I’m getting a lot of questions and concerns from students lately. They have been complaining about noise in the test centers.
Here are some things they complain about:
People asking for paper during the test
People speaking while they are in the middle of doing a quieter section like the reading or writing
People entering and exiting the exam room
People speaking to the proctor
Unfortunately you cannot change the fact there will be noise in the test center. It does make it more difficult. Here are my suggestions:
PRACTICE in a noisy room to TRAIN your brain. Your brain has to get used to noise and an environment in which people may be making noise. Practice in a noisy coffee shop or a library common table.
Do NOT look up from the screen or your note paper. Anytime you turn your eyes in any direction, your ATTENTION will also go in that direction.
RESET your brain by picturing yourself in a quiet room or on a desert island, or anywhere you think is peaceful. You should only do this for one or two seconds due to the time constraints on the TOEFL test.
TALK to yourself in a positive way. Tell yourself, “It is okay that there is noise. I’ll focus on my tasks anyways.”
The most important tip is to practice in a noisy environment! Practice is always #1.
The TOEFL test has always been taken in a room with other people. For the near future, we can expect this to continue. So, it's a good idea to prepare for this situation.
Good luck on your test!
Here are some things they complain about:
People asking for paper during the test
People speaking while they are in the middle of doing a quieter section like the reading or writing
People entering and exiting the exam room
People speaking to the proctor
Unfortunately you cannot change the fact there will be noise in the test center. It does make it more difficult. Here are my suggestions:
PRACTICE in a noisy room to TRAIN your brain. Your brain has to get used to noise and an environment in which people may be making noise. Practice in a noisy coffee shop or a library common table.
Do NOT look up from the screen or your note paper. Anytime you turn your eyes in any direction, your ATTENTION will also go in that direction.
RESET your brain by picturing yourself in a quiet room or on a desert island, or anywhere you think is peaceful. You should only do this for one or two seconds due to the time constraints on the TOEFL test.
TALK to yourself in a positive way. Tell yourself, “It is okay that there is noise. I’ll focus on my tasks anyways.”
The most important tip is to practice in a noisy environment! Practice is always #1.
The TOEFL test has always been taken in a room with other people. For the near future, we can expect this to continue. So, it's a good idea to prepare for this situation.
Good luck on your test!
