ParaPro assessment

ParaPro Assessment ParaPro Assessment 1755 www ets org/praxis The Praxis® Study Companion 2The Praxis® Study Companion Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion Pre[.]

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The Praxis® Study Companion

Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion

Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion

Prepare to Show What You Know

You have been working to acquire the knowledge and skills you need for your teaching career Now you are

ready to demonstrate your abilities by taking a Praxis® test

Using The Praxis Series® Study Companion is a smart way to prepare for the test so you can do your best on test

day This guide can help keep you on track and make the most efficient use of your study time

The Study Companion contains practical information and helpful tools, including:

• An overview of the Praxis tests

• Specific information on the Praxis test you are taking

• A template study plan

• Study topics

• Practice questions and explanations of correct answers

• Test-taking tips and strategies

• Frequently asked questions

• Links to more detailed information

So where should you start? Begin by reviewing this guide in its entirety and note those sections that you need

to revisit Then you can create your own personalized study plan and schedule based on your individual needs

and how much time you have before test day

Keep in mind that study habits are individual There are many different ways to successfully prepare for your

test Some people study better on their own, while others prefer a group dynamic You may have more energy

early in the day, but another test taker may concentrate better in the evening So use this guide to develop the

approach that works best for you

Your teaching career begins with preparation Good luck!

Know What to Expect

Which tests should I take?

Each state or agency that uses the Praxis tests sets its own requirements for which test or tests you must take for

the teaching area you wish to pursue

Before you register for a test, confirm your state or agency’s testing requirements at www.ets.org/praxis/states

How are the Praxis tests given?

Praxis tests are given on computer Other formats are available for test takers approved for accommodations (see

page 28

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Welcome to the Praxis® Study Companion

What should I expect when taking the test on computer?

When taking the test on computer, you can expect to be asked to provide proper identification at the test

center Once admitted, you will be given the opportunity to learn how the computer interface works (how to

answer questions, how to skip questions, how to go back to questions you skipped, etc.) before the testing time

begins Watch the What to Expect on Test Day video to see what the experience is like

Where and when are the Praxis tests offered?

You can select the test center that is most convenient for you The Praxis tests are administered through an

international network of test centers, which includes Prometric® Testing Centers, some universities, and other

locations throughout the world

Testing schedules may differ, so see the Praxis Web site for more detailed test registration information at www

ets.org/praxis/register

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The Praxis® Study Companion 4

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Praxis® Study Companion guides you through the 10 steps to success

1 Learn About Your Test 5

Learn about the specific test you will be taking

2 Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions 8

Become comfortable with the types of questions you’ll find on the Praxis tests

3 Practice with Sample Test Questions 12

Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers

4 Determine Your Strategy for Success 19

Set clear goals and deadlines so your test preparation is focused and efficient

5 Develop Your Study Plan 22

Develop a personalized study plan and schedule

6 Review Smart Tips for Success 26

Follow test-taking tips developed by experts

7 Check on Testing Accommodations 28

See if you qualify for accommodations that may make it easier to take the Praxis test

8 Do Your Best on Test Day 29

Get ready for test day so you will be calm and confident

9 Understand Your Scores 31

Understand how tests are scored and how to interpret your test scores

Appendix: Other Questions You May Have 33

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Step 1: Learn About Your Test

1 Learn About Your Test

Learn about the specific test you will be taking

Format Selected-response questions; use of a calculator is not permitted

Test Delivery Computer delivered

About This Test

The ParaPro Assessment for prospective and practicing paraprofessionals measures skills and knowledge in

reading, mathematics, and writing

The test consists of 90 selected-response questions across the three subject areas of reading, mathematics, and

writing Approximately two-thirds of the questions in each subject area focus on basic skills and knowledge,

and approximately one-third of the questions in each subject area focus on the application of those skills and

knowledge in a classroom context

This test may contain some questions that do not count toward your score

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I Reading

A Reading Skills and Knowledge

Reading Skills and Knowledge questions measure the examinee’s ability to understand, interpret, and analyze a wide range of text

