ParaPro Assessment Preparation (2019-2020): A Complete Study Guide with 100+ Practice Test Questions For the ETS Praxis Paraprofessional Test

By ParaPro Test Prep Team

Did you know that Paraprofessionals are in very high demand?

Working as a Paraprofessional can be one of the most rewarding careers anyone could ever have. This guide combines theory with practice questions so that students have sufficient practice before taking the exam. Many students have used this guide to successfully pass the exam the first time.

This book includes questions covering all topics that show up on the test, including but not limited to:
 

- Reading, phonics, synonyms and syllables
- Writing, grammar, vocabulary and spelling
- Math, including arithmetic, algebra and geometry
 

There is a practice test near the end of the book that you should definitely take and check your answers with those provided in this book. The practice test includes almost the same questions that you will have to answer on the actual exam.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pluto King Publishing
• Release date: Dec 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781989711293

Book preview

ParaPro Assessment Preparation (2019-2020)

A Complete Study Guide with 100+ Practice Test Questions For the ETS Praxis Paraprofessional Test

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Copyright 2019 by ParaPro Test Prep Team - All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Notice

Introduction

Understanding the Paraprofessional’s Role

About the Test

Section 1: Reading

Identifying the Three Parts of a Passage

Meanings of Words and Phrases in Context

Inferences or Implications

Fact or Opinion

Interpreting Information from Visual Data

Phonics

Breaking Words into Parts

Compound Words

Syllables

Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms

Alphabetizing Words

Helping Students Use Reading Strategies

Asking Questions to Gauge Understanding

Reading an Index

Observing a Student’s Ability to Understand the Text

Notes on the Testing Process

Reading Questions

Section 2: Writing

What You Will Be Tested On

Parts of Speech

The Use of Clauses

Subject and Predicate

Grammar

Word Usage

Point of View

Use of Commas

Use of the Apostrophe

Plural Possessives

Possessive Personal Pronouns

The Rules of Spelling

Quotations

Using References

Applying Writing Skills In the Classroom

Considerations For a Revision

Producing Arguments In the Writing Process

Completing the Writing Portion of the Test

Writing Questions

Section 3: Mathematics

Types of Numbers

Critical Numbers

Basic Mathematics Functions

Advanced Math Functions

Fractions

Percentages

Estimation

Mean, Median, and Mode

Order of Operations

Advanced Sequences

Identifying Mathematical Symbols

Basic Math Terms

Solving Word Problems

Algebra

Inequalities

Representing Time

Representing Money

Converting Measures

Geometry

Polygon Measurements

Coordinates

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

The Value of π and Its Use In Circular Measurements

The Interpretation of Charts and Graphs

Teaching Math Skills in the Classroom

Completing the Math Test

Math Questions

Section 4: ParaPro Sample Test

Section 5: Additional Details

Completing the Test

Sending Test Results

Test Day

Scoring

Retaking the Test

Conclusion

Notice

This book is a review of the ParaPro Assessment Test (ID #1755) as provided by ETS and Praxis. The questions included in this guide are illustrations and samples of what participants may encounter when completing the ParaPro test. The actual questions and the topics covered in the questions are random and subject to change. Additional information on the test may be found at www.ets.org/praxis.

Introduction

Working as a paraprofessional can be one of the most rewarding tasks that you could ever participate in. To enter the field, you have to prove your ability to help students to be able to  identify the many concepts they will encounter. The paraprofessional concepts focus on both knowing how to manage certain skills and how to educate students to follow them. This guide will help you understand what you can do when helping students. This guide is to give you the information contained in the official ParaPro test. This includes information on the reading, writing, and mathematic segments of the test.

Completing and passing the test will allow you to be certified to work as a teaching assistant. This will help you when you are looking for employment at a school, particularly a primary school. Your work will focus on helping students learn while assisting the primary teacher. You will have to complete the test to not only indicate your understanding of the learning process of children but also give you the tools to assist children to learn. The test is divided into three segments with an emphasis on basic skills and understanding how to apply those skills.

This guide focuses on points relating to three vital subjects: reading and reading comprehension; and strategies for identifying content and details. Second, there is a section for writing that includes grammar, vocabulary, spelling, phonics, word usage, synonyms, antonyms, syllables, the parts of a sentence, vocabulary, phonics, and strategies for planning a document. Third, there is a segment on mathematics that concentrates on general mathematics including computation of addition, subtraction, and division of whole numbers, mixed numbers, fractions and decimal numbers, algebra, and geometry and various concepts involved in the field of mathematics.

Additional information will be covered later in this guide to help you recognize what you can do when taking the ParaPro test and being successful. The test is extensive and focuses evenly on the three segments. The processes involved with answering the questions should be reviewed so you can complete the test in the time allotted. The points used may also be carried over into the classroom as you educate students in any setting. The effort should be planned accordingly to improve upon how well you can accurately and efficiently complete the test.

