Test Design and 
Test Framework

Field 222: Reading Teacher

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The test design below describes general test information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

Format	Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions	100 multiple-choice questions
Time*	3 hours, 15 minutes
Passing Score	240

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Framework

Subarea 1—Theoretical, Professional, and Language Foundations

Objective 0001—Understand foundations of reading instruction.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the history of reading instruction and the contributions of past and present literacy leaders to current theory, practice, and the knowledge base.
• Analyze theoretical models and philosophies of reading education and their relevance to instruction.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of literacy in society (e.g., as a means for transmitting moral and cultural values; as a lifelong activity that enables personal fulfillment and successful functioning in society, including participation as a citizen) and the importance of literacy for personal and social growth.
• Demonstrate knowledge of significant trends, major research findings, controversies, and issues in the field of reading education.
• Demonstrate understanding of reading as the process of constructing meaning through the interaction of the reader's prior knowledge and experience, the information suggested by the written language, and the context of the reading situation.
• Apply knowledge of language systems (e.g., phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics) and the role that various language components (e.g., phonemes, morphemes) play in reading.
• Demonstrate knowledge of differences between reading skills and strategies and the role each plays in reading development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of stages or phases of reading development and how they relate to stages of writing and spelling development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the scope and sequences for reading instruction at all developmental levels (pre-K through grade 12).

Objective 0002—Understand professional roles and responsibilities, including curriculum design and implementation, and professional development in the field of reading.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of state and national educational policies and standards that are relevant to reading education.
• Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics of effective programs and practices in reading education.
• Apply strategies for facilitating and participating in reading curriculum design and the development and implementation of a school improvement plan.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for facilitating home-school connections and promoting parent/guardian participation in school reading programs and student learning.
• Apply strategies for communicating effectively about reading to the general public, and demonstrate understanding of the value of community support for school reading programs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of being aware of, adhering to, and modeling ethical standards of professional conduct in reading education.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of conducting self-evaluation, being open to constructive peer evaluation and feedback, and reflecting on teaching practices to improve instruction and other services to students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the benefits of participating in local, state, national, and international professional organizations whose mission is reading education and the improvement of literacy.
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of pursuing knowledge of literacy and staying current with developments in reading education and children's and young adult literature by reading professional journals and publications; attending local, state, regional, and national meetings and conferences; and participating in other professional activities.
• Demonstrate understanding of factors that influence adult learning, organizational change, professional development, and school culture; and apply strategies for guiding and training paraprofessionals, tutors, and volunteers for reading programs.

Objective 0003—Understand oral language foundations of literacy development.

For example:

• Demonstrate understanding of language development, including similarities and differences between oral and written language development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of interrelationships between the language arts (i.e., listening, speaking, viewing, reading, and writing) and how to provide opportunities to integrate these in instruction.
• Demonstrate knowledge of oral language experiences and activities (e.g., wordplay, readers' theater, choral reading) that extend language growth and support acquisition of reading skills at various stages of reading development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of oral language experiences and activities that support comprehension development (e.g., teacher read-alouds, collaborative academic conversations, discussions about texts).
• Demonstrate understanding of how English language learners' language and literacy development in the primary language affects their language and literacy development in English.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the six proficiency levels of English as a new language as described in the state-adopted English Language Development (ELD) Standards and the implications of students' language-proficiency levels for reading instruction.

Objective 0004—Understand the influence of individual differences and diversity on language and literacy development and instruction.

For example:

• Demonstrate understanding of the effects of physical, perceptual, emotional, social, cultural, environmental, and intellectual factors on learning, language development, and reading acquisition.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how contextual factors in the school can influence students' motivation, learning, and reading development (e.g., grouping procedures, school programs, early intervention).
• Apply strategies for advocating for equity for all students.
• Demonstrate understanding of how individual differences among learners influence their literacy development.
• Analyze the contributions of diversity in the classroom, school, and society and the importance of understanding, respecting, and valuing diversity in order to promote all students' reading development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how dialects or language differences may affect students' learning to read English, and apply knowledge of strategies for adjusting reading instruction to meet the needs of English language learners and students who use various dialects.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of adjusting reading instruction for the range of students with special language or learning needs and/or who are gifted and talented, and apply knowledge of instructional strategies and devices to ensure that reading instruction is inclusive of all learners' needs.

 

Subarea 2—Literate Environment

Objective 0005—Understand characteristics of educational environments that promote literacy development.

