Praxis Music: Content and Instruction (5114) Practice Test

The Praxis Music: Content and Instruction exam is designed to measure the knowledge and skills that are essential for entry-level music teachers of general, instrumental, and vocal music.

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Exam Outline Review

The Praxis Music Content and Instruction exam contains 84 selected-response questions and three constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 2 hours.

Test Sections

The exam is split into two sections: a 25-minute listening section and a 95-minute non-listening section.

For the listening section, which contains 22 selected-response questions, you will be given recorded musical excerpts with narration to listen to and subsequently answer a set of related questions. The non-listening section contains the remaining 62 selected-response questions and three constructed-response questions.

Content Categories

The exam is further split into four content categories. The selected-response questions are found in the first three categories, while the fourth category contains only the three constructed-response questions.

I. Music History and Theory (32 questions)

• History of major developments in musical style
• Significant characteristics of important musical styles and historical periods
• The styles of various world musics and their function in their respective cultures of origin
• Music in aural and written forms
• Recognition of harmony, melody, and rhythm
• Basic music theory concepts related to composing, orchestrating, and arranging vocal and instrumental parts
• Variations in musical sounds
• Various sources of printed and electronic information on music history and literature

II. Performance (24 questions)

• Critical listening skills
• Identification of errors
• Interpretation of notation and expressive elements for performance
• Preparing a musical score for rehearsal and performance
• Basic accompaniment techniques
• Instrumental and vocal warm-up techniques
• Instrumental and vocal tuning/intonation techniques
• Concert etiquette for performers and audiences
• Techniques for communicating with an audience in a performance setting
• The practice relationship between performance and acoustics

III. Instruction, Professional Issues, and Technology (28 questions)

• Instructional strategies for different class settings
• Incorporation of local, state, and national standards in instruction
• Classroom management techniques
• Care and maintenance of instruments and materials
• Professional ethics and legal issues specific to teaching music
• Basic administrative responsibilities in a music program
• Current trends and issues in music education
• Desktop music publishing software
• Incorporating technology and instructional software in the classroom
• Appropriate, safe, and ethical uses for music software and internet technologies

IV. Instructional Activities (3 questions)

• Instrumental music instruction
• Vocal music instruction
• General music instruction

Registration

To register for the Praxis Music exam, you will need to create an online ETS account. Once this account is created, you can apply to take the exam.

During the exam registration, you will be asked to select the test-taking format (remote or at a testing center), test location (if you are taking the test at a testing center), and test date. You will also need to pay the $130 exam fee.

Test Day

In-person Testing

On the day of your exam, you should arrive at the testing facility about 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment to allow time for the check-in process. During the check-in process, you will be asked to present two forms of valid identification, one of which must be a photo ID.

Personal items will not be allowed into the testing center, so you will be asked to leave things like your phone, wallet, bags, and food items at home or in your car.

After you have been checked-in and your personal items have been stored, you will be led to the testing area and given a brief overview of the testing system before starting your exam.

Remote Testing

To take the exam remotely, you must use a non-touchscreen laptop or desktop computer, and you must have a working speaker, microphone, and camera hooked up. Before test day, you will need to download and install the ETS Secure Test Browser on your computer, which is what you will use to take the test.

Your environment must be private, with no traffic in and out of your testing area. The area where you take the exam must be clear of all personal items, and you will not be allowed to wear headphones. The proctor will ask you to move the camera around so that your testing area can be observed.

How the Exam is Scored

Your Praxis Music Content and Instruction exam score is calculated using a scaled scoring system that takes your raw score (the number of questions you answered correctly) and turns it into a scaled score from 100 to 300.

The score you need in order to pass the test is different depending on the state you take it in.

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