1. How do I begin to prepare ????

2. Why Praxis ?? 35 states in US currently use Praxis for assessment purposes in CT - used for assessing skills of future teachers, assuring high quality teachers CT used ‘home grown’ assessments before development of Praxis series

3. Praxis I (reading, writing, and math skills) for entry into teacher prep program Praxis II (content area knowledge) before issuance of initial certificate, and for addition of other endorsements Why Praxis ??

4. Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score art education 20131 art making148 20132 art: content, traditions, criticism, & aesthetics 130 10133 art: content knowledge 157 biology 20235 biology: content knowledge 152 business educ. 10100 business education 620 chemistry 20245 chemistry: content knowledge 151 30242 chemistry: content essays 140 earth science 20571 earth science: content knowledge 157 4-function calculator permitted

5. elem. ed 1-6 10011 elem ed: curriculum, instruction, & assessment 163 20012 elem ed: content area exercises 148 English 10041 English language, literature, & composition: content knowledge 172 20042 English language, literature, & composition: essays 160 general science 10435 general science: content knowledge 157 30433 general science: content essays 145 health 20550 health education 680 home economics 10120 home economics education 630 Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score

6. Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score math 10061 math: content knowledge 137 middle grades (4-8) ** test(s) selected based on certification desired ** 10049 MS English / lang arts 164 20069 MS math 158 10439 MS science 162 20089 MS social studies 160 music 10113 music: content knowledge 153 30111 music: concepts & processes 150 graphing calculator required calculator allowed contains listening section

7. Praxis tests required in Connecticut subject area test code test name qual. score physical educ. 10091 phys. ed.: content knowledge 154 30092 phys. ed: movement forms - analysis & design 154 physics 10265 physics: content knowledge 141 30262 physics: content essays 135 social studies 10081 social studies: content knowledge 162 special educ. 20351 special ed: knowledge-based core principles 155 technology educ. 10050 technology education 640

8. any World Language World language teachers no longer take the Praxis II exams. 2 ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) exams required:  Oral Proficiency Interview  Writing Proficiency Test information about this testing is available on the ACTFL web site: http://www.actfl.org/ or the State Dept. of Ed. web site: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/cert/prax0102/praxchrt_pr2.htm Praxis tests required in Connecticut

9. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? A. review components of test via Test at a Glance  2 hour time limit  130 multiple-choice questions  6 categories covered - US History, World History, Government / Civics / Political Science, Geography, Economics, Behavioral Sciences example : Social Studies

10. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies B. pay attention to number of questions in each content category & percentage of test those questions make  United States history --- 29 questions --- 22 % of exam  world history --- 29 questions --- 22 % of exam  government / civics / political science --- 21 questions --- 16 % of exam  geography --- 19 questions --- 15 % of exam  economics --- 19 questions --- 15 % of exam  behavioral sciences --- 13 questions --- 10 % of exam

11. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies ….The test requires the examinee to understand and apply social studies knowledge, concepts, methodologies, and skills across the fields of US history; world history; government / civics / political science; geography; economics; and the behavioral science fields of sociology, anthropology, and psychology.

12. C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies A number of questions are interdisciplinary, reflecting the complex relationships among the social studies fields. Answering the questions correctly requires knowing, interpreting, and integrating history and social science facts & concepts.

13. C. carefully review the “About this test” information – highlight wording that gives clues to the question format, information that may be given, skills that will be tested example : Social Studies The 130 equally-weighted multiple-choice questions consist of no more than 60 % knowledge, recall, and/or recognition questions and no less than 40% higher order thinking questions. Some questions are based on interpreting material such as written passages, maps, charts, graphs, tables, cartoons, diagrams, and photographs. Between 10 & 15% of the questions contain content reflecting the diverse experiences of people in the United States as related to gender, culture, and /or race, and / or content relating to Latin America, Africa, Asia, or Oceania.

14. D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category United States History - 29 questions / 22% of test / 13 topics…. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies  physical geography of NA  Native American peoples  European exploration & colonization  American Revolution  establishing a new nation  early years of the new nation  continued national development  Civil War era  emergence of the modern US  Progressive Era & the First World War through the New Deal  Second World War  Post-Second World War period  recent developments

15. D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category World History - 29 questions / 22% of test / 8 topics…. example : Social Studies  human society to approximately 3000BCE  development of early  ancient empires & civilizations  disruption & reversal  emerging global interactions  political & industrial revolutions, Nationalism  conflicts, ideologies, & evolutions in the 20th century  contemporary trends Government, Civics, Political Science - 21 questions / 16% of test / 4 topics  base political concepts & political theory  international politics  constitutional foundation & political system of the US  other forms of government

16. D. review topics covered on test - compare to number of questions in each content category Geography - 19 questions / 15% of test / 6 topics…. example : Social Studies  the world in spatial terms  places & regions  physical systems  human systems  environment & society  the uses of geography Economics - 19 questions / 15% of test / 4 topics….  Microeconomics I : scarcity, etc.  Microeconomics II : production & cost, etc.  Macroeconomics I : measures of economic performance  Macroeconomics II : national income determination Behavioral Sciences - 13 questions / 10% of test / 3 topics….  sociology  anthropology  psychology

17. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. determine content areas of strength & weakness & use study tips accordingly  create mixed study groups (within content area)  write lists of possible questions for content areas  seek out other students who have taken the test  seek out students with other majors

18. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. use a variety of test preparation guides available from ETS  Test At A Glance sample test - available via Praxis web site (free) http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxct.html#required  Test Study Guides - available for purchase via Praxis web site - http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxorder.html#guides  Professor’s Guide to the Praxis II Tests - available for purchase via Praxis web site http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxorder.html#guides  Diagnostic Preparation Program (only for re-takes) - available for purchase via Praxis web site http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxorder.html#guides

19. What should I do to prepare for Praxis?? example : Social Studies E. use a variety of test preparation guides available from Amazon  Preparation for the Praxis II Exam 2005; Joan Levy, Norman Levy; ARCO Publishing  Baron’s How to Prepare for the Praxis; Robert Postman; Baron’s Educational Series  The Best Test Preparation for the Praxis II MSAT Multiple Subjects Assesssment for Teachers; Research & Education Association  Multiple Subject Assessment for Teachers – Preparation Guide; Jerry Bobrow, Allan Casson, Michele Spence; Cliff Notes Pub.