Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) : Best Study Resources

So you’re taking the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) exam and you’re asking some of the following questions:

Where do I find a free practice test?
An exam breakdown?
How do I register for the test?

Those are all great questions, and you’ve found the right place to get them answered!

My name is Aubrey Trapp, and at Best in Class we are here to help you get familiar with everything you need to know about the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) exam.

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Video Overviews

The following videos from 240 Tutoring will help you start preparing for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content exam.

First Thing to Know

Praxis® is the name for a series of tests administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The Praxis® tests measure both general academic skills and subject-specific knowledge required for teaching. Different states may have different Praxis® testing requirements. You can check the teaching licensure requirements in your state on the ETS website.

The Praxis® English Language Arts: Content exam is used to assess whether prospective secondary ELA teachers have the required content knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful in the classroom.

The identification number for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge is 5038. This is just a unique ID number for this Praxis® exam. It is often easier to refer to the test by number, rather than writing out the full name. Other Praxis® exams also have a unique 4-digit number.

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Exam Breakdown

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge is made up of 130 selected-response questions that are divided into three content categories, listed below. This means you must pass each content category to pass the entire Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) exam.

You will have two hours and 30 minutes to complete the full exam.

What is a Passing Score

You need to score a 167 to pass the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge in most states. More details on state-specific requirements are listed on the Praxis® State Requirements page.

Praxis® exams use a scaled scoring system, which means that the scores are standardized to account for variations between different test forms. The scaled score is calculated from the total number of correctly answered selected-response questions.

How to Register for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Exam

New to Teaching?

If you are just starting out, you will need to complete a certification program before registering for the Praxis®. Each state has its own certification process and Praxis® test requirements.

You can look at the Praxis® State Requirements page on the ETS website to learn more about the specific requirements for different states. Just click on a link for any state for important information about getting started and some common FAQs.

After completing the certification program, you can register for any Praxis® exam through the ETS Praxis® online registration page. Follow these basic steps:

Create an account by clicking the blue button in the “New User” section.
Fill in your information for the required fields. Including your social security number in the registration is optional, but we recommend adding it too. Some states require a social security number during registration, and it can be difficult to add later.
Log in to your new account and navigate to the home page. Click the “Register for a Praxis® test” link in the upper-left-hand corner.
You can now complete and submit optional information about your experience and education. Answering these questions could be required for registration in your state.
Select your state and agency from the drop-down lists. Then respond to the remaining prompts to select your test administration.
Almost finished! Choose your score recipients.
Pay for the test.
Print and save your test ticket for test day. A hard copy of the test ticket is not required at all testing centers, but it’s useful to have it with you just in case.

Already Certified?

If you are already certified as a teacher in your state, then the registration process is pretty simple.

Log into your ETS account using your ETS username and password. If you forgot how to log in, just use the “Forgot User Name” or “Forgot Password” links to reset your information.
Navigate to the home page. Click the “Register for a Praxis® test” link in the upper-left-hand corner.
Review your personal information and update any changes.
Select your state and agency from the drop-down lists. Then respond to the remaining prompts to select your test administration.
Almost finished! Choose your score recipients.
Pay for the test.
Print and save your test ticket for test day. A hard copy of the test ticket is not required at all testing centers, but it’s useful to have it with you just in case.

And you’re all set! Once you pass the exam and meet any other state testing requirements, you are qualified to teach secondary level English Language Arts!

Hooray!

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) Free Practice Test

Are you preparing to take the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038)? Are you worried about passing or wondering if you’re ready for the exam?

Finding good study materials can be difficult, but we’re here to help.

We can help you find the absolute best practice tests for Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge exam.

Best Free Practice Test

240 Tutoring’s Diagnostic Practice Test

240 Tutoring has been helping teachers pass their exams since 2011. They offer an online, completely free practice test for Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge. Each practice test will give you a free score breakdown, so you can see exactly what you need to study.

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) Paid Practice Test

Best Paid Practice Test

240 Tutoring’s Online Study Guide and Practice Test

240 Tutoring also offers a full study guide. Their Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) includes more than 500 questions and 98 pages of content.

So while it is a paid practice test, 240 Tutoring subscribers actually get much more than just a test. For just $39.99 per month, subscribers gain access to all of the 240 Tutoring Praxis® study guides.

