How Human Skills Can Boost Standardized Test Performance

It’s no secret that standardized testing can be a stressful, high-pressure, and emotional experience. It can provoke feelings of excitement and pride as well as anxiety and disappointment. For many students, standardized testing can be a mental and emotional rollercoaster—though not nearly as fun.

How can human skills help?

To help students prepare for this rollercoaster ride and perform better on standardized tests, educators can prioritize strengthening students’ human skills, such as emotion regulation, growth mindset, and goal-setting. These essential skills support their academic performance and can empower them to do their best on the test.

Human skills are building blocks students need to achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and form meaningful relationships. When it comes to standardized testing, these skills are critical to their success.

Here’s how three essential human skills can help boost standardized test performance, along with a few tips to help students develop them in your classroom or school community.

1. Emotion regulation can enhance performance

Standardized testing can bring up a lot of emotions for students, including excitement and optimism but also nervousness and frustration. When those emotions kick in, it can be difficult for students to remain focused. If they become too overwhelming, skills like reading comprehension and abstract reasoning become strained. When it comes to feelings of anxiety, research has shown that increased test anxiety is linked to lower performance in certain academic domains.

Emotion regulation can help students manage the inevitable ups and downs of testing, from the jitters before the exam to the frustration and fatigue halfway through. By developing their ability to identify, understand, and manage their feelings, students are better equipped to meet the cognitive and academic demands of standardized tests—rather than becoming overwhelmed by the feelings associated with them.

Emotion regulation tip: If–Then Plans

As part of test prep, you can have students reflect on the emotions they’ve felt during past tests. What did they feel before, during, and after each test? Have them write down those feelings and the effects they may have had.

Then, help them create a simple If–Then Plan to handle those feelings when they show up during testing. For example: “If I start to feel frustrated about a question, then I’ll take three deep breaths and read the question again.”

2. Make gains with a growth mindset

A growth mindset helps students view their experiences—even challenging ones like standardized tests—as opportunities to learn and grow. Rather than seeing standardized tests only as measurements of their academic aptitude, a growth mindset helps them see standardized tests as learning opportunities in themselves, and thus part of a much bigger process of learning.

So how can growth mindset help boost performance? A growth mindset supports students’ ability to approach the tests with clarity of mind and positivity, allowing them to minimize intrusive thoughts or feelings that may hinder them from doing their best.

Approaching standardized tests with a growth mindset encourages students to be more optimistic, confident, and excited about test-taking. Imagine that!

Growth mindset tip: Make a mantra

Strengthening a growth mindset takes time and practice. In preparation for standardized testing, you can have students create and practice mantras or phrases to reinforce a growth mindset. For example: “A test is another chance to do my best.” Rhyming helps.

3. Goal-setting gets results

Goal-setting is one of the most important human skills students can learn in general, but it can be especially powerful in boosting standardized test performance. Goal-setting helps kids focus on both the outcome they want to reach as well as the process it will take to get there. It gives them agency in their own learning and growth, which is a powerful motivating force.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by upcoming tests, setting personalized, ambitious, and attainable goals gives students something to look forward to. When testing day arrives, students know that they have a chance to reach their goals—an exciting and motivating feeling that supports their testing performance.

Goal-setting tip: Utilize data

If it’s available, you can look at testing data from previous years with students. Help them understand how they performed—where they’ve done well and where there’s room for improvement.

Based on their data, you can set goals that are personalized, ambitious, and attainable. You might set one goal based on scoring, like scoring at least five points higher in math, and another based on their attitude or approach to the test, like completing every section of the test even if they’re tired.

The way forward: Strengthening human skills that support test performance

Human skills like emotion regulation, growth mindset, and goal-setting are foundational for success on standardized tests because they allow students to overcome the emotional challenges that can prevent them from doing their very best.

Second Step® programs are designed to equip students with these essential skills and more, empowering them to succeed in learning, life, and even standardized testing.

Take the next step in helping kids strengthen the skills they need to thrive on testing day and every day. Connect with our Education Partnerships Team to learn more about bringing Second Step programs to your school or district.