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Praxis tests in Physical Education are designed to measure a prospective teacher’s knowledge of health and fitness in the context of physical education, from the elementary level to the senior high school level. The exam serves to ensure that would-be PE teachers have the knowledge and the competencies necessary to teach physical education effectively.
The Physical Education Praxis exams, which are provided by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), are used for evaluating prospective and current physical education teachers throughout the United States. Just a few of the states that currently use the Praxis II: Physical Education exams include Alabama, Arkansas, Wyoming, Georgia, Nebraska, New Jersey, Iowa, Hawaii, Alaska, Connecticut, and Colorado.
Praxis II Physical Education Exam Components
The three tests that comprise the Praxis Physical Education examinations include:
- Content Knowledge
- Movement Form – Analysis and Design
- Content and Design
The Physical Education Content Knowledge exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions that are broken down as follows:
- Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development: 30 percent
- Management, Motivation, and Communication: 25 percent
- Planning, Instruction, and Student Assessment: 25 percent
- Collaboration, Reflection, and Technology: 20 percent
The Physical Education, Movement Forms – Analysis and Design exam consists of two questions in a multi-part constructed response format that is broken down as follows:
- Designing Activities for Achievement of Objectives or Skill Mastery: 50 percent
- Assessing Fitness and Designing Routines to Achieve Goals: 50 percent
The Physical Education Content and Design exam consists of 90 questions that are broken down as follows:
- Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development: 23 percent
- Management, Motivation, and Communication: 19 percent
- Planning, Instruction, and Student Assessment: 19 percent
- Collaboration, Reflection, and Technology: 14 percent
- Instructional Design: 25 percent
Content Knowledge
The Content Knowledge test consists of the following topics:
- Fitness
- Fundamental movements
- Sports
- Areas in the natural and social sciences
- Crucial topics in health and safety
The two constructed-response questions within the examination are designed to measure an individual’s ability to design fitness and skill activities in a physical education setting.
Passing the exam indicates that candidates are qualified to understand and apply the activities of a physical education curriculum, to evaluate and interpret the physical characteristics and performance of students in a physical education program, and make decisions about the needs of students and their conduct in physical education classes.
Questions in the Content Knowledge examination cover essential facts, including physical education terms and the placement of content elements.
The topics covered include:
- Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development
- Core concepts (exercise physiology, anatomy and physiology, principles of biomechanics and kinesiology, etc.)
- Student growth and development (developmental readiness to learn and refine motor skills and movement patterns, perception in motor development, etc.)
- Management, motivation, and communication (motivation to participate in physical activity, development of an effective behavior management plan, etc.)
- Planning, instruction, and student assessment (sequencing of motor skill activities, activities designed to improve health-related and skill-related fitness, etc.)
- Collaboration, reflection, and technology (integration of knowledge and skills from multiple areas in physical education, promotion of opportunities for physical activity in the school and community, etc.)
Movement Forms – Analysis and Design
The Movement Forms – Analysis and Design exam in Physical Education assesses an individual’s ability to select activities for specific purposes, make decisions about the needs of their students, and provide an explanation for making these selections and decisions. This exam, which is designed for grades K-12, covers the following areas:
- Knowledge of fitness
- Fundamental movements
- Sports in physical education classes
- Knowledge of the foundations for teaching physical education activities
- Knowledge of topics in health and safety
There are two questions that comprise this examination, both of which deal with health-related fitness, the ability to analyze movements in skill performance, and the selection of movement activities that allow children to teach specific goals in physical education.
To successfully pass this examination, test takers must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the components of movement forms and how they shape the design of these activities.
The examination questions will require test takers to describe the characteristics of movement forms and design the appropriate movement routines to achieve physical education goals. This will involve providing relevant information on current topics related to physical activity, health and safety.
Question content also includes concepts related to motor skill performance and fitness, including:
- Movement forms
- Fundamental movements
- Fitness
Content and Design
Like the Content Knowledge examination, the Content and Design includes the following topics:
- Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development
- Core concepts (exercise physiology, anatomy and physiology, principles of biomechanics and kinesiology, etc.)
- Student growth and development (developmental readiness to learn and refine motor skills and movement patterns, perception in motor development, etc.)
- Management, motivation, and communication (motivation to participate in physical activity, development of an effective behavior management plan, etc.)
- Planning, instruction, and student assessment (sequencing of motor skill activities, activities designed to improve health-related and skill-related fitness, etc.)
- Collaboration, reflection, and technology (integration of knowledge and skills from multiple areas in physical education, promotion of opportunities for physical activity in the school and community, etc.)
However, it also includes an assessment on Instructional Design, which includes two constructive response questions:
- Fitness instruction: Understanding the different types of fitness, using developmentally appropriate activities to increase fitness levels, designing activities that improvement health-related and skill-related fitness in students, etc.
- Skill instruction: Using movement concepts and developmentally appropriate strategies for improving skill development, sequencing motor skill activities in a developmentally appropriate manner, etc.
How to Prepare to Take the Praxis II: Physical Education Exam
To understand what to expect when taking the Praxis II exams in Physical Education, candidates often look to the Praxis study guides, which are available as free resources from EST. These study guides include sample study questions, which allow individuals to familiarize themselves with the structure of the exams.
Individuals may further prepare to take the Praxis II exams by understanding their state requirements, determine if they prefer taking the examination via a paper test or a computer test, and by checking upcoming testing dates and nearby testing centers. All related information can be found on the EST website. Candidates can use their online registration to complete the process of signing up on the website.
Candidates may be best prepared by reading the appropriate Praxis II physical education study guide and by reviewing the coursework materials from their bachelor’s or master’s degree program.