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Planning is key to preparing for exams. Let's get organized!

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Planning is key to preparing for exams. Let's get organized!

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This is a chart that may help you get organized.

Class 1
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 2
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 3
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 4
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 5
Subject: ______________________
Format of exam _______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study_____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 6
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study_____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 7
Subject: _____________________
Format of exam ______________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study_____________
Contact for help/study buddy:

Class 8
Subject: ___________________
Format of exam ____________
Material to be covered:
Best way to study___________
Contact for help/study buddy:

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Here is a valuable Powerpoint you should check out!

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Here is a valuable Powerpoint you should check out!

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7 Tips and Strategies for Answering Multiple Choice Questions | Test Taking Strategies

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Test Taking Strategies - Study Tips - Test Anxiety

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Writing a good essay requires synthesis of material that cannot be done in the 20-30 minutes you have during the exam. In the days before the exam, you should:

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Tips on Writing the Essay-type Examination

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Tips on Writing the Essay-type Examination

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FOR *ESSAY* QUESTIONS

The following words are commonly found in essay test questions. Understanding them is essential to success on these kinds of questions. Study this sheet thoroughly. Know these words backwards and forwards.

ANALYZE: Break into separate parts and discuss, examine, or interpret each part.

COMPARE: Examine two or more things. Identify similarities and differences. Comparisons generally ask for similarities more than differences. (See Contrast.)

CONTRAST: Show differences. Set in opposition.

CRITICIZE: Make judgments. Evaluate comparative worth. Criticism often involves analysis.

DEFINE: Give the meaning; usually a meaning specific to the course of subject. Determine the precise limits of the term to be defined. Explain the exact meaning. Definitions are usually short.

DESCRIBE: Give a detailed account. Make a picture with words. List characteristics, qualities and parts.

DISCUSS: Consider and debate or argue the pros and cons of an issue. Write about any conflict. Compare and contrast.

ENUMERATE: List several ideas, aspects, events, things, qualities, reasons, etc.

EVALUATE: Give your opinion or cite the opinion of an expert. Include evidence to support the evaluation.

ILLUSTRATE: Give concrete examples. Explain clearly by using comparisons or examples.

INTERPRET: Comment upon, give examples, describe relationships. Explain the meaning. Describe, then evaluate.

OUTLINE: Describe main ideas, characteristics, or events. (Does not necessarily mean *write a Roman numeral/letter outline*.)

PROVE: Support with facts (especially facts presented in class or in the test).

STATE: Explain precisely.

SUMMARIZE: Give a brief, condensed account. Include conclusions. Avoid unnecessary details.

TRACE: Show the order of events or progress of a subject or event.

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College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University

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Tips on Writing the Essay-type Examination

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Welcome! I have a knack for explaining stuff and I want to share some knowledge with you. I received a BA in chemistry from Carleton College, and performed graduate studies in both synthetic organic chemistry and science education at Cal State Northridge, receiving an MA in the latter. Prior to thi…

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Clear and concise AP Environmental Science video notes for every single topic + exam prep. Learn how to #ThinkLikeAMountain and #WriteLikeAScholar! Consider supporting APESvsEverybody with any donation amount you can afford via Square or Venmo.

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NHS math teachers recommend these study tips!

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NHS math teachers recommend these study tips!

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Start with the oldest material first, as it will take longer to remember these topics than more recent ones.

Do a little bit of studying each night. Math is best learned in small chunks rather than all at once.

The only way to study math is to DO/RE-DO practice problems (ie. the midterm review packet).

Try to study in test taking conditions (ie. not with the TV on or scrolling instagram etc.).

Make sure to mark questions you answered incorrectly in your studying, so that you can return to them at a later point in your studying and re-do them to make sure you have learned from your mistakes

Take out all old quizzes/tests and re-do problems from them. See your teacher or the math/science center to review any questions you are still having difficulty with.

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Do 4-7-8 breathing before every assessment. If you notice that you are getting nervous or anxious go back to the breathing or take a break for a moment. Taking a break for a few minutes is not going to derail you on the exam.

Do not spend too long on one question, it's okay to skip questions and come back to them later as sometimes other questions on the exam will jog their memory. They could bring a different color pen/pencil or highlighter so it's easy for them to see which questions they need to go back to.

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When I was a student and teachers would say, "Study for your math test!" I would think, "How do I study for a math test?"

I now realize that study is the wrong verb. You really need to 'practice' for a math test.

