Details of the English Test of FTCE

All about FTCE English 6-12

The English test of the FTEC for grades 6-12 is a subject-area test for Florida’s entry-level English teachers. It is mainly designed to test the proficiency and knowledge of the candidates in this subject, so that the Bureau of Educator Certification (BEC) can only choose deserving candidates for teacher certification in Florida.

Crucial Aspects of the English Test:

  1. Test PrototypeEvery subject-area test is broken down into subject and grade-specific competencies and constituent skills. In the same fashion, the English exam is designed to assess the competencies of the candidates in the following 7 subject-areas:
    • Standard English knowledge and methods of effective teaching.
    • Effective writing methods in Standard English.
    • Effective reading techniques.
    • Literature-based knowledge.
    • Effective communication skills such as listening, speaking etc.
    • Ability to integrate different language-arts while teaching.
    • Effective writing skills.

    Under each of the above-mentioned subject-areas, wide arrays of skills are measured. For a list of these skills, you could review the Test Information Guide available at this link – www.fl.nesinc.com/PDFs/English_TIG_4thEd_DOE101910.pdf. Moreover, it is important to note that this test is a computer-based test that must be completed in 2 hours and 30 minutes.

  2. Types and Number of QuestionsThe test consists of 85 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay-writing question. The questions in the multiple-choice category are further broken down into the following types:
    • Command Questions – Items that include a command.
    • Direct Questions – Straightforward question items.
    • Sentence Completion Items – Fill-in-the blank items.
    • Text Analysis Questions – Questions that include a text that must be analyzed for identification of aspects such as parts or figure of speech, structure, tone/style or purpose.
    • Scenarios – Questions that include a real-life situation or excerpt that must be studied in order to select the best recommended action.

    The multiple-choice section must be completed in 90 minutes and the essay must be completed in 60 minutes. For sample essay prompts and multiple-choice questions in each category, please refer to the Test Information Guide, the link for which has been mentioned earlier in this article.

  3. Scoring MethodologyThe official score report is made available on every candidate’s FTCE e-account within approximately a month’s time from the testing date. This report lists the result status and a comprehensive scaled score that incorporates the essay result. The multiple-choice questions are scanned and the total count of correct answers is attributed as a raw score. On the other hand, the essay is scored by 2 human essay-readers who assign a score ranging from 1-7, 7 representing the best possible score. These two scores are combined to form a unified essay score, which is subsequently added to the scaled score of the multiple-choice questions; thus, arriving at a total scaled score for this test. While combining these scores, the essay score is given a 30% weightage. The minimum total scaled-score that is required to pass this test is 200.
  4. Test PreparationThere are several types of prep materials available for the test and these are:
    • Study Guides such as the Official Test Information Guide described previously in this article.
    • Books available on online book stores such as BarnesAndNoble.com, Amazon.com etc. One such study book is called FTCE English 6-12 (FTCE Teacher Certification Test Prep), which is available for purchase at www.amazon.com/FTCE-English-6-12-Teacher-Certification/dp/0738601861.
    • Online study resources such as practice tests, forums etc.
    • Online or private English and Essay Writing courses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have covered all the vital features of the test for grades 6-12. We hope that this information goes a long way in gearing up the candidates for this test. Further details about this test are available on the official website (www.fl.nesinc.com).