Praxis I Reading WorkshopStrategies that Work

ByLatonya L. Leeks

Professional Development Schools Coordinator

AgendaOffer alternatives for assistance with Praxis

1.Provide test taking strategies for different

learning styles.Enrich your knowledge base in reference to

reading and reading strategies.Participate in vocabulary exercises to

evaluate context clues and word meanings.

WebinarsThe Educational Testing Service or ETS offers Free Webinars to help students prepare for tests in the Praxis series.

These tests are usually offered on a monthly basis at no cost to the user.

Participants will need a phone (with long distance service) and a computer to participate in Webinar.

You can begin by going online to www.ets.org to register for the next webinar, which will be held Thursday, October 28 at 1:00 p.m.

Purpose of the Workshop…

This workshop is designed to provide the learner with test taking strategies that will assist in evaluating knowledge of the two types of Praxis I comprehension questions:1. Literal Comprehension—

about 45% of the reading test, deals with main idea, vocabulary in context, organization, details, etc. , about 21 questions.

2. Critical and Inferential Comprehension—about 55% of the reading test, deals with inferential reasoning, author’s tone, generalizations, about 25 questions.

Strategies for Taking the Reading TestThe reading test consists of passages

followed by multiple choice questions. Although reading seems to be a natural process, reading about reading and about steps to taking the reading test can seem tireless and confusing.

In this workshop, we will look at six steps to taking a reading test.

Six Steps to Taking a Reading TestSkim to find the topic of each paragraphRead the questions and answersEliminate incorrect answersScan the details to find the answersBe aware of what may be impliedUse context clues to define unfamiliar

vocabulary words.

Skim to find the Topic of Each ParagraphYour first job is to find the topic of each

paragraph. The topic is what the paragraph or passage is about.

The topic is usually found in the first and last sentences.

Remember that you can write the topic in the margin next to the passage on your paper based test. You may mark on the test to help you with answering the questions.

Skimming cont…If it is a factual passage, the author will

present the fact and support it with details and examples. If the passage presents an opinion, the author will give the opinion and support it with arguments and examples

A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true.

An opinion is a personal belief.

Read the Questions and the AnswersRead questions one at a time. Read the

answers for the question that you are working on and be sure that you understand what each question and its answers mean.

Be sure before answer a question if it is asking to identify a fact, detail or main idea (literal comprehension) or an inference, conclusion, author’s purpose, tone (inferential comprehensions).

If it helps, read the questions before reading the passage. Sometimes it gives you an indication of what key words to look for.

Eliminate Incorrect AnswersRead the answers and eliminate the ones that

you absolutely know are incorrect.Read the answers literally. Look for words

such as always, never, must, all. If you can find a single exception to this type of sweeping statement, then the answer can’t be correct. ELIMINATE IT!

Scan the Details to Find the AnswerOnce you have eliminated answers, compare the

answers to the passage. When you find the answer that is confirmed by the passage---STOP! That is your answer choice.

Scanning means skipping over information that doesn’t answer your question.

Beware of VAGUE ANSWERS! A vague answer can be a correct answer. Vague answers may not be chock full or details and sometimes they are hard to prove wrong. Reading and comparing all answer choices may help you find the best answer for the question.

Be Aware of What May Be Implied Author’s Purpose—Describe: Present an image of physical

reality or mental image.Entertain—Amuse or performInform—Clarify, explain, stateNarrate—relate, tell as storyPersuade—Argue, convince, prove

Implied cont…Bias—A statement or passage reveals bias if the the

author has prejudice or has a predisposition to a doctrine, idea or practice. Bias means the author is trying to convince or influence the reader through some emotional appeal or slanted writing.

Bias can be positive or negative.

Implied cont…Author’s Tone—The author’s tone is the author’s attitude as

reflected in the passage. How do you think the author would sound if

they were speaking?What impression would you form about the

author’s feelings or attitude?Examples: amusing, comical, depressing,

tragic, calming, sentimental, cruel, nostalgic, serious, pessimistic, malicious, arrogant, etc.

Vocabulary in ContextUnderstanding vocabulary is essential in

comprehending text.Gain a working knowledge of prefixes, root

words and etymologies.Look for familiar words surrounding the

vocabulary word to help you understand how it’s being used in the sentence.

Vocabulary Exercise!!!

Best of Luck!