PPST Workshop Nov. 16, 2010 105 CWH

1. PPST WorkshopNov. 16, 2010105 CWH Xiong Vang Maggie McHugh Recruiter/Advisor English/Math Specialist School of Education Student Support Services 145 Graff Main Hall 270 Murphy Library

2. Today’s Workshop • General information about PPST including an overview of the ETS website • A look into the 3 testing sections • Questions???

3. WHAT, WHO, WHY, WHEN? • What is the PPST? Also referred to as Praxis I test • Pre-professional skills test that measure students’ basic skills in math, reading, and writing • Who is required to take this test? • Any student who wishes to enter a teacher education program including students at UW-L • Why? • Passing the PPST is one of the requirements for admissions • When? • Students at UW-L are encouraged to take the test after the first semester of the student’s first year however students can take the test anytime before they apply to SOE • 3-4 weeks to find out score

4. How is the test given? • Computerized • Can be taken at the Counseling and Test office • Schedule through the office (785-8968) or through ETS; online, phone, mail • Offer throughout the year • Paper Pencil format • Must register through ETS (Educational Testing Services) either online or mail • Scheduled dates (see site for schedule test in preferred location) • At UW-La Crosse; January 15, 2011 and April 30, 2011 • At Viterbo; March 12, 2011

5. ETS website • Test content and structure • http://www.ets.org/praxis/about/praxisi/content • Registering for a test including test centers and test date • http://www.ets.org/praxis/register/ • Fee • http://www.ets.org/praxis/about/fees/ • All applications and forms can also be found on the website. • Notice: If you are planning to apply for any accommodations and/or the fee waiver, you must submit a paper registration form along with the appropriate accommodations/fee waiver form(s).

6. Score • Computerized test- will know if you’ve passed the math and reading score right away. Wait 2-3 weeks to learn about writing score. • Paper-Pencil test- 4 weeks to learn of score. • Identify up to 3 institutions in which your scores will be sent to; for free. Extra charge for each additional institution • You can access your score for free by creating a Praxis account or • Can also request score over phone for a $30 charge

7. What if I don’t pass the test? • Passing all 3 sections of the test is required • Students can retake any section they did not pass. • Computerized; can retake any section after 30 days • Paper; No limit. If within same testing year (September to August) as first test date, will not have to pay for the registration fee ($50) just the test fee

8. Questions/Concerns???

9. What is Maggie’s Favorite Flavor of Ice Cream Kind? • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough • Mint Chocolate Chip • Orange Creamsicle • Blue Moon • Fudge Brownie

10. Writing Overview • 44 questions in 38 minutes (computerized) • 38 questions in 30 minutes (pen and paper) • Sentences are taken from a wide variety of topics including science, history, literature, and the arts • Spelling is NOT tested (everything will be spelled correctly) • Strategy: “Say” the sentence in your head; you will often “hear” the error rather than “see” it • Two types of questions • Usage • Sentence Correction

11. Writing

12. Writing- Usage • In “Usage” you will be given a sentence with four underlined parts. • You will have to determine which part of the sentence contains an error. • If no sentence part contains an error, then you will choose the fifth option (no error) • Example: Fireworks , which were probably first created A Bin ancient China, were not used as entertainment Cpurposes until around A.D. 1500. No error D E

13. Writing- Usage Fireworks , which were probably first created A Bin ancient China, were not used as entertainment Cpurposes until around A.D. 1500. No error D E Watch out for correct preposition usage! (“as” versus “for”)

14. Writing- Usage Although the amount of registered nurses in the AUnited States has increased every year since B C1983, there are still not enough nurses to meet Dthe demand for their services. No error. E Amount ~ refers to quantities that can be measured (amount of rainfall) Number~ refers to something than can be counted

15. Writing- Usage The club members agreed that each A Bwould contribute ten days of C volunteer work annually each year D at the local hospital. No error. E Be careful of words and phrases that are “redundant” or convey the same meaning.

16. Writing- Sentence Correction • Evaluate the underlined portion of a sentence to decide how it should BEST be worded • Given 5 choices of how to change the sentence • Choice A is always the same as the sentence and should be chosen if you desire “No Change” • The underlined portion may be as short as a few words or as long as a the entire sentence

17. Let’s talk strategy! Which ones don’t even make sense? Is lengthy better? Sentence Correction • To try and appeal to consumers who prefer no additives, some food companies are making unneeded changes in products. • To try and appeal • In an effort to appeal • With the intention to appeal • Because they made an effort to try appealing • In that they made an effort to be appealing

18. Strategy: Don’t look at the given answers. Try to make up what you think should fill in the blank. Sentence Correction The king preferred accepting the republican flag than giving up the throne altogether. • than giving • than to giving • than to give • rather than to give • to giving

19. Sentence Correction Neon glows red-orange upon placing it in a glass tube and charged with electricity. • upon placing it • when placed • as placed • on its placement • after placement The PPST prefers sentences to have parallel structure, meaning verbs and phrases in the same form.

