In the News - August 2008
Tests: the stuff of students' nightmares
MURFREESBORO, Ark. - Clammy hands, heart palpitations, dizziness. Not side
effects on a medicine label, but symptoms of test anxiety. Students who prepare
correctly, however, have nothing to fear, says Robbie McKinnon, Pike County
extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"Students who are not good at taking tests normally have not prepared
themselves properly to take tests," she said.
There are several ways parents can help their children prepare for tests.
Ensuring the student attends class consistently is vital. Also, reading the
textbook and other class material before a discussion can allow the student to
retain more information.
Studying before a test is also a key in reducing anxiety. Re-reading the
information and writing key concepts, definitions, lists and other important
material are solid study skills for students to develop.
"Encourage your child to read and write down information that will be covered
by examinations," McKinnon said.
The more information is re-read, the easier it is recalled. In addition,
writing down key definitions, terms and ideas is excellent rehearsal for the
actual test. Writing down material forms a mental picture, allowing the student
to retain the information for a longer period of time.
Another method to reduce test is anticipating what will appear on the test.
Test material comes from various sources - textbooks, workbooks, discussions,
worksheets, outside reading materials or miscellaneous handouts. The sources of
the test questions should guide the student's studying.
"If three-fourths of the test will be taken from the textbook, three-fourths
of your child's study time should be spent on reviewing the textbook," she said.
Parents can also help their children by discussing different kinds of test
questions, like multiple choice, true-false, matching, short answer and essay.
Tests give students a chance to show how much they know, how much they have
learned and what they need to work on to become a better student. Discussing
tests, and why tests are such a major part of school, can help demystify
test-taking and reduce student anxiety.
"Tests are really not monsters. They have no fangs. They need not be feared,"
McKinnon said.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture.
August 1, 2008
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
|
