Question: How Do You Support Students Overwhelmed by Taking Tests?

Test-taking can be stressful for students, and anxiety can sometimes interfere with their ability to demonstrate what they’ve learned. As an educator, you play an important role in helping students navigate this challenge—whether through practical strategies, emotional support, or adjustments to the testing environment. We'd like to know: How do you support students who feel overwhelmed by taking tests?

Do you offer special activities before exams? Provide alternative assessment methods? Teach test-taking skills explicitly? Maybe you foster a classroom culture that normalizes mistakes and growth, helping to reduce the pressure students feel.

We’d love to hear how you support students struggling with test anxiety and which approaches have worked in your classroom. Join the conversation by sharing your insights in the comments.

Let’s turn this space into a resource for helping students succeed in test-taking.

Strategies for Supporting Students Overwhelmed by Taking Tests

If you're looking for more ideas and inspiration, check out our Assessment and Student Wellness pages. You might also find these resources helpful:

• 4 Ways to Boost Students’ Self-Efficacy
• Encouraging Students to Own Their Academic Growth (video)
• A Strategy for Differentiating Assessments
• What Does the Research Say About Testing?
• How to Help Students Focus on What They’re Learning, Not the Grade
• Do No-Zero Policies Help or Hurt Students?

At Edutopia, we're always looking for educators to share their strategies. If you have ideas that go beyond what can be shared in the comments, please be sure to visit our Write for Us page.

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