Questions are based on reading passages—as well as graphs, charts, and tables—drawn from

a variety of subject areas and real-life situations

The questions assess the examinee’s ability to:

1 Identify the main idea or primary purpose

2 Identify supporting ideas

3 Identify how a reading selection is organized

4 Determine the meanings of words or phrases in context

5 Draw inferences or implications from directly stated content

6 Determine whether information is presented as fact or opinion

7 Interpret information from tables, diagrams, charts, and graphs

B Application of Reading Skills and

Knowledge to Classroom Instruction

Reading Application questions are typically based on classroom scenarios in which students are involved in reading-related tasks, such as reading assigned passages or working

on vocabulary development Some questions

concern foundations of reading: the knowledge

and skills students need when they are learning the basic features of words and written text

These questions assess the examinee’s ability to help students:

1 Sound out words (e.g., recognize long and short vowels, consonant sounds, rhymes)

2 Break down words into parts (e.g., recognize syllables, root words, prefixes, suffixes)

3 Decode words or phrases using context clues

4 Distinguish between synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms

5 Alphabetize words

Other questions are concerned with tools of the reading process: common strategies used

in classrooms before, during, and after reading

to aid students’ reading skills These questions assess the examinee’s ability to:

1 Help students use prereading strategies, such as skimming or making predictions

2 Ask questions about a reading selection to help students understand the selection

3 Make accurate observations about students’

ability to understand and interpret text

4 Help students use a dictionary

5 Interpret written directions

II Mathematics

A Mathematics Skills and Knowledge

The Math Skills and Knowledge questions assess the examinee’s knowledge of mathematical concepts and ability to apply them to abstract and real-life situations The test questions do not require knowledge of advanced-level mathematics vocabulary

Examinees may not use calculators.

Three categories of math skills are tested:

1 Number Sense and Basic Algebra

a perform basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals

b recognize multiplication as repeated addition and division as repeated subtraction

c recognize and interpret mathematical symbols such as + < > ≤ ≥, , , ,

d understand the definitions of basic terms such as sum, difference, product, quotient, numerator, and denominator

e recognize the position of numbers in relation to each other (e.g., 1

3 is between

14

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g demonstrate knowledge of place value for whole numbers and decimal numbers

k use mental math to solve problems by estimation

l solve word problems

m solve one-step, single-variable linear

equations (e.g., find x if x + 4 = 2)

n identify what comes next in a sequence of numbers

2 Geometry and Measurement

a represent time and money in more than one way (e.g., 30 minutes = 1

2 hour;

10:15 = quarter after 10;

$0.50 = 50 cents = half dollar)

b convert between units or measures in the same system (e.g., inches to feet; centimeters

time-c create basic tables, charts, and graphs

d compute the mean, median, and mode

B Application of Mathematics Skills and

Knowledge to Classroom Instruction

The Math Application questions assess the examinee’s ability to apply the three categories

of math skills listed in Section II (Mathematics)

in a classroom setting or in support of classroom instruction The questions focus

on testing the mathematical competencies needed to assist the teacher with instruction

The test questions do not require knowledge

of advanced-level mathematics vocabulary

Examinees may not use calculators

III Writing

A Writing Skills and Knowledge

Writing Skills and Knowledge questions assess the examinee’s ability to identify:

1 Basic grammatical errors in standard written English

2 Errors in word usage (e.g., their/they’re/there, then/than)

Some questions are concerned with aspects of the writing process—the full range of activities used when composing written documents

These questions assess the examinee’s ability to help students:

1 Use prewriting to generate and organize ideas (including freewriting and using outlines)

2 Identify and use appropriate reference materials

3 Draft and revise (including composing or refining a thesis statement, writing focused and organized paragraphs, and writing a conclusion)

4 Edit written documents for clarity, grammar, sentence integrity (run-ons and sentence fragments), word usage, punctuation, spelling

Some questions are concerned with writing applications; i.e., the application of writing for

different purposes These questions assess the examinee’s ability to help students:

5 Write for different purposes and audiences (including using appropriate language and taking a position for or against something)

