Lecture Notes for Verbal Reasoning

1. Lecture Notes forVerbal Reasoning Lesson 7 Test Anxiety and Relaxation Strategies

2. Origins and Causes of Test Anxiety • The more perfectionistic you are, the more test-anxious you are. • Fear of failure, fear of criticism, poor self-esteem, poor self-confidence and hyper-competitiveness can lead to fear and avoidance of test practice and test taking. • A negative attitude about testing can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. • Inadequate reading and writing background regarding the VR. • Dyslexia or other learning challenges.

3. Relaxation Strategies • Meditation/Visualization • Meditation and meditation techniques. • What is meditation? • Consciously directing your attention to alter your state of consciousness. • What is the purpose of meditation? • Relax and reduce stress. • Enhance concentration and performance.

4. Relaxation Techniques • Eight points for effective meditation experiences. • Put your expectations aside regarding what is “supposed to” happen during meditation. • Put aside the idea of “getting it right.” • Approach meditation with “relaxed effort.” • Don’t try to make your mind blank or chase thoughts away. • Each meditation session will be somewhat different. • Meditation clears away stored up “stress” and “physical/emotional toxins.” • You will, at times, find yourself resisting meditation. • The less concerned you are about what you experience in your meditation, the easier and better it gets. • Make sure you’re not meditating on an empty stomach.

5. Relaxation Techniques • Steps of relaxation meditation. • Sit comfortably with your spine reasonably straight. • Allow your eyes to rest comfortably downward, gazing softly, but not focused on anything. • Without closing your eyes completely, let your eyelids drop to a level that feels most comfortable. • Continue gazing downward. • The act of gazing is your primary focus—not the area at which you are gazing. • Let your breathing become rhythmic. • It’s okay to let your attention drift a bit. • Let your eyes close if they become too heavy. • Use these techniques when you take your short break after each passage or when you’re feeling anxious during the test.

6. Relaxation Techniques • Misconceptions about meditation. • Meditation is turning off your thoughts or making your mind blank. • Meditation is difficult and requires concentration. • Meditation is not successful unless we see interesting things in our mind.

7. Relaxation Techniques • Visualization Strategies. • Use visualization while meditating to improve your performance. • Formulate a clear image of what you want. • Combine the above image with a strong, positive emotion. • Don’t worry if the image is instead of thoughts, words, or sensations. • You can create an image of yourself breezing through the exam. • Try to incorporate specific test-taking strategies into this guided imagery. • Don’t forget to include everything positive you think and feel while emphasizing each strategy.

8. Relaxation Techniques • Visualization Strategies. • Use visualization to: • See success. • Motivate. • Learn and perfect skills. • Refocus. • Prepare to perform well.

9. Some Final Strategies and Tips • Try to control your anxiety. • Not too much nervousness, but not too relaxed. • Breath work is at the heart of gaining mind/body control over your writing anxiety. • Breathe slowly and deeply from your lower lungs. • Regularly practicing calming techniques can improve your memory and critical thinking abilities, increase your confidence, and help you feel more comfortable about the test. • Relaxing before and during your writing will allow you to read more easily, with less fear and minimal stress. • Music and sound can have a profound impact on your ability to relax and manage anxiety. • Nature sounds and repetitive rhythms can help you relax.