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Parenting Tips and Techniques

Exam Stress and Learning Differences: How Parents Can Help

Written by: Koo Yu Ning, DAS Specialist Psychologist

Why can exams feel more stressful for children with learning differences?

Exams can be challenging for any child. For children with learning differences, such as dyslexia, exam periods may be particularly stressful. Managing exam stress can be especially challenging when reading questions, organising written responses, and working within a set time require additional effort. Previous experiences of academic challenges may also contribute to worries about their performance. Consistently, research suggests that children with learning differences experience higher levels of test anxiety than their peers (Fong & Soni, 2022).

Given these challenges, the exam period is an important time for parents and educators to support children with learning differences in managing their wellbeing.

Parents can help a child with learning differences manage exam stress by breaking revision into small tasks, recognising signs of overwhelm, practising calming strategies before exam day, and focusing on progress rather than marks.

1. Help children recognise their strengths

During exams, children with learning differences may become more aware of the areas they find difficult. Reminding them of their own unique strengths can help them recognise that they have many abilities beyond these challenges, supporting motivation, self-development, and wellbeing (Rappolt-Schlichtmann et al., 2018).

Parents and educators can:

  • Highlight what children do well. Give children opportunities to experience success in a range of activities, both within and outside of academics. Regularly acknowledge their achievements and strengths.

  • Recognise effort and progress. Focus on the steps children have taken and the progress they have made, rather than only on their performance.

  • Look beyond examination results. Remind children that an exam result does not define who they are or what they can achieve.

2. Make exam revision more manageable

When exams are approaching, it can be tempting to fill every available moment with revision. However, long hours of revision can leave children feeling overwhelmed.

Instead, parents and educators can:

  • Break revision into smaller tasks. Large tasks can feel daunting and may lead to task avoidance or distress. Breaking them down into smaller steps can help children approach revision with greater confidence.

  • Set specific and achievable goals. This can make it easier for children to see their progress, supporting their sense of competence.

  • Protect time for rest and leisure. Maintaining a balanced and consistent routine between studying, resting, and taking part in activities they enjoy can help children manage stress during the exam period.

For more practical tips on planning and managing revision, read our article on exam preparation for children with dyslexia

3. Create a supportive environment during exams

It is important for parents and educators to build supportive relationships with children so that they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and emotions, particularly during stressful periods such as exam season. Having positive relationships with surrounding adults has been associated with better wellbeing and motivation in children (Emslander et al., 2025).

To foster supportive relationships with children, parents and educators can:

  • Look out for signs of stress in children. Children do not always express stress by saying that they feel anxious. Some may become irritable, have difficulty sleeping, complain of headaches or stomachaches, or avoid tasks. Being aware of these signs can help adults recognise when children may need additional support.

  • Provide regular opportunities for children to share their feelings. Ask open-ended questions such as “What has been on your mind?” to give children an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings in their own words. A visual feelings wheel can also be used to help children identify and name emotions that they may find difficult to put into words.

  • Listen without immediately trying to solve the problem. Give children space to share their concerns and acknowledge how they are feeling before discussing what they can do next.

4. Teach children coping strategies for exam anxiety

It is important for children to have strategies they can use when they feel anxious or overwhelmed. Parents and educators can help children notice how stress shows up in their bodies (e.g., a faster heartbeat or feeling warmer) and recognise these as signs that they may need to pause and regulate their emotions.

They can then introduce simple strategies that children can practise and use when needed, such as:

  • Breathing techniques. Taking a few slow, deep breaths can help children pause and settle themselves.

  • Positive self-talk. Encourage children to use reassuring statements such as, “I can take this one question at a time.” Such statements can help children respond to stressful situations with greater confidence, rather than becoming overwhelmed by worries about their performance.

  • Sensory tools. Stress balls, squishies, or other suitable sensory tools can provide a way for children to manage feelings of tension, where appropriate.

When should you seek professional help for your child's exam stress?

If you are concerned that exam-related stress is significantly affecting your child’s daily functioning, it may be helpful to seek professional support. Our psychologists at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) can help you better understand your child’s learning and behavioural needs through a psycho-educational assessment and recommend appropriate support. Targeted intervention through the DAS’ specialised educational programmes can also help children develop strategies and skills to manage their learning more effectively.

References

Emslander, V., Holzberger, D., Ofstad, S. B., Fischbach, A., & Scherer, R. (2025). Teacher-student relationships and student outcomes: A systematic second-order meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 151(3), 365–397. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000461

Fong, H., & Soni, A. (2022). A systematic review on test anxiety in children and young people with learning difficulties. Support for Learning, 37(1), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12393

Rappolt-Schlichtmann, G., Boucher, A. R., & Evans, M. (2018). From deficit remediation to capacity building: Learning to enable rather than disable students with dyslexia. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 49(4), 864–874. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-DYSLC-18-0031

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