Introduction

If you want to be a teacher, you generally have to take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam at least once. “What?! What do you mean by ‘at least once?’” Yes, it’s true that you may have to take the Praxis twice in your quest to shape the minds of future generations. Many colleges and universities require that students who want to enroll in an education major take the exam. And if that isn’t bad enough, most states and some U.S. territories require that you pass the Praxis in order to be licensed to teach. But don’t panic. You’ve come to the right place for help in acing the exam.

The goal of this book is to help you brush up on what you need to know to pass the Praxis with flying colors. We don’t cover every topic that will be tested in detail; instead, we offer an overview of those topics. The overview allows you to review a topic and say to yourself either, “Yep, got it! I can move on to the next topic” or “I don’t get it. I’d better focus on my statistics knowledge.” (If you decide you need more review on a topic, check out the many For Dummies books that relate to the chapters in this book.)

You can also use the two practice tests in this book and the additional four practice tests online to test yourself in a lifelike testing situation. You may want to take one test before you read any chapters to see where your strengths and weaknesses are; then you’ll know where to focus your attention. After you’ve studied your weak areas and reviewed the topics you’re better at, you can take another practice test to see how much you’ve improved and where you still may need more work.

So, we have you covered when it comes to studying for and passing the Praxis. Take a couple of tests, review the chapters, and get the confidence you need to score well on the test when it really counts.

About This Book

Praxis Core For Dummies breaks down the exam’s main objectives into understandable sections. This book is organized into parts that align with the test’s subsections so you can find the answers to your most challenging areas quickly. If you’re struggling with math, you can find all those topics grouped together. If writing makes you want to pull your hair out, you can get a comprehensive overview in Part 4.

In addition to reviewing Praxis topics, we offer strategies that you can practice and keep in mind so you don’t fall for the booby traps that others seem to. We outline the different types of questions so you know where to expect the hurdles you’ll see on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam. (Okay, this is the last time we will spell out the official title of the test. From now on, we will refer to it as the Praxis or the Praxis Core.)

A test-prep book wouldn’t be a test-prep book without a couple of practice tests. This book offers two tests in the book, those same two tests online, and then another four tests online to help you become familiar with the content and question types you’ll encounter when you take the exam. They say practice makes perfect. With these practice tests, you can put that theory to the “test.”

Foolish Assumptions

In writing this book, we’ve made some assumptions about you. The biggest assumption we’ve made applies to all readers: You have decided to teach, which is one of the most rewarding professions known to man. Beyond that, you fall into one of the following categories:

  • You are a first-time test-taker who wants to pass the test on your first try.
  • You are a re-tester who has taken the test and failed based on your state cut score requirement. You can still successfully reach the passing score goal. You’re actually in a better situation than the first-time test-taker because you possess a detailed report that outlines your strengths and weaknesses. That way you can truly attack the sections that challenge you the most.
  • You are a traditional teacher candidate in college who is currently enrolled or trying to enroll as an education major in an undergraduate program, and you need to pass this test to start taking your specialized courses.
  • You are an alternative route teacher candidate who possesses a four-year degree, and you need to pass this test as one of your first steps toward certification.

Regardless of your category, we have written this book to fit your specific needs.

Icons Used in This Book

Icons are the drawings in the margins of this book, and we use several icons to call out special kinds of information.

Example Examples are sample test questions that appear at the ends of sections and that highlight particular ideas that you should be familiar with. We provide an answer and explanation immediately after the question. (And there’s more — at the end of a chapter, you usually find a handful of numbered sample questions, which we don’t mark with the icon because they’re in their own practice-questions section.)

Remember The Remember icon points out something you should keep in mind while you’re taking the exam.

Tip A Tip is a suggestion that usually points out a trick for remembering information for the test.

Warning The Warning icon flags traps and tricks that the creators of the Praxis often employ to trip you up when it comes to choosing the correct answer. Pay special heed to these paragraphs.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. In addition to the two complete practice exams contained in this book, your book purchase also comes with a free one-year subscription to additional practice questions that appear online — enough to fill four more exams. You can access the content whenever you want. Create your own question sets and view personalized reports that show what you need to study most.

You also get access to six full-length online practice tests and hundreds of flashcards. To gain access to the online practice, all you have to do is register. Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Register your book or ebook at Dummies.com to get your PIN. Go to www.dummies.com/go/getaccess.
  2. Select your product from the dropdown list on that page.
  3. Follow the prompts to validate your product, and then check your email for a confirmation message that includes your PIN and instructions for logging in.

If you do not receive this email within two hours, please check your spam folder before contacting us through our Technical Support website at http://support.wiley.com or by phone at 877-762-2974.

Now you’re ready to go! You can come back to the practice material as often as you want — simply log on with the username and password you created during your initial login. No need to enter the access code a second time.

Your registration is good for one year from the day you activate your PIN.

Where to Go from Here

Use this book as a reference. You don’t need to read this book from front to back. Feel free to skip around to the sections that you find most useful. If you can’t decide, begin with Chapter 1 — it includes an overview of the Praxis, and you’ll probably need to read it at some point. If you know that geometry (Chapter 6) is your Achilles heel or that reading comprehension questions (Chapter 9) make your eyes cross, go straight to the corresponding chapter. We give you an index, too, at the back of the book to help you find specific information. Or, if you like, you can take one of the tests to see how well you do and determine what you need to brush up on.