Try these simple techniques to help your students. Technique #1: Learning to Relax Your Body Practice these simple exercises well in advance of a test. Get comfortable at your desk. Take a few minutes to squirm and slouch, cross or uncross legs until you find a comfortable position that you can assume for the duration of the test. Breathe in and out slowly on command. As a class, practice breathing at a relaxed pace, extending the process during inhalation and exhalation. Count or recite a string of words that students can repeat to themselves to practice this technique on their own. Concentrate on relaxing different parts of the body. While seated, first try to relax your feet, then ankles, knees, hips, torso, arms, shoulders, hands, neck and face. Technique #2: Negate the Negative Talk to students about some of the thoughts people think when experiencing anxiety, such as "I'm not going to pass this test so I won't get promoted" or "This test is going to be so hard." Encourage students to share negative thoughts they have had or heard others express related to taking tests. Write a few of the expressions on the board so the class can see them. Then cross out each negative thought, replacing it with a positive, constructive thought that can over-rule the negative expressions. For example:         Negative thought: I'm never going to pass this test.         Constructive thought: I'm going to do my best         on this test, learn from it and do even better next time.         Negative thought: No matter how much I study, I can't         do math.         Constructive thought: I've put a lot of effort into studying         for this test and I know I can solve at least some of the         problems correctly. Technique #3: Remember to use different techniques when you need them. Students may need to be reminded that they have talked about and practiced ways to overcome test anxiety. One way to remember is to create an acronym for test-taking techniques, such as PROS. P: Prepare for the test in advance. Don't cram all of your study time into the night before a test. R: Rest and relax. Get a good night's sleep and practice the relaxation techniques you have been taught. O: Observe the test with a quick "once-over." Look at the types of questions, their point value, if available, and the length of the test so that you can pace yourself. S: Skip any questions you don't know initially and move on. You can return later to the skipped items, but in the meantime concentrate on the questions you can answer well. There are many other resources for assistance with test anxiety. Consult your administrators and colleagues for their ideas and experiences.