For example:

• Demonstrate understanding of the role of motivation in literacy development, and apply knowledge of strategies for promoting students' motivation related to reading, writing, and other literacies.
• Demonstrate understanding of ways to create a literate environment that fosters interest and growth in all aspects of literacy.
• Apply knowledge of ways to use various texts and trade books to stimulate interest; promote reading growth; foster appreciation for the written word; and increase the motivation of learners to read widely and independently for information, pleasure, and personal growth.
• Apply knowledge of ways to provide opportunities for learners to select from a variety of written and digital materials, read extended texts, offer creative and personal responses to literature, listen to a wide range of literary and informational texts being read aloud, and read for authentic purposes.
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of modeling and discussing reading and writing as valuable, lifelong activities.
• Demonstrate knowledge of grouping practices and small-group activities (e.g., cooperative learning, reciprocal teaching) that support reading development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to establish a physical environment conducive to reading development, including how to create, organize, and use a classroom library.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting independent reading.
• Demonstrate understanding of interdisciplinary relevancy, the importance of integrating reading and writing in all content areas, and the role of disciplinary literacy in students' academic achievement; and demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting students' disciplinary literacy.

Objective 0006—Understand strategies for evaluating, securing, and managing resources to support effective reading instruction.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic characteristics, purposes, and uses of a wide variety of materials for promoting reading development, including trade books (both fiction and nonfiction); predictable and decodable texts; high-quality literature for children and adolescents from a variety of eras, cultures, traditions, and genres; diverse expository materials; complex informational texts representing different disciplines; basal readers or anthologies; magazines; and digital media and texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of the needs of individual learners and of using students' interests, motivation, age, knowledge and experiences, cultural backgrounds, developmental level, and assessed reading levels as the basis for selecting materials.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for designing, selecting, and modifying materials to reflect curriculum goals and the interests, motivation, age, developmental level, assessed reading levels, and needs of individual learners.
• Demonstrate understanding of guidelines for evaluating curriculum materials and instructional technology in terms of readability, content, length, format, illustrations, cultural relevance and other pertinent factors; and demonstrate knowledge of various tools for estimating the readability level of texts.
• Apply knowledge of quantitative and qualitative dimensions of text complexity, including reader and task variables, when selecting texts for students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various technological resources and strategies for using technology to support students' reading development.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for organizing and coordinating efficient and equitable access to instructional materials.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assisting students in selecting appropriate reading materials for a variety of purposes.

 

Subarea 3—Reading Assessment

Objective 0007—Understand foundations of reading assessment.

For example:

• Demonstrate understanding that assessment must take into account the complex nature of reading, writing, and language; and demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing and conducting assessments that involve multiple indicators of learner progress.
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of aligning assessment with reading standards, curriculum, and instruction and basing instructional planning and decision making on students' assessed reading needs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various purposes of assessment (e.g., screening, diagnosis, progress monitoring), including distinguishing between formative and summative assessments.
• Demonstrate understanding of the construction and psychometric properties (e.g., validity, reliability) of various reading assessments, including local, state, and national assessments.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various bias issues related to reading assessment, including the influence of student diversity on the interpretation of assessment results.
• Demonstrate understanding of the uses and limitations of various types of informal and formal reading assessments (e.g., formal and informal skills inventories, constructed-response measures, norm- and criterion-referenced tests, portfolio-based assessments, student self-evaluations, work/performance samples, observations, anecdotal records), including information provided by parents/guardians.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various methods for determining students' reading levels (i.e., independent, instructional, and frustrational levels), including their listening-comprehension level.
• Analyze results of standardized reading assessments, including local, state, and national assessments.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for communicating the results of assessments to stakeholders, including classroom teachers, parents/guardians, administrators, and students, and for providing students with appropriate constructive feedback.

Objective 0008—Understand assessment of essential components of reading development.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of informal strategies for assessing students' reading attitudes, motivation, and interests.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in key areas of emergent literacy (e.g., oral language development, letter knowledge, concepts of print, concept of word, letter-sound correspondence).
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in phonological and phonemic awareness.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in decoding and spelling, including use of phonics skills, sight-word knowledge, syllabication skills, structural analysis, and contextual analysis.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in reading fluency, including how to assess key indicators of reading fluency (i.e., accuracy, rate, and prosody).
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in academic language, including vocabulary knowledge and skills and knowledge of language structures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for assessing students' development in reading comprehension, including the ability to comprehend and analyze literary and informational texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of approaches for assessing students' use of reading strategies, metacognition, and self-monitoring.
• Apply knowledge of how to provide continuous monitoring of students' progress in essential components of reading, interpret results of these assessments, use information from assessments to inform instruction and learning, and provide students with appropriate feedback.

