Addressing Test Anxiety in a High-Stakes Environment: Strategies for Classrooms and Schools
Review
"This fascinating, well-researched book makes a wonderful contribution to the field. It provides helpful information on what test anxiety is and what we can do about it. This topic is as important today than ever due to education reform initiatives across the country."
(James Kelleher, Assistant Superintendent )
"The book offers answers to the most important question of all: If test anxiety can hinder our ability to make accurate inferences and good decisions for kids, what can we do to ease students' fears? As it turns out, researchers have answers, and the authors present helpful ideas for all of us-parents, educators, and students themselves." (Linda Wacyk, Trustee )
"This book provides a thorough, yet easy-to-read, nontechnical description of test anxiety. Most important, it provides specific actions that can be taken by teachers, parents, and students themselves to reduce test anxiety. In this era of high-stakes testing, this book is a must-read for all concerned parents and educators."
(William J. Brosnan, Superintendent )
"Cizek and Burg explore the construct of test anxiety . . . (with a) balance between the scholarly research base and the practical suggestions offered. These include strategies of how teachers can head off test anxiety, and how students can reduce test anxiety levels. This book should be required reading for all teachers, counselors, school psychologists, school principcals, district administrators and policy makers."
(Mary E. Yakimowski-Srebnick, Director of Assessments )
"Educators can use many of the techniques in their classrooms, including assessment and relaxation techniques before testing, preparation of the setting, study skills, and student preparation for testing day." (Childhood Education Magazine, Summer 2006 )
Product Description
 |
 Taking The Anxiety Out of Taking Tests by S Johnson  US $.99
|
 NEW Wadsworths Quick Guide to Test Anxiety Beck US $4.94
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 REDUCE TEST ANXIETY WORRY EXAMS SUBLIMINAL NERVES CD US $4.95
|
 Test Anxiety by Marty Sapp US $5.25
|
 Taking the Anxiety Out of Taking Tests A Step By Step US $8.50
|
 Test Anxiety Hypnosis Download mp3 Darren Hiller CH US $9.99
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This is a syntopic review of two books with similar topics but diverse approaches:
1. Taking the Anxiety Out of Taking Tests: A Step by Step Guide, by Susan Johnson;
2. Addressing Test Anxiety in High Stakes Environment: Strategies for Classroom & Schools, by Gregory Cizek & Samantha Burg;
The first book is written by a pracitising Buddhist & student of Eastern thought. So her book contains, in some areas, seemingly esoteric stuff (or `new agey’ as some people may want to call it). Her book is targeted at laymen.
The second book is written by two testing specialists, better known in scientific circles as psychometicians.(They love tests!) Naturally, their approach is more methodical & clinical (despite the authors’ denial at the onset). Their book is apparently targeted at fellow educators & school professionals.
My purpose of acquiring (& reviewing) these two books is to learn more about strategies to tackle test anxiety, as part of my work as a success coach to kids/teens/adults.
In the first book, the author has done a marvelous job of gathering the most effective awareness & relaxation techniques (a mixture of cognitive & behavioural) combined with effective study skills into one small paperback volume. The repertoire of techniques offered is very comprehensive. They are described in Chapters 2, 3, 4 & 5. Readers may find some of the techniques to be quite esoteric. The best way is to experiment with them & stick to those that work best for you.
In Chapter 6, she describes the process of procrastination. I like the author’s opening paragraph in this chapter: “Almost everyone who suffers from test testing anxiety had developed the practice of procrastination into a fine art…” This is a very important chapter. The author continues by showing how the reader can more effectively manage self, set goals, organize priorities, plan strategy & take action to deal with procrastination.
In chapter 7, she describes the learning process & memory management. Her treatment of this area is excellent. I concur with her statement that the most important study technique is tracking your thoughts & the key to working though test taking is to develop awareness of your thoughts & physical sensations moment by moment. Her dovetailing of information to suit the student’s intents & purposes is marvelous. This particular chapter should be read in conjunction with & by reflecting on the opening chapter 1, as the author talks about working with anxiety & fear.
At the end of the book, there is a goldmine of information, but the reader needs to acquire or maybe browse the Further Resources in a public library.
What I like about this whole book, on top of an unique distillation of proven techniques, is the author’s logically structured exercises for stress management, as well as her step-by-step instructions to combat test anxiety. For the student reader, this is a boon.
