Draft: The Praxis Test

Cassie Poindexter

Dr. Kenneth Kerr

EN 101

15 February 2013

The Praxis test

In todays society, the world is turing to standardized tests as a way to asses peoples knowledge in a specific field. Being an Educator is no different. The Educational Testing Service (EST) turns to a Praxis test to ensure that a hopeful future teacher has the skills required to make it in the field of education. Generally a Praxis test consist of the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics (Praxis Overview). To guarantee a successful score of the praxis, it's important to be familiar with the history of the Praxis, the breakdown of the specific test that will be given and how to prepare for the Praxis exam.

   

"Approximately every 5–7 years, ASHA commissions a vendor to conduct an independent skills validation (practice analysis) study for each profession (audiology and speech-language pathology). Each practice analysis incorporates a multi-method approach that involves a number of independent expert panels and a large-scale survey of practitioners, educators, clinical supervisors, and clinic directors." Many people underestimate the amount of time that is put into the Praxis test. The people in charge could work on developing a well rounded test for an entire year. Members of the Praxis committee as well as certified experts in the core subjects sit down and developed the questions that are asked on the Praxis (About the Praxis Exam). On the road to erring a license in a teaching there are two main Praxis tests that could possibly be needed to get your license known as Praxis I exam and the Praxis II exam. The Praxis I test is more of a general test for all Education majors to take verses the Praxis II test is designed for specific ares such as special education (About the Praxis Series).

Although each Praxis test is very similar it does differentiate when it comes to specific areas of teaching. The standardized Praxis II test for special education is made up of about 110 multiple choice questions involving Human Growth and development, Knowledge of Disabling Conditions, Evaluation, Assessment, and Eligibility criteria, Planning and Service Delivery, Family and Community Aspects, and Professional Practice (Core Knowledge and Applications). Unlike a Praxis test for just general education, the special education test narrows in on specifics for the field. For example knowledge on the "impact of disabilities on individuals, families, and society across the life span" would not be beneficial for a normal teacher however its required for special educators (Core Knowledge and Applications). 

No matter what test a person will be completing, like any other test, its important to prepare for the Praxis exam in every way possible. Because the Praxis test is so unique when being compared to other standardized tests, it has its benefits when trying to prepare for it. One benefit  about the Praxis is that its made up of specific subjects like reading, math and writing. Its important to prioritize and study the subjects that are the hardest to understand. "Unlike many standardized tests, students are able to take the different portions of the Praxis exam separately" (5 Steps to Preparing for the Praxis Exam). There are also several different practice tests that can be taken in preparation for the Praxis Exam. Taking a test before you actually take the real test is the best way to prepare for an exam. Along with practice tests, there are Prep courses for the Praxis that would be beneficial to most. Finally because there is a specific score thats needed in each of the sections of the test in order to pass, its important to know the test specifications and scoring. The scoring requirements vary from state to state. Overall knowing the test layout and countless hours of study is important in order to succeed. 

The Praxis test is vidal to every future teachers life. Without it, its impossible to teach. If the test was not required anybody who aspired to be a teacher could do so. The quality of schools would raptly decrease and the quality of the education children received would be decline. It benefits the students, the school systems, and everybody's future in the long run.