Children enter the early childhood classroom from various backgrounds, from those who were read to starting from the womb and others having little to no exposure to the written word. Fostering an environment that helps youngsters develop these skills no matter their experience is beneficial for all.

Rhyming involves the repetition of ending word sounds. Hearing, identifying, and creating rhymes allows students to understand how words and language work. It helps them anticipate and predict, which are valuable reading skills.

Rhyming games and songs are an excellent tool to aid children in identifying beginning sounds and rhyming words. These types of activities allow students to hear and repeat sounds, manipulate words, and rhyme. Understanding these concepts prepares them for more complex skills later.

A combination of implicit and explicit rhyming instruction can be useful. Implicit training involves rhyming skills in context, like chanting a nursery rhyme together. Teaching about rhymes, modeling the concept, and allowing students to complete the activity is an example of explicit instruction.

How to Teach Rhymes

• Rhyming Songs – “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “B-I-N-G-O”
• Nursery Rhymes – “Little Boy Blue” and “Open Them, Shut Them”
• Rhyming Books – Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• Word Comparisons – Students determine whether provided spoken words rhyme or not. 
• Matching Games – Games like Memory or Concentration with picture cards.
• Additional Activities – Show students three pictures, two of which rhyme and one that does not. Children must identify the picture that does not belong.

Repetition of favorite songs and books emphasizes the concept. Find a few that your class enjoys and use them often throughout the year. After you develop a classroom rhyme repertoire, allow students to choose their favorites to read/recite during a specific day or week.

This is just one important topic that is covered on the Foundations of Reading certification exam that is required for many licenses, including the elementary teaching license.

All teacher candidates wonder how to score their best on certification exams, whether they are taking the MTEL, FTCE, Praxis, or another state test. Each certification exam includes a reading comprehension section. Even the best readers often shudder when approaching this subject matter. What if your interpretation is different than what the text means? Can you even prepare for the reading comprehension portion of the exam?

Yes, you can. After reading the presented passage, one of the first things to do is determine whether the text is objective or biased. This will help you understand what you will be asked in the question portion of the exercise. 

Evaluating the intent behind a written passage is beneficial not only on your certification exam but also when reading an article in a magazine, the newspaper, or online content. 

Here are just a few facts to look for when reading a passage to decide whether factual or opinion-based writing.

Objective Writing 

• The language in the text is neutral, and the writer does not “take sides” on an issue.
• Both pros and cons are presented, or “all sides” of the topic.
• Multiple sources for and against the subject are offered.
• The writer’s opinion includes supporting facts, and all relevant information is included.

Biased Writing

• The writing is often emotional and leans toward the opinions of only one side of an argument or issue.
• The writer’s claims or statements are usually unsupported with facts.
• The only sources used are those that support the writer’s opinion.
• Facts and information from the opposing side are missing.

When you determine the difference between the two types of passages in an exam or other setting, it is easier to draw the appropriate conclusions in the writing and answer related questions in the manner that the examiners have pre-determined.

Check out our teacher certification exam prep courses to learn additional ways to improve your scores on your teacher licensure exam. It can be done!

Becoming an educator is not for the faint-hearted. Not only must you complete your college courses with acceptable scores, but you are also subjected to one or more licensing exams that you must score well on before you receive your teaching certificate. 

If your state requires Praxis exams for teacher licensure, it can help to understand what type of tests are needed and what you will be evaluated on. Initially, the Praxis consisted of the Praxis I and Praxis II exams.

The Praxis I or PPST (Pre-Professional Skills Test) consisted of three different tests covering mathematics, writing, and reading. A passing score for each exam was required. The Praxis I was offered through the fall of 2014.

The Praxis II also had three separate components that included Teaching Foundation, PLT or Principles of Learning and Teaching, and Subject Assessments in various subject areas.

Today, the Core or Core Academic Skills for Educators is administered in place of the Praxis I but still covers math, writing, and reading basics. This exam is only offered via computer and incorporates multiple-choice questions as well as two essays.

Testing for Subject Assessments remains the same. The Educational Testing Service offers practice tests in each subject area for a fee.

Testing fees vary for each exam and are not cheap. If you must re-take an exam, you must pay the testing fee again, so it is best to be well-prepared the first time. Take an online refresher course if needed. PrepForward has several options that include all major subject areas.

While most states in the U.S. require the Praxis, some have other requirements. For example, Massachusetts requires the MTEL, and Florida utilizes the FTCE.

