If you need help studying for the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: English Language Arts and Social Studies test or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place!
Click below to take a free Praxis Pennsylvania practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the test. There are 80 selected-response questions in total.
Selected-response questions can appear in several different forms:
- Single-selection multiple-choice
- Selecting ALL correct answers from a list of choices
- Selecting the correct answer from a drop-down menu
- Clicking parts of a graphic such as a map or a chart
- Dragging and dropping answers into a targeted area on the screen
The time limit for the test is 80 minutes (1 hour and 20 minutes), which means you have exactly one minute per question. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed!
Let’s take a closer look at the two sections of the test:
1. English Language Arts
40 questions
- Interpreting informational texts
- Using critical thinking
- Interpreting literature
- Characteristics of major literary genres
Writing
- Uses for different types of writing
- Identifying an author’s purpose
- The domain of organization
- The domains of content and focus
- The domain of English conventions
- Common approaches to composition
- Common research techniques
2. Social Studies
40 questions
- Basic North American geography
- The peoples and cultures of North America prior to European colonization
- Origins and development of the original 13 English colonies
- Major political developments in US history
- 19th-century sectionalism
- The Civil War
- Reconstruction
- Gender, racial, and ethnic interactions throughout the US
- Major cultural and social developments in US history
- Territorial expansion
- Major economic transformations
- Changing immigration and internal migration patterns
- Interpretations of the US Constitution
- Major developments of Pennsylvania history
World History
- Major contributions of early civilizations in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas
- Major contributions of classical Greece and Rome
- Growing global interactions from 1200 to 1900 CE
- WWI, WWII, and the Cold War
- Globalization
- Technological innovations’ impact on world societies
- The basic tenets of major religions
- Major economic transformations affecting world societies
- Major demographic trends in world history
Governmental/Political Science
- The key concepts and ideas which form the basis of the US government
- Federalism
- The roles and interactions of the three branches of the federal government
- The US election process
- The rights and responsibilities of US citizens
- The basic characteristics of political systems
- The structure, principles, and operation of Pennsylvania state government
Economics
- Basic principles of economics
- Basic principles of personal finance
- The effect of production factors on economic activity
Geography
- Spatial patterns and their meanings
- Identifying regions based on various characteristics
- Interactions between human activity and the environment
- Absolute and relative location
- The location of prominent geographic features around the world
How to Register
To register for the test, you’ll need to create an account on the ETS website. Once your account has been created, you can submit your application to take the test.
When you submit your registration, you will need to pay the $50 testing fee.
Praxis Pennsylvania Study Guide and Flashcards
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Praxis Scores
The Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: English Language Arts and Social Studies test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 100 and 200. The passing score is 152.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone that takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
FAQs
How many questions are on the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: ELA and Social Studies exam?
The exam contains 80 questions.
What is the time limit for the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: ELA and Social Studies exam?
The exam is timed at 1 hour and 20 minutes.
What is the passing score for the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: ELA and Social Studies exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 152 to pass.
How much does the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: ELA and Social Studies exam cost?
The testing fee is $50.