You not only need to KNOW material for a math test. You must know HOW TO DO something with that material. It requires a shift in preparation. Also, there is no way to prepare for a math test the night before. At that point, you either know the material or you don't. There is no faking.
First, it's important to understand common reasons students lose points on math tests...
5 Top Reasons Students Lose Points on Math Tests

1. They didn't follow directions! This is a big one! Always read the directions.

2. Sloppy writing. Perhaps you wrote a "9," but later read the digit as a "4." That will obviously lead to a mistake. Most commonly, students misalign digits; for example, a digit that should be in the tens place gets added to the hundreds column.

3. They are confused by math vocabulary. If you're not sure what the difference is between a "sum" and a "product," you'll have trouble.

4. Not doing homework regularly. Homework is your #1 study tool for math!

5. Making errors on basic math facts. It helps to be fluent with your basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. (NOTE: People with learning disabilities often struggle with "basic" facts. In that case, take your time to calculate facts carefully.)

Simple awareness of these factors can have a positive impact on your grade! But, as you might guess, there is more you can do...

Math Test Study Plan

Step 1: Know your basic math facts! There are hundreds of math games on the internet to help you practice your facts. They are the foundation of math and will continue to hold you back if you cannot answer each of them (0-10) in a split-second. (Again, people with learning disabilities might never master basic math facts. If that's the case, just take your time as you do math problems.)

Step 2: View homework as a "study guide." Circle all problems that you do not know how to do and ask for help in class the next day. As you correct your homework in class, circle all problems you did wrong and take notes about how to do them correctly.

IMPORTANT TIME LIMIT: Don't spend more than 60 minutes/night working on math homework. If you can't finish the assignment in this amount of time, talk to your teacher. After 60 minutes, your brain will have exhausted it's capacity for learning anything new. From there, you'll most likely step into a tail-spin of confusion that will only escalate over time. You will be far more productive in the long-term if you stick to a time-limit.

Step 3: Know your math vocabulary. (See our video, " How to Study Vocabulary " for a painless way to learn math vocab.)
Step 4: Follow the "3-2-1" approach to study for your test:

3 days before your test, study the math vocabulary (as described above). Also, do several practice problems; use the problems you originally got wrong on your homework. (Time limit: 60 minutes.)

2 days before your test, review the vocabulary quickly. Do another 10-15 practice problems; use the problems you originally got wrong on your homework. (Time limit: 50 minutes.)

1 day before your test, review those lovely vocabulary words and do one problem from each night's homework. (Time limit: 30 minutes.)

Step 5: When you first receive the test, write down any formulas or definitions you had to memorize. This will immediately free up some brain power for the rest of your test.
Step 6: Read the directions! Twice.
Step 7: Write neatly. Keep your numbers in the correct place-value!

Step 8: When you are stuck, do as much as you can (you may get partial credit). Then, skip the problem and move on. Come back to it if you have time.

Step 9: After your test is graded, make sure you understand how to correct any mistakes you made. If you do not understand the material now, you will continue to have problems in following chapters.

Math can be challenging because everything you learn builds on knowledge you should have learned before. If you miss something, it will catch up with you. However, if you:

Learn your math facts,

Treat your homework like it is "test practice" (and learn from your mistakes)

learn math vocabulary (see simple video here)
-and-

Read the directions on the test...

...it will not be long before your math test scores will SOAR!

Get more easy-to-implement study and test-taking tips: For educators, click here. For parents, click here.

Good luck!

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When I was a student and teachers would say, "Study for your math test!" I would think, "How do I study for a math test?" I now realize that study is the wrong verb. You really need to 'practice' for a math test. You not only need to KNOW material for a math test.

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Studying for a math test does not have to feel overwhelming. Test-taking in general can cause anxiety, but by managing time and honing good study habits, you can help to ease the stress. Although many people may find math challenging and test-taking to be difficult, here's how to study for a math test to make it easier and be successful.

Top Reasons Students Lose Points on a Math Test

First things first, it's important to remember these tips in order to maximize your test score. The most common reasons why people lose points on a math test include:

1. Directions:

On any test, it's of utmost importance to read the directions closely. See if you have to show your work or just provide answers. Many math tests offer partial credit if the work is right, even if the final answer is not.

2. Bad Handwriting:

Try to be as neat as possible so the person grading your test doesn't misinterpret one number for another (i.e. a 3 for an 8). Also, some teachers may want you to box your final answer so it's easy to locate.

