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PRAXIS II Workshop
Dr. Betty Bush,
Curriculum and Instruction
And
Tim Wall, Graduate Assistant
What should I know?
How should I prepare?
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 Why do I have to take this exam?
 Registration: Bring ID and Admission
Ticket
Before the Test
 In preparing for the test: 1. Register 2. Study
3. Rest
 Be awake: “Educational research indicates the
mind not fully activated until three hours after
waking.”
 The Praxis takes 2 hours; plan to be at the test
site at 7:30
 Finished by 11:00 a.m.
 You may not leave until the time has expired
Before the Test (continued)
 Bring supplies:
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Bring and Use a Watch
Bring a four-function calculator*
Bring several number two pencils
 No food or drink, special calculators or paper
 Not allowed to wear hats
 Tip: Be ready for unusual testing circumstances
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
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This is an objective test: 110-150 questions
Each Praxis Test is different- Review the TAAG
There are similar strategies to each test:
1. Answer each question
2. Equally weighted; skip around
3. Get to each question;
4. Use time to your advantage
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 5. Circle the details in your question book so
that you don’t miss any of them.
 6. If you do not immediately know the answer,
narrow down your choices, then make a
guess.
 7. Don’t lose focus, get stressed, and dawdle
when you don’t know an answer. Move on.
 8. Read carefully, as there are usually hints
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 9. Use time to your advantage
 10. Know strengths and weaknesses; make sure
you get all the points possible for your strengths.
 11. Use all allotted time and check your work
 12. Spend time getting the graphs right- answers
are on the page in front of you.
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 13. Test divided up into content sections
within your content area. For example:
 Social Science--130 questions in 2 Hours.
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I. U.S. History II. World History III. Government IV. Geography V. Economics VI. Behavioral Sciences -
29 = 22%
29 = 22%
21 = 16%
19 = 15%
19 = 15%
13 = 10%
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 Elementary Education Praxis: 150 questions
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I. Reading/Language Arts II. Mathematics III. Science IV. Social Studies V. Fine Arts VI. Physical Education -
51 = 34%
25 = 17%
21 = 14%
21 = 14%
21 = 14%
11 = 7%
Individualize Your Study Plan to Fit Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Test Taking Tips and Strategies
 Physical Education Praxis: 150 questions
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I. The Art of Human Movement 38 = 25%
II. The Science of Human Movement 37 = 25%
III. The Role of Physical Education as a Profession 15 = 10%
IV. The Role of P.E. Within Total School Curriculum 15= 10%
V. Planning the Teaching/Learning Process
15 = 10%
VI. Implementing the Teaching/Learning Process
15 = 10%
VII. Evaluating the Teaching/Learning Process
15 = 10%
Individualize Your Study Plan to Fit Your Strengths and Weaknesses
How are these tests created?
 Praxis tests challenge both content knowledge
and your ability to reason.
 Quote, “When the Praxis tests were first being
developed by teachers and teacher educators
across the country, it was almost universally
agreed that prospective teachers should be able
to analyze situations, synthesize material, and
apply knowledge to specific examples.”
How are these tests created?
 Each test written by educators in their own field.
 Quote from the P.E. test at-a-glance Booklet,
 “The test is broad in scope because of the variety of
programs in which physical education students are
enrolled…Approximately half the questions concern the
art and science of human movement; the other half
relate to teaching physical education, including
planning, implementing, and evaluating the
teaching/learning process.
How are these tests created?
 (continued) “…Generally,
70 percent of the
questions measure knowledge and
comprehension of basic concepts and
principles, and 30 percent measure higher
order thinking skills, such as application
and evaluation.”
 Test takers often say the test reflected
questions about “common sense.”
Example of Content Knowledge
 An example:
 “In which of the following theories is the
influence of rewards most likely to be
emphasized in explaining behavioral change?
 (A) Information-processing theory
 (B) Operant conditioning theory
 (C) Classical conditioning theory
 (D) Cognitive development theory
Example of Content Knowledge
and knowing how to apply it
 “According to most researchers on bilingualism, which of the
following would be least helpful for children whose native
language is not English and who have limited English
proficiency to acquire knowledge of a subject?”
 (A) Teaching them the subject exclusively in English.
 (B) Teaching them the subject in their native language until their
English skills permit instruction in English.
 (C) Developing their English skills while they are learning the
subject.
 (D) Strengthening native language skills to support subjectmatter instruction.
More strategies
 Praxis questions try to confuse students, or at
least make you think and spend time.
