PLT Review Session Dr. Brian E. Harper

What will we do today? Presentation on the Format of the exam Practice M/C questions: 10 minutes Practice Case study: 25 minutes Questions?

How anxious are you about taking the PLT exam? 10 Fine…no anxiety at all I think I know my stuff, but I am still a bit nervous I throw up every morning when I think about this exam.

What is test anxiety? A negative feeling caused by self-doubting thoughts that often leads to poor performance

What kind of thoughts lead to test anxiety? “I can’t do this!” “I don’t understand anything!” “I’m not good at this!” “I’m just not smart!” “I’ve been this way all my life!”

How can my self-beliefs help alleviate anxiety? Self-efficacy: belief in one’s capability to perform a specific task. …the higher the efficacy, the higher the performance!

What does my emotion level have to do with self-efficacy? When people get nervous about an upcoming event, they tend to (1) procrastinate or (2) avoid it altogether

Your cool ed psych professor assigns a 20 page paper in August Your cool ed psych professor assigns a 20 page paper in August. The paper is due December 1. You: 10 Get started immediately Wait a week to find out how the professor grades, then start Wait until midterm to start, after all, you have other classes too Bottle of mountain dew, couple of no-doze, start the evening of November 31.

What can I do about my emotions in the weeks, days and hours leading up to the test? Learn everything you can about the format of the test; the more you know, the less afraid you will be! Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

What exactly is the format of the Praxis PLT examination? You will be asked to : complete 24 multiple choice questions that assess a beginning teacher’s knowledge of job-related skills and knowledge respond to 4 case studies

What four content areas will the PLT assess? Students as Learners (35% of your total score) Instruction and Assessment (35% of your total score) Communication Techniques (15% of your total score) Teacher Professionalism (15% of your total score)

Hey! Where did I learn all this stuff?!?

What should I bring/wear to the test? Several sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers A watch that will not disturb others …also, your admission ticket, keys, directions, etc. Comfortable clothing

Should I try to cram the night before the test? NO! Simply organize your materials pencils, watch, ID, and clothing and get a good night’s rest.

Cool, I’m good at multiple choice tests, so this will be business as usual, right? Not necessarily. Often multiple choice questions on the PLT ask you to identify the best possible answer given the facts of the situation, which means that two of four choices may appear to be correct. If you read each item carefully, you should be alright.

What will be expected of my response to the case studies? Each case study response will be scored either 2, 1, or 0. To earn a 2, you must: Provide an appropriate answer all parts of the question Display understanding and application of all relevant terms, theories and content

What do I need to score to pass the PLT examination? The answer depends upon which examination you are taking: Early Childhood (PK-3): 166 Middle Childhood (4-9): 168 Adolescent to Young Adult (7-12): 165

When are you planning to take this exam? 10 November test January test March test June test Sometime after June

How do I register for the examination? www.ets.org