The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 is an exam used to assess your requisite skills and knowledge as an entry-level English teacher in Texas public schools.
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Exam Outline
The TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam contains 100 selected-response questions and two constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Teaching Standards
This exam is aligned with nine standards for educators that have been outlined by the State Board for Educator Certification.
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Approved Educator Standards
Standard I: You are expected to design and implement instruction that is appropriate for each student and that integrates all components of the English language arts.
Standard II: You are expected to understand the processes of reading and teach students to apply these processes.
Standard III: You are expected to understand reading skills and strategies for various types of nonliterary texts.
Standard IV: You are expected to understand an extensive body of literature and literary genres and provide students with opportunities to view literature as a source for exploring and interpreting human experiences.
Standard V: You are expected to understand that writing is a recursive, developmental, integrative, and ongoing process.
Standard VI: You are expected to write effectively for various audiences and purposes.
Standard VII: You are expected to understand the structure and development of the English language.
Standard VIII: You are expected to understand oral communication and provide students with opportunities to develop listening and speaking skills.
Standard IX: You are expected to interpret, analyze and produce visual images and messages in various media.
Exam Domains
The exam is split into four domains, each of which covers one or more of the nine standards mentioned above.
| Domain | Percentage of Exam | Standards Used |
|---|---|---|
| I. Integrated Language Arts, Diverse Learners and the Study of English | 15% | I and VII |
| II. Literature, Reading Processes and Skills for Reading Literary and Nonliterary Texts | 40% | I-IV |
| III. Written Communication | 30% | I, V, and VI |
| IV. Oral Communication and Media Literacy | 15% | I, VIII and IX |
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Relationships among the language arts
- Relationships between the language arts and other aspects of students’ learning
- Diversity of the student population
- The structure and development of the English language
II. Literature, Reading Processes, and Skills for Reading Literary and Nonliterary Texts
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Reading processes
- Reading skills and strategies for various types of nonliterary texts
- Literary elements, movements, and genres
- Strategies for reading literary texts
III. Written Communication
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Writing as a recursive, integrative, developmental, and ongoing process
- Effective writing
- Writing effectively in a variety of forms
- Writing for various purposes, audiences, and contexts
IV. Oral Communication and Media Literacy
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- The principles of oral communication
- Development of listening and speaking skills
- The basic principles of media literacy
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Registration
To register for the exam, you must create an online NES account via their website. Once your account has been created, you can use it to register for the exam and schedule an exam date. When you register, you will need to pay the $116 examination fee.
Test Day
On the day of your examination appointment, you should arrive at the testing center 15-30 minutes early. After you arrive, you will be asked to sign in and provide at least one form of valid photo ID. If your ID is invalid, you will not be permitted to take the exam that day and your exam fees will be forfeited.
After the check-in process is complete, you will be asked to leave all personal items, such as your cell phone, watch, wallet, and keys, in a locker outside the testing area.
Once you enter the testing room, you will be given a brief tutorial on the computer-adaptive testing system. Once the tutorial is complete, the exam will begin.
You are allowed to take a restroom break during the exam, but the timer will not be paused while you are away.
How the Exam is Scored
The TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam is computer-adaptive. Here’s a look at how it works:
The first question is judged to be of medium difficulty, and depending on your performance, the next question may be easier or harder. If you do well on the first question, the second question will be harder; conversely, if you do poorly on the first question, the second question will be easy.
The questions on this exam are rated on a scale of 100-300. The higher a question is rated, the harder the question is (e.g., a question marked as 210 will be more difficult than a question marked 150).
To pass the exam, your final question must be on or above the 240 mark. If your final question is below this mark, you will not pass the exam, even if you have answered some questions above the 240 mark at some point during the exam. This is because the computer has rated the difficulty of your final question based on how you answered the previous questions.
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FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam?
A
There are 100 selected-response questions and two constructed-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Q
What is the passing score for the TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 240.
Q
How much does the TExES English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $116.