3. Math Vocabulary and Concepts:

Math, like English, has vocabulary. Be sure to hone the vocabulary and concepts before a test so you understand what is being asked.

How to Study for a Math Test in 10 Easy Steps

Here are some of the top tips for how to study for math exams.

1. Start Early

Being prepared for a test starts with taking class seriously. Try not to miss any classes or lectures. While it helps to be in the classroom, it's only useful if you pay close attention. When you don't understand a concept, ask your teacher questions. Use the textbook as a resource and study a little everyday.

2. Do Your Homework

Homework is provided to reiterate and absorb the concepts from the lesson. Don't copy others or skip it. When you do your homework, you are studying. By understanding basic math concepts, you can easily build to continue learning. If you see recurring problems or concepts, it's likely those will be tested. Treat your homework like a study guide.

3. Try a Planning Approach

Rather than piling all your studying up at the last minute, try to plan ahead. Try to hone study skills and techniques to create good habits. Give yourself time limits and start studying 3 days before a test. As you get closer to the test day, you can lessen the load. Here's an example of how the 3-2-1 approach works:

3 days before a test: Study all vocabulary, do a lot of practice problems, and review any answers you got wrong on homework (60 minutes).

2 days before a test: Review the vocabulary briefly. Perform 10-15 practice problems (45 minutes).

1 day before a test: Review vocabulary. Do one homework problem from each previous night's homework (30 minutes).

4. Use Practice Tests and Exams

Many teachers will provide you with old exams to practice. Sometimes, you can even find old exams online. Rework these problems and go over the homework and notes. By creating your own practice test, you can try your hand at each type of problem to prepare for what might show up on the test.

5. Use Flashcards

As mentioned above, math does mirror other subjects in the fact that there are concepts and vocabulary terms to memorize. Along with these, you must often know formulas. As such, it is useful to make flashcards with the aforementioned items to help remember them. Sometimes, teachers will let you use a study guide on a test. If so, include vocabulary words and formulas. If not, try a brain dump. When the test begins, write everything down while it's fresh in your head so you can refer to the list during the test.

6. Practice Online

Leverage all types of resources. There are websites specifically dedicated to subjects in math, such as study.com. Other sites that can be of assistance include Khan Academy and YouTube.

7. Try a Study Group

Oftentimes, you may not understand a concept that your friend does. In these cases, it's helpful to set up study groups and work alongside friends. Studying in groups can help keep you on track and learn from each other.

8. Set Rewards

Staying focused and studying in advance deserves rewards. As such, you can set up your own rewards systems based on what you like to do. For example, if you want to save up for a special gift, place a monetary reward in a jar every time you complete a homework assignment. After the test, go buy yourself a present. Or, consider rewarding yourself with self-care like a massage or a nice dinner when you successfully pass a test.

9. Get Good Sleep

Just as important as studying is getting enough sleep. There is research that suggests that memories become stable during sleep. Additionally, being deprived of sleep can detrimentally affect focus and attention. Therefore, when you plan when to study, make sure you can still get enough sleep.

10. Learn from Mistakes

After you get a graded test back, go over the mistakes and understand how to fix them. Since math concepts are known to build upon one another, it's important you understand what was done wrong so that as the concepts repeat and build, you know what to do next time.

Extra Tips

When possible, try to apply math to real life. This can happen by applying math in financial management situations, baking and cooking, home improvement, at work and more.

Furthermore, when studying, try to do so distraction-free. Find a study environment that works best for you. Whether that's a cafe, library or at home, limit distractions. You can do so by turning off electronic devices and only having the materials you need in your study space.

It All Adds Up

By taking your math classes and homework seriously from day one, you can alleviate unnecessary stress when it comes to test time. Although it may seem obvious, one of the best tips for how to study for a math test and perform your best is to believe in yourself and trust your intuition. Adopt a positive mentality and a proactive attitude and you can maximize your performance on exam day.

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How to Study for a Math Test in 10 Easy Ways | University of the People

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Studying for a math test does not have to feel overwhelming. Test-taking in general can cause anxiety, but by managing time and honing good study habits, you can help to ease the stress. Although many people may find math challenging and test-taking to be difficult, here's how to study for a math test to make it easier and be successful.

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Great suggestions from our NHS math teachers!

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Great suggestions from our NHS math teachers!

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1. Complete the entire review packet at minimum before the last time your class meets so that you have time to ask your teacher any questions you were confused about.