Understanding the Paraprofessional’s Role

The ParaPro test is designed to help you enter the education sector. The test concentrates on the skills needed to be a paraprofessional, which is an educational assistant who offers specialized support to elementary and secondary students. The content covered in the ParaPro test, including in this guide, focuses on content that paraprofessionals are to know to help students at these grade levels.

The role of a paraprofessional is to supplement the support that a teacher provides in the classroom. The paraprofessional will assist individual students with their work and offer assistance to the teacher to analyze their educational needs. In some cases, the paraprofessional may be available after school as a tutor for students. The action entails helping students with extended study sessions regarding some of the concepts that they might struggle with.

More importantly, a paraprofessional may help students who have special needs. It is often difficult for children with special learning difficulties to keep up with the rest of the class. A paraprofessional will help such children by providing the extra support they need. Your work as a paraprofessional will make a true difference in the lives of those who need help the most when it comes to their studies. This makes it all the more important for you to understand what you can do when completing the ParaPro test.

About the Test

The ParaPro test is created by the Educational Testing Service. The test is designed to examine the ability of a person to work as a paraprofessional. The test has been used since 2002 as a part of the United States No Child Left Behind Act. A paraprofessional is required to pass the ParaPro test to attain certification. This is one of three options that a person may complete to be certified as a paraprofessional. The other two are having two years of college experience or have an associate of arts degree. A person who has completed two or all three of these options may be more likely to find paraprofessional jobs, although the test itself is often seen as a necessity.

The ParaPro test has 90 questions divided into six segments and divided evenly over the three concepts. The test includes the following segments:

Reading skills – 18 questions

Application of reading skills – 12 questions

Writing skills – 18 questions

Application of writing skills – 12 questions

Mathematics skills – 18 questions

Application of mathematics  – 12 questions

The test focuses on two points. First, you must show that you understand the concepts that children are to learn in the classroom. You must particularly show that you recognize the basics that students are to follow. The content is detailed and specific with an emphasis on many topics and concepts. Following all of these factors is vital to your general success within your studies.

Second, you will have to show that you understand how to teach those skills to the students.  Part of the task includes helping students to identify certain concepts and how to test them in any form. You may also work with specific instructions and procedures based on what the students need to work with within the study.

This guide includes a series of sample questions that you may encounter in taking the actual test. This includes a simulated version of the test. The questions are not necessarily going to actually appear on the test you actually take. However, the content involved is presented in a way similar to what you might expect on the official test. You must review the content in each section of this guide to improve your chances of successfully passing the test.

Some additional questions may be included with the 90 questions that you will be asked to complete as you take the ParaPro test. These questions are used to research possible questions that may be asked in future editions of the test. These questions are not going to be graded. However, they are important as you will have to use these questions to get an idea of what to expect of the test. You can use these to prepare for the general testing process, thus giving you more control over your testing plans.

You will be given 2.5 hours to complete the simulated test. A calculator may not be used during the math segment of the test. The actual ParaPro test may be computerized, although some groups may use paper tests depending on who is administering the test. The questions are also produced at random through a computer program that holds all of the questions for all the tests given at different times at whatever center you have chosen.

Section 1: Reading

The reading segment of this guide highlights principles of reading and how to help others who are learning to read or to improve upon their reading skills. Part of this includes reviewing how to identify the key parts of a passage, how to organize content, and comprehension, vocabulary and definitions.  Part of this includes definitions surrounding some of the concepts that are found in a passage. Types of words are also covered in this segment.

Identifying the Three Parts of a Passage

When reading a passage, you will be tasked with identifying three important parts of a passage: the main idea; how the passage is organized and how certain ideas are related to each other, particularly the supporting content. This includes looking at how those ideas relate to the main idea. Third, you must notice the keywords and other special concepts that may appear in the passage.

Main Idea

The main idea of a passage is the most important concept of anything you are reading. This is a point that connects all the things featured in a passage. Multiple sentences or concepts in the passage may be different from one another, but they can all be linked to the same idea. You can use the main idea to discover what a character or the writer is thinking. In other cases, you may be able to identify the writer’s opinion by the words used and the arguments that are suggested.

In many cases, the main idea is  at the very beginning in the first sentence. In other cases, you may find the main idea in the middle or even at the end of the passage. That idea may not even be directly expressed in some cases.

To identify the main idea:

You may find a marker phrase such as The most important point to note is or The key purpose is among other points.

Words that predict certain ideas may be used. Such words include probably or in the future.

Persuasive words like ought or should may be incorporated.

Specific examples of the main idea are common.

The main idea may be referenced many times within the passage. This should not be repeated in the same way, but rather reworded to create a new viewpoint or perspective. The writer may be demonstrating the idea of trying to persuade the reader. The wording is also limited within the specific ideas or values that the writer has in mind. The writer will reference that main idea throughout to bolster one’s viewpoint and to help people understand the main concept.

Another way to review the main idea in