Middle Grades English 5–9
Competencies and Skills and Blueprint
The test design below describes general testing information. The blueprints that follow provide a detailed outline that explains the competencies and skills that this test measures.
Test Design
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
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| Time |
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Competencies, Skills, and Approximate Percentages of Questions
Multiple-Choice Section
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
| Competency | Approximate Percentage of Multiple-Choice Subtest Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knowledge of how the characteristics of middle school students affect student learning and instructional decisions in English language arts | 10% |
| 2 | Knowledge of applications of evidence-based practices in teaching English language arts | 10% |
| 3 | Knowledge and understanding of literary and informational texts | 25% |
| 4 | Knowledge and understanding of communication skills, techniques, and processes | 25% |
| 5 | Knowledge of pedagogical content for teaching English language arts | 20% |
| 6 | Knowledge of various assessments and use of assessment data to drive instructional decisions within English language arts | 10% |
Competencies and Skills
Competency 1—Knowledge of how the characteristics of middle school students affect student learning and instructional decisions in English language arts
Determine how students' development of reading skills (i.e., phonological awareness, decoding and word analysis, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) may affect instructional decisions in English language arts.
Determine evidence-based practices to differentiate instruction based on student needs.
Determine evidence-based practices for the instruction of English language learners.
Determine evidence-based practices for the instruction of students with disabilities.
Competency 2—Knowledge of applications of evidence-based practices in teaching English language arts
Select and apply evidence-based practices that are aligned with state standards at the appropriate grade level.
Select appropriate technology that incorporates evidence-based practices for English language arts instruction.
Apply evidence-based practices in the integration of English language arts content with other disciplines.
Determine appropriate methods and materials for meeting the diverse learning needs of students in English language arts, including implementing accommodations and modifications required by students' education plans (e.g., explicit and systematic instruction, corrective feedback).
Determine and apply instructional practices for teaching English language arts.
Determine and apply the components of text complexity (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, and student centered) to text selection.
Select and analyze appropriate measures for assessing reading performance (i.e., foundational reading skills, vocabulary, and comprehension) and use data to inform instruction.
Competency 3—Knowledge and understanding of literary and informational texts
Determine the connotative and denotative meanings of words and phrases by analyzing word relationships, context clues, and figurative language or selecting appropriate reference materials.
Determine the meanings of words through understanding of Greek and Latin roots and affixes, etymology of the English language, and word derivations.
Analyze how the use of various literary and rhetorical devices (e.g., symbolism, allusion, irony, foreshadowing, figurative language) helps establish and achieve an author's purpose, enhances meaning, and creates tone and mood in texts across genres.
Determine the characteristics of various genres of literary texts (e.g., fiction, poetry, drama) and analyze how key elements (e.g., setting, plot, characterization, conflict, point of view, theme, tone) enhance or add layers of meaning and style.
Analyze a range of texts by a variety of authors within and across literary periods (e.g., colonial and early national, romantic, realism, naturalism, modernism, contemporary) and genres.
Determine the structures (e.g., description, problem/solution, chronological, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, sequence) of informational texts and analyze how structure conveys purpose and meaning in texts.
Determine the characteristics of informational text features (e.g., table of contents, headings, captions, photographs, graphs, charts, illustrations, glossaries, footnotes, bold words, sidebars) and analyze how text features convey purpose and meaning.
Determine the author's purpose and perspective in an informational text and evaluate how relevant details support the implied or explicit central ideas of a text.
Evaluate an argumentative text by analyzing the author's reasoning, effectiveness and validity of claims, bias, and use of rhetorical devices (e.g., antithesis, irony, metonymy) and appeals (e.g., logos, ethos, pathos).
Competency 4—Knowledge and understanding of communication skills, techniques, and processes
Select and apply techniques for writing a personal or fictional narrative using a logical sequence of events, precise words and phrases, figurative language, varied transitions, and a clearly established point of view.
Select and apply techniques for writing an expository text to explain and analyze information from various sources using relevant supporting details and elaboration, logical organization, varied purposeful transitions, and a tone appropriate to the task.