2. Before asking your teacher questions, see if you can't figure it out on your own first. Find tutorials online! Where to look... KhanAcademy.com, IXL.com, Youtube.com, Google.com, flippedmath.com

3. Photomath and Teacher provided answer keys are great resource if they are used appropriately... How to use photomath appropriately... First try the problem on your own. If your teacher provided an answer key, check to see if you got it correct. If there is not, use photomath (if possible) to check your answer. If your answer is not correct, first try the problem again. If you still get it wrong, take the time to look through and complete each step that photomath provides. Make sure you understand each step... if you don't ask your teacher!

4. The math center is a great place to get extra help! Ask for a pass or stop in anytime!

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This is a series of 10 videos that might help!

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This is a series of 10 videos that might help!

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Quizlet -- Great for studying vocabulary and grammar conjugations. You can use the flashcard feature, and go through various practice activities. You can practice sets created by your teacher or even make your own study set that is more personalized to your needs. https://quizlet.com/

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Conjuguemos -- Great for studying vocabulary and grammar conjugations. Practice with any conjuguemos sets your teacher has posted for you.  https://conjuguemos.com/

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EdPuzzle -- Great for practicing your listening comprehension. There are tons of videos you can search and try, or listen to the ones your teacher may assign for practice. https://edpuzzle.com/

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Study Spanish (explanation and practice activities) -- Great for grammar review. It provides clear explanations and examples as well as provides mini quizzes to try it out on your own. https://studyspanish.com/

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Tips for Writing a Spanish Essay -- https://www.spanish.academy/blog/how-to-write-an-amazing-essay-in-spanish/

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Spaced Repetition Study Technique (article says for Spanish, but applies to all languages) --

https://www.spanish.academy/blog/how-to-use-a-spaced-repetition-schedule-to-learn-spanish-faster/

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Pomodoro Study Technique (article says for Spanish, but applies to all languages) --

https://www.spanish.academy/blog/how-to-use-the-pomodoro-study-technique-to-master-spanish-fluency/

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English Language Learner Tips for Test Taking

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English Language Learner Tips for Test Taking

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http://www.thesysintl.com/2017/02/15/testing-tips-esl-classroom/

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Testing can be stressful for your students and they need all the advice you, as a teacher, can give them. Here at Thesys, we use two acronyms to keep in mind helpful tips ESL students need before a test: relax and learn.

Relax

R - Read the question carefully, then re-read the passage or problem to find the right answer. It's important students take their time on both the questions and the passage in front of them. It's always a good idea to return to the passage after reading a question.

E - Examine every answer choice before choosing an answer. Advise your students not to fall for trick answers! Reading all of the answers gives a better chance they aren't fooled by one that might be similar to the correct one.

L - Look for clue words and underline important words in the text you read. This will make it easier when re-reading the passage for answers.

A - Always get plenty of sleep and eat a good breakfast before a test. Tired or hungry students will have a hard time concentrating. They need all the energy they can get!

X - "X"- out answers that cannot possibly be correct. Process of elimination: for every answer your student knows is incorrect they have a higher chance of choosing the correct one.

Learn

L - Leave the hard questions for last. It's better for your student to answer the questions he or she can, rather than waste test time on a question they may not be able to find an answer for.

E - Erase and fix your answers when checking your work. Encourage your students to always go over their answers if they have time before the testing period ends.

A - Add details to your paragraphs to make them more interesting. What better way to build and practice your students' vocabularies?

R - Read through your answers before you turn your test in. Similar to E, if time permits your students may catch tiny mistakes that could have cost them a point.

N - Never give up and do your best! It's easy to get bogged down by a hard question and have trouble moving forward, but if your students persevere through and try their best it will at least push them in the right direction for future tests.

Other advice from ESL teachers for testing includes encouraging students to practice speaking and writing in English as much as they can. Golder College Prep teacher, Mariel Race, says creative writing is a perfect outlet for such practice. She also suggests fun activities to prepare for tests such as a competition of which student can say the longest, most detailed sentence.

While these tips will hopefully assist ESL/ELL students, it's important to note that testing can be a busy and stressful time for teachers too. Teachers can help their students "learn and relax" by being relaxed themselves before testing. Hopefully that will then rub off on the students!

Download a poster of "Relax and Learn" for your classroom for free!

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Testing Tips for the ESL Classroom - Thesys

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Testing can be stressful for your students and they need all the advice you, as a teacher, can give them. Here at Thesys, we use two acronyms to keep in mind helpful tips ESL students need before a test: relax and learn. Relax R - Read the question carefully, then re-read the passage or problem to [...]