Objective 0009—Understand assessment for the purpose of diagnosing reading difficulties and principles of working with students with reading difficulties.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of a model for diagnosing reading difficulties that includes student proficiency in oral language, phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, phonics and other word identification skills, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, self-monitoring, and motivation.
• Apply principles for gathering and interpreting information for the diagnosis of individual students' reading difficulties.
• Demonstrate knowledge of models and procedures for diagnosing students' reading difficulties and recommending educational services for these students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the process of developing case study reports regarding students with reading difficulties.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the procedures for screening groups to identify students in need of a more thorough diagnosis of reading difficulties.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the models of reading disabilities used in special education and the process for developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with severe learning difficulties related to reading.
• Demonstrate knowledge of methods for interpreting and explaining diagnostic information for classroom teachers, parents/guardians, and other specialists to plan instructional programs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for communicating with students about their strengths, areas for improvement, and ways to achieve improvement.
• Demonstrate knowledge of a variety of individualized and group instructional interventions or programs (e.g., federal, state, local) targeted toward students with reading difficulties; and apply knowledge of strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate reading programs for small groups and individuals.

 

Subarea 4—Reading Instruction

Objective 0010—Understand emergent literacy, including development of phonemic awareness.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to emergent literacy, such as home and school factors that influence development in emergent literacy, the critical role of phonemic awareness in learning to read an alphabetic language, the distinction between phonological and phonemic awareness, and the importance of providing explicit instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness to emergent and at-risk readers.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the phonological- and phonemic-awareness skills continuum (i.e., segmenting sentences into words; blending and segmenting syllables; blending and segmenting onset/rime, including identifying and producing rhyming words and alliteration; identifying beginning, medial, and final phonemes in words; and blending, segmenting, deleting, adding, and substituting phonemes in words); and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in phonological and phonemic awareness.
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of print; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in concepts of print.
• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to instruction in the English alphabet; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in letter recognition and formation.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the critical role of the alphabetic principle in reading development; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in letter-sound correspondence.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in all areas of emergent literacy to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Objective 0011—Understand the development of phonics and other word identification skills and spelling.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to the development of decoding and spelling skills, such as the reciprocity between decoding and encoding and how writing can be used to reinforce and informally assess beginning readers' phonics and sight-word development, and key terminology related to decoding and spelling instruction (e.g., digraph, blend, diphthong, vowel team, r-controlled vowel).
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of sequencing phonics instruction according to the increasing complexity of linguistic units; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in phonics to promote students' development of accurate, automatic decoding and spelling.
• Demonstrate knowledge of irregular words that should be taught as sight words; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in sight words to promote students' development of accurate, automatic word recognition and spelling.
• Demonstrate knowledge of inflectional morphemes (e.g., -ed, -er, -est, -ing, -s); and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in inflections, including orthographic guidelines related to adding inflections to words (e.g., doubling a final consonant, dropping a final e), to promote students' development of accurate, automatic decoding and spelling.
• Demonstrate knowledge of common syllable types in English; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in syllabication to promote students' development of accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of multisyllabic words.
• Demonstrate understanding that prefixes and suffixes should be decoded as chunks; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in affixes, including orthographic guidelines related to adding affixes to words, to promote students' development of accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of multisyllabic words.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for teaching students to use context clues to confirm a word after applying appropriate decoding or sight-word recognition skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in phonics and other word identification skills, sight words, and spelling to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Objective 0012—Understand development of reading fluency.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of key indicators of reading fluency (i.e., accuracy, rate, and prosody), the role of automaticity in fluency development, and the role of fluency in reading development and comprehension.
• Apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in fluency with respect to reading accuracy, rate, prosody (e.g., appropriate intonation, phrasing, pausing), and automaticity.
• Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral reading and silent reading.
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of independent reading in promoting development of automaticity and fluency, and apply knowledge of strategies for encouraging independent reading.
• Apply knowledge of how to select and use appropriate types of texts for promoting development in different aspects of fluency (e.g., decodable texts to develop accuracy, independent-level texts to develop automaticity and reading rate, poetry and predictable texts to develop prosody).
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in reading fluency to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Objective 0013—Understand the development of academic language, including vocabulary and complex language structures.

