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Suggestions for Preparing for the TExES in English
Read and Study English Teacher
Certification Exams in Texas, by Beatrice Mendez Newman, 2006,
Publisher Allyn & Bacon
What you should be familiar with in the discipline
of English and the Language Arts.
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·
Basic literary
and rhetorical terminology (i.e. theme, symbolism, imagery, voice,
characterization, tone, mood, point-of-view, metaphor, genre.) A good handbook
of terms or the glossary/instruction in a good literature anthology should be
sufficient. (See note below.)
·
·
Major literary
movements, classifications, and genres, as well as basic knowledge of the
history and development of the English language
NOTE: If your English classes have not already
provided you with the background reflected in the first two bullets (above),
you may need to do some brushing up.
Probably the best way is a good literary handbook, such as Thrall,
Hibbard, and Holman. The problem there,
though, is that there’s much more than you need. An alternative is to consult one or more of the several websites
which provide such background. Below
are some examples. For a fuller discussion of the sites and the issues, go to
link button on Dr Hanson’s website homepage (www.shsu.edu/~mah011).
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jlynch/Terms/Temp/
http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/glossary/index.htm
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/resources/shakespeare/Literary.Terms.Menu.html
http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/vclass/terms.htm
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The domains and
competencies of the TExES (see preparation guide)
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Student-centered
approaches to teaching writing (“writing-as-process” pedagogy)
·
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Interactive
approaches to teaching literature (“reader response” pedagogy)
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Basic reading
theory, and familiarity with testing and assessment (especially “authentic assessment”)
and other disciplines of the language arts (especially oral language and media
studies)
Understand
that this is a tough exam. Be scared
of it, but know that, with good preparation, you can expect to do well. You can not expect just to walk in and pass
this exam without preparing for it, even if your background in English is
excellent. Note: If at all possible, you should avoid taking
another exam on the same day at the
(5-hour) English exam.
Regard
the TExES Preparation Guide as your Bible for this exam. If you do not have a printed copy, download it from the web and
print it out. (It is about 80 pages.)
You can access the guide at the following web page: http://www.excet.nesinc.com/,
or the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) website. There is also a link to it on Dr. Hanson’s
website homepage. Other information
regarding test dates, etc. is available at the SBEC (State Board for Educator
Certification) site: http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/
Know
the domains and competencies well. There are
other components of the preparation guide you need to be familiar with, but you
need to know the competencies very well.
Be aware that each question tests the knowledge of a specific
competency. Study the
competencies. If you find yourself not
understanding the concept or terms in a certain one, you need to extend your
study in that area. A good
cross-reference would be the State of
Understand
that you have time to spend on each question. This is not the GRE or the SAT, in which time is factored into the
testing framework. You don’t have
unlimited time, but you must approach each question deliberately. You will not encounter many questions for
which the answer leaps out at you.
Work
through the sample questions in the preparation guide and then take the
practice test. First, go through the sample
questions (and the rationale provided) very meticulously. When you think you are fairly ready for the
big test, take the practice test. Don’t
do this too early. Wait until a time
when you feel fairly well prepared, but one that is early enough that you have
time to do more preparation (in case your results aren’t promising). Also, take the official pre-test, which I
will announce the dates for.
Construct
a strategy for approaching the different types of questions. The preparation guide gives you specific advice on how to do
this. Different types of questions may
occasion different approaches.
Know
just exactly what you’re producing and what it counts. The written section is worth 20%. The suggested time for it is 60 to 90 minutes. You have to produce a reasonable amount of
writing. They give you four pages. Fill as much as you can (but only if you
have something to say). Write a
practice essay and send it to me for critique and preliminary scoring.
Understand
what holistic scoring is and how it works.
Study the “score point descriptions.”
The written response is scored on a 4-point scale.
Besides
doing a solid, concrete analysis, make sure you produce the best writing you
can. This is “on-demand” writing, graded
holistically, which means that your written response can have some
mistakes. Still, effectiveness of your
written composition is an important factor. Make this your best writing.
Advice for on or near the
testing date.
·
·
Don’t cram, unless you are reviewing literary/rhetorical terms.
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Get plenty of sleep the night before.
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Take plenty of sharp pencils.
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Wear comfortable clothing.
A final note. If you need advice at any time during your preparation, get in touch with me, either by phone or
e-mail.
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