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5383 Praxis Study Guide

Unofficial practice questions for Praxis Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities, each with its source.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with ETS (Educational Testing Service). Bank checked October 14, 2026.

Next step Praxis special education (5355)MTTC Learning Disabilities

All 45 questions with answers

Development and characteristics 8

  • A screening task times how fast a child can name aloud a page of familiar colors, letters or digits. What is the task called, and why do schools use it? Answer: Rapid automatized naming; it predicts later reading ability. Source: Wikipedia, Rapid automatized naming, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), A. Human Development and Behavior, topic 6.
  • A student cannot plan the steps of a long project, keep track of them or change course when the plan fails. Which set of cognitive processes is weak? Answer: Executive functions. Source: Wikipedia, Executive functions, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), B. Theoretical Approaches to Learning and Motivation, topic 3.
  • After years of failure in reading a student says, "I can't do this, so why try?" Which belief, in Albert Bandura's term, has been damaged? Answer: Self-efficacy. Source: Wikipedia, Self-efficacy, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), B. Theoretical Approaches to Learning and Motivation, topic 2.
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Development and characteristics, continued

  • Among students who receive services under IDEA, which disability category is the most common, by the federal Condition of Education report? Answer: Specific learning disabilities. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Condition of Education: Students With Disabilities. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), A. Human Development and Behavior, topic 5.
  • What does the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development say about learning disabilities and intelligence? Answer: Having a learning disability is not related to intelligence. Source: NICHD, Learning Disabilities. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), A. Human Development and Behavior, topic 2.
  • What have critics found about matching instruction to each student's preferred "learning style"? Answer: There is little evidence that most learning style models work. Source: Wikipedia, Learning styles, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), B. Theoretical Approaches to Learning and Motivation, topic 1.
  • Which of these does the IDEA definition of a specific learning disability name among the conditions it includes? Answer: Dyslexia. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.8(c)(10)(i) and (ii). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), A. Human Development and Behavior, topic 2.
  • Which statement about learning disabilities does the NICHD support? Answer: A person can have more than one, and they can last a lifetime. Source: NICHD, About Learning Disabilities. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, I. Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities (17%), A. Human Development and Behavior, topic 3.

Planning and the learning environment 12

  • A State adopts NIMAS under 34 CFR 300.172. For whom does that standard make instructional materials available in accessible formats? Answer: Blind persons and other persons with print disabilities. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.172. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 2.
  • A teacher gives three reading groups different texts on the same topic, each matched to the group, and varies the tools the groups work with. What is this approach called? Answer: Differentiated instruction. Source: Wikipedia, Differentiated instruction, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 3.
  • A teacher models a paragraph, then writes one with the class, then hands out a sentence frame, and takes each support away as students succeed. What is this tailored support called? Answer: Instructional scaffolding. Source: Wikipedia, Instructional scaffolding, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 3.
  • An IEP was written last October. What is the longest the IEP Team may wait before it reviews that IEP? Answer: One year, because reviews are at least annual. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.324(b)(1)(i). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 7.
  • At the end of a unit on the planets, each student may hand in a report, give a short talk or make a poster to show what he knows. Which principle of Universal Design for Learning is this? Answer: Multiple means of expression. Source: Wikipedia, Universal Design for Learning, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 3.
  • Cooperative learning has been described as structuring what among the students in a group? Answer: Positive interdependence. Source: Wikipedia, Cooperative learning, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), B. Managing the Learning Environment, topic 2.
  • Each member of a home group studies a different part of a topic and then teaches it to the others, so the group needs every member. Which technique is this? Answer: The jigsaw technique. Source: Wikipedia, Jigsaw (teaching technique), lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), B. Managing the Learning Environment, topic 1.
  • In a co-taught class the room is set up as teaching centers. Each of the two teachers runs one center with her share of the content, and students work alone at the others. Which co-teaching model is this? Answer: Station teaching. Source: Wikipedia, Co-teaching, Models. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), B. Managing the Learning Environment, topic 1.
  • Under 34 CFR 300.323(d), who must be able to get to a child's IEP? Answer: Each teacher and service provider responsible for carrying it out. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.323(d)(1). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), B. Managing the Learning Environment, topic 2.
  • What must an IEP state about State and districtwide assessments? Answer: Any individual accommodations the child needs on them. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.320(a)(6)(i). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 4.
  • Which of these must an IEP Team consider in developing every child's IEP? Answer: The parents' concerns for enhancing their child's education. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.324(a)(1). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 7.
  • Which principle of Universal Design for Learning is about tapping into learners' interests, challenging them appropriately and motivating them to learn? Answer: Multiple means of engagement. Source: Wikipedia, Universal Design for Learning, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, II. Planning and Managing the Learning Environment (26%), A. Curriculum Development, topic 1.