6 Recognize and write in different modes and forms (e.g., descriptive essays, persuasive essays, narratives, letters)

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Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

2 Familiarize Yourself with Test Questions

Become comfortable with the types of questions you’ll find on the Praxis tests

The Praxis Series assessments include a variety of question types: constructed response, for which you write a

response of your own; selected response, for which you select one or more answers from a list of choices or

make another kind of selection (e.g., by clicking on a sentence in a text or by clicking on part of a graphic); and

numeric entry, for which you enter a numeric value in an answer field You may be familiar with these question

formats from taking other standardized tests If not, familiarize yourself with them so you don’t spend time

during the test figuring out how to answer them

Understanding Computer-Delivered Questions

Questions on computer-delivered tests are interactive in the sense that you answer by selecting an option

or entering text on the screen If you see a format you are not familiar with, read the directions carefully The

directions always give clear instructions on how you are expected to respond

For most questions, you respond by clicking an oval to select a single answer from a list of options

However, interactive question types may also ask you to respond by:

• Clicking more than one oval to select answers from a list of options.

• Typing in an entry box When the answer is a number, you may be asked to enter a numerical answer

Some questions may have more than one place to enter a response

• Clicking check boxes You may be asked to click check boxes instead of an oval when more than one

choice within a set of answers can be selected

• Clicking parts of a graphic In some questions, you will select your answers by clicking on a location (or

locations) on a graphic such as a map or chart, as opposed to choosing your answer from a list

• Clicking on sentences In questions with reading passages, you may be asked to choose your answers by

clicking on a sentence (or sentences) within the reading passage

• Dragging and dropping answer choices into targets on the screen You may be asked to select answers

from a list of options and drag your answers to the appropriate location in a table, paragraph of text or graphic

• Selecting options from a drop-down menu You may be asked to choose answers by selecting options

from a drop-down menu (e.g., to complete a sentence)

Remember that with every question you will get clear instructions

Perhaps the best way to understand computer-delivered questions is to view the Computer-delivered Testing

Demonstration on the Praxis Web site to learn how a computer-delivered test works and see examples of

some types of questions you may encounter

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Understanding Selected-Response Questions

Many selected-response questions begin with the phrase “which of the following.” Take a look at this example:

Which of the following is a flavor made from beans?

(A) Strawberry (B) Cherry (C) Vanilla (D) Mint

How would you answer this question?

All of the answer choices are flavors Your job is to decide which of the flavors is the one made from beans

Try following these steps to select the correct answer

1) Limit your answer to the choices given. You may know that chocolate and coffee are also flavors made

from beans, but they are not listed Rather than thinking of other possible answers, focus only on the choices given (“which of the following”)

2) Eliminate incorrect answers. You may know that strawberry and cherry flavors are made from fruit and

that mint flavor is made from a plant That leaves vanilla as the only possible answer

3) Verify your answer You can substitute “vanilla” for the phrase “which of the following” and turn the

question into this statement: “Vanilla is a flavor made from beans.” This will help you be sure that your answer

is correct If you’re still uncertain, try substituting the other choices to see if they make sense You may want

to use this technique as you answer selected-response questions on the practice tests

Try a more challenging example

The vanilla bean question is pretty straightforward, but you’ll find that more challenging questions have a

similar structure For example:

Entries in outlines are generally arranged according

to which of the following relationships of ideas?

(A) Literal and inferential (B) Concrete and abstract (C) Linear and recursive (D) Main and subordinate

You’ll notice that this example also contains the phrase “which of the following.” This phrase helps you

determine that your answer will be a “relationship of ideas” from the choices provided You are supposed to find

the choice that describes how entries, or ideas, in outlines are related

Sometimes it helps to put the question in your own words Here, you could paraphrase the question in this way:

“How are outlines usually organized?” Since the ideas in outlines usually appear as main ideas and subordinate

ideas, the answer is (D)

