Praxis I Test
The PRAXIS I test is the first in a series of standardized tests utilized in teacher education programs. The PRAXIS I is usually taken during the early college years to facilitate entry into the teacher education program. The test evaluates basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
While some people may be able to take the Praxis I Test test and succeed with minimal preparation, most test takers will benefit from allocating time to study beforehand and reading through a Praxis test study guide or practicing with a set of Praxis Exam Flashcards. Regardless of your studying techniques, be sure that you plan ahead and leave yourself enough time in advance of the test day to become adequately prepared. Last minute studying is likely to be rushed and does not maximize your chances of being successful.
There are two different ways to take the PRAXIS I, either computer-based or paper-based. The computer-based test can be taken at over 300 sites in the United States at selected Prometric Testing Centers. For the paper based test, one must register online. In both methods of testing, the same four types of sections are included. The first three portions ask multiple choice questions about (1) Reading, (2) Mathematics, or (3) Writing. The computer-based tests are slightly longer than the paper-based because the former include some random pretest questions that are not scored. The score is based solely on the number of correctly answered questions. The individual being tested can skip around on questions, and in the case of the computer-based test, you are provided with a special tool to allow you to answer questions out of sequence or change answers. The last section of the test is an essay on an assigned topic.
The Reading section of PRAXIS I consists of 46 multiple choice questions to be completed in 75 minutes for the computer-based test, or 40 questions to be finished in one hour for the paper-based exam. Both methods contain the same two types of questions measuring either your literal comprehension of the material presented or your critical or inferential interpretation of the passage offered. For the literal comprehension section, you are asked about the basic idea or purpose of the writing, about specific ways the basic idea is supported in the reading, or about language and structure in the passage. Critical or inferential questions relate to what can be inferred by the passage such as assumptions and attitudes of the author. You might also be asked to look at the strength of the supporting evidence, its implications, or how the ideas expressed might apply to other scenarios.
Praxis Practice Tests | Praxis Exam Study Guide | Praxis Test Flashcards | Praxis Exam Prep | Praxis II Test
The Mathematics section is 75 minutes long with 46 questions if you take the computer-based test, 60 minutes with 40 questions if you take a paper test. Each method asks multiple choice questions measuring three types of knowledge. The first type of question asks about elementary concepts of math order or equivalence or operation, or it requires you to do basic computations including proportions. The second type of question requires you to interpret visual data such as graphs and tables and identify trends, patterns or conclusions that can be drawn from the visual data. Lastly, you will be given questions demonstrating a basic understanding of standard U. S. and metric systems of measurement and their conversions or questions employing basic geometry.
The Writing section of PRAXIS I is divided into 2 parts. The first part is multiple choice, and it consists of either 44 or 38 questions, for a total of either 38 or 30 minutes, for the computer-based or paper-based tests respectively. You will be asked to recognize errors in the use of different forms of grammar or in the way a sentence is structured. Another type of question will be posed as a sentence with various underlined parts, and you will need to identify whether the sentence contains incorrect word choices, idioms, or mechanics or has no error. In the second part of the Writing section, which is 30 minutes in length and accounts for 50% of the score, an assigned topic is presented and the candidate must write an essay on this topic. Qualified readers assign a score of 1 to 6 (best) to the essay, based on factors such as focus, organization, use of logical supporting evidence, and use of standard written English with few or no errors and a variety of sentence structures.
You can take a computer-based test as frequently as once a month up to 6 times in a calendar year at a Prometric Testing Center. An appointment can be scheduled at a test center directly and walk-ins are allowed if space is available. The test center list can be found online at www.ets.org, the website for the Educational Testing Service, which is the organization that administers the test. The cost is $125 for a combined test. If you wish to take a paper-based test, PRAXIS I is offered about 6 times a year on Saturdays, with some additional Monday test dates. You can register online with a credit card for $35 per section and will be assigned a convenient location. Scoring is basically a pass/fail assessment and the cutoff varies according to the requirements in the state you wish to teach in. The scores are available in approximately 2 to 3 weeks for a computer-based test or in about 4 weeks for a paper-based test.