ABOUT THIS BOOK
REA’s The Best Teachers’ Test Preparation for the FTCE English 6–12 Test is a comprehensive guide designed to assist you in preparing to take the FTCE, which is required in Florida to teach English in grades 6–12. To enhance your chances of success in this important step toward your career as a teacher in Florida schools, this test guide features:
• An accurate and complete overview of the FTCE English 6–12
• The information you need to know about the exam
• A targeted review of every competency and skill
• Tips and strategies for successfully completing standardized tests
• Diagnostic tools to identify areas of strength and weakness
• Two full-length, true-to-format practice tests based on the most recently administered FTCE English 6–12
• Detailed explanations for each question on the practice tests, enabling you to identify correct answers and understand not only why they are correct but also why the other answer choices are incorrect
INTRODUCTION:
CHAPTER 1
This guide is the result of studying many resources. The editors considered the most recent test administrations and professional standards. They also researched information from the Florida Department of Education, professional journals, textbooks, and educators. The result is the best test preparation materials based on the latest information available.
ABOUT THE FTCE ENGLISH 6–12
What Does the Test Cover?
The following table lists the competencies used as the basis for the FTCE English 6–12 and the approximate percentage of the total test that each competency entails. These competencies represent the knowledge that teams of teachers, subject area specialists, and district-level educators have determined to be important for beginning teachers. A thorough review of all the competencies, as well as the specific skills that demonstrate each, is the focus of this book.
Competencies and Percentages of Total Test Items
1. Knowledge of the English language and methods for effective teaching 20%
2. Knowledge of writing and methods for effective teaching 20%
3. Knowledge of the use of the reading process to construct meaning from a wide range of selections 20%
4. Knowledge of literature and methods for effective teaching 20%
5. Knowledge of listening, viewing, and speaking as methods for acquiring critical literacy 15%
6. Knowledge of the methods for integration of the language arts 5%
7. Ability to write well on a selection from poetry or prose, including fiction or nonfiction *
* The writing section comprises 30 percent of the score for this subject area test.
Scores for the FTCE English 6-12 Test aggregate the multiple-choice questions score and the performance (essay) score based on these weightings: 70% multiple-choice, 30% essay. The exact number of multiple-choice questions you will need to correctly answer to pass the test will depend upon how well you do on the essay and, in truth, on which of the several forms of the test you are administered. However, for all practical purposes, you’ll want to consider 70%, or 60 questions, as your benchmark. Be aware, however, that, according to the Florida Department of Education on examinations like the FTCE English 6-12 which include written or oral performance components, “percentages are not provided because scoring these examinations involves a more complex process to arrive at ‘combination scores’ or ‘part scores.’ One result of this is that on performancebased examinations, several different combinations of multiple-choice and performance test scores may result in the same passing scale score of 200 for the FTCE.”
Can I Retake the Test?
If you do not achieve a passing grade on the FTCE English 6–12, don’t panic. You can take the test again after 31 days, and during that time you can work seriously on improving your score. A score that does not match your expectations does not mean you should change your plans about teaching.
Who Administers the Test?
The Florida Department of Education develops the FTCE English 6–12. Subject area knowledge tested on the examination was identified and validated by committees of content specialists from Florida. Most committee members are public school teachers, but the committees also included district supervisors and college faculty. Selection of committee members is based on recommendations by professional associations, experts, and teachers’ unions. Development of the appropriate content and difficulty levels of the exam involved literature reviews, teacher interviews, field-testing, and professional judgments.
Testing services, including test administrations, for the FTCE are provided by National Evaluation Systems, Inc.
When Should I Take the Test?
Florida law requires that teachers demonstrate mastery of basic skills, professional knowledge, and the content area in which they are specializing. If you have graduated from a Florida state-approved teacher preparation program and made the decision to teach English in grades 6–12, you need to begin the process by applying for a Florida Temporary Certificate in that subject. The Bureau of Educator Certification will only evaluate your eligibility in the subjects you request on your application form. The Temporary Certificate is valid for three school years, allowing you time to complete the certification tests while teaching full time.
For high school graduates and out-of-state educators, the Bureau of Educator Certification will provide you with official information about which test(s) to take to complete the requirements for the professional certificate. The FTCE is usually administered four times a year in several locations throughout Florida. The usual testing day is Saturday, but the test may be taken on an alternate day if a confl ict exists, such as a religious obligation.
Special accommodations can also be made for applicants who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled, or specific-learning disabled. To receive information on upcoming administrations of the FTCE, consult the FTCE Registration Bulletin, which you can obtain by contacting:
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Phone: (413) 256-2893
Web site: www.fl doe.org/asp/ftce
Bureau of Educator Certification: www.fl doe.org/edcert/
The FTCE Registration Bulletin also includes information regarding test retakes and score reports.
Do I Pay a Registration Fee?
To take the FTCE, you must pay a registration fee. You can pay by personal check, money order, cashier’s check, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Cash is not accepted. Contact the Florida Department of Education (see the information above) if you have questions about registration or any other aspect of the FTCE.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
When Should I Start Studying?
It is never too early to start studying for the FTCE. The earlier you begin, the more time you will have to sharpen your skills. Do not procrastinate! Cramming is not an effective way to study because it does not allow you the time you need to think about the content, review the competencies, and take the practice tests. However, you should review the material one last time the night before the test administration.
What Do the Review Sections Cover?
The targeted review in this book is designed to help you sharpen the basic skills you need to approach the FTCE English 6–12, as well as provide strategies for attacking the questions.
Each teaching competency included in the FTCE is examined in a separate chapter. The skills required for all seven competencies are extensively discussed to optimize yourunderstanding of what the examination covers.
Your schooling has taught you most of the information you need to answer the questionson the test. The education classes you took should have provided you with the know-how to make important decisions about situations you will face as a teacher. The review sections in this book are designed to help you fi t the information you have acquired into the competencies specified on the FTCE. Going over your class notes and textbooks together with the competency reviews provided here will give you an excellent springboard for passing the examination.
STUDYING FOR THE FTCE ENGLISH 6–12
Choose the time and place for studying that works best for you. Some people set aside a certain number of hours every morning to study, while others prefer to study at night before going to sleep. Other people study off and on during the day—for instance, while waiting for a bus or during a lunch break. Only you can determine when and where your study time will be most effective. Be consistent and use your time efficiently. Work out a study routine and stick to it.
When you take the practice tests, simulate the conditions of the actual test as closely as possible. Turn off your television and radio, and sit down at a table in a quiet room, free from distraction. On completing a practice test, score it and thoroughly review the explanations to the questions you answered incorrectly; however, do not review too much at any one time. Concentrate on one problem area at a time by reviewing the question and explanation, and by studying the review in this guide until you are confident that you have mastered the material.
Keep track of your scores so you can gauge your progress and discover general weaknesses in particular sections. Give extra attention to the reviews that cover your areas of difficulty, thus bui...