Select and apply techniques for writing an argument that supports claims and addresses counterclaims using logical and valid reasoning, relevant and credible evidence from multiple sources, logical organization, varied purposeful transitions, and a tone appropriate to the task.
Select and apply techniques for integrating diverse digital media to emphasize the relevance of topics and ideas in written texts.
Select and apply techniques for using digital tools and collaborative platforms to produce and share purposeful writing.
Select and apply strategies for engaging in the research process (e.g., developing a research question, selecting reliable and valid sources, refining the scope of a question based on findings, generating additional questions for further research).
Select and apply techniques for presenting information orally using a logical organization that supports the central idea with credible evidence, clear perspective, coherent focus, and appropriate nonverbal cues.
Select and apply evidence-based practices for each stage of the writing process (i.e., planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), including techniques for improving writing (e.g., varying sentence types, revising for clarity and cohesiveness).
Select and apply appropriate collaborative techniques and active-listening skills for engaging in academic discussions (e.g., supporting claims with evidence, justifying reasoning, building on ideas, propelling the conversation).
Apply evidence-based practices for integrating academic and domain-specific vocabulary in speaking and writing.
Apply standard English grammar, usage, and conventions (i.e., capitalization, punctuation, and spelling).
Competency 5—Knowledge of pedagogical content for teaching English language arts
Select appropriate instructional practices for teaching students the conventions of standard English (e.g., grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling), the types of sentences (i.e., simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex), and the effective use of sentence variety.
Select and apply evidence-based practices for teaching students how to determine the meaning of words and phrases by using context clues, word structure, Greek and Latin roots and affixes, etymology of the English language, and word derivations.
Select and apply appropriate strategies for explicitly teaching students how to integrate academic and domain-specific vocabulary in speaking and writing.
Select and apply evidence-based practices for teaching students how to comprehend and analyze literary texts.
Select and apply evidence-based practices for teaching students how to comprehend and analyze informational texts.
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for teaching students how text structures and text features support meaning.
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for teaching students reading and writing processes for a variety of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for facilitating students' responses to literary and informational texts through writing, speaking, and use of multimedia and digital platforms.
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for teaching students the research process (e.g., gathering relevant information, synthesizing information from multiple sources, paraphrasing and citing sources to avoid plagiarism).
Select and apply appropriate strategies for teaching students to present information in a way that conveys coherent ideas with a clear perspective and integrates diverse multimedia elements (e.g., artifacts, audio representations, digital representations).
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for teaching students how to analyze and evaluate the purpose of information presented in multimedia formats.
Select and apply appropriate instructional practices for teaching students how to use active-listening and collaborative skills for engaging in academic conversations (e.g., supporting claims with evidence, building on ideas, propelling the conversation).
Select and apply instructional practices for providing meaningful feedback on student writing throughout the writing process and teaching students how to improve their writing by planning, revising, editing, and utilizing adult and peer reviews.
Competency 6—Knowledge of various assessments and use of assessment data to drive instructional decisions within English language arts
Select appropriate and effective, formal and informal assessment tools for use in English language arts.
Analyze and evaluate results of formal and informal assessments to determine students' strengths and needs.
Analyze and evaluate results of formal and informal assessments to adjust instruction as needed (e.g., differentiation, reteaching, explicit and systematic instruction, scaffolding, small-group instruction, peer tutoring).
Determine appropriate ways to share student assessment data with students and stakeholders.
Written Performance Section
| Competency | Approximate Percentage of Written Performance Subtest Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Ability to evaluate a student's argumentative essay | 100% |
Competency and Skills
Competency 7—Ability to evaluate a student's argumentative essay
Evaluate a student's ability to argue a position by making a strong, logical claim and supporting the claim with valid reasoning, elaboration, and relevant and sufficient evidence from multiple sources.
Evaluate a student's ability to rebut counterclaims using relevant evidence.
Evaluate a student's use of logical organization, purposeful transitions, varied sentences, academic and domain-specific vocabulary, and appropriate tone.