovitz believes that a high-stake test before the exams is one of the best ways to prepare students. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the fear of failure arises from the pressure to do well.

Of-course no teacher or parents want to see their students or kids go through a stressful time. So, what measures can one take to release kid anxiety? What can educators do to minimize the effect of exam stress? Menachem believes that we need to make kids more confident about themselves.

• Ask Students Why Are They Afraid?

Having a better understanding of the source of why a kid is experiencing test anxiety can help in figuring out the best way to manage it. Some students will articulate their feelings better than other kids, but regardless asking the question is a must.

• Big Picture

No single test is going to decide a student’s academic career, or have that significant of an impact on their future. As an adult, it is much easier for you to understand this perspective. Menachem Moscovitz says that as a teacher you can share this perspective with the students to make them feel lighter and relaxed.

• Test-Taking Strategies

Giving an exam is also a skill and knowing how to give an exam helps calm student's nerves by making them familiar and have confidence in test-taking skills. Some of the best activities include reading out loud and skipping questions that student doesn’t know.

• Empower Students with Simple Strategies to Reduce Anxiety 

For lots of students, anxiety does not hit until they have sat down to perform a test. The basic anxiety-reducing technique can be beneficial for these students. As a teacher, Menachem Moscovitz, say that you can practice simple deep breathing exercise, use positive self-talk, and mantras, or do the seated stretches to release tension once the test is underway.