Teacher perceptions of a preparatory course for the Praxis Middle School Language Arts test

As school districts seek ways to get teachers licensed in the subjects they teach, tests like the Praxis II Series have become the benchmark for certification in many states. Suddenly, veteran teachers have found their jobs in jeopardy if they do not pass the required Praxis II tests. This qualitative case study examined middle school teachers' attitudes regarding the usefulness of a prep course for the Praxis II Middle School Language Arts (MSLA) test for certification. Data from focus groups and individual interviews were compared and cross-interpreted, using open coding, to seek relationships among the participants' ideas and to expose themes and patterns intended to interpret the perspectives of those being studied. Results of the study revealed two key findings: (a) participants expressed positive attitudes about the usefulness of the prep course, and (b) the participants felt that their participation in the course assisted them in achieving a passing score of the MSLA test. The key social change implication was the importance of improving teachers' content knowledge for teacher competency that will assist teachers in passing the MSLA test, and ultimately, influence student achievement.