The TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities test, also known as TExES PPR is a 5-hour test that assesses every teaching aspirant in Texas. It is a computer-based test and mandatory for aspiring teachers. If you want to get licensed as a new teacher in the state, passing the PPR will take you a step closer to obtaining it. To stay ahead in the competition, it is not just enough to be aware of your subject. Your preparations need to start way before. Although the test is quite a challenge, there are strategies that help you get a high score.

Here are the 5 top PPR test tips to ace your TExES PPR test:

1. Read and understand what is asked in the question

Often, test takers supply the wrong answer just because they don’t read the question carefully. There are single and clustered questions. The answer may require you to finish a sentence or find a word. Determine what is needed – 1) selecting only the incorrect response, 2) selecting the only correct answer, 3) selecting all correct answers, and so on. It might happen that you interpret the question wrongly and record the wrong response.

Take a moment and a deep breath while reading the test questions. Test day pressure is a thing so try to keep your cool. You might misread a question out of excitement or anxiety and end up making a mistake even for a common or easy question. Another thing to consider is the speed of answering. You have five hours and a hundred questions. So, while you practice, check out the type of questions you will be asked and decide how much time you need to devote to them.

2. Attempt all questions

One of the important PPR test tips is to answer all questions. It is a mistake to leave out questions. You might be unable to recall or identify the correct answer. But skipping questions is a big no-no. Blank questions are marked wrong by default so you might as well try and record a response.

If you’re not certain about the answer, there are a few things you can do instead of leaving it out. Look at the response. Are all of them related to the topic? Every question has at least one response that is out of place. Eliminate the option(s) that make(s) no sense.

3. Questions based on recalling information

Some questions may ask you to recollect information that was part of your coursework – data, principles, terminology, theories and features, and so on. You are required to go over your coursework in your head and supply the information.

Easier said than done but merely supplying the information is not enough in most cases. You have to think and apply the information to suit the context of the question. So, once again, understand the kind of response needed and proceed accordingly. These questions are set to check your problem-solving and analyzing skills – skills that are going to come in handy in a real classroom.

4. Questions based on Grade

Some questions can only be answered correctly when you identify the grade level the question is referring to. And this will help you choose the appropriate reply. Elementary, middle, and high school levels require different approaches and hence it helps if you identify the grade referenced in the question. Teaching techniques or classroom activities will differ with the age levels of learners and this will affect the response you select.

It is important to remember that the test assesses your professional responsibilities as much as it checks your pedagogical knowledge. So, knowledge of classroom management, teaching aids, and techniques are as important as subject matter mastery.

5. Questions on general awareness

As is the custom for all tests, the TExES PPR contains questions that determine whether you can apply common sense while answering. They might not necessarily require candidates to remember complex theories. They check whether a candidate has general awareness and critical thinking skills along with academic knowledge.

These questions, however, might lead some test takers to spend a few good minutes thinking about their responses. But for others, these very questions may prove to be the easiest part of the test.

Summing up

Passing the TExES PPR is compulsory for obtaining a state-approved teaching license in Texas. There are various ways to prepare for the test. One of them is getting help from test prep centers and getting PPR test tips. Educator preparation programs in your district usually have a test prep component. Check with a program to find out more. Your program should be able to help you with the question pattern, past exam questions, strategies to prepare, availability of study materials, and mock test and feedback. They also keep you informed of the latest changes to the exam. So start preparing at the earliest with a program that suits you.