The Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects exam was created to determine the content knowledge of entry-level elementary school teachers. It questions test takers on the necessary science, mathematics, English and social studies expertise at the elementary school level. It is designed around the requirements of a generalist elementary school license.
How Is the Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects Exam Administered?
The Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects exam is given on a computer with an on-screen scientific calculator provided for applicable sections. The test can be taken at designated test centers around the world. The test begins with several non-scored questions about how the computer interface works and how it can best be used to complete the test.
How Is the Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects Exam Constructed?
The Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects exam consists of four, separately timed subjects (a reading and language arts subtest, a mathematics subtest, a social studies subtest and a science subtest). The full test takes four hours and 15 minutes to complete.
What Content Does the Reading and Language Arts Subtest Cover?
The reading and language arts subtest is a 90-minute section with about 38 questions on reading and 42 questions on writing, speaking and listening. Question formats include single-selection, multiple-choice items with four answer options, as well as at least four item types, including multiple selection, order matching and grid-based questions.
Per Praxis, content areas for this subtest include the following:
- Foundational Reading Skills
- Understanding the role of phonological awareness in the development of literacy
- Understanding the role of phonics and word analysis for the development of literacy
- Understanding the role of fluency for the development of literacy
- Literature and Informational Texts
- Understanding how to use central ideas and details to comprehend literature and informational text
- Understanding how text features and structures across genres affect comprehension
- Understanding the concept of point of view with the use of evidence from the text
- Understanding how to integrate and compare written, visual and oral information from text as well as multimedia sources
- Understanding the role of text complexity in the development of reading skills
- Writing Knowledge
- Understanding the characteristics of common types of writing
- Understanding the characteristics of effective writing
- Understanding the development stages of writing
- Understanding the importance of digital tools and producing and publishing writing and interacting with others
- Understanding the research process
- Language Skills
- Understanding the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, mechanics and spelling when writing, speaking, reading and listening
- Understanding how to determine the meaning of words and phrases
- Understanding characteristics of conversational, academic and domain-specific language
- Speaking and Listening Skills
- Understanding the characteristics of effective collaboration to promote comprehension
- Understanding the characteristics of engaging oral presentations
What Content Does the Mathematics Subtest Cover?
The mathematics subtest is a 65-minute section with about 20 questions on numbers and operations, 15 questions on algebraic thinking and 15 questions on geometry and measurement, data, statistics and probability. Question formats include selected-response and numeric entry.
Per Praxis, content areas for this subtest include the following:
- Numbers and Operations Knowledge
- Understanding the place value system
- Understanding the operations and properties of rational numbers
- Understanding various strategies and algorithms used to perform operations and rational numbers
- Understanding concepts of rational numbers and their operations
- Understanding how to solve problems using the order of operations, including problems involving whole number exponents
- Understanding rational numbers and their operations in different ways
- Understanding proportional relationships and percentages
- Understanding basic concepts of number theory
- Understanding a variety of strategies that determine the reasonableness of results
- Knowledge of Algebraic Thinking
- Understanding how to evaluate and manipulate algebraic expressions, equations and formulas
- Understanding the meanings of the solutions to linear equations and inequalities
- Understanding how to recognize and represent patterns
- Geometry and Measurement, Data, Statistics and Probability
- Understanding how to classify one-, two- and three-dimensional figures
- Understanding how to solve problems involving perimeter, area, surface area and volume
- Understanding the components of the coordinate plane and how to graph ordered pairs on the plane
- Understanding how to solve problems involving measurement
- Understanding basic statistical concepts
- Understanding how to represent and interpret data presented in various forms
- Understanding how to interpret the probability of events
What Content Does the Social Studies Subtest Cover?
The social studies subtest is a 60-minute section with about 27 questions on United States history, government and citizenship, 18 questions on geography, anthropology and sociology and 15 questions on world history and economics. Question formats include selected-response.
Per Praxis, content areas for this subtest include the following:
- Knowledge of United States History, Government and Citizenship
- Understanding European exploration and colonization as it relates to United States history and growth
- Understanding the American Revolution and the founding of the United States
- Understanding major events and developments in United States history
- Understanding twentieth-century developments in the United States
- Understanding the nature, purpose and forms of government
- Understanding key documents and speeches in the history of the United States
- Understanding the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy
- Geography, Anthropology and Sociology Knowledge
- Understanding world and regional geography
- Understanding the interaction of physical and human systems
- Understanding the uses of geography
- Understanding how people of different cultural backgrounds interact with their environments
- Grasping World History and Economics
- Understanding the major contributions of classical civilizations
- Understanding twentieth-century developments and transformations in world history
- Understanding the role of cross-cultural comparisons in world history instruction
- Understanding key terms and basic concepts of economics
- Understanding how economics affects population, resources and technology
- Understanding the government’s role in economics
What Content Does the Science Subtest Cover?
The reading and language arts subtest is a 60-minute section with about 17 questions on earth science, 18 questions on life science and 18 questions on physical science. Question formats include selected-response.
Per Praxis, content areas for this subtest include the following:
- Knowledge of Earth Science
- Understanding the structure of the Earth system
- Understanding the processes of the Earth system
- Understanding Earth history
- Understanding Earth and the universe
- Understanding Earth patterns, cycles and change
- Understanding science as a human endeavor
- Understanding science as inquiry
- Understanding how to use resource and research material in science
- Understanding the unifying processes of science
- Life Science Knowledge
- Understanding the structure and function of living systems
- Understanding reproduction and heredity
- Understanding change over time in living things
- Understanding regulation and behavior
- Understanding unity and diversity of life, adaptation and classification
- Understanding the interdependence of organisms
- Understanding personal health
- Knowledge of Physical Science
- Understanding the physical and chemical properties and structure of matter
- Understanding forces and motion
- Understanding energy
- Understanding interactions of energy and matter
How Can I Perform Exceptionally on The Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects Exam?
Because this exam covers so many fundamentals of elementary knowledge, it is recommended that aspiring test takers spend the bulk of their studying time with a combination of a proprietary study guide and a set of specialized flashcards, such as the highly-recommended resources provided by Mometrix. Mometrix also offers a comprehensive online course for on-the-go learning.
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