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QUICK TIP: Don’t be intimidated by words you may not understand It might be easy to be thrown by words

like “recursive” or “inferential.” Read carefully to understand the question and look for an answer that fits An

outline is something you are probably familiar with and expect to teach to your students So slow down, and

use what you know

Watch out for selected-response questions containing “NOT,” “LEAST,” and “EXCEPT”

This type of question asks you to select the choice that does not fit You must be very careful because it is easy

to forget that you are selecting the negative This question type is used in situations in which there are several

good solutions or ways to approach something, but also a clearly wrong way

How to approach questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages

When answering questions about graphs, tables, or reading passages, provide only the information that the

questions ask for In the case of a map or graph, you might want to read the questions first, and then look at the

map or graph In the case of a long reading passage, you might want to go ahead and read the passage first,

noting places you think are important, and then answer the questions Again, the important thing is to be sure

you answer the questions as they refer to the material presented So read the questions carefully

How to approach unfamiliar formats

New question formats are developed from time to time to find new ways of assessing knowledge Tests may

include audio and video components, such as a movie clip or animation, instead of a map or reading passage

Other tests may allow you to zoom in on details in a graphic or picture

Tests may also include interactive questions These questions take advantage of technology to assess

knowledge and skills in ways that standard selected-response questions cannot If you see a format you are

not familiar with, read the directions carefully The directions always give clear instructions on how you are

expected to respond

QUICK TIP: Don’t make the questions more difficult than they are Don’t read for hidden meanings or tricks

There are no trick questions on Praxis tests They are intended to be serious, straightforward tests of

your knowledge

Understanding Constructed-Response Questions

Constructed-response questions require you to demonstrate your knowledge in a subject area by creating

your own response to particular topics Essays and short-answer questions are types of constructed-response

questions

For example, an essay question might present you with a topic and ask you to discuss the extent to which you

agree or disagree with the opinion stated You must support your position with specific reasons and examples

from your own experience, observations, or reading

Take a look at a few sample essay topics:

• “Celebrities have a tremendous influence on the young, and for that reason, they have a responsibility to act as role models.”

• “We are constantly bombarded by advertisements—on television and radio, in newspapers and magazines, on highway signs, and the sides of buses They have become too pervasive It’s time to put limits on advertising.”

• “Advances in computer technology have made the classroom unnecessary, since students and teachers are able to communicate with one another from computer terminals at home or at work.”

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Keep these things in mind when you respond to a constructed-response question

1) Answer the question accurately Analyze what each part of the question is asking you to do If the question asks you to describe or discuss, you should provide more than just a list

2) Answer the question completely. If a question asks you to do three distinct things in your response, you should cover all three things for the best score Otherwise, no matter how well you write, you will not be awarded full credit

question You will receive no credit or a low score if you answer another question or if you state, for example, that there is no possible answer

understanding of the subject matter However, your response should be straightforward and not filled with unnecessary information

leave sentences unfinished or omit clarifying information

QUICK TIP: You may find that it helps to take notes on scratch paper so that you don’t miss any details Then

you’ll be sure to have all the information you need to answer the question

For tests that have constructed-response questions, more detailed information can be found in "Understanding

Constructed-Response Questions" on page 10

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Step 3: Practice with Sample Test Questions

3 Practice with Sample Test Questions

Answer practice questions and find explanations for correct answers

Sample Test Questions

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete

statements below is followed by four suggested

answers or completions Select the one that is

best in each case

Reading

Questions 1–2 are based on the following

passage

Early scientists believed that all dinosaurs,

like most reptiles, laid and then immediately

abandoned their eggs The newly hatched young

were left to take care of themselves However,

the recent discovery of a group of nests has

challenged this belief The nests, which contained

fossilized baby dinosaurs that were not newborn,

provided evidence that dinosaur parents actually

cared for their young For some time after birth,

the babies would stay at the nest while the

parents brought back plant matter for food

The young stayed at home until they were large

enough to roam safely on their own

1 The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) contrasting dinosaurs with modern reptiles

(B) explaining why dinosaurs became extinct(C) discussing recent findings about

dinosaurs’ behavior(D) providing new information about what dinosaurs ate

2 The discovery of a group of dinosaur nests

challenged the idea that dinosaurs(A) fed their young with plant matter(B) hatched few eggs