No matter what exams you must take to finalize the licensing mandates in your state, it pays to be prepared. Learn which tests are required for the state(s) in which you will be teaching and when they are offered and start studying well in advance. You will be in your own classroom before you know it!

No matter what state you hope to teach in, potential educators in their junior year of college should begin planning for taking teacher certification exams. Your college advisor can help you determine what tests you need to take, or you can research the state education website to decide the most suitable time to take them. Early consideration can be quite beneficial, particularly if you lack specific skills and knowledge evaluated on the tests.

For Massachusetts residents who will take MTEL licensing exams in 2021 or 2022, it is essential to note that many of the tests are undergoing redevelopment. Numerous MTEL tests are being updated, and others are being introduced. This can affect your preparation strategy. 

When you learn which exams you must take, explore the MTEL site to know which ones are subject to change and if yours will be affected. The Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure website offers various helpful tips for exam preparation, from videos to practice tests and tutorials. They also provide information about online courses that can assist you in areas where your skills may not be as strong.

PrepForward is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s only preferred provider for MTEL prep courses.  You may want to take test preparation courses in areas that you may not feel as confident about or for a comprehensive review before sitting for exams. The earlier you learn about your required exams, the better prepared you will be.

While taking these exams is no doubt stressful, early and all-inclusive preparation is vital for not only peace of mind but also receiving a passing score. Learning what you need to do if you do not pass is just as crucial. Knowing what to expect beforehand can help you do well and save you the cost of re-taking your exams.

No matter in what state you plan to teach elementary school, you are required to take a teacher licensing exam – and pass it – to obtain certification. Many times, the anxiety for this knowledge-based test surpasses that of most of the college courses you take in your education course of study.

It is, therefore, even more disturbing to realize that over half of prospective teachers fail the teacher certification exam the first time, regardless of which test they take. Whether it is a case of extreme nerves, lack of exam preparation, inadequate knowledge retention or if required teacher-prep courses do not align with the material being tested, the fact remains that if a potential teacher wants to teach, they must pass the exam.

What can examinees do to prevent failure? Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are strategies that can help ensure success.

1. Start planning for the exam EARLY in your senior year or even late in your junior year of college. Know which test you are taking for your state, when it is offered, the cost, what happens if you do not pass, etc.
2. Obtain a study guide for the test or tests you will take and read them. Complete as many practice tests as possible to familiarize yourself with the types of questions that are asked, as well as the subject matter that is evaluated.
3. If you perform poorly on the practice exams, try to determine why. Insufficient knowledge or misunderstanding the subject matter can be remedied by taking additional college courses (since you are preparing ahead, this is doable) or taking an online class in addition to your regular education courses.

There is no shame in failing your teacher licensing exam. However, lack of preparation should never be the reason. In most cases, if you follow these guidelines, you should not only pass your test, but do well. Good luck!

When the coronavirus shut down the country beginning mid-March 2020, it negatively affected multiple industries, and adversely affected teacher candidates, as well. Not only were in-person college classes suspended, but student-teaching was cancelled or relegated to remote instruction, and teacher licensing exams terminated, at least temporarily. College students who had waited for four years to realize their dreams of being a teacher were left not knowing what to do to ensure that they would be able to land their first teaching positions for fall 2020.

Universities, national testing companies, and school districts are all working diligently to ensure that our newest educators are prepared and have the necessary qualifications to teach this fall. In states or districts where there is a teacher shortage, some requirements have been adjusted or waived to ensure that there will be enough teachers for their classrooms.

The Educational Testing Service and other testing vendors are also modifying some of their guidelines concerning the Praxis exam, which is a required teacher licensing test in about 25 states in the U.S. Since testing centers are closed, there will be options to take the exam at another location with the same strict proctoring guidelines or even taking an online version at home.

Eighteen states that use the edTPA licensing test by Pearson altered their portfolio submission dates to accommodate teacher candidates during this challenging time. Students who registered prior to April 6, 2020, now have their deadline extended to December 5, 2021. Portfolios may now be submitted via a virtual learning environment alternative rather than the traditional in-classroom mode.
Teacher education candidates who feel they may not be adequately prepared to take licensing exams because of the pandemic do have options. Take an online class or two from PrepForward to ensure that all skill sets are covered before taking the accrediting assessment.

The situation continues to change daily as the United States adjusts to new and unprecedented guidelines for safety and disease prevention while ensuring that children receive the same quality education as they did pre-Covid-19. Classrooms may look quite different when the new school year starts. Thankfully, we can help each other prepare the best we can and adapt accordingly.