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Using mindfulness to deal with exam stress

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Using mindfulness to deal with exam stress

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https://blog.pearsoninternationalschools.com/using-mindfulness-to-deal-with-exam-stress/

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Resources for English Language Learners and Teachers | Pearson English

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Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can empower students to deal with exam-related stress and anxiety. It helps them decenter from difficult emotions, feel calmer, and see the exam as a less threatening experience.

To delve deeper into the concept of mindfulness, we spoke with Amy Malloy, accredited meditation trainer and an advocate of mindfulness in education. Find out how students can use mindfulness to combat pre-exam anxiety and how teachers can help them master the art of being in the moment.

What is mindfulness? Dispelling the myth

In the past few years, mindfulness has become a buzzword that you often see on social media or on the covers of wellness magazines. However, behind the hype is an ancient practice that has been around for thousands of years that is actually very simple.

"Forget the poses, the sunsets, the mountain tops - all of which are lovely, of course," Amy says, "Because really, all you need to do is focus your attention on something which anchors you in the present moment."

Mindfulness is the skill of paying conscious attention to and becoming aware of the present moment, often using the breath and meditation. It teaches us the ability to accept and sit with difficult feelings in the same way that we can with happy ones. It helps us see with a bit of perspective, without judgement and with kindness to ourselves.

"While meditation does have its roots in more spiritual practices, it is also a scientifically supported reality that breathing and focusing mindfully actively reduces stress," Amy says.

Studies have proven that practising mindfulness is essentially training the brain to be calmer and more resilient. Anyone who has to face high-stress situations, such as students preparing for exams, can benefit from it. It can be tremendously helpful for teenagers, whose brains are going through radical changes and making it very difficult for them to deal with emotional situations - like exams - objectively.

But what causes exam anxiety? Amy explains what happens in our brains when we get nervous and why.

What does a lion and an English test have in common?

Most of the anxiety that we experience today is not just a product of the stressful modern world. It can be traced back to our ancestors whose survival depended on the ability to escape a predator. To raise the odds of survival, our brains evolved to switch into fight-or-flight mode as a response to danger - whether that danger was real or imagined.

"Fast-forward to the modern day and we find that emotional challenges (which are essentially imagined dangers) also activate our fight-or-flight system in the same way. The threat of an exam - being judged on our ability, the consequences of not achieving the desired result - sends us into fight-or-flight mode too. Essentially, we believe we are being faced with a lion - not just an English test." Amy says.

When the fight-or-flight switch is flipped on, it triggers a hormonal response - the release of cortisol and adrenaline - and the planning and analysis functions of the brain are bypassed to allow our body to act involuntarily.

Using mindfulness, this state of stress can be managed - and it can even help us perform.

Calming the nerves before an exam

"When we are in fight-or-flight mode, our body increases our heart rate, sharpens our eyesight and our hearing and shuts down most other things. So anything learners can do to remind the brain that the exam isn't a threat is really helpful," Amy says.

However, it doesn't hurt to hang on to a bit of that fight-or-flight edge.

"It's about finding that sweet spot where the mind is clear and sharp thanks to a bit of adrenaline, but not too stressed so that everything shuts down and we can't think," she continues.

But what can students do to achieve this?

"The very act of breathing slowly actively deactivates fight or flight (our sympathetic nervous system) and activates our parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as 'rest and digest' mode. So simply taking a few moments to close the eyes and focus on the breath going in through the nose and out again can be very powerful," she says.

"If the heart is really racing, then try purposefully slowing the breath down through counting, making the exhale a little longer than the inhale. For example, breathe in for a count of 4, breathe out for 4; breathe in for 4, breathe out for 6; breathe in for 4, breathe out for 8 etc," says Amy.

Teachers can also help students experience exams with mindfulness. Amy recommends taking two approaches to reduce exam stress. The first one is related to the circumstances of the exam itself and helping students see it as a less threatening event.

"Try normalising the conditions around the exam, maybe using the same room for all assessment so it isn't the first time they experience it," she says.

The second one is a more long-term strategy.

"You can start regularly and actively training your students' minds to cope with stressful situations more healthily, to encourage the brain to access a different network of the brain," she says.

Here's how to go about it.

