I just took the ESL Supplemental test yesterday. It is so hard to know how you did! This one is only offered paper/pencil, so I have to wait 3-4 weeks to find out how I did. I didn't go to any formal training...I studied the practice test on the TEA/SBEC website and then bought two other study guides....I think I probably passed...but waiting is going to drive me crazy! I was suprised that there were only 70 questions on the exam....was just wondering how many could I miss and still pass? How did you feel after taking the exam?
It will be interesting to see what the feedback is. What teacher tests as a class seem to be designed to do is to sample the test taker's knowledge. There's no teacher test of which I'm aware for which 75% correct isn't a passing score, or darned close to one. (Someone will probably now tell me about one - maybe even a TExES - for which that isn't true. Sigh.)
I believe we took the test together in CC ( I was seat X) and I feel the same way. [edited] I had fifteen questions that I did not "know" the answer to so I may be taking the exam again. One last point - is there a ESL - plus program? UPDATE - I just looked up the answer to my own question and found out - yes there is such a thing but ... " I got it right".
I don't know whether ETS is as persnickety about protecting its test questions as NES is, but it wouldn't be surprising if so. Feel free to discuss issues raised by tests - if the test contained a specific question the answer to which is Alvarez v. Lemon Grove School Board (for example), it would be reasonable to initiate a discussion of court cases relating to school desegregation and the issues involved, and if Alvarez happened to surface in the course of the discussion, there shouldn't be a problem. But it's prudent not to discuss the details of particular test questions.
oops, thank you, I was not aware that I had agreed to not discuss ETS questions by taking the test - I will refrain from doing so - thanks much TEACHERGROUPIE!!
BEfore you post a reply, you can hit "spell check" (last button on the right.) I seldom do, but probably should
Hey, at least you care. I so often forget to proofread my posts. When it's real bad, I go back and edit. When it's not (or I'm lazy) I hope that people will mistake me for someone with an education but also with 3 active kids
... someone was kind enough to edit my first "reply" so I would not be in "trouble", are we able to edit each other? vr
Sometimes they'll edit to ensure that we're in keeping with the rules, or if things seem to be getting out of hand. But, no, for the most part we can only edit our own posts.
... I am sorry to keep bothering you, but do you mean Teachergroupie did not edit my "mistake" but it was someone from A to Z - surely even the CIA could not keep track of something so remote as a teacher testing forum -? vr
Sorry, no TG is the local testing guru. She's "from A-Z" in some capacity. And she does it as a favor, to prevent that "liability to the poster for monetary damages or other legal remedies" in the fine print on top.
Glad to know that I am not the only "lazy" person on this board. I guess we can't say we rae really lazy if we teach full time and have kids. Just tired is a better way to put it.
TG ... are you the "man" ? - thanks for keeping me in line with the "fine print" and thanks again Aliceacc for your help. I think I am going to go back to sending letters with stamps to my kids - I did not have any idea you could possibly get in trouble "talking" on a teachers web site - I did not think anyone even paid any attention to it. I am glad those who do seem very nice!
Whether the CIA checks up on A to Z I don't know, but at least one testing agency has. If I were ETS, for example, I could fairly straightforwardly monitor posts about ETS tests by Googling "forums.atozteacherstuff.com texes praxis". Tracking NES exams would take more work, since each state's exam system has a unique name, but would still be doable. Yes, I'm the one who edited your post. No, I'm not paid to do this, nor am I paid by A to Z to do anything. I'm just what my username says: a teacher groupie.
And my goal is not to get anyone into trouble but to keep all of us out of it. Suffice it to say that there is a history here. Insofar as I'm "the man", it's in the sense of Disney's Mulan: "Mulan, you da man! ... Well, sorta."
... you are TOO cool , it was nice to see this forum come alive this evening, I am going to go study for my NEXT esl test ... thanks for your vigilance!! vr
Alice, as settled-and-blessed as you keep sounding, and as generously as you share here in spite of all the other demands on your time, energy, and heart, you've already got good karma, and then some. But may it get even better.
Hey! HEY! Oh my goodness...yes, that was me, are you the girl I spoke with before the test? How FunnY!!!! That was a tough test....I hope I am a good guesser!! I need to give you my email.... td
... small world, I would like the e-mail to "discuss some details" - I hope today goes well for you - we are going to go crazy with TAKS!! vr
How funny...I was looking at what other tests there were today on SBEC/TEA...didn't see any for me! haha!
Bravissima, tarainsa and classemom! Please celebrate your accomplishment (yes, together would be fine...) - nobody ever passed a teacher test solely on luck, though sometimes it seems that 90% of the teacher-test-taking population will say so.
Ack, I just took the August 4th test, and now I'm a nervous wreck! Who would have thought there would be so many "six one way/half a dozen the other" questions? There were some things on there I didn't even think to study for, and I had a study guide! I wonder if I got a newer version or a trial version of the test? It was definitely challenging. If I have to retake this test, just salt me up and feed me to the alligators.
... you passed, my wife and I both took the test and felt the same way and ... we passed just fine ... the test is "scaled" so if it was more difficult than previous tests it will "even out".
Thanks for the encouragement. However, I won't rest easy until I know for sure. Did they mail the results to you, or is there a website that has our grades listed?
... you are new. The test results come out on the third Friday ( SBEC will give you the date) and they will send you an e-mail announcing the result and the official copy will come in the mail. If you need further help please contact me by e-mail ... I can help with a worst case .... vr
Goodluck, I am sure you did fine if you had a study guide... I studied too, ( & passed ) but, I felt the same way about some things that were on the test.
... it is nice to see others have a hard time "letting go" of 154 ... I don't know why I still hang on to this "thread"....?