Music K–12
For Testing until 9/30/2023
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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Number of Questions | Approximately 80 multiple-choice questions |
Time | 2 hours and 30 minutes |
Passing Score | A scaled score of at least 200 |
Competencies, Skills, and Approximate Percentages of Questions
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
Competency | Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions | |
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1 | Knowledge of music theory, history, and literature | 20% |
2 | Knowledge of curricula and instructional planning | 25% |
3 | Knowledge of instructional and assessment procedures | 25% |
4 | Knowledge of professional and instructional resources | 15% |
5 | Knowledge of instructional emphasis: choral | 5% |
6 | Knowledge of instructional emphasis: instrumental | 5% |
7 | Knowledge of instructional emphasis: general music | 5% |
Competencies and Skills
Competency 1—Knowledge of music theory, history, and literature
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Identify and discriminate between rhythmic structures (e.g., beat, meter, pattern, polyrhythms).
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Identify and discriminate between melodic structures (e.g., contour/ patterns, tonal systems [modes/scales], melodic sequence).
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Identify and discriminate between harmonic structures and textures.
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Identify and discriminate between standard music forms.
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Identify and discriminate between stylistic features, principal genres, and contributions of representative composers of the traditional stylistic eras of Western music.
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Identify and discriminate between stylistic features in American music (e.g., folk, ethnic, electronic, popular, jazz, classical).
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Identify and discriminate between musics of other cultures.
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Identify and interpret terms and symbols found in music scores.
Competency 2—Knowledge of curricula and instructional planning
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Identify appropriate skills, teaching strategies, and sequence of concepts for developing students' musical independence.
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Select music literature and materials appropriate for students' capabilities and musical maturity, including adaptation if warranted.
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Identify appropriate instructional strategies for the exceptional student.
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Identify instructional strategies for teaching music history and theory.
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Identify techniques for developing students' creative musical skills (e.g., improvisation, composition, listening skills, sight reading, performance skills).
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Identify appropriate organization of rehearsals and classroom activities to include music history, music theory, listening skills, performance, and sight-reading as integral parts of instruction.
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Identify trends and research affecting music curriculum development and instruction.
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Identify the relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
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Identify factors in creating a music curriculum that provides a balance of musical experiences for all students.
Competency 3—Knowledge of instructional and assessment procedures
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Identify music performance problems (e.g., intonation, phrasing, blend, balance, tone quality, notation/performance discrepancies) and methods for correcting the problems.
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Select teaching strategies that motivate and promote students' musical growth, independence, and creativity.
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Read, interpret, and identify appropriate techniques for conducting music scores.
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Make critical judgments about expressive qualities of music performances.
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Identify techniques for assessing and evaluating student progress.
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Evaluate the effectiveness of music instruction in terms of content, process, and teacher self-evaluation.
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Select strategies for implementing technology in music instruction.
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Identify qualities of music performance: characteristic tone quality, phrasing, blend, balance, timbre, tempo, dynamics, articulation, and both linear and vertical intonation.
Competency 4—Knowledge of professional and instructional resources
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Identify media resources and technology (e.g., sound recording and reproduction systems, visual aids) for instructional purposes.
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Select acoustic and electronic instruments (e.g., pianos, synthesizers, guitars, keyboards) for instructional purposes.
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Identify and select appropriate computer hardware and software for both administrative purposes and instructional applications.
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Identify techniques and resources for advocating music education and for generating community support for school music programs.
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Identify legal and ethical issues that impact music education (e.g., copyright, financial accountability, liability).
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Identify resources available through professional organizations, music industry, and publications.
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Identify procedures for student selection, recruitment, and retention, including feeder pattern articulation and placement in appropriate music courses.
Competency 5—Knowledge of instructional emphasis: choral
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Identify basic vocal diction techniques in different languages (e.g., English, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, German).
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Identify problems of individual vocal production and determine methods of correction.
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Identify practices in the care and maintenance of the vocal mechanism to promote lifelong performance.
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Classify vocal characteristics and ranges at various levels of development and maturation.
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Identify representative repertoire for solo voices and small/large vocal ensembles at various levels of maturation and development (e.g., music lists from FVA, ACDA).
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Identify musical problems in an ensemble performance and determine methods of correction.
Competency 6—Knowledge of instructional emphasis: instrumental
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Identify basic performance techniques for wind, string, and percussion instruments (e.g., proper playing position; embouchure; sticking, fingering, and bowing techniques).
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Identify families of wind, percussion, and string instruments and their ranges, clefs, and transpositions.
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Identify problems of individual tone production (e.g., embouchure, bowing, sticking, proper breath support) and determine methods of correction.
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Identify musical problems in an ensemble performance and determine methods of correction.
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Identify representative repertoire for solo and small/large ensembles at various levels of maturation and development (e.g., FBA, FOA, NBA, NSOA).
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Identify practices in the care and maintenance of instruments and accessories.
Competency 7—Knowledge of instructional emphasis: general music
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Identify appropriate materials and repertoire for use at various levels of maturation and development.
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Identify practices in the care and maintenance of classroom instruments.
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Identify methods for incorporating creative movement in music instruction.
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Identify techniques for teaching students how to play classroom instruments (e.g., autoharps, guitars, chromatic bells, keyboards, recorders, ukuleles, Orff, percussion instruments).