What to Expect on The Praxis Spanish Exam

Professional licenses help separate the experts from the hobbyists. Required of doctors, nurses, and yes, even teachers, licensure sets a high bar for both expectations and qualifications. There are a number of unique standards to meet to earn your teaching license, but a passing score on the Praxis is one of the most universal. For aspiring Spanish teachers, the Praxis Spanish Exam may represent the final hurdle in a long marathon of college coursework and practical experience. Knowing what to expect is half the battle in preparing for this challenging test.

Comprised of 75 selected-response questions and six constructed-response questions, the Praxis Spanish Exam must be completed during a three hour testing window. There's 50 minutes worth of listening with cultural knowledge to contend with, and another 50 minutes of reading with cultural knowledge to face as well. A speaking section lasting 15 minutes will challenge your pronunciation and diction. The writing section of the Praxis caps off the experience with 50 minutes to address three prompts.

Preparing for the Praxis Spanish Exam

Few tests are as robust or diverse as this one. While Spanish language learners will be well-versed in speaking, writing, and reading in a foreign language, the added pressure of their future teaching career may detract from their abilities. In order to pass on your first attempt, serious study and preparation is required. The Praxis Spanish Exam is a marathon, not a sprint, and training for the three hour test should not be undertaken lightly. Resist the urge to procrastinate – instead, begin preparing for the Praxis as soon as you've registered for the test. While you may be an expert at test prep by this point in your academic career, few tests are as important as the Praxis Spanish Exam. With your career on the line, you'll want to invest serious time and energy into studying. While flashcards and outlines can provide a good foundation for your efforts, incorporate practice tests into your routine to ensure the best possible outcome

How Practice Tests Can Help

Practice tests identify what you know and how well you know it. While you might assume you're an expert on conjugations, for instance, you might be overlooking a crucial component of the Praxis Spanish Exam without realizing it. Practice exams help you narrow your focus to the blind spots in your knowledge base. By understanding what you don't know, you can create a more robust and targeted plan for addressing the gaps in your understanding of the Spanish language.

Practice tests also help examinees familiarize themselves with the Praxis Spanish Exam format and pacing. Given how much is riding on your Praxis score, you don't want to leave any room for surprises on test day. Even taking just one practice test can help you understand what to expect and how to use your time wisely on the day of the real exam.

Study Skills in Action

Once you've gotten the results of your practice exam, you can begin formulating a plan of attack. The questions you got wrong can be more helpful than the items you answered correctly. They highlight areas in need of improvement and provide insight into your weak spots. If you're struggling with vocabulary on the Praxis Spanish Exam, for example, you may want to assemble a list of keywords that caused you trouble on the practice test. From there, use the list to create a study schedule, flash cards, or to quiz friends about in the library.

Practice testing is repeatedly cited as one of the most effective study tools available, but it's just one aspect of exam preparation. Distributed practice can also be incredibly helpful. Rather than spending hours on end cramming the night before the Praxis, dedicate 30 minutes of every day to your studies. While you can still plan to spend larger chunks of time focused on test prep, these digestible daily study sessions can be instrumental to your success on the Praxis Spanish Exam.

Self-explanation is another technique to try. When you find yourself struggling with a given concept, try to work through it the way you would with a student. Break the concept up into pieces, explaining each component to yourself or a study buddy. It's fine if you find yourself stumbling through the lesson – the point is exploration, not perfection. By making yourself your very first pupil, you'll set yourself up for a successful Praxis Spanish Exam experience.

Try a Practice Exam Now

Exam Edge offers free sample practice exams for new members. Click here to give our resources a try! With options to time yourself using the same parameters as the actual Praxis Spanish Exam, you'll get familiar with the pacing and structure of the real thing. Prefer not to put pressure on yourself right away? Untimed options are also available. No matter your preference, practice tests can be the ideal way to identify knowledge blind spots and thoroughly prepare you for the Praxis.