 For example, test questions routinely use the
words, “NOT,” “EXCEPT” and “LEAST”
 The significance of these words are found in the
way sentences, paragraphs, and meaning changes
 Pay attention to what the question asks, then
reason out the BEST answer.
Improving your ability to guess
correctly
 There is a common pattern to the response
choices on Praxis tests.
 Answer choices will have two very similar
answers that seem correct, one that is definitely
wrong, and one that seems plausible.
 Your goal is to eliminate as many as possible.
 If an answer seems ridiculously basic or
simplistic, reread the question and look for tricks.
Types of Questions:
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Multiple-choice question types:
I. Complete the statement
II. Which of the following
III. Roman Numeral Choices.
IV. Least, Except, Not
V. Questions about Graphs, Tables, or Reading
Passages
PRAXIS Fee Waiver
 There are a limited
number of fee waivers
available
 By quota
 Financial need
 Financial aid
 Apply very early
 Instructions in the
registration booklet
Praxis Review Session
Read the Test At A Glance Booklet (TAAG)
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one third of the persons who fail the test have
not read the tag
 Form a study group
 Schedule study sessions
 Know topics covered on the test obtained
from the TAAG booklet
 Review course syllabi
Praxis Review Session
 Familiarize yourself with the test before
taking it
 Read the directions carefully
 Plan your approach
 Pace your activities
 Organize your response
Study your plan and plan your study
Remember that the PRAXIS II is your licensure test. Just like law students study for the bar
exam and finance students study for the CPA exam, education students need to study for the
PRAXIS II in order to pass and do their very best. Please complete this study plan. The content
is listed in you “Tests at a Glance” booklet.
List the content
that is covered
How well do I
know this
content?
What resources
do I have for
studying the
content?
What resources
do I need?
Where could I
find this
resource?
Date and time I
plan to study
(individually,
pairs, groups)
Date completed
About the PRAXIS II
Emphasis is on thinking skills:
convergent, divergent, literal, analytical, critical, creative,
knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,
synthesis, evaluation, interpretation, memory, and
translation
Know Terms:
practice, reinforcement, transfer, mastery, understanding,
motivation, cognitive, abstract, asserted, and others.
Review:
terms in content areas and others related to
developmental stages, curriculum development,
instructional strategies and assessments.
Practice:
reading charts, graphs, maps, and other graphics
PRAXIS Review Session
The Questions
Key Questions to ask yourself:
1. What is the question asking?
2. What is knowledge base needed to answer the
question?
3. What are the processes used to answer the question?
4. What are the obviously wrong answers I can eliminate?
5. What is the answer?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
1. Although lecturing and full-class discussion are common methods of teaching used
in high schools, small-group discussion is the most effective tool a teacher has.
An effective essay developing the topic sentence or thesis above would have as its
focus which of the following?
(A) A description of the skills a teacher needs to have in order to lead effective smallgroup discussions
(B) An explanation of the features that make small-group discussion especially
beneficial for learning
(C) A listing of teachers' reasons for using lecturing and full-class discussion more often
than small-group discussion
(D) An argument that advocates the elimination of lecturing and full-class discussion for
teaching students in high schools
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What is question number 1 asking?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What is question number 1 asking?
 What is the focus of the essay derived from
the topic sentence?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What do you need to know to answer the
question?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What do you need to know to answer the
question?
 Something about an essay.
 Something about a topic sentence and focus
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What are the processes used to answer the
question?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What are the processes used to answer the
question?
 Application, analysis, synthesis,
interpretation and evaluation
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 Can you eliminate the obviously wrong
answers?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 Can you eliminate the obviously wrong
answers?
 Did you choose A? Why or Why not?
 Was a description of teacher skills needed to lead
effective small group discussion the focus?
 How about C? Was a listing of teacher reasons for
using lecture v.s. small group discussion the
focus?
 Was the focus an argument to eliminate lecturing
and full-class discussion?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 What is the answer?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
 Try answering question number 2 on your own.
2. Which of the following is most accurate concerning the findings
of cross cultural research on the capacity of people to use
abstract reasoning?
(A) All children develop use of abstract reasoning at the same age.
(B) Children who have not attended school can use abstract
reasoning in a wider variety of tasks than can children who
attended school.
(C) People who perform poorly on standard tests of cognitive
skills may be capable of abstract reasoning in more familiar
contexts.
(D) In some cultures, the capacity for using abstract reasoning in
all situations precedes the capacity for using concrete operation
thinking.
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
Now work together with a group of two or three and
discuss your choice.
Decide if you eliminated the same answers.
Did you choose the same answer?
Sample PRAXIS II Questions
Try working through some other types of questions.
 Remember you can use the Talent
Development Center for support