The TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8 exam is an assessment test designed to test the knowledge of entry-level teachers in the state of Texas. To earn your teacher certification in this field, you must also take the Science of Teaching Reading exam.
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Exam Outline
The TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8 exam contains a total of 120 selected-response questions, and you will be given 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete it.
Teaching Standards
The exam is aligned with the 18 standards for educators that have been outlined by the State Board for Educator Certification.
Click the button below to see the full list of approved educator standards:
English Language Arts and Reading Standards
- Oral Language: You are expected to understand the importance of oral language and know the developmental processes of oral language.
- Foundations of Reading: You are expected to understand the foundations of reading and early literacy development.
- Word Analysis Skills and Reading Fluency: You are expected to understand the importance of word analysis skills and reading fluency.
- Reading Comprehension: You are expected to understand the importance of reading for understanding, know the components of comprehension, and teach students strategies for improving their comprehension.
- Written Language: You are expected to understand that writing is a developmental process.
- Viewing and Representing: You are expected to know how to interpret, analyze, evaluate, and produce visual images and messages in various media.
- Study and Inquiry Skills: You are expected to understand the importance of study and inquiry skills as tools for learning and promote students’ development.
- Assessment of Developing Literacy: You are expected to understand the basic principles of assessment and use a variety of literacy assessment practices to plan and implement instruction.
Social Studies Standards
- Social Studies Knowledge: You are expected to understand the social sciences and recognizes their value.
- Discipline Integration: You are expected to effectively integrate the various social science disciplines.
- Teaching Social Studies: You are expected to to plan and implement effective curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation.
- History: You are expected to understand significant historical events and developments, as well as multiple historical interpretations and ideas.
- Geography: You are expected to facilitate students’ understanding of geographic relationships in Texas, the United States, and the world.
- Economics: You are expected to understand how people organize economic systems to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services.
- Government: You are expected to understand how governments and structures of power function, provide order, and allocate resources.
- Citizenship: You are expected to understand citizenship in the United States and other societies.
- Culture: You are expected to understand cultures and how they develop and adapt.
- Science, Technology, and Society: You are expected to understand developments in science and technology, as well as the social and environmental consequences of scientific discovery and technological innovation.
Exam Domains
The exam is split into four domains, each of which covers multiple standards mentioned above.
| Domain | Percentage of Exam | Standards Used |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Language Arts, Part I | 17% | English Language Arts I-III and VIII |
| 2. Language Arts, Part II | 33% | English Language Arts IV-VIII |
| 3. Social Studies Content | 36% | Social Studies IV-X |
| 4. Social Studies Foundations, Skills, and Instruction | 14% | Social Studies I-III |
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Oral language
- Early literacy development
- Word identification
- Reading fluency
2. Language Arts, Part II (33%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Reading comprehension and assessment
- Reading applications
- Writing conventions
- Composition
- Viewing and representing
- Study and inquiry skills
3. Social Studies Content (36%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Government
- Citizenship
- Science, technology, and society
4. Social Studies Foundations, Skills, and Instruction (14%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Social studies foundations and skills
- Social studies instruction and assessment
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Exam Registration
To register for the English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8 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
You should arrive at the testing center about 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow enough time for the check-in process. Once you arrive, you will be asked to sign in and present one form of valid, government-issued photo ID.
After the check-in process, you will be asked to leave all personal items in a locker outside the testing area.
Once you enter the testing room, you will be asked to sign an NDA, and you will be given a brief tutorial on the computer-adaptive testing system. Once the tutorial is complete, the exam will begin.
How the Exam is Scored
The TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4-8 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 205 will be more difficult than a question marked 145).
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 (113) exam?
A
There are 120 selected-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the TExES (113) exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Q
What is the passing score for the TExES (113) exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 240.
Q
How much does the TExES (113) exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $116.
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