Becoming a teacher in California requires you to pass the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET). To obtain an English teaching credential, you must take four CSET English subtests (105, 106, 107, and 108).
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CSET English Exam Outline
The first two CSET English subtests are made of multiple-choice questions, while the final two subtests are made of constructed-response questions, and the time limit varies for each subtest.
Subtest I (105)
The first subtest contains 50 multiple-choice questions, and you will be given a time limit of 1.5 hours.
The questions are grouped into two domains:
1. Reading Literature and Informational Texts
- Reading literature
- Craft and structure of literature
- Reading informational texts
- Craft and structure of informational texts
- Integration of knowledge and ideas in informational texts
- Text complexity
2. Composition and Rhetoric
- Writing processes (individual and collaborative)
- Text types and purposes
- Production and distribution of writing
- Conventions of oral and written language
- Research to build and present knowledge
Subtest II (106)
The first subtest contains 50 multiple-choice questions, and you will be given a time limit of 1 hour.
The questions are grouped into a single domain:
1. Language, Linguistics, and Literacy
- Human language structures
- Acquisition and development of language and literacy
- Grammatical structures of English
Subtest III (107)
The first subtest contains two constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 2 hours.
The questions are grouped into two domains:
1. Composition and Rhetoric
- Writing processes (individual and collaborative)
- Text types and purposes
- Production and distribution of writing
- Conventions of oral and written language
- Research to build and present knowledge
2. Reading Literature and Informational Texts
- Reading literature
- Craft and structure of literature
- Reading informational texts
- Craft and structure of informational texts
- Integration of knowledge and ideas in informational texts
Subtest IV (108)
The first subtest contains four constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 1.5 hours.
The questions are grouped into a single domain:
1. Speech, Media, and Creative Performance
- Non-written communication
- Media analysis and applications
- Dramatic performance
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CSET English Exam 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 CSET English exam and schedule an exam date. When you register, you will need to pay the applicable examination fee for each subtest (or $297 for all three subtests taken together). Subtest I costs $72, while the remaining subtests cost $75 each.
Test Day
On testing day, you should arrive at the testing center about 30 minutes early to allow time for the check-in process. Upon arrival, you will be asked to sign in and provide at least one form of valid photo ID.
After the check-in process is complete, you will be asked to leave all personal items (cell phone, wallet, keys, accessories, bags, etc.) in a locker outside the testing area.
Once you enter the testing room, you will be given a brief tutorial on the testing system before the exam begins.
How the CSET English Exam is Scored
Your CSET English test results are reported as scaled scores based on your total raw score points from both the multiple-choice section and the constructed-response section. Your raw scores are converted to a scale of 100 to 300, with the scaled score of 220 being the minimum passing score on each subtest. All four subtests must be passed in order to pass the full exam.
Generally, it takes around two to three weeks after the last day of the examination period before you receive your test results.
FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the CSET English exam?
A
There are 106 questions in total on the exam.
Q
How long is the CSET English exam?
A
The overall time limit for this exam is 6 hours.
Q
What is the passing score for the CSET English exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a scaled score of at least 220 on each subtest.
Q
How much does the CSET English exam cost?
A
The examination fee for the combined exam is $297.
