Test-Taking Tips for Kids Who Struggle with Focus & Memory

For many students, test day brings stress, frustration, and disappointing results—especially for kids who struggle with focus and memory. It’s not that they don’t know the material; it’s that their brain seems to betray them when it matters most. Information they studied disappears, distractions take over, and time runs out before they finish.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many bright kids struggle on tests because of underlying cognitive skill weaknesses. The good news? With the right strategies and by strengthening weak thinking and learning skills, students can improve their test-taking abilities and boost their confidence.

Why Do Some Kids Struggle on Tests?

Performing well on a test requires strong cognitive skills—specifically, attention, working memory, processing speed, and logic & reasoning. Here’s how these skills impact test performance:

• Attention: Kids who struggle with sustained attention may have difficulty staying focused long enough to complete a test, while those with selective attention weaknesses are easily distracted by noises or movement in the room.
• Working Memory: This skill helps students hold and use information in their minds. Weak working memory makes it hard to recall formulas, vocabulary, or instructions during a test, or miss key elements on instructions or multi-step questions.
• Processing Speed: Having slow processing speed can make it difficult for students to complete tests in the allotted time, even when they know the material. They may also rush through in order to not be the last to finish, leading to careless mistakes.
• Logic & Reasoning: Many test questions require critical thinking. If this skill is weak, students may struggle with problem-solving or applying what they know but do ok with rote memorization.

Test-Taking Tips for Kids Who Struggle with Focus & Memory

While improving cognitive skills is the best long-term solution, here are some practical strategies students can use to manage test-taking challenges:

1. Use Active Study Techniques

Passive studying—like rereading notes—doesn’t help information stick. Instead, try active studying techniques like:

• Teaching the material to someone else
• Using flashcards to test recall
• Practicing with sample questions
• Creating mind maps or visual aids

2. Chunk Information

Studying in smaller chunks over multiple days (instead of cramming) helps the brain retain information more effectively and recall it more fluently. Encourage your child to break material into sections and review a little each day.

3. Practice Under Timed Conditions

If slow processing speed is an issue, practicing with a timer can help students get used to working within a set time frame. Start with longer time limits and gradually reduce them.

4. Use Memory Tricks

Mnemonics, acronyms, and rhymes can make facts easier to recall. Make sure the strategies your child uses are personal and applicable to them—even if it doesn’t make sense to you!

5. Read the Instructions Twice

Many mistakes happen because students misread directions. Encourage your child to underline key words in instructions to ensure they understand what’s being asked and look for key words like “not,” “all but,” “all that apply,” etc.

6. Skip & Return Strategy

If a question is too difficult, move on and return to it later. This prevents kids from getting stuck and running out of time.

7. Do a Brain Dump

Right after receiving the test, students can jot down key formulas, facts, or mnemonics they’re afraid they’ll forget. This offloads information from working memory, making it easier to focus on solving problems.

8. Take Deep Breaths

Test anxiety and feeling stressed can make it harder for the brain to access information. Teaching kids simple breathing exercises (like inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, and exhaling for four counts) can help calm their nerves.

How Brain Training Can Help

While these strategies can help kids manage test-taking struggles, they don’t address the root issue—weak cognitive skills. That’s where LearningRx’s brain training programs come in.

Unlike tutoring, which reteaches information, brain training strengthens the core skills that make learning and test-taking easier. By working one-on-one with a brain trainer, students engage in mental exercises designed to improve attention, memory, processing speed, and problem-solving. Research shows that cognitive training can lead to lasting improvements in academic performance and confidence.*

If your child struggles with focus or memory during tests, there’s hope! Strengthening cognitive skills can help them not just perform better on tests but also gain the lifelong ability to learn more easily and efficiently.

Want to learn more? Get Started Today!

*Results based on studies and surveys of past clients. Individual outcomes may vary.