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Teacher Certification · 5343

Praxis Audiology Practice Test

Praxis Audiology (5343) practice focuses on clinical hearing assessment, interpretation of test findings, amplification, and patient care. The question bank includes tasks involving otoscopy, middle-ear measures, speech testing, otoacoustic emissions, hearing-aid fitting, cochlear implants, and communication with patients. These topics connect measurement results to practical decisions in audiologic care.

Exam overview

Exam providerETS Praxis
Exam code5343
CategoryTeacher Certification

About the Praxis Audiology Exam

Audiologic assessment requires selecting and interpreting measures in context. Questions may ask what speech-recognition scores or speech-recognition thresholds indicate, how tympanometry estimates middle-ear pressure, and what absent otoacoustic emissions suggest when other findings are normal. Clinical judgment also includes recognizing ear-canal findings that warrant further evaluation before inserting an earphone and checking a hearing aid for feedback when a patient reports whistling. Amplification topics include the role of an external cochlear-implant speech processor, ways to assess daily hearing-aid use, and verification of pediatric fittings against prescriptive targets. Patient counseling is another practical skill: clear communication can help people understand recommendations and follow through. Use these connections to practice interpreting evidence, choosing an appropriate next step, and distinguishing what each test or device measure can and cannot tell you.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

A patient has normal otoscopy and normal middle-ear function, but otoacoustic emissions are absent. Which interpretation is most appropriate?

  1. AThe finding may reflect dysfunction of outer hair cells in the cochlea, though emissions alone do not establish a complete diagnosis.
  2. BThe finding confirms a conductive hearing loss.
  3. CThe finding proves that auditory nerve function is absent.
  4. DThe finding establishes the patient's behavioral hearing thresholds.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Otoacoustic emissions arise from cochlear outer hair-cell activity and depend on sound transmission through the middle ear. Absent emissions can be associated with cochlear dysfunction, but must be interpreted with other test results and clinical findings.

Question 2

When performing otoscopy, which finding should prompt the clinician to defer inserting an earphone until the ear is further evaluated?

  1. AA clear view of an intact tympanic membrane
  2. BA small amount of nonobstructive cerumen
  3. CActive drainage in the ear canal
  4. DA normally shaped pinna
Show answerCorrect answer: C

Active drainage may indicate an ear condition requiring further assessment, and placing an earphone could cause discomfort or interfere with care. The clinician should follow appropriate referral and safety procedures.

Question 3

When counseling a patient with hearing loss, which communication practice best supports understanding and follow-through?

  1. AUse clear language, check understanding, and invite the patient’s questions
  2. BProvide all recommendations only in technical terminology
  3. CAvoid discussing the patient’s priorities to keep the appointment brief
  4. DAssume agreement if the patient does not interrupt
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Clear explanations, opportunities for questions, and checks of understanding support informed participation and shared planning. Technical language without clarification and assumptions about agreement can undermine understanding.

Question 4

What does a speech-recognition score obtained using a recorded word list primarily describe?

  1. AThe proportion of presented words the listener repeats correctly under the test conditions
  2. BThe softest pure tone the listener detects at each frequency
  3. CThe pressure at which the middle ear reaches peak admittance
  4. DThe time required for a sound to travel through the cochlea
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A speech-recognition score summarizes the percentage of test words repeated correctly under specified presentation and scoring conditions. Interpretation depends on factors such as word-list method, presentation level, and the broader audiologic findings.

Question 5

What is a principal function of a cochlear implant's external speech processor?

  1. ATo convert incoming sound into coded signals that are transmitted to the implanted system.
  2. BTo restore normal movement of the middle-ear ossicles.
  3. CTo amplify sound mechanically at the tympanic membrane without electrical stimulation.
  4. DTo measure the patient's ear-canal volume during daily use.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

The external speech processor captures and analyzes sound, then encodes information for transmission to the implanted components, which deliver electrical stimulation to the auditory system.

Question 6

Which instruction is most appropriate before measuring a patient's speech-recognition threshold?

  1. AAsk the patient to repeat familiar two-syllable spondee words
  2. BAsk the patient to identify the direction of brief tones
  3. CAsk the patient to repeat sentences presented in background noise
  4. DAsk the patient to signal whenever a tone is heard
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Speech-recognition threshold is commonly measured with spondee words, which have relatively equal stress on both syllables. The other tasks assess different auditory abilities or procedures.

Question 7

Which measure is most appropriate for tracking whether a patient is using a hearing aid consistently in daily life?

  1. AData-logged hours of device use
  2. BThe patient's unaided pure-tone average alone
  3. CA single tympanometric peak-pressure value
  4. DThe number of programs stored in the hearing aid
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Many hearing aids record accumulated use time, providing an objective estimate of daily wear. Unaided thresholds, tympanometry, and program count do not directly measure how consistently the device is worn.

How to use this practice test

Access is free. A session presents up to 20 random questions from the 50-question bank, then shows your results. Review missed items by identifying the relevant test, finding, or clinical decision; use that distinction to guide a focused review of audiologic assessment and patient-care concepts.

Preparation tips

  • For each assessment measure, state what it evaluates: distinguish tympanometric middle-ear pressure, speech-recognition scores, speech-recognition thresholds, and otoacoustic emissions.
  • Practice linking findings across tests. Consider how normal otoscopy and middle-ear function affect interpretation of absent otoacoustic emissions.
  • Review safe assessment decisions, including when an ear-canal finding calls for further evaluation before earphone placement.
  • Compare hearing-aid troubleshooting with outcome monitoring: distinguish an initial feedback check from measures of consistent daily use.
  • For pediatric amplification, practice explaining how verification against prescriptive targets supports an appropriate fitting.
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