Customer Reviews

Praxis Reading Specialist

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book in no way prepares you for the test. The information in the book had no relevance to the exam questions -- even the format of the Praxis listed in the book is incorrect. The practice test in the book was nothing like the real exam (supposedly, this book was published in Summer 2005 so you would think it would have been a valuable resource).

It was riddled with typos which should be embarrasing for a "Reading Specialist" preparation book. That should have been the first clue that this book was useless.

The answers/explanations to the practice test were extremely condescending and inflammatory.

A total waste of time and money!

This book is full of errors and typos which should indicate something about the level of help it was in preparation for the Praxis. As someone who decided to take the test to add to my certifications, I bought this book to help myself prepare. It was poorly structured, contained errors that my 3rd grade child could have corrected, and did not contain solid statistical and pedagogical information that was useful in my preparation. It does assist you with learning basic phonics skills, but other than that, it's useless. It's sample questions for the sample 125 question test looked NOTHING like the praxis test and contained very little of the same information. The book states that it has explanations for answers in the sample test but those explanations sound like "Any logical person would know that answer." (I'm not kidding). So please, rather than waste your money on this book, consult your local college professor and get the latest materials on teaching reading. This book is a step in the wrong direction.

This book was absolutely useless. Aside from the many typographical errors, and the condescending tone in the practice test answer explanations, this book in no way expressed anything even close to what the test was like, or about. Test takers would be much better off using their Reading Class text books. This book does not portray the test, and will not help prepare for the test.

I feel this was the worst possible resource and I am disgusted that I wasted valuable time reviewing its content. The author is clearly unaware of any of the current topics covered on the exam because there was not ONE question that I could answer based on her book. It was disorganized and full of blatant errors both in her use of grammar and in her incorrect answers to her own "practice test" questions. I think that Rose Reissman (the author)must be laughing her way to the bank! It makes me ill to think that she is leading people to believe that this will help them pass the Praxis.

I think it is unethical for XAM to publish this book. They are lying to customers that this will help you with the Reading Specialist test. It is fraud, pure and simple. I wish I had read the reviews before being suckered into buying this book. There is so much need for a well-written test prep book in this area. This book is definately not it!

Sigh...I can understand both the positive and the negative reviews. I got this book the first time I tried to pass this test, and it didn't help. I got another book and tried to do the test again using the second book I purchased (stay with me here). Ironically, this book would have been a better study guide for the second test I took. My conclusions? Get (and study) more than one study guide until Praxis gets the test a little more consistent. Good luck to all taking this test - Reading Specialists are needed, and bless you for being a teacher!!

I was amazed to find the reviews listed. I felt completely the opposite. Although I am not taking the certification exam and have no idea what that exam is about, the information relating to the teaching of reading and literacy are right on the mark. In my opinion, if that exam does not relate to the book, there is a problem with the exam.
I have been a school librarian for over 20 years. Prior to that time, I was an elementary school teacher. My parents were teachers and "dinner talk" was about education. Teaching has been my whole life. I have already implemented some of the ideas
the author has suggested, not only in my presentations of the stories (emphasis on phonetic oral expression) but in the writing of my stories for children. I am only half way through the book at the present time and look forward to completing it.