Practising meditation in the classroom

Amy's tip for teachers is to incorporate meditation into their lessons. She recommends trying the following process at the beginning of each lesson over the course of a few weeks:

Close your eyes or stare at your desk without focusing on anything.

Take a few deep breaths in through the nose and sigh it out through the mouth. Notice

what happens to your muscles as you do this.

Observe the weight of your body against the chair. Notice what the contact feels like.

Observe the sounds around you in the room. Allow them to come and go without labelling them.

Observe your breath going in at the nose and out again through the nose. Count ten breaths in and out, noticing and watching each breath, one at a time.

Take a few deep breaths, grow aware of your contact with the chair again.

Open your eyes and notice how you feel.

This should help lower students' stress levels and increase concentration. After a couple of weeks of this practice, see if the students feel any different. Regular and consistent practice is what allows us to reap the benefits of mindfulness.

Amy recommends trying to encourage students to practice every day at home as well.

"There are a multitude of guided meditations freely available online with which to practice at home," she says. "Another lovely practice is to encourage students to notice positive events in their day. Often when we are stressed, we can find ourselves focusing and ruminating purely on the sources of our stress. This means we can miss more pleasant things occurring right under our noses. Invite your students to try noting down three pleasant events from their day before they go to bed and see how they feel after a couple of weeks," she adds.

Just as mindfulness can help with reducing exam stress, it can also aid students in accepting and dealing with the feeling of failure after a bungled exam.

"One of the wonderful benefits of mindfulness practice is the development of an inner resilience. When we learn to focus the attention consciously on an anchor (such as the body or our breath), the present takes on an objective quality, as if watching it on a screen," she says.

This decentering allows us to choose how to respond to events, be they negative or positive. Our thoughts and feelings come and go, and they do not define us - nor do failed exams.
Read more about the role of mindset in coping with stress.

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Using mindfulness to deal with exam stress

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Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can empower students to deal with exam-related stress and anxiety. It helps them decenter from difficult emotions, feel calmer, and see the exam as a less threatening experience. To delve deeper into the concept of mindfulness, we spoke with Amy Malloy, accredited meditation trainer and an advocate of mindfulness in ...

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Home Academics Exams got you stressed? Try this 30-second mindfulness technique

Exams got you stressed? Try this 30-second mindfulness technique

Read time: 2 min

Read this article and enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card

What’s your favorite thing about school? If you said “the exams,” you’re either Hermione Granger or you’re an anomaly. I’m done with school now and free of academic tests forever, but I still remember the stress they caused me. If you also get test stress now and then, here’s some good news: It’s totally normal and usually manageable.

I want to share a simple mindfulness technique that can help with anxiety of all kinds, including test anxiety. It’s called the Mindful Pause—we went over it previously here. It takes 30 seconds, and you can use it while taking a test, during stressful study periods, or at any other time you feel stress or anxiety arising. Below is a short video explaining how to do it.

