Praxis 5038 Content Outline

I. Reading (Literature and Informational Texts) – ~45%

A. Literary Texts

1. Genres
   
   

   • Poetry, drama, prose (fiction, novel, short story, etc.)

   • Epic, satire, tragedy, comedy, romance, allegory, fable, etc.
     
     

2. Literary History
   
   

   • British Literature (Old English, Medieval, Renaissance, Neoclassical, Romantic, Victorian, Modern/Postmodern)

   • American Literature (Colonial, Romanticism/Transcendentalism, Realism, Modernism, Harlem Renaissance, Contemporary)

   • World Literature (ancient epics, non-Western works, translated works, global perspectives)
     
     

3. Major Authors/Movements
   
   

   • Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Austen, Dickens, Joyce, etc

   • Poe, Hawthorne, Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson, Twain, Faulkner, Morrison, etc.

   • Non-Western/global voices (e.g., Achebe, Márquez, Murakami, Tagore, etc.)
     
     

4. Analysis Skills
   
   

   • Theme, symbolism, figurative language, characterization, tone, style

   • Historical/cultural context

   • Close reading and textual evidence
     
     

B. Informational Texts

1. Rhetorical Analysis
   
   

   • Identifying argument, claims, evidence, and reasoning

   • Recognizing bias, purpose, and audience
     
     

2. Genres
   
   

   • Essays, journalism, speeches, political documents, scientific texts
     
     

3. Text Structure
   
   

   • Cause-effect, problem-solution, compare-contrast, chronological order
     
     

4. Critical Reading Skills
   
   

   • Distinguishing fact from opinion

   • Evaluating credibility of sources

   • Interpreting data, charts, and visual rhetoric
     
     

II. Language Use and Vocabulary – ~30%

A. Grammar & Linguistics

1. Parts of Speech
   
   

   • Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction, interjection
     
     

2. Syntax
   
   

   • Sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex)

   • Clauses, phrases, modifiers

   • Sentence boundaries (fragments, run-ons)
     
     

3. Usage & Mechanics
   
   

   • Subject-verb agreement

   • Pronoun-antecedent agreement

   • Verb tense consistency

   • Parallelism

   • Punctuation, capitalization, spelling
     
     

4. History & Structure of English
   
   

   • Old English → Middle English → Modern English

   • Influences of Latin, French, Germanic languages

   • Dialects and regional variations

   • Semantics and morphology
     
     

B. Vocabulary

1. Word Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes

2. Figurative Language

3. Connotation vs. Denotation

4. Context Clues for Meaning
   
   

III. Writing, Speaking, and Listening – ~25%

A. Writing

1. Rhetorical Modes
   
   

   • Narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, argumentative
     
     

2. Writing Process
   
   

   • Brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, publishing
     
     

3. Essay Organization
   
   

   • Thesis development

   • Paragraph unity and coherence

   • Transitions

   • Introductions and conclusions
     
     

4. Research Skills
   
   

   • Citing sources (MLA, APA basics)

   • Avoiding plagiarism

   • Integrating quotations, paraphrases, summaries
     
     

B. Speaking & Listening

1. Rhetorical Strategies
   
   

   • Ethos, pathos, logos

   • Style, diction, tone
     
     

2. Speech Structure
   
   

   • Audience awareness

   • Persuasive techniques

   • Formal vs. informal presentation
     
     

3. Critical Listening
   
   

   • Evaluating arguments in speeches/media

   • Identifying fallacies and propaganda techniques
     
     

IV. Pedagogy and Instructional Knowledge (Embedded Across)

(Not a huge portion, but appears indirectly in questions)

1. Strategies for teaching reading comprehension and vocabulary

2. Methods for engaging students in literature and writing

3. Understanding diverse learners and texts

4. Assessing student writing and oral communication
   
   

✅ Tips for Studying

• Review sample questions from ETS (they mirror the test style).

• Read summaries of major literary works and movements.

• Brush up on grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, punctuation).

• Practice analyzing nonfiction and informational texts for argument structure.

• Revisit rhetorical appeals and fallacies.