Study Guide
Field 124: Middle Level English
Test Design and Framework
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The test design below describes general assessment information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.
Test Design
*Does not include 15-minute C B T tutorial
Test Framework
| subareas | range of competencies | approximate percentage of test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| selected-response | |||
| roman numeral 1 | speaking, listening, and viewing | 0001–0003 | 18 percent |
| roman numeral 2 | writing processes and applications | 0004–0008 | 31 percent |
| roman numeral 3 | reading process and comprehension | 0009–0011 | 18 percent |
| roman numeral 4 | language and literature | 0012–0014 | 18 percent |
| this cell intentionally left blank. | 85 percetn | ||
| subareas | range of competencies | approximate percentage of test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| constructed-response | |||
| roman numeral 5 | pedagogical content knowledge | 0015 | 15 percent |
Subarea roman numeral 1–Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
Competency 0001–Apply knowledge of speaking strategies that inform and increase understanding.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Demonstrate understanding of diversity in language use (e.g., dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, gender, and social roles) as it relates to oral expression.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of language acquisition and language-learning processes as they apply to oral expression of English language learners and knowledge that the linguistic and rhetorical patterns of other languages affect the oral expression of diverse learners.
- Evaluate multimedia materials and determine appropriate technological tools and applications for use in an oral presentation.
- Evaluate strategies for effective organization and delivery of formal and informal presentations in relation to given content, audience, purpose, and occasion.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for selecting appropriate textual evidence to support a main idea within a presentation.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for integrating into a presentation visual displays and other multimedia for the purpose of clarifying information and emphasizing salient points.
- Apply knowledge of the roles that nonverbal cues play in communicating a point of view.
Competency 0002–Apply knowledge of strategies for analyzing and evaluating multimodal texts.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for determining the intended purposes of rhetorical techniques used in written, oral, visual, digital, nonverbal, and interactive texts.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for generating interpretive and applied questions to create new understandings of multimodal texts.
- Apply knowledge of the role of critical-thinking skills (e.g., evaluating supporting data, evaluating a speaker's point of view, distinguishing fact from opinion, recognizing bias) in effective listening and viewing.
- Analyze messages, meanings, and themes conveyed through visual texts (e.g., illustrations, political cartoons, photographs, advertisements) in various media (e.g., print, television, the Internet) and the impact of selected media and formats on meaning.
- Apply knowledge of how adolescents read texts and make meaning through interaction with media environments.
Competency 0003–Apply knowledge of strategies for active listening, speaking, and participation in academic discussions.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for communicating effectively with audiences and individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for using active listening and critical thinking to interpret verbal and nonverbal messages.
- Apply knowledge of techniques for participating in collaborative discussions by contributing ideas and building on and challenging the ideas of others in pairs, diverse groups, and whole-class settings.
- Apply knowledge of techniques for effective communication in small- and large-group situations (e.g., asking clarification questions, interpreting nonverbal cues).
- Apply knowledge of large- and small-group dynamics; factors that influence group communication (e.g., group composition, member roles); and strategies for managing conflicts, solving problems, and making decisions in large and small groups (e.g., compromising, collaborating).
Subarea roman numeral 2–Writing Processes and Applications
Competency 0004–Apply knowledge of writing processes.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for determining the audience and purpose of writing (e.g., to describe/inform, to explain, to entertain, to persuade, to analyze, to evaluate).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for generating ideas (e.g., brainstorming, drawing on prior knowledge or personal experience) and organizing ideas (e.g., outlining; clustering; using graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams, story maps, and plot pyramids) before writing.
- Apply knowledge of methods of drafting text so that it shows consistent development of a central idea or theme, including providing strong supporting details and organizing key points or events logically.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for selecting appropriate language to create a specific effect according to purpose in writing.
- Apply methods of revising text to clarify meaning, including varying sentence structure, using transitions to improve coherence and meaning, and using a consistent point of view.
- Apply methods of editing text so that it conforms to language conventions (e.g., eliminating comma splices, run-on sentences, sentence fragments, and misplaced or dangling modifiers; correcting errors in punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; correcting errors in agreement, inappropriate shifts in verb tense, and word usage).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for using contemporary technologies and/or digital media to publish texts.
Competency 0005–Apply knowledge of the elements of effective composition.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of effective ways to present original ideas or perspectives clearly, concisely, and coherently.
