Practice and test-taking enhances exam performance

A study plan that does not include test practice is an incomplete plan. The importance of practicing tests cannot be stressed hard enough. The difference between a  student with poor knowledge of the subject and a student who has studied just enough but has not practiced any tests is not too huge.

Following are the ways parents could help their children prepare for exams to avoid exam-jitters:

1)      Handling stress: Sitting for a 3-hour exam with complete focus isn’t easy for most students, especially those who have not trained themselves in test-taking atmosphere. Such exams not only require stamina but also great deal of concentration. A subjective question paper worth 100 marks could make the student feel under a lot of pressure if he is unprepared. Parents and tutors can design monthly long tests so that children get the hang of sitting for the term exams.

2)      Reading habits: Many students struggle with reading because they have not developed the habit of writing long essays, chapters or comprehension passages. Comprehension passages form the major part of language-related tests. Parents should make it a point to get their kids to develop their reading stamina.

3)      Understanding directions: Reading the directions wrong due to being stressed during exams is a common phenomenon. Such blunders cost students their precious grades. During practicing tests, students should develop the habit of double-checking questions as well as their answers so as to avoid losing marks because of silly errors.

4)      Being organized and having a plan: Writing an exam with a cluttered mind is never a good idea. Test-taking practice would give students a good idea about what their strengths and weaknesses are. They can start their exam paper answering the questions they are very confident about. Having a plan takes care of the exam anxiety.

5)      Time management: Students end up missing out on a number of questions for not being fast enough. Not being prepared enough causes students to ponder upon the questions given in the test paper due to which they end up easting a lot of time answering only some questions and missing out on the rest. Studying enough combined with test practices will program students to manage their time wisely during the exam.

6)      Learning the important words: Lower-grade kids may not necessarily understand the meaning of words ‘analyze’ , ‘Describe’, ‘Evaluate’. Parents should take the responsibility of helping them increase their basic vocabulary.

In case, parents are unable to find time to help students with their studies, a good tutor is always a good option.