Some students may need to take the Praxis Core exams to satisfy their Admission to Teacher Education candidacy qualifying test score criteria.
Praxis Content exams are part of licensure eligibility, and students will be guided by their Academic Advisor and Faculty Mentor through their required exams and recommended timeline as they near their Residency terms.
The Praxis tests are demanding enough to require serious review of likely content, and the longer you have been away from the content, the more preparation you will most likely need. If it has been longer than a few months since you’ve studied your content area, you will want to make a concerted effort to prepare for the Praxis tests.
Collect study materials.
Obtaining and organizing your materials for review are critical steps in preparing for the Praxis tests. Consider the following reference sources as you plan your study:
Did you take a course in which the content area was covered? If yes, do you still have your notes or your book (s)?
Core Math: MATH 1010, MATH 1710
Core Writing: ENGL 1010, ENGL 1020
Core Reading: ENGL 2020, ENGL 2030
Content Math (depending upon program): MATH 1410, MATH 1420, ELED 3150
Content Literacy: READ 3010, READ 4010
Have you checked to see if Walker Library has a good introductory college-level textbook in this area? Perhaps the Curriculum Collection?
Does your local library have a high school level textbook?
Plan and organize your time.
You can begin to plan and organize your time while you are still collecting materials. Allow yourself plenty of time to review so you can avoid “cramming” new material at the end.
Choose a test date far enough in advance to leave you plenty of time to prepare. Keep in mind that retakes have a mandatory 30 day waiting period.
Work backward from that date to figure out how much time you will need for review.
Set a REALISTIC schedule and stick to it.
NOTE: If you choose to take the Praxis test(s) at home, please be advised that Chromebooks are not approved devices for ETS.
Praxis Core – for Candidacy
What should I know about the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests?
These tests measure academic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. They were designed to provide comprehensive assessments that measure the skills and content knowledge of candidates entering teacher preparation programs. All skills assessed have been identified as needed for college and career readiness. The tests are delivered on a computer and may be taken either as three separate tests on separate days or together on a single day. The combined test code is 5752.
The Core Reading test measures skills that include the ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate texts of different kinds. Varying in difficulty, the reading material on the test is drawn from a variety of subject areas and real-life situations that educated adults are likely to encounter. Each passage is followed by questions that are based on its content and that relate to reading skills. All questions can be answered by using information contained within the passage, no question requires outside knowledge of the content.
Time
85 minutes
Number & Type of Questions
56 selected-response questions based on reading passages and statements
Content Categories
Approximate Number of Questions
Approximate Percentage of Examination
Key Ideas and Details
17-22
35%
Craft, Structure, & Language Skills
14-19
30%
Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
17-22
35%
The Core Writing test measures examinee’s ability to use standard written English correctly and effectively and how written passages can be strengthened through proper editing and revision. In the research skills questions, examinees are asked to recognize effective research strategies appropriate to a particular research task, recognize the different elements of a citation, recognize information relevant to a particular research task, and assess the credibility of sources. The two essays (argumentative and informative/expository) assess examinee’s ability to write effectively in a limited period of time.
Time
100 minutes total: 40 minute selected response section and two 30 minute essay sections
Number & Type of Questions
40 selected-response questions involving usage, sentence correction, revision in context, and research skills; 2 essay questions with topics as the basis for writing samples
Content Categories
Approximate Number of Questions
Approximate Percentage of Examination
Texts Types, Purposes, & Production
6-12 selected response, 2 essays
60%
Language & Research Skills for Writing
28-34 selected response
40%
The Core Math test is focused on key concepts of mathematics and the ability to solve problems and to reason in a quantitative context. Many of the problems require the integration of multiple skills to achieve a solution. The test offers an on-screen calculator.
Time
90 minutes
Number & Type of Questions
56 selected-response and numeric-entry questions
Content Categories
Approximate Number of Questions
Approximate Percentage of Examination
Number and Quantity
20
36%
Data Interpretation and Representation, Statistics & Probability
Free study guides, practice tests, video courses, and practice questions to support test preparation. Each topic included in the test is mapped to a video and an exercise that may help students prepare to answer questions related to that topic.
240 Tutoring is NOT ENDORSED by MTSU but has provided a link for our students to receive a discounted access rate for their online Praxis support resources. With a subscription, students can access diagnostic testing, instructional content, quizzes, flash cards, and practice tests.
The cost is $25/month, recurring until the subscription is canceled.
“We are so confident that you will pass your teacher certification exams using our Study Guides, that we created the 240 Tutoring Guarantee. It is our commitment to you. If a user scores 90% on our Practice Test at the end of the study guide but fails the exam, then they are eligible for a money-back refund of up to two months of their subscription.”
Pocket Prep allows you to study anywhere, anytime right on your mobile device. Create customized practice tests, view detailed answer rationales, and review your results with just a few taps.
The app is free to download and use with limited functionality. The full “premium” subscription version can be unlocked via in-app purchase.
This paid course offers instructional videos, exercises, and 12 full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations. Purchase of the program provides you online access for one year.
Free study guides, practice tests, video courses, and practice questions to support test preparation. Each topic included in the test is mapped to a video and an exercise that may help students prepare to answer questions related to that topic.
Free practice tests that are retired versions of the tests from previous administrations. They are the closest you can get to the real thing. They offer official study guides for each section for use in conjunction with the practice test. They also have occasional free webinars that can assist in your preparation.
240 Tutoring is NOT ENDORSED by MTSU but has provided a link for our students to receive a discounted access rate for their online Praxis support resources. With a subscription, students can access diagnostic testing, instructional content, quizzes, flash cards, and practice tests.
The cost is $25/month, recurring until the subscription is canceled.