(C) migrated in search of food(D) deserted their young

3 What conclusion can be drawn from the data presented in the graph above?

(A) Japanese American businesses were more successful in California than in other states in 1909

(B) The number of Japanese American businesses in Los Angeles and San Francisco increased greatly from 1900 to 1909

(C) In 1909 there were more Japanese American businesses in Los Angeles than there were in San Francisco

(D) In 1909 most Japanese American businesses in Los Angeles and San Francisco were large companies

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4 American science-fiction writers produce a

large number of novels for young people these days, yet few take advantage of the latitude allowed by the genre Since the 1970s, young-adult science fiction has had little to do with the wonders of science, intergalactic travel, or new worlds in space

Most of the novels are cautionary tales about regimented, conformist societies or about the social order collapsed into barbarism This change has resulted in science fiction that is,

to me as a reader, much less interesting than science fiction used to be

Which sentence from the passage is most clearly an expression of opinion rather than a statement of fact?

(A) “American science-fiction the genre.”

(B) “Since the in space.”

(C) “Most of into barbarism.”

(D) “This change to be.”

passage, which students are reading in small groups

The environment in which people live often determines the kind of technology they use For instance, ancient Mesopotamia had few plants suitable for making paper But the area had lots of high-quality clay People used the clay to store information

Modern people store information on paper, computer disks, and CDs Mesopotamians stored their data on clay tablets—pieces of smooth clay small enough to fit into the palm of an adult’s hand When a clay tablet was damp, people could scratch pictures and letters into its surface using a sharpened reed When dried in the hot sun, the clay hardened, preserving the writing and the information

5 The teacher wants students to understand why the Mesopotamians wrote on clay What question could a paraprofessional ask a group

of students about the passage that would best help the students understand why the Mesopotamians wrote on clay?

(A) Why did the Mesopotamians make clay tablets small enough to fit in the hand?

(B) What kinds of pictures and letters did the Mesopotamians scratch on clay?

(C) Why didn’t the Mesopotamians write on paper the way we do today?

(D) How did the Mesopotamians learn to read and write?

6 The paraprofessional asks a group of students

to describe the main purpose of the second paragraph Which of the following four responses from the students is most accurate?

(A) To explain how the Mesopotamians used clay to store information

(B) To describe the different ways we store information today

(C) To explain why the environment affects the kind of technology people use(D) To show that Mesopotamians made small clay tablets so they could carry them easily

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Mathematics

7 In the graph above, how many more votes

were received for the park than the mall as an activity for a class trip?

(A) 1(B) 2(C) 6(D) 14

8 What digit is in the hundredths place of the

number 5,123.6487?

(A) 1(B) 4(C) 6(D) 8

9 445.76 × 9.634 is approximately equal to

(A) 46(B) 446(C) 4,460(D) 44,600

10 Which of the following is NOT a point on line  shown on the graph above?

(A) (0, 3)(B) (1, 3)(C) (3, 0)(D) (3, 3)

5 3 8 9+ × + = ?

11 A student wrote the incorrect number sentence above to solve the following problem:

“Multiply the sum of 5 and 3 and the sum of 8 and 9.”

To correct the error, the student’s number sentence should be changed to

(A) (5 3+ )× 8 9+ = ?

(B) 5 3+ ×(8 9+ )= ?

(C) (5 3 8+ × )+9= ?

(D) (5 3+ ) (× 8 9+ )= ?

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12 A paraprofessional is helping a student find

the equation for the area of parallelogram

ABCD shown above by pointing out to the

student that the parallelogram can be divided into two congruent triangles The area of the parallelogram is then the sum of the areas of the two triangles Which of the following is the correct expression to use to find the area of

Directions for Questions 13–14: In each of the

sentences below, four portions are underlined and lettered Select the underlined portion that contains a grammatical construction, a word use, or an instance of punctuation that would be inappropriate in carefully written English Note the letter printed beneath the underlined portion you select and select the best answer No sentence has more than one error.