Instruction 12

  • A first grader who has been taught eight letter-sound pairs is given a booklet whose words use only those pairs. What kind of text is this? Answer: Decodable text. Source: Wikipedia, Decodable text, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 10.
  • A student meets the word "arid" in the sentence "The arid land, dry and cracked, grew nothing." She uses "dry and cracked" to work out its meaning. What did she use? Answer: Context clues. Source: Wikipedia, Context clue, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 11.
  • A student who knows that "port" carries the sense of "carry" works out "transport", "portable" and "export". Which part of a word is "port"? Answer: The root. Source: Wikipedia, Root (linguistics), lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 11.
  • A student with a writing disability lists ideas and draws a cluster map before starting a draft. Which stage of the writing process is this? Answer: Prewriting. Source: Wikipedia, Prewriting, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 15.
  • A student's paragraphs wander. His teacher has him begin each one with a sentence that sums up the paragraph's main idea. What is that sentence called? Answer: A topic sentence. Source: Wikipedia, Topic sentence, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 12.
  • A teacher masks every seventh word of a passage and asks students to fill in the gaps. What is this exercise called? Answer: A cloze test. Source: Wikipedia, Cloze test, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 10.
  • Before an essay is written, a teacher hands out a table that lists the criteria and describes what each level of quality looks like. What is this tool? Answer: A rubric. Source: Wikipedia, Rubric (academic), lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 7.
  • In mathematics education, what sets a word problem apart from other exercises? Answer: Its background information is given in ordinary language. Source: Wikipedia, Word problem (mathematics education), lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 13.
  • In shared reading, what does the teacher do? Answer: Explicitly models the strategies and skills of proficient readers. Source: Wikipedia, Shared reading, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 10.
  • In which part of the writing process does a writer rearrange, add or remove paragraphs, sentences or words? Answer: Revision. Source: Wikipedia, Revision (writing), lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 12.
  • What is guided reading? Answer: Small-group reading instruction with differentiated teaching. Source: Wikipedia, Guided reading, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 10.
  • Which statement describes working memory? Answer: A limited-capacity system that holds information for a short time. Source: Wikipedia, Working memory, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, III. Instruction (28%), topic 6.

Identification and eligibility 5

  • A member of the eligibility group disagrees with the written report on a suspected specific learning disability. What does 34 CFR 300.311 have her do? Answer: Submit a separate statement of her own conclusions. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.311(b). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, IV. Identification, Eligibility, and Placement (12%), topic 8.
  • A test report gives a score as a stanine. What scale is that? Answer: A nine-point scale with a mean of five. Source: Wikipedia, Stanine, lead. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, IV. Identification, Eligibility, and Placement (12%), topic 1.
  • Coordinated early intervening services under 34 CFR 300.226 are for which students? Answer: Students not yet identified for special education who need extra support. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.226(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, IV. Identification, Eligibility, and Placement (12%), topic 7.
  • The team that decides whether a child has a specific learning disability must include the parents, the child's regular teacher and at least one person qualified to do what? Answer: Conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.308(b). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, IV. Identification, Eligibility, and Placement (12%), topic 3.
  • To rule out a lack of appropriate instruction, the group considers data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement. To whom must that documentation have been provided? Answer: The child's parents. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.309(b)(2). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, IV. Identification, Eligibility, and Placement (12%), topic 4.

