About This BookIf youre looking to secure certification as an ESL/ESOL teacher, youll find that eighteen states require the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) test. Think of this book as your toolkit to pass the test. It will help take the mystery and anxiety out of the testing process by equipping you not only with the nuts and bolts, but also, ultimately, with the confidence to succeed alongside your peers across the United States. We at REA have put a lot of thought into this, and the result is a book that pulls together all the critical information you need to know to pass the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) test. Let us help you fill in the blanks—literally and figuratively! We will provide you with the touchstones that will allow you to do your very best come test day and beyond. In this guide, REA offers our customarily in-depth, up-to-date, objective coverage, with test-specific modules devoted to targeted review and realistic practice exams complete with the kind of detail that makes a difference when youre coming down the homestretch in your preparation. We also include a quick-view answer key and competency-categorized progress chart to enable you to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Audio for the listening portions of our printed practice tests may be downloaded at www.rea.com/praxisesol. Praxis II embraces Subject Assessment/Specialty Area Tests, of which the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) is a part. The Praxis II examinations cover the subject matter that students typically study in teacher education courses such as language acquisition, school curriculum, methods of teaching, and other professional development courses. In most teacher-training programs, students take these tests after having completed their classroom training, the course work, and practicum. The Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) covers the foundations of linguistics and language learning; planning, implementing and managing instruction; assessment; and cultural and professional aspects of the job. This study guide will deal with each of these broader content areas and with the subareas as they relate to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Who Takes the Test?
Most people who take the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) are seeking certification in the area of ESL. You should check with your states education agency to determine which Praxis examination(s) you are required to take; the ETS Praxis website (www.ets.org/praxis) and registration bulletin may also help you determine the test(s) you need to take for certification. You should also consult your education program for its own test requirements. Remember that colleges and universities often require Praxis examinations for entry into programs, for graduation, and for the completion of a teacher certification program. These requirements may differ from the baseline requirements the state has for teacher certification. You will need to meet both sets of requirements. When Should I Take the Test?
The Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) is a test for those who have completed or almost completed their teacher education programs. Again, each state establishes its own requirements for certification; some states specify the passing of other tests. Some states may require the test for initial certification; other states may require the test for beginning teachers during their first months on the job. Of course, each college and university establishes its own requirements for program admission and for graduation. Some schools require certain tests for graduation and/or for completion of a teacher education program. Check with your program advisor and the state teacher certification agency for details. When and Where Can I Take the Test?
ETS offers the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages test seven times a year at a number of locations across the nation. The usual testing day is Saturday, but examinees may request an administration on an alternate day if a conflict, such as a religious obligation, exists. How Do I Get More Information on the ETS Praxis Exams?
To receive information on upcoming administrations of any of the Praxis II Subject Assessments or any other Praxis test, consult the ETS registration bulletin or website, or contact ETS at: ETS-The Praxis Series
P.O. Box 6051
Princeton, NJ 08541-6051
Phone: (609) 771-7395
Website: www.ets.org/praxis
E-mail: [email protected] Special accommodations are available for candidates who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled, or specific-learning disabled. For questions concerning disability services, contact: ETS Disability Services
P.O. Box 6054
Princeton, NJ 08541-6054
Phone: (609) 771-7780 or (866) 387-8602 (toll free for test takers in the United
States, U.S. Territories, and Canada)
TTY only: (609) 771-7714
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.ets.org/disability Provisions are also available for examinees whose primary language is not English. The ETS registration bulletin and website include directions for those requesting such accommodations. You can also consult ETS with regard to available test sites; reporting test scores; requesting changes in tests, centers, and dates of test; purchasing additional score reports; retaking tests; and other basic facts. Is There a Registration Fee?
The Praxis examination registration fee is payable by check, money order, or with American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa credit cards. In certain cases, ETS offers fee waivers. The registration bulletin and website give qualifications for receiving this benefit and describe the application process. Cash is not accepted for payment. Can I Retake the Test?
Some states, institutions, and associations limit the number of times you can retest. Contact your state or licensing authority to confirm their retest policies. How to Use This Book
What Do I Study First?
Read over REAs subject review and suggestions for test taking. Studying the reviews thoroughly will reinforce the basic skills you will need to do well on the exam. Make sure to do the practice questions in this book so that you will be familiar with the format and procedures involved with taking the actual test.
Format of the Test
The Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) test contains 120 multiple-choice questions. Twenty of the 120 questions are part of two timed listening sections in Section I, Parts A and B. Part A is composed of ten questions designed to test your ability to recognize oral grammar and vocabulary errors, and the ten questions in Part B will test your ability to recognize pronunciation errors of non-native speakers. You are given two-hours to complete the test, 30 minutes of which is spent on the 20 questions in the recorded portion of the test. The multiple-choice questions assess a beginning teachers knowledge of certain job-related skills and knowledge. Four choices are provided for each multiple-choice question; the options bear the letters A through D. The exam uses four types of multiple-choice questions: 1. The Roman-numeral multiple-choice question 2. The “Which of the following” multiple-choice question 3. The complete-the-statement multiple-choice question
4. The multiple-choice question with qualifiers In your education classes, you gained the expertise to make important decisions about situations you will face as a teacher; in your content courses, you should have acquired the knowledge you will need to teach specific content. The reviews in this book will help you fit the information you have acquired into its specific testable category. Reviewing your class notes and textbooks along with systematic use of this book will give you an excellent springboard for passing the Praxis test. Scoring
The numbers of raw points awarded on the Praxis II English to Speakers of Other Languages (0361) test is based on the number of correct answers given. Most Praxis examinations vary by edition, which means that each test has several variations that contain different questions. The different questions are intended to measure the same general types of knowledge or skills. However, there is no way to guarantee that the questions on all editions of the test will have the same degree of difficulty. To avoid penalizing test-takers who answer questions that are more difficult, scores are adjusted for difficulty by using a statistical process known as equating. To avoid confusion between the adjusted and unadjusted scores, ETS reports the adjusted scores on a score scale that makes them clearly different from the unadjusted scores. Unadjusted scores, or “raw scores,” are simply the number of questions answered correctly. Adjusted scores, which are equated to the scale ETS uses for reporting the scores, are called “scaled scores.” For each edition of a Praxis test, a “raw-to-scale conversion table” is used to translate raw to scaled scores. The easier the questions are on a test edition, the more questions must be answered correctly to earn a given scaled score. The college or university in which you are enrolled may set passing scores for the completion of your teacher education program and for graduation. Be sure to check the requirements. You will also want to talk with your advisor. The passing scores for the Praxis II tests vary from state to state. To find out which of the Praxis II tests your state requires and what your states set passing score is, contact your states education department directly. When Will I Receive My Examinee Score Report and in What Form Will It Be?
There are two ways you can receive your score: either online via your My Praxis Account on the score release date or by phone. See the ETS website for details. Score reports will list your current score and the highest score you have earned on each test you have taken over the last 10 years. Along with your score report, ETS will provide you with a booklet that offers details on your scores. For each test date, you may request that ETS send a copy of your scores to as many as three score recipients, provided that each institution or agency is eligible to receive the scores.