- Apply knowledge of effective ways to incorporate graphic features in a text (e.g., tables, charts, graphs, maps, photographs, illustrations).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for using contemporary technologies and/or digital media to select, organize, and create multimodal content that effectively communicates ideas and encompasses different points of view.
- Demonstrate understanding of the fundamentals of language acquisition and language-learning processes as they apply to written expression of English language learners.
Competency 0006–Apply knowledge of techniques for writing narratives and informative texts.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for developing narratives incorporating characters, theme, plot, setting, point of view, and conflict (i.e., internal, external).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for using literary elements and devices (e.g., dialogue, flashback, foreshadowing, sensory details) to convey experiences and events in narratives.
- Apply knowledge of methods for selecting an appropriate subject or topic for writing and for formulating a specific question to address in writing.
- Apply knowledge of methods for developing a thesis statement that provides a focus and expresses the central idea of an informative text.
- Apply knowledge of appropriate organizational structures for developing ideas in writing (e.g., sequential, problem and solution, cause and effect).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for incorporating evidence (e.g., facts, examples, details) in an informative text.
- Apply knowledge of methods for using domain-appropriate vocabulary to communicate ideas in writing clearly.
Competency 0007–Apply knowledge of strategies for writing persuasive texts and arguments.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for stating a clear opinion or introducing a precise claim.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for distinguishing a claim from an opposing viewpoint.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for showing relationships between facts, opinions, and supporting details.
- Apply knowledge of methods of organizing reasons and evidence to show relationships between claims, reasons, and evidence.
- Apply knowledge of methods of composing a concluding statement that follows logically from the information presented.
Competency 0008–Apply knowledge of research techniques for acquiring, refining, and sharing knowledge.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of methods of formulating and refining a viable research question and narrowing or broadening inquiry as appropriate.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for distinguishing between primary sources (e.g., diary, newspaper article, interview) and secondary sources (e.g., biography, textbook) and assessing the credibility, objectivity, and reliability of sources.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for evaluating the strengths and limitations of a source in terms of task, purpose, and audience.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for determining the relevance, reliability, and validity of information gathered from sources.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for selecting, recording, organizing, and integrating information from a variety of authoritative print and/or digital sources.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing information from sources appropriately.
- Apply knowledge of methods of crediting and citing sources appropriately to avoid plagiarism.
subarea roman numeral 3–Reading Process and Comprehension
Competency 0009–Apply knowledge of strategies for developing vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of various word identification strategies, including the use of phonics, semantic and syntactic cues, context clues, and word structure (e.g., roots, stems, affixes).
- Apply knowledge of the relationships between words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs, homonyms) and the issues related to word identification and recognition (e.g., denotative and connotative meanings, words with multiple meanings, idioms, similes, metaphors).
- Apply knowledge of general academic and domain-appropriate vocabulary.
- Apply knowledge of oral language activities that promote comprehension of written texts (e.g., retelling, think-alouds, discussing).
- Apply knowledge of strategies to use before, during, and after reading to enhance comprehension (e.g., activating relevant prior knowledge, making connections to personal experience, previewing, predicting, using graphic organizers, self-questioning, outlining, summarizing).
- Apply knowledge of literal comprehension skills (e.g., identifying facts, causal relationships, and the sequence of events in a text) and inferential comprehension skills (e.g., making generalizations from information presented in a text, interpreting information conveyed implicitly in a text).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for using a dictionary, glossary, and thesaurus to determine and clarify the meanings, syllabication, pronunciation, synonyms, antonyms, and parts of speech of words.
Competency 0010–Apply knowledge of strategies for reading informational texts.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of the characteristics and purposes of a range of types of informational texts (e.g., biography, autobiography, essay, memoir, newspaper articles).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for determining the organizational structure of an informational text (e.g., cause and effect, comparison and contrast) and analyzing how that structure helps convey and clarify the ideas in the text.
- Apply knowledge of the purpose and characteristics of organizational features of informational texts (e.g., table of contents, headings, captions, footnotes/endnotes, glossary, index).
- Recognize accurate summaries of informational texts.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for determining the main idea and purpose of an informational text, whether stated or implied, and details used to support the main idea.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for making inferences and drawing conclusions that are supported by textual evidence from an informational text.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for evaluating points of view and perspectives in informational texts.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for interpreting graphic features used in an informational text (e.g., tables, charts, photographs, illustrations).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for analyzing works that focus on the same topic by comparing methods the authors use to achieve similar or different purposes.