For example:

• Demonstrate understanding of key concepts related to the development of academic language, such as the role of academic language in reading comprehension and learning in the content areas, the interrelationship between vocabulary learning and concept development, the role of wide reading in promoting students' vocabulary development and their familiarity with complex language structures, and the importance of explicit instruction in facilitating students' academic-language development.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for encouraging independent reading that support academic-language development, including vocabulary development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of structural analysis skills, including knowledge of common Greek and Latin roots and affixes; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in structural analysis to foster students' vocabulary development.
• Apply knowledge of a variety of independent word-learning strategies, such as contextual analysis and use of reference materials and technology, to foster students' vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and self-efficacy as readers.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of word consciousness in vocabulary development; and apply knowledge of strategies for developing word consciousness, such as making personal connections to words, learning "challenge" words, engaging in wordplay, and thinking about relationships between words (e.g., etymology).
• Apply knowledge of strategies for enhancing students' breadth and depth of knowledge of new words and their ability to retain new vocabulary, such as defining words in a variety of ways (e.g., through categories, synonyms, antonyms, definitions, contexts, visual representations, and analogies).
• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of teacher read-alouds, guided discussions about texts, and the close reading process in fostering students' development of academic language; and apply knowledge of how to implement these activities to foster students' academic-language and vocabulary development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Standard American English grammar and usage, and apply knowledge of strategies for fostering students' ability to comprehend texts that include complex and/or less common language structures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in academic-language and vocabulary development to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Objective 0014—Understand the development of reading comprehension.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to reading comprehension, such as factors affecting reading comprehension (e.g., decoding skills, vocabulary knowledge, background knowledge, text complexity), the relationship between listening comprehension and reading comprehension, and the value of reading aloud a variety of high-quality literary and informational texts to students to build their background knowledge and enhance their ability to comprehend and analyze complex texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of distinctions between different levels of comprehension (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative), and apply knowledge of the types of questions that elicit different levels of understanding.
• Apply knowledge of the close reading process and how to model and guide students' use of various comprehension strategies (e.g., setting a purpose for reading, text-based questioning, analyzing vocabulary, deconstructing complex sentences) that support understanding and analysis of complex texts; and apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in close reading.
• Apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices and interventions in comprehension monitoring and how to use monitoring and rereading to correct confusions and misunderstandings that arise during reading.
• Apply knowledge of strategies for helping students connect their prior knowledge and experiences to texts and craft their responses to texts (e.g., discussions, dramatization, oral and written summaries, multimedia presentations) in order to improve their understanding of what they read.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in reading comprehension to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Objective 0015—Understand literary and informational texts and how to enhance students' comprehension and analysis of different types of texts for various purposes through reading and writing.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for teaching students how to use knowledge of literary forms (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, myths, biographies, essays, poetry, autobiographies, folktales, legends, fantasy) and elements (e.g., plot, character, setting, theme, conflict, resolution, climax, mood) to enhance their comprehension and analysis of literary texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for teaching students how to identify the key ideas and details in a literary text, analyze a literary text with respect to craft and structure (e.g., word choice; narrative point of view; literary techniques and devices, such as figurative language, allusion, foreshadowing, flashback, suspense, dialogue, description, dialect, narration, and symbolism), and integrate knowledge and ideas from multiple literary texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various types of informational texts (e.g., textbook, news article, consumer manual, research report, Web site), common informational-text features (e.g., table of contents, index, glossary, headings, subheadings, charts, maps, diagrams), and common organizational structures used in informational texts (e.g., chronological, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, problem/solution); and apply knowledge of strategies for teaching students how to use knowledge of text types, features, and structures to enhance their comprehension and analysis of informational texts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for teaching students how to identify the key ideas and details in an informational text, analyze an informational text with respect to craft and structure (e.g., use of discipline-specific words; author's point of view; use of reasoning, arguments, claims, and evidence), and integrate knowledge and ideas from multiple informational texts.
• Apply knowledge of a range of instructional practices, interventions, and extensions in research and inquiry practices using multiple texts and other sources of information.
• Apply knowledge of the evidence-based foundations of the writing process, including the use of various types of composition writing (e.g., narrative, expository, persuasive) in the content areas as a means of communication with a variety of audiences and to facilitate learning (e.g., note-taking, research).
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating instruction in text comprehension and analysis to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

 

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