What are the MTEL subject area tests? These exams are a vitally important group of tests for anyone who intends to teach school in the state of Massachusetts. Short for Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure, these exams quiz teachers in a wide range of areas to judge if they are adequately prepared to teach students in pre-K through 12th grade, adult basic education classes, or vocational or technical school.How to pass the MTEL subject area tests
Most students looking to get a teaching license in Massachusetts will need to take both a reading and writing exam such as the Communications and Literacy test and one or more subject area exams depending on their teaching goals.
There are dozens of possible categories that Massachusetts teachers can be licensed in and because of that, there are a coordinating dozens of subject area tests in those categories. For example, someone who aspires to teach Middle School mathematics will need to take a test in that area. Another person who hopes to become a high school Chemistry teacher will need to take a different test. There are also exams in subjects such as Physical Education and Theater, plus tests for foreign languages, English, speech and many other topics. In some cases, teachers may be expected to pass a competency review instead of taking a subject area exam.
In addition to the specific categories of subject area exams there is also a more general test, called the General Curriculum test. This exam includes questions on a wide variety of subjects areas plus a separate math test section. This test is for teachers who will be teaching multiple subject areas, as often happens in the primary grades, or with teachers who work with disabled or deaf students.
To pass the MTELs a student will need to be well prepared in the subject matter being tested. For many students, this will mean taking classes in college and graduate school that are related to the type of teaching they wish to do. But additional preparation may also be needed, through classroom work, study aids, and practice tests, which can help students go over not just the material but the format of the test questions and overall test environment.
Registering for the MTEL subject area tests is done online, in the mail, or over the phone. Each test is administered in a four-year period. Almost all the exams have 100 multiple-choice questions plus two essay-type or other open-response-type questions, with 80% of the grade coming from the multiple-choice portion.
The General Curriculum test is slightly different, with only 55 multiple-choice questions and one open response, with the multiple-choice portion counting for 90% of the final grade.
Preliminary scores can sometimes be obtained online. Students can find out if they failed often as early as the same day they took the test. However, official scores are sent later, through the mail. The scores are also submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Education where they become part of the teacher’s file. What score is needed to pass differs among the different subject areas, though anyone who fails will be able to take the test again, sometimes after a specific waiting period.
Preparing to take the MTEL subject area tests
Preparing to take the MTEL subject area testsOne of the first steps to becoming a teacher in Massachusetts is passing one or more of the MTELs. These tests, also called the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure, are given by the Massachusetts Department of Education as part of the licensing process for teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, vocational and technical schools, and Adult Basic Education classes.
Most teachers will need to take at least two MTELs – a reading and writing exam plus a subject area test. Which reading and writing exam is required will depend on whether or not the teacher is applying for a licensed to teach grade school, Adult Basic education, or vocational or technical school. Some teachers may need to take more than one subject area test, depending on how many subjects they intend to teach.
These tests are designed to assess the knowledge of an aspiring teacher as it is related to the subject they wish to teach. Because there are so many subjects taught in schools, there are dozens of exams, though most people will only need to take one or two of them. Exam topics include the sciences, including tests in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and General Science; various foreign languages, such as French, Spanish and German; Mathematics, with different tests for different age levels; Speech, Dance, Physical Education, Theater and more.
Teachers looking to teach the younger grade levels, or students who are disabled or deaf, may be able to take a special exam called the General Curriculum test. This test includes questions on a wide range of topics that can be taught by one teacher in these types of situations.
When preparing for the MTEL each student will need to assess the type of test they need to take and register for the appropriate exam.
Registration can be done online, via mail, or over the phone, and the test can be taken either on a computer or on paper. Students will likely have covered a lot of the material on the tests during their teaching education, but will also need to review the specifics of what will be covered as well as take some practice exams to understand the way the questions are formulated. Study aids and flash cards may help a student prepare for their subject area exam.
Each of the tests has 100 multiple-choice questions, which count for 80% of the final score, and two open-response questions, which count for 20%. A student will be given four hours to complete the exam. In some of the higher-level math and science tests, calculators will be provided.
The General Curriculum test is slightly different. It only has 55 multiple-choice questions, which count for 90% of the score, and one open-response question.
After completing the test students may be able to find out if they passed that day after 5pm on the Massachusetts Department of Education Web site. Official scores are sent via mail at a later date. The score will also become part of the license applicant’s file at the Department of Education.
