Determine exactly which test you are going to take. Even tests in similar content areas have different requirements and formats. For instance, teaching foundations tests assess your knowledge of educational technique and theory, content knowledge tests assess your understanding of your content area, and pedagogy tests assess your ability to create effective lesson plans on a given topic. Your state may not require all of these tests for certification.
Visit the Educational Testing Services (ETS) website for information on the content of the test you are taking. ETS provides free study guides and sample tests for each Praxis exam, complete with answer keys, model essays and explanations for why some essays received higher scores than others. In particular, look at the Test at a Glance page for the test you will take, as it will give you the most detailed breakdown of what to expect in terms of test format and content.
Review textbooks from any education classes or professional development seminars you have taken to shore up your knowledge of educational techniques and vocabulary, particularly if you are taking a pedagogy, teaching foundations or special education test. This will not only help you to use educational vocabulary correctly in your responses but will also help you recognize the words used in test questions. If you are taking a pedagogy test, focus on lesson planning techniques, including differentiation and the use of multiple learning styles. If you are taking a teaching foundations test, emphasize educational theory. If you are taking a special education test, study special education law and human development theory as well as how to craft lesson plans for students with special needs.
Study the content area which you will teach. Review the textbooks your students use, if you are currently teaching, and borrow high school or college level textbooks on the subject from another school or a library. Look over any of your college textbooks on your content area that you still own. Ask a friend or colleague to help you study. If you aren't the only teacher or education major in your school who still needs to take the Praxis, your peers may be just as enthusiastic about the idea of a study partner as you.
Write practice essays if you are taking a test with a constructed response section. Write answers to the questions on the practice tests before checking the sample answers and compare your responses. Talk about your answers with other people, as explaining them aloud may help you to clarify the ideas in your mind. For the pedagogy tests, look over the textbooks you teach or a textbook from the grade level you intend to teach and practice writing essays about some of the sections in the textbook. If you are taking the English Language, Literature, and Composition: Pedagogy test, write your responses for at least ten of the novels on the sample list so you will be prepared if any one of those ten novels appears on the actual exam.