13 The role of technology in the nation’s

A public

schools have

B

been increasing steadily

C

for more than

D

20 years

14 Jupiter, the largest

A planet in the solar system,

spins very rapidly

B

on it’sC axis, with the result

that a day on Jupiter lasts

D only 9 hours and

55 minutes

15 Because there were no refrigerators on the United States space shuttles, all of the food eaten by the astronauts had to be in a nonperishable form

In the sentence above, the underlined word is being used as

(A) a noun(B) a verb(C) an adjective(D) an adverb

16 Which word is NOT spelled correctly?

(A) compair(B) hardware(C) repair(D) scare

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rough draft written by a student.

How to Teach Your Dog to Sit

by Kiara (1) First hold a dog biscuit so the dog pays

attention (2) Say “Sit!” (3) When you say it, use a

loud and firm voice (4) Move the hand holding the

biscuit over the dog’s nose, don’t let him grab it

(5) You may have to give a light backwards tug on

the dog’s leash (6) When the dog sits down, give

him the treat and lots of praise (7) Repeat this a

few times, and he’ll probably understand the

command

17 Kiara is writing an introductory sentence that

summarizes the main points of the paragraph

What sentence would be the strongest introductory sentence for the paragraph?

(A) Dogs are naturally very intelligent and obedient

(B) Your dog probably likes some dog biscuits better than others

(C) It is easy to teach your dog the command “Sit!”

(D) Nobody likes a dog that can’t play catch

18 Kiara is learning how to use transition words (words that clarify the relationships between ideas) What transition word or words should Kiara use before the word “don’t” in sentence

4 in order to clarify the meaning of the sentence?

(A) but(B) because(C) for example(D) so

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1 The correct answer is (C) The passage notes the

“recent discovery of a group of nests” and then

elaborates on what the discovery reveals about the

behavior of dinosaurs toward their young

2 The correct answer is (D) The belief challenged by

the discovery of the group of nests is that dinosaurs

“abandoned their eggs” and left their young to provide

for themselves

3 The correct answer is (B) (A) and (D) are incorrect

because the graph does not offer information about

Japanese American businesses in cities outside of

California, nor does it offer information about the size

of Japanese American businesses in Los Angeles and

San Francisco (C) is incorrect because the graph

indicates that in 1909 there were fewer Japanese

American businesses in Los Angeles than in San

Francisco

4 The correct answer is (D) The sentences referred to

in (A), (B), and (C) present facts about the number and

subject matter of science fiction novels published

today In the last sentence, however, the author shifts to

offering a personal opinion about science fiction today:

it’s not as interesting as it used to be

5 The correct answer is (C) The question would

encourage students to think about why the

Mesopotamians did not have paper (they did not have

many of the proper plants) and help the students

better understand how the resources available to the

Mesopotamians helped determine the materials they

used for writing

6 The correct answer is (A) The second paragraph is

primarily concerned with describing the processes

used by the Mesopotamians to write on clay tablets

7 According to the graph, 8 votes were received for

the park as an activity for a class trip and 6 votes were

received for the mall To determine how many more

votes were received for the park than the mall, subtract

the number of votes for the mall from the number of

votes for the park

8 6 2 − =Thus, 2 more votes were received for the park than the

mall The correct answer is (B)

8 The hundredths place of 5,123.6487 is 2 digits to the right of the decimal point as shown:

decimal point

↓ 5,123.6487

↑

hundredths placeThe digit in the hundredths place of the number is 4

The correct answer is (B)

9 To determine the approximate value of

445 76 × 9 634 , round 445 76 to 446 and round

9 634 to 10 Then, multiply 446 and 10

446 ×10 4 460= , The approximate value is 4,460 The correct answer

5 3+ × + =8 9

( ) ( ) ? The correct answer is (D)

Answers to Sample Questions

Tiêu đề	ParaPro assessment
Trường học	East Tennessee State University
Chuyên ngành	Education
Thể loại	Study Companion
Thành phố	Johnson City

Định dạng
Số trang	35
Dung lượng	1,2 MB