In the second book, & in line with its intents & purposes set out by the authors, the treatment of the topic is very much broader as well as very much deeper. For a layman, this may seem to be a scholarly piece of work, in which the authors describe:
- Testing in a high stakes environment (chapter 1);
- What test anxiety is…& isn’t (chapter 2);
- The effects of text anxiety on students & teachers (chapter 3);
- The causes of test anxiety (chapter 4);
- The measurement of test anxiety (chapter 5)(YES! there are tests for test anxiety! More details are given by the authors in the companion appendix);
In this respect, readers may have to contend with plenty statistical correlations.
Only in chapter 6 do the authors outline the tips & strategies for reducing test anxiety. Although the authors start off with a good overview of interventions for test anxiety, their treatment on study & test-taking skills as an intervention strategy is more of a broad-brush, when compared with the first book. Nevertheless, the author’s exposition of Thirteen Testing Myths in this chapter is an excellent piece of work. In the eyes of the teacher or educator, I reckon this chapter would be highly rated, as the authors move on to highlight strategies for promoting a healthy (test) assessment environment.
In the concluding chapter 7, the authors provide useful checklists of intervention strategies, one for teachers, & one for parents.
The Appendix & References pages are a goldmine of useful information for the teacher or educator.
What I like about this book, on top of its straightforward explanations, practical suggestions & reasonable recommendations for addressing test anxiety, is the spotlight of key ideas, a total of eighteen, captured in boxed selections, & interspersed throughout the whole book. These help the reader to zero-in quickly on to the essentials.
To sum up my syntopic review, I would like to rate both books a 5 each for their respective content strength & reader friendliness. As far I am concerned, I have enjoyed perusing both books. In my view, they also meet the intents & purposes of the respective author – & definitely my expectations as a success coach to kids/teens/adults.
I therefore strongly recommend the first book for the student &/or parent (who wants to be a learning facilitator at home); whereas the second book is more appropriate for the teacher or educator.
Xanax…have your doctor prescribe it.
They can grow in a particular direction, towards a water source for example. Roots in general form to increase the absorptive surface area of a plant so enough minerals and water can be gathered for metabolism.
I don't know if this answers your question but I have used excel in my classroom to create graphs.
I had kids take a survey about a topic. Then they had to use excel to create a bar grapth. They had to use this same information to create a line graph. Afterwards, they had to write several sentences analyzing their graph.
If you need to create a graph using the topic of multimedia in classrooms. You could aks a bunch of teachers you know what they mostly in the classroom: digital camera, computer, scanner, document camera and projector etc… Or ask them what is the most useful tool for kids to use ina classroom: word, excel, publisher, powerpoint. After you have gathered data, then you should create a graph and share with the class your findings.
It's called "That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker" and it's by O.A.R. (Of A Revolution)
Highstakes actie: Isildur1 is terug en wint $732.000
I would say blood or urine.
Test Bhs Batak kayanya bisa tuch Cok… :p
‘I don’t see friends or partners in a union which should have a basic solidarity,’ a Greek minister said Greek anxiety to find a solution to its financial crisis is being driven by the spiralling cost of its debt, with the country needing to to raise €54bn (£48.2bn) by the end of the year to service debt that amounts to more than 120% of GDP. Greek officials estimate that for every €5bn raised on capital markets, Athens pays around €700m more in interest compared with other eurozone countries because of premiums on Greek bonds that earlier this month reached 6.5%. The EU’s lukewarm response to the crisis has infuriated Greeks, who have been asked to endure the toughest economic austerity measures since the second world war. While the eurozone’s 16 members states have agreed to a “mechanism of coordinated assistance” they have refused to divulge the hard figures that Greece says would ward off speculators. “Nobody wants to go to the IMF but it will be a necessary option if there is no…
I miss you Michael.
I am so glad to see this!!!!!!! As someone who dropped out of my High School for the same reasons, its great to see other ppl who are willing to do the same!!!!!! And dont let them fool you you can do fine with out the diploma, I have a BA and are getting my MA and my sister is on her PhD all this done with out finishing High School. And stay away from Universities in the States the GE are designed to do the same as High School!!
Ted Owens My Turn: Addressing confusion on Hotel Avery
slow deep breaths with my eyes closed. i try to think positive during it and it seems to help. also chewing gum. it take my mind off of things.