If a student fails all or part of an exam he or she may be able to retake it, either in whole or in part. In some cases tests can be re-taken right away but in others there may be a waiting period (such as 120 days) before the test taker can attempt to take the test again.
MTEL Subject Area Exams
MTEL subject area examsOne of the most important steps in getting a teaching license in Massachusetts for pre-k through 12th grade, Adult Basic Education, or Vocational and Technical school education is passing the MTEL.
Short for the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure, this group of tests was created by the Massachusetts Department of Education to assess the skills and knowledge of anyone aspiring to be a teacher in the state.
Teachers need to take one or more of the MTELs to get a license. Most teachers will take a reading and writing exam plus one of dozens of subject area tests that are designed to assess abilities in very specific areas related to teaching.
Which subject area test a person will need to take will depend on which license someone wishes to get since they all have different requirements. A History teacher will need to take the History test, while a French teacher will need to take the French test. There are tests in a wide variety of subjects, including the most obvious ones such as Biology, Mathematics and English, as well as tests in other areas like Dance, Speech and Technology.
Some teachers intend to teach the primary grades where they will provide basic education in all subjects. For those teachers there is the General Curriculum test, which queries test takers on a wide variety of subjects. The General Curriculum test may also be required for teachers who intend to teach disabled or deaf students.
All of the tests are structured in the same way, with the exception of the General Curriculum test. There are 100 multiple-choice questions and 2 either essay or problem solving questions. The student gets four hours to take the test and is expected to be able to finish in that time period. With most of the tests, the multiple-choice portion counts for 80% of the final grade and the open-ended questions count for 20%.
The General Curriculum test is slightly different. It only has 55 multiple-choice questions and one essay or problem-solving question. The multiple-choice portion provides 90% of the score.
To register for the MTEL students can use the phone, a paper form, or the Internet. Students will need to know what test they want to take for the appropriate license prior to registering.
To prepare, students will need to study the material to be covered in the exam, either in a classroom setting or with study aids. Sample tests can help students focus their study on the types of questions that are anticipated to be on the exam. In most cases, students will find that the material covered on the exam is based on the kinds of things they studied while preparing to become a teacher in college. Passing scores will vary based on the material being covered in the exam.
When a student has finished taking a test he or she may be able to get a pass/fail status that same day, online. Preliminary unofficial results may be available online as well, but the final results will be sent through the mail to both the student and the licensing body for teachers. Anyone who does not get a passing score is able to re-take the test or subtext they failed, however, there may be a waiting period before they are permitted to do so.
MTEL Subject area tests
The MTELs, or Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure, are a group of exams that must be passed to become a teacher in Massachusetts. Not all the tests are required by every aspiring teacher, but many teachers will need to take both a reading and writing exam and one or more subject area tests to see how well prepared they are for the rigors of teaching students in the Bay State.
For teachers looking to teach pre-kindergarten through 12th grade the reading and writing exam is called the Communications and Literacy test. Teachers who intend to teach Adult Basic Education or Vocational or Technical school will need to take other, similar exams, and may need to take subject area tests as well, depending on their specialty.
Massachusetts currently offers more than 35 different types of teaching licenses for teachers in these categories, and each has its own testing requirements. However, most are consistent with the type of teaching license being pursued. So, for example, a teacher looking to get a license to teach Biology will need to take the Biology subject area exam. The same goes for teachers who want to educate students in everything from Dance to History to Speech to Mathematics. In some cases, teachers who intend to teach the primary grades or disabled or deaf students may take a more general exam called the General Curriculum test, rather than taking a subject area exam for each possible subject they may teach in their classrooms.
The appropriate preparation for the MTEL Subject area exams will differ, depending on which license is being pursued. In general these exams test knowledge of the subject matter so students will likely need to take classes in college or graduate school that provide the appropriate type of education. Others may benefit from using study aids or practice tests, which not only provide insight into the types of material covered on the exam but also allow one to get a sense of test format and how the questions are presented.
Students can register for the MTEL subject area tests either online, through the mail, or on the phone.
All of the tests are given in a four-hour period. For some tests – higher mathematics, physics and chemistry – calculators are provided. Each of the tests include 100 multiple-choice questions and two open-response items, usually either an essay or a math or science problem. The multiple-choice section counts for 80% of the score. The only exception is the General Curriculum test, which has 55 multiple-choice questions and one open-response item. In this test, the multiple-choice section counts for 90% of the total score.
Once the test is finished, students can