Transcript

One of the amazing things about mindfulness practice is the ability it gives you to deal more skillfully with stress and anxiety. So if you're practicing regularly, if you're meditating, if you're doing mindfulness in daily life -- if you're doing those things, when you encounter a situation that would normally stress you out or make you feel anxious, you might find that you're just naturally better able to sort of stay cool and calm and deal with the situation. That being said though, there are some situations that are so nerve-racking or so intense that you tend to get stressed out or anxious even if you have a solid mindfulness practice. And so, in those situations, there is a strategy you can use right there in that moment to help sort of calm you down so that you can navigate whatever it is that you're dealing with. But before I share that strategy, I think it's useful to first just understand a little bit about how anxiety works and stress. So when anxiety arises, there is a tendency that we all have to sort of flinch away from it, try not to feel it. And what meditation masters have understood for thousands of years and modern psychology has corroborated is that it is this very tendency to avoid the feeling of anxiety that actually fuels the anxiety. So we think it'll make us feel better but, in fact, it just makes the anxiety stronger and it makes it last longer. So what do you do instead? As counterintuitive as it may seem, the best thing you can do when anxiety arises -- or stress -- is to actually turn toward it and allow yourself to feel it fully. It just -- it takes a lot of the sting out of it and makes it less of a problem. So the most effective way that we're aware of to do that is to tune into the sensations that you feel in your body when anxiety arises or when stress arises. So these things manifest differently for different people, right? Some people feel anxiety as sort of a weight in their stomach or a hollowness in the pit of their stomach. Some people might feel a tightness in their chest or heat in their face -- you know, it's different for different people. But there is this bodily element to it. So what you do is you just tune in to those sensations -- okay, what am I feeling right now? All right, I seem to be feeling sort of a hollowness in the stomach or I seem to be feeling a tightness in the chest. And when you just tune into that dimension, it allows you to short-circuit this natural response we have of flinching away that causes all of these problems. So I want to share a technique called the mindful pause that is just a sort of bite-size, 30-second practice that you can do in the very moment where you're feeling stressed out or anxious and it's totally inconspicuous and no one has to know that you're sort of meditating or whatever and it works really well. It involves just four simple steps so I'll share those steps with you and then you can try it on your own. So step 1 is to take a slow long breath in and then a nice, slow, relaxing exhale. And all that does -- all we're doing with that -- is we're just leveraging the pretty well-documented connection between that sort of long, slow breathing and relaxation, you know, psychological relaxation. So that's step 1. Step 2, after you take that slow inhale, slow exhale, is turn your attention toward your body and just notice whatever sensations are present. So there might be a lot of sensations present, there might be hardly anything present -- maybe you just notice your feet on the floor or something like that. That's okay, it doesn't matter. However much or little is there, just take it in. Just notice whatever sensations are there and just let the sensations be sensations. In other words, you don't have to evaluate them as good or bad, you don't have to tell stories about them -- you know, an itch is just an itch, a feeling of coolness is just a feeling of coolness -- like that, okay? And if there are sensations that seem particularly related to stress or anxiety -- so for me, for instance, that would be sort of a hollowness in my stomach -- if those sensations are there, those are especially good to pay attention to because those are the types of sensations that we tend to flinch away from and that's the habit that we're working on changing right now, okay? So that's step 2 and it can be quick. It can be the span of one in-breath or the span of one out-breath. It could be longer if you like but it can be that fast, all right? Now step 3, after that, is to just bring your attention to the sensation of the breath, the sensation of the air passing through your nostrils as you breathe, and just watch those sensations for a few moments, just a way to ground ourselves a little more concretely in the present moment, okay? And again, that can be fast -- one in-breath or one out-breath. And then move on to step 4, the final step, which is just to carry on. In other words, just go about your day. Open your eyes if they were closed -- which they didn't have to be. Stand up if you were sitting -- which you didn't have to be. And then just go on to whatever's next in your day. But see if you can do so in an unhurried way. In other words, maybe don't bolt to your feet, right? Maybe don't lunge for your phone. Just sort of move at a more leisurely pace and take with you some of this calm and quiet that you've cultivated, all right? So that's the mindful pause. It's really quick -- four simple steps. I've timed it. It takes about 30 seconds and it really works as sort of a spot remedy in the very moment you're feeling stress or anxiety. But I want to leave you with one last thing, which is that there's a trap that is kind of easy to fall into with the mindful pause, which is you'll feel anxious, you'll do a mindful pause, and then you might be like, well, hey, what? These feelings are all still here, it didn't work, right? So the feelings are not going to go away. The mindful pause doesn't wipe feelings out of your body, it doesn't wipe thoughts out of your head. It changes your relationship to them so that they're less of a problem, right? So if you're trying to use the mindful pause to get rid of these feelings, you're just turning it into another avoidance strategy, right? So it's a subtle trap. Just remember, all it's doing is helping you in a structured way -- drop your resistance to it, drop that avoidance, okay? So give it a try.

Need a strategy for in-the-moment test panic? Here’s an easy way to stay calm—and it’s even quicker than the Mindful Pause: Every so often during the test, close your eyes and take one slow breath in and out. Research suggests that slow breathing induces a state of calm, according to a 2017 study published in Science. Plus, the periodic breathing breaks keep you from rushing through your exam and getting sloppy. When I was an SAT tutor, I taught my students to take a slow breath every two pages, and they found it helpful. You might too.

(Effective test preparation is another big part of reducing exam anxiety. If you’re finding yourself seriously stressed about test taking, try this study plan.)

Now go forth and crush those exams! (Mindfully, of course.)
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Article sources

Yackle, K., Schwarz, L. A., Kam, K., Sorokin, J. M., et al. (2017). Breathing control center neurons that promote arousal in mice. Science, 355(6332), 1411–1415.

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Exams got you stressed? Try this 30-second mindfulness technique - CampusWell

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Need a strategy for in-the-moment test panic? Try this 30-second mindfulness technique for anxiety to stay calm and stress free.