20. Essay

21. Essay • 1 essay in 30 minutes • Counts as HALF your writing score • Considered as a “writing sample” • Not expected to produce a well-researched, comprehensive essay • Scored on a range of 1(low) to 6(high) • (Essays that do not respond to the topic at hand are given a score of zero) • Scored by two independent readers- sum of scores equals final score (out of twelve)

22. Essay • State your position clearly (thesis) • Organize and develop ideas before writing for clarity both of main topics and examples within topics • Create logical flow from idea to idea (transitions) • Develop each idea with examples • Use variety in sentence structure • Use proper grammar and correct mechanics

23. Essay • Directions: “Read the opinion stated below. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the point of view. Support your position with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.” • In other words, this is a PERSUASIVE essay! • Ex.: “Computer training should be mandatory for anyone planning to become a teacher, no matter what subject the person will teach.”

24. Essay-Brainstorm • “Computer training should be mandatory for anyone planning to become a teacher, no matter what subject the person will teach.” • Pick a perspective. • Think of three arguments to support your perspective. • Think of oneexample for eachargument.

25. Mathematics

26. Mathematics Overview • 46 questions in 75 minutes • 40 questions in 60 minutes • Emphasis on interpretation rather than computation • meaning you won’t be asked to carry out detailed long division or fractional calculations but you may be asked for close estimates • 45% conceptual and procedural knowledge (basic mathematics to algebra) • 30% representations (graphs, word problems) and quantitative reasoning • 25% measurement and geometry NOcalculators!

27. Mathematics Overview • Conceptual Knowledge: Order of operations (PEMDAS), equivalence, place value, integers, fractions, decimals • Procedural Knowledge: estimation, ratios, proportions, percents, inequalities • Representations of Information: Charts, graphs, tables, word problems • Measurement: Systems (metric and US customary) • Geometry: area, perimeter, circumference, volume, angles, triangles, lines • Formal Quantitative Reasoning: Venn diagrams, conclusions, counterexamples, if… then… logic

28. Mathematics Which of the following is closest to 0.053 x 21? • 0.1 • 1 • 10 • 100 • 1,000 • Estimation skills!! • 0.053 is close to 5%. • 21 is close to 20. • What is 5% of 20? • What is 10% of 20? • 5% is half of 10%.

29. Strategy: Which ones can you eliminate and why? Mathematics • 1/ 9 • 11/ 90 • 101/ 900 • 1,001/ 9,000 • 10,001/ 90,000 Which of the following numbers is the least?

30. Mathematics • As x decreases, y increases • As x decreases, y decreases • As x increases, y does not change • As x increases, y increases • As x increases, y decreases Which of the following is true about the data in the table above?

31. Mathematics • 13 • 26 • 49 • 81 • 91 7 If the perimeter of the rectangle above is 40, what is its area?

32. Mathematics If 4a = 24 + 4b, what is the value of b-a? • -6 • -4 • 1/6 • 4 • 6

33. Mathematics • 1,780 • 876 • 694 • 373.8 • 160.2 If 30% of M = 534, then M =

34. Reading Test Overview • 46 questions in 75 minutes • 40 questions in 60 minutes • “Reading comprehension” refers to the ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate written materials • Reading passages taken from a wide variety of sources including: • magazines (Scientific American, Smithsonian, Psychology Today) • nonfiction books (biographies, histories, essays) • major newspapers (The New York Times, The Washington Post) • Do not draw on background knowledge of subject areas to answer questions- rely solely on the passage

35. Reading Test Overview • Types of passages: • Long passages (roughly 200 words) • Four to Seven Questions • Short passages (roughly 100 words) • Two to Three Questions • Statements (one- two sentences) • One question • Types of questions: • Literal Comprehension • main idea, supporting idea, vocabulary, organization • Critical and Inferential Comprehension • draw an inference, evaluate supporting evidence, identify an assumption, distinguish fact from opinion, identify attitude, extend or predict, draw a conclusion, apply to another situation

36. Reading • Which of the following statements best summarizes the main idea of the passage? • Ironic commentary • Highly original • Most important • Intimately familiar • Dedicated to educating

37. Reading • 2) The passage mentions all of the following as characteristic elements of Baldwin’s style EXCEPT • lyrical prose • ironic illustrations • dramatic stances • intricate sentences • sophisticated grace

38. Reading • summarizing a point of view • proposing a compromise • settling a dispute • refuting an argument • exposing a falsification 3) The statement is primarily concerned with

39. Reading • 4) Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the passage? • natural cell migration • technological developments • artificial stimulation • wounds kept clean • physicians not current

40. Reading 5) The passage implies that growth factors contribute to wound healing by • keeping the wound sterile… • making it easier for physicians… • encouraging new cell growth… • circumventing recombinant-DNA technology • changing the way physicians treat wounds

41. Reading • 6) The primary purpose of the passage is to • evaluate efforts • summarize methods • examine bio mechanisms • stimulate researchers • outline current treatment

42. Scoring • Passing scores for Wisconsin • Writing (plus Essay): 174 • To pass, receive a combined essay score of 6 and answer approximately 75% of Multiple Choice correctly • To pass, receive a combined essay score of 8 and answer approximately 55% of Multiple Choice correctly • Math: 173 • To pass, answer at least 60% of the Multiple Choice correctly • Reading: 175 • To pass, answer at least 75% of the Multiple Choice correctly

43. Questions • What do I do now? • Are there any resources out there for me? • Whom can I contact for more assistance? • Maggie- SSS participants • Xiong- SOE students • Practice PPST? • Counseling and Testing • Murphy Library