Addressing Test Anxiety Case Study

One of the peer-reviewed academic journals I found useful was “Addressing Test Anxiety in Inner City Schools through Play and Performance.” This particular case study came about because of the seriousness and the increase of accountability being emphasized on standardized tests. The rigorousness of standardized tests has generated test anxiety among many students. The purpose of this study was to explore a new approach to this problem. This case study demonstrates the findings of a program called “Performing Beyond Fear .” It is “designed to help students and school staff deal more productively with test anxiety and stress by using performance activities, discussions, and stress reduction exercises.” The research was conducted by using the mixed method approach. The case study was conducted in two public elementary schools, Randolph and McDonald Elementary, during the school year of 2007-2008. The schools selected had the population where “more than 90% of students received free or reduced lunch and 97% of the students were African American or Latino.” McDonald Elementary was the school that implemented the program while Randolph Elementary did not. The case study included the participation of four fourth-grade classes from each school and also 241 fourth graders. The findings of the case study demonstrated that the elementary school that implemented “Performing Beyond Fear ,” in fact had an impact of test scores. The test scores for the …show more content…
The methodology used in this case study was quantitative approach. The purpose of this study was to investigate the “response patterns of students…on a timed, group-administered, multiple-choice test of reading comprehension.” The reason is because “current national standards underscore the importance of reading comprehension assessment as a way to evaluate a student’s ability to understand and evaluate complex text” (