Best LET Tips on How to Pass the Licensure Exam for Teachers

For aspiring professionals who want to teach in the Philippine public school system, taking the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) is a must.

If you are planning to take this route in your career and opt to take the LET this year, then you should be thinking about studying as soon as possible. So to guide you in your LET journey, here are a few LET tips that will tell you how to pass the LET.

1. Register as soon as possible

As practical as it seems to register for the exam before anything else, some fresh graduates and other people would rather procrastinate on this since the exams still feel far away. This is a crucial mistake that most examinees make. They end up filing for registration last minute, while some even miss the deadline altogether and don’t even get to take the exams and don’t even get a chance to pass.

To avoid such a circumstance from happening, it is best to get this part out of the way first so that you can focus on studying. Luckily, the online application for the LET has been made way easier by the Professional Regulation Commission’s Licensure Examination & Registration Information System (LERIS).

The application schedule for the LET usually begins 4 months before the schedule of the next exam, and would only last for 2 months.

2. Enroll in a review center and gather your review materials

Although some people have studied alone during their undergraduate studies for the last couple of years, self-review is may not be the safest form of learning on the LET. Adjustable and trustworthy test centers customize their review sessions to allow reviewers to absorb all the information that is needed during the LET.

Review centers do not only have successful review strategies, but also a sense of camaraderie when you and other LET examinees and even college mates learn together.

Other than enrolling in a review center, making sure that you have access to all resources available will maximize the topics you will be studying in the coming months for the exams. Make sure you still have the materials you had during college as they will come extremely valuable during your review sessions. You could also study alongside your friends back in college and collectively gather all the review materials your group will be needing to pass the LET.

3. Create a study plan

Once you have laid out all the materials you will be using throughout your LET journey, be sure to create a study plan that is best suited to your learning capacity and productivity.

You can start by, for example, set aside 4 hours a day studying – like from 2 pm to 6 pm. This will help you to become organized and disciplined with your time that you are setting specific hours dedicated to reviewing for the LET.

According to recent studies, the ideal time to study is before sleeping at night. This is because the information we study during these hours is stored in our long-term memory. Also, it is best to trim down your study hours into 3-4 hours rather than doing a whole day, 6-8 hours study plan. Our brains need to relax every now and then to absorb information better.

You can also further enhance this by plotting what topics you will be studying for certain weeks. You can focus on one topic for one week then move on to another topic the week after.

It is a common mistake to stay on one topic for too long. You may end up neglecting other topics that are just as crucial in the LET. To avoid this, you can plan ahead by plotting which topics you’ll be focusing on for one month and create target goals after each month to ensure that with the time that you have to study for the LET, you have covered all the topics you’ll be needing for the exams.

When you start building your study plan, make sure that you prioritize both the Professional Education subjects, as well as your Area of Specialization. Both subjects have a weight of 40% in the scoring system for the exams. You can study the latter for one week and focus on the former the following week. This will guide you in prioritizing both subjects.

Do not wait until you only have a month left before you start studying. You will only end up cramming, and because of the sheer panic – you may not be able to learn all the topics that you’ll be needing for the LET.

4. Be consistent

Going to a review center, gathering your review materials, and creating a study plan will not mean anything if you don’t become consistent with it. Reviewing for any type of licensure examination will require discipline and sacrifice to remain consistent. This is an important aspect so that you can pass the LET.

Just keep in mind that you only have to sacrifice your hobbies for only a couple of months. You will be very glad that you chose to be consistent once you’ve passed the LET.

5. Study wisely

Studying hard is no longer the ultimate key if you want to pass the LET. What you’ll be needing at this point is not to study hard, but to study wisely. By this, you need to know which learning styles fit you best. Do you learn more by reading, teaching others, or through an audio-visual presentation?

By determining which learning style option suits you best, you are better equipped into understanding what will help you become more productive. Utilize this in your study routine so that you can maximize your learning capacity to absorb more information.

You will not have a more convenient way of learning, but you’ll also get to study and understand more information much faster than you would originally anticipate.

Take this opportunity to also take practice tests and exams which will enhance your test-taking skills. This practice test exercise can help you overcome the anxiety of being face-to-face with the test questions.

6. Take a break

Taking a break is a huge aspect that you should integrate into your LET journey. As much as you need to study wisely and productively, you should also take the time off to rest and take a break.

We cannot run our brains into overdrive which could cause us tremendous stress and anxiety – which could only cost our potential to pass the board exams.

You must enter the exam room with composure and confidence so that you can focus on each item of the exams precisely. The anxiety and distress will not be helpful on the part of the examinee.

Additional LET tips

One of the topnotchers during September 2015 LET, Iah Bantang Seraspi, has shared 10 LET tips that examinees can review to help them how to pass the board exam.

1. Study the rights, laws, and code of conducts of teachers

Practice familiarizing yourself with Republic Act # 7836 or the Professional Teachers Professionalism Act of 1994, Magna Carta, and the Code of Ethics of Teachers.

2. Study the foundations of education

Familiarize yourself with types of questions regarding the historical, sociological, philosophical, and psychological foundations that have shaped education.

3. Study the principles of teaching: classroom management

When it comes to classroom management, study how to manage a class which will most likely be asked through situational analysis. Remember to understand the concepts and be familiar with the terminologies.

4. Study growth and development theories

Have a good understanding of the development theories and the content on how it is applied to situations and scenarios in a classroom setting.

5. Study the types of test and test construction

Study sample questions and tests regarding validity, reliability, and test construction when it comes to assessment.

6. Study curriculum changes and developmental reading

Familiarize yourself with the various changes that were made to the curriculum throughout the years. Do not skip developmental reading as there are many vocabulary words involved.

7. Study science-basic concepts

Study the basic concepts of science and familiarize yourself with terms and definitions for each concept.

8. Study math

Make sure that you can solve math types of questions from geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and fractions.

9. Master English

Make sure that you have mastered figures of speech, subject-verb agreement, as well as correct grammar.

10. Study the Constitution

Lastly, practice your mind by familiarizing yourself with the Constitution, the preamble, and the 18 self-contained articles.

Key Takeaway on LET tips

The LET is one of many board exams that aspiring professionals must take in order to level up in their careers as teachers. However, it isn’t as glamorous as most would think. It entails a lot of discipline and sacrifice in order to attain such an achievement.

But all of the months of studying, anxiety, and stress, will all be worth it once you see your name on the board passers list. By then, you will truly know that all of your hard work has paid off.