Another great benefit is that the study guide comes with a money-back guarantee that you will pass the test.

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) Study Guide

Runner-Up for Practice Test

The Praxis® (5038) Study Companion

The ETS website has a full-length study companion for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge exam. Praxis® study companions from ETS have reliable and current information, because the sample questions come from the test makers themselves. This resource is most useful for learning about the test and getting a broad overview of the types of questions that could be asked.

However, the study companion only rates as runner-up because it has some limitations. It includes only 32 questions, which is a small subset of the full 130 you will need to answer on the real exam. You won’t be able to practice pacing or get experience with the full range of question types by relying on this material alone.

Praxis® Study Companion English Language Arts: Content Knowledge

Honorable Mention

Mometrix Praxis® II (5038) Practice Test

Mometrix’s practice test for Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge gets an honorable mention because it’s a free resource, but it’s not as easy to use as our first- and second-place winners. There is some basic information about the exam included on the main page, and then you start the practice test by clicking a large green button. Unfortunately the Mometrix practice exam only asks 10 questions at a time, which is not very effective for serious preparation. There’s also no indication of which questions belong to which content areas. This can make it difficult to know what you should spend more time studying.

Mometrix Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) Free Study Guide

Two of the most common questions that test takers ask before test day are “Am I ready?” and “Will I pass?” If you feel unsure or you just want to be extra confident for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge exam, then follow along!

We’ve reviewed the absolute best study guides for the Praxis® (5038). These resources focus on the specific knowledge and skills that you need to smash this test.

Best Free Study Guide

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Ultimate Guide

240 Tutoring’s Ultimate Guide for Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge includes important information about the test and practice questions all in one free and easy-to-use resource.

The Ultimate Guide is structured in sections that focus first on quick facts about the test and then go into more depth in each of the three content categories. The information is well organized in tables and embedded example questions that will help you maximize your studying efficiency. My favorite section is the list of things that test takers wish they’d known about the test before taking it because it makes me feel like I’m getting insider information on what to expect for test day.

This guide is a great starting point to get a feel for the test, and it is a really motivating resource to keep working toward the ultimate goal of passing the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge.

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Ultimate Guide

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) Paid Study Guide

Best Paid Study Guide

240 Tutoring’s Online Study Guide

In addition to the Best Practice Test and Best Free Study Guide, 240 Tutoring also offers a full study guide. The Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) includes more than 500 questions and 98 pages of content.

240 Tutoring really wants you to succeed on your teacher exams. They even have a money-back guarantee that you will pass the test after using the online study guide.

How does the study guide work? 240 Tutoring is a monthly subscription, so you can keep using the study guide for as little or as much time as you need. For just $39.99 per month you get unlimited access to comprehensive guides and a huge collection of practice questions with thoughtful explanations that actually help you improve your score.

240 Tutoring Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038)

Runner-Up for Study Guide

The Praxis® Study Companion

The ETS website offers a free study companion for the Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge exam. This guide will undoubtedly have accurate and up-to-date information, since it is made by the same company that’s responsible for the exam. It also offers some good test-taking tips and explains the types of questions you might see on the exam. If you feel confident about your current knowledge and you just want a detailed list of what is included on the exam, this guide might be great for you. However, if you’re not sure how well you understand the material, you’ll likely need more than this study companion.

English Language Arts: Content Knowledge Study Companion

Honorable Mention

Study.com

Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of free high-quality study guides for Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge. But we don’t want to leave you hanging, so we’re also giving an honorable mention to this paid guide from Study.com.

The Study.com guide includes access to video lessons, practice questions, and flash cards, all relating to Praxis® (5038). With 29 chapters and a whopping 180 video lessons, getting through this material is not for the faint of heart. According to the course summary, new users can try the comprehensive study tool risk-free for 30 days.

Study.com Master the Praxis®

About the Author

Aubrey Trapp

Aubrey is a graduate student studying chemical contaminants in marine food webs. She is interested in all things science-y and aims to improve scientific communication by making concepts accessible and fun for interdisciplinary audiences. Aubrey loves to swim, and she once visited all 34 public pools in her Texas hometown in one day.

Content Categories	Percentage of Exam	Number of Questions*
Reading	38%	49
Language Use and Vocabulary	25%	33
Writing, Speaking, and Listening	37%	48

Praxis® English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038): Best Study Resources