Foundations and legal rights 8

  • A parent asks to inspect and review her son's education records before an IEP meeting. What is the outside limit for the agency to comply? Answer: 45 days after the request. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.613(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.
  • A school district receives notice of a parent's due process complaint. Within how many days must it convene a resolution meeting? Answer: 15 days. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.510(a)(1). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.
  • A State may provide that IDEA rights transfer when a student reaches the age of majority. Under 34 CFR 300.520, to whom do the parents' rights then pass? Answer: To the student. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.520(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.
  • IDEA is often summed up as six pillars: the IEP, a free appropriate public education, appropriate evaluation, parent and teacher participation, procedural safeguards and one more. Which is the sixth? Answer: The least restrictive environment. Source: Wikipedia, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Six pillars of IDEA. Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), B. Historical and Professional Foundations, topic 3.
  • In an ordinary school year, how often must a school give parents a copy of the procedural safeguards notice? Answer: One time a school year, plus certain named occasions. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.504(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.
  • Under the Section 504 regulations, to whom must a school district that receives federal funds provide a free appropriate public education? Answer: Each qualified person with a disability in its jurisdiction, whatever the nature or severity. Source: 34 CFR Part 104 (Section 504 regulations), section 104.33(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 1.
  • Which statement about mediation under IDEA is true? Answer: It is voluntary on the part of the parties. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.506(b)(1). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.
  • While a due process proceeding is pending, and unless the agency and the parents agree otherwise, where does the child stay? Answer: In his or her current educational placement. Source: 34 CFR Part 300 (IDEA Part B regulations), section 300.518(a). Outline: ETS Study Companion for Praxis 5383, V. Foundations and Professional Responsibilities (17%), A. Educational Rights for Students with Disabilities, topic 3.

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the content topics of the ETS Study Companion for Praxis Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (5383) (https://www.ets.org/pdfs/praxis/5383.pdf, read 2026-10-13; test page https://praxis.ets.org/test/5383.html): Development and Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities 17%, Planning and Managing the Learning Environment 26%, Instruction 28%, Identification, Eligibility, and Placement 12%, Foundations and Professional Responsibilities 17%. The bank holds 8, 12, 12, 5 and 8 questions. Every fact was read between 12 and 14 October 2026 in the public document the question names: the IDEA regulations (34 CFR Part 300) and the Section 504 regulations (34 CFR Part 104) on ecfr.gov; the learning disabilities pages of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (nichd.nih.gov); the Condition of Education indicator Students With Disabilities (National Center for Education Statistics); and Wikipedia articles for the named teaching methods, terms and court case. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

A 5383 Praxis study guide in question form: 45 items of our own on teaching students with learning disabilities, grouped under the five ETS content categories. Unofficial, and not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.

Read the full guide

How the test is weighted

Per the ETS Study Companion (read October 13, 2026), instruction is the biggest category at 28%, then planning and managing the learning environment at 26%. Development and characteristics and foundations are 17% each, and identification, eligibility and placement is 12%. The bank follows with 12, 12, 8, 8 and 5 questions.

Question types

ETS says some questions ask for more than one answer choice or a typed number. This bank keeps to one choice of four.

Checking an answer

Law questions give the section of 34 CFR Part 300 or Part 104 to open. Characteristics questions point to NICHD or NCES, and method questions to a named article.

  • Learn the specific learning disability sections as a set: 300.307 to 300.311 cover the criteria, the group, the observation and the written report.
  • Keep the dispute clock straight: a resolution meeting within 15 days, and records shown within 45 days of a request.

Questions and answers

What does this 5383 Praxis study guide cover?

The federal definition of a specific learning disability, how eligibility teams decide, reading, writing and math methods such as decodable text and prewriting, and parent rights like mediation and stay-put. Explanations name where each answer can be checked.

How many questions are on Praxis 5383?

The ETS test page shows 120 selected-response questions with a time limit of 2 hours. Some of them may not count toward the score, according to the Study Companion.

What is a passing score on Praxis 5383?

There is no single one. States and licensing agencies choose their own qualifying scores for Praxis tests, so the number differs by state. A result on this page is a raw count and carries no pass or fail.

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