Competency 0011–Apply knowledge of strategies for reading persuasive texts.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of strategies for distinguishing between fact and opinion in a persuasive text.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for evaluating the relevance, importance, and sufficiency of facts offered in support of an argument presented in a persuasive text.
- Assess the credibility, objectivity, and appropriateness of various sources of information used in a persuasive text.
- Analyze how tone, style, and rhetorical techniques (e.g., repetition, exaggeration, euphemisms, testimonials) are used to achieve certain effects in a persuasive text.
- Apply strategies for distinguishing between substantiated and unsubstantiated claims in a persuasive text.
subarea roman numeral 4–Language and Literature
Competency 0012–Apply knowledge of the historical, social, cultural, and technological influences shaping the English language.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Demonstrate knowledge of historical events that have influenced the development of the English language (e.g., interactions among indigenous peoples, peoples of African heritage, and Europeans during the European colonization of North America).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of technological innovations (e.g., printing press, telephone, television, computer) on the English language.
- Relate English derivatives and borrowings to their origins.
Competency 0013–Apply knowledge of a range of genres of literary texts.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of the characteristics and significance of mythology and folk literature from the oral tradition (e.g., origin stories, trickster tales, tall tales).
- Apply knowledge of the characteristics of a variety of literary genres (e.g., fiction, poetry, drama, fable, legend, fairy tale) from a variety of historical, cultural, ethnic, and global perspectives.
- Analyze how authors use key literary elements (e.g., plot, setting, characterization, theme, conflict) to contribute to the meaning of literary texts.
- Analyze the use of common literary devices (e.g., simile, metaphor, rhyme, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, imagery, tone, symbolism, irony) in literary texts.
- Use textual evidence to determine the narrative point of view, significant themes, and main ideas in literary texts.
- Analyze how specific words and phrases create or reveal a particular mood, tone, voice, or style in literary texts.
Competency 0014–Apply knowledge of major themes, characteristics, writers, and works in literature from around the world.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of a range of genres (e.g., realistic, dystopian, fantasy fiction), authors (e.g., Christopher Paul Curtis, John Green, Walter Dean Myers, Katherine Paterson, Neal Shusterman, Gary Soto, Jerry Spinelli), and works of literature (e.g., start italics Dragonwings, The Birchbark House, The Giver, Walk Two Moons, The Hunger Games end italics ) written for young adults.
- Analyze within the context of a passage the thematic concerns and stylistic and formal characteristics associated with significant American fiction writers (e.g., Sherman Alexie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Jack London, N. Scott Momaday, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, Edgar Allan Poe, Amy Tan, Mark Twain), dramatists (e.g., Lorraine Hansberry, Arthur Miller), and poets (e.g., Gwendolyn Brooks, Emily Dickinson, Joy Harjo, Langston Hughes, Li-Young Lee).
- Analyze within the context of a passage references to social institutions, historical events, and cultural movements that have influenced the development of American literature (e.g., slavery, civil rights movements, the development of regional subcultures, the Great Depression, World War II, the labor movement, the Vietnam War, immigration).
- Analyze within the context of a passage the expression of cultural values and ideas (e.g., regional, ethnic, historical) in literary works from around the world.
- Analyze the role of given authors and works of literature in influencing public opinion about and understanding of social and political issues (e.g., Lorraine Hansberry's start italics A Raisin in the Sun, end italics Harper Lee's start italics To Kill a Mockingbird, end italics Upton Sinclair's start italics The Jungle end italics ).
subarea roman numeral 5–Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Competency 0015–Apply pedagogical content knowledge to design developmentally appropriate instruction to help students achieve a specific, standards-based learning goal in English language arts that promotes learning for all students.
start italics The following topics are examples of content that may be covered under this competency. end italics
- Apply knowledge of methods for assessing student readiness for a standards-based learning goal for English language arts content, including how to identify potential and apparent student difficulties.
- Apply knowledge of methods for designing specific, developmentally appropriate instruction that connects students' prior understanding and experiences to new knowledge in English language arts.
- Apply knowledge of appropriate and effective instructional strategies for helping students analyze a literary or informational text.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for modifying instruction to meet the needs of all students, including English language learners, students with special needs, students from diverse language and learning backgrounds, students designated as high achieving, and students at risk of failure.
- Apply knowledge of methods for analyzing student data to identify and address student strengths and needs in English language arts.
- Cite evidence of student learning in an English language arts lesson.
- Apply knowledge of appropriate and effective assessments to measure and promote student learning and growth in English language arts.