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https://mylearningnetwork.com/the-power-of-positive-self-talk/

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Is your inner voice positive or negative? What thoughts dominate your mind when you sit down to study?

Positive self talk is very important when it comes to your success in college. If you are always telling yourself that you won't do well, eventually, you will start to believe that.

It may seem simplistic, but make sure you are thinking positive about what you are studying. Make sure you have confidence that you can get the good grades you want to achieve in your studies. But don't ever get down on yourself if you get a bad grade. A bad grade (or a good grade) should not define you. Perhaps a not so great grade is sending you a message that you need to try to study a little bit harder. And if you tried as hard as you possibly could, but still did not get the desired grade, you can take pride in the fact that you tried very hard.

Getting an undesirable grade could also mean that instead of continuing with the way you studied, maybe you need to make some changes in your study habits so that you are better able to grasp the material. Never get discouraged though, keep trying, keep making adjustments if needed, and your hard work will pay off.

Research confirms how powerful your thoughts can be. Take a look at this short video to better understand this idea:

When in doubt, keep telling yourself you CAN do well, even if it's in a subject that you think you're not that great at. Here are some examples of positive affirmations you can use to develop a positive attitude towards learning and the good habit of positive self-talk.

[Poster developed by teachers from Fieldcrest Elementary School [Bradford, ON, CA]. Source: http://fieldcrestfalcons.blogspot.ca/2014/01/growth-mindset-talk-it.html]

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Is your inner voice positive or negative? What thoughts dominate your mind when you sit down to study? Positive self talk is very important when it comes to your success in college. If you are always telling yourself that you won't do well, eventually, you will start to believe that.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2rkiTMaN_8

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0:00 / 12:03•Watch full video

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Meditation to Calm TEST ANXIETY | 10 Minute Daily Routines

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Strategies for Answering ELA Test Questions

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Strategies for Answering ELA Test Questions

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https://go.sadlier.com/school/answering-ela-test-questions-tip-sheet?hsCtaTracking=439b2922-6d96-4c79-8313-b2bf164c45d1%7C4a6c0296-3739-45fa-b880-0a3114d61368

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Grades 1-12

Give your students the strategies they need to answer the different types of English Language Arts (ELA) test items. With this tip sheet students will:

Learn tips for reading passages and responding to questions

Build confidence by reviewing strategies before taking a test

Fill out the form to download the 7 Strategies for Answering ELA Test Questions Tip Sheet now.

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7 Strategies for Answering ELA Test Questions Tip Sheet 1-12 | Sadlier School

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Grades 1-12 Give your students the strategies they need to answer the different types of English Language Arts (ELA) test items. With this tip sheet students will: Learn tips for reading passages and responding to questions Build confidence by reviewing strategies before taking a test Fill out the form to download the 7 Strategies for Answering ELA Test Questions Tip Sheet now.

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https://eslsupplies.com/blogs/news/teach-test-strategies-to-english-learners

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Since ESL education and literacy programs receive government funding based on testing results, it is extremely important to ensure test results are as accurate as possible. As an adult ESL instructor, I want my students to score as high as they are able on their post tests. These high scores help to ensure the continuation of my local education program and its vital services.

Multiple choice tests are not common in many countries. Many ESL students refer to multiple choice tests as 'American tests'. In other countries, tests ask for the correct answer or a written essay. Middle and high school ELLs have missed learning the test taking strategies learned in elementary school. Adult ESL students, many highly educated, also benefit from learning test strategies. I recommend giving at least one practice test and reviewing it together as a class. Point out and teach different strategies during this review. I have taught professionals and professors from other countries who greatly appreciated learning these strategies.

Secondary and adult refugee students who have never attended school or have only a few years of education do not know how to take a test. For literacy and beginning ESL levels, I recommend giving a practice test at the end of each unit or every 2-3 weeks. This helps to get students familiar with taking tests and gives them much needed practice. It also helps to reduce their test anxiety. It is important to teach how to eliminate choices, make educated guesses, and explain why an answer is correct.

In conclusion, all English Language Learners benefit from learning basic test taking strategies. It will help them feel more confident and relaxed, avoid common mistakes, save time on timed tests, and score higher on their tests. Strategies for multiple choice reading tests include:

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Teach Test Strategies to English Language Learners

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Since ESL education and literacy programs receive government funding based on testing results, it is extremely important to ensure test results are as accurate as possible. As an adult ESL instructor, I want my students to score as high as they are able on their post tests.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzZ3mDF1hns