The Praxis is a multiple-choice exam that each state requires new upcoming teachers to take during their certification process. This important exam will have a lasting impact on your future teaching career and job opportunities that lie ahead. Listed below are some helpful tips that will guide you while studying for your upcoming Praxis exam.
Concentrate on the Initial Questions in Each Section
The Praxis exam is a computer adaptive test. Therefore the first question in every section on the exam will take on more importance than all the others. If you answer the first three to four questions correctly, then the next few questions in that section will become harder. The more difficult the questions, the higher your final score will be in the end. It is always a good idea to concentrate and take the most amount of time on the first few questions so that you will be sure to answer them correctly. If you happen to get one of the first questions incorrect, then the rest of the questions in that section will be very simple, and you will receive a lower overall score.
Don’t Leave any Blank Answers, Guess Intelligently
In the Praxis exam, there is no penalty for guessing. However leaving questions blank can hurt your overall score. It is never a good thing to stress out over questions that you don’t know the answer to. When you’re faced with this situation, your best option is to give an educated guess on the questions that you are unsure about. Out of the four multiple-choice answers, you should automatically be able to drop two. That leaves you with a fifty percent chance of getting the answer correct. Choose the answer you feel the most comfortable with and move on to the next question.
Learn all the Tricks to Answering Tough Questions
Taking the time to practice some of these helpful tricks can be beneficial when you’re faced with a tough question.
Pay no mind to “Except” – Multiple choice questions that use “Except” or “Which of the following is not true?” are typically answered incorrectly due to the student reading the question too fast. A way to avoid this mistake is to cover up the words “except” or “not” and then choose the answer out of the four that does not belong.
Focus on the Information Given – Each word in every question is there for a reason. Use all the information given in the question to correctly answer it.
Absolute is not Correct – Remember that answers with the words “always, greatest, never and must” are typically wrong. Avoid these and go with a more practical answer.
Keep a Positive Attitude
The most important thing that you are able to control while taking your Praxis exam is your confidence. If you choose to stay negative you will eventually stop caring about getting the answers correct and you will fail. Staying positive will help you keep your brain focused so that you may answer the questions to the very best of your ability.
If you will be taking your Praxis exam in the near future, good luck and study hard to meet your goals. Our future depends on great educators and you could be the next person to make a huge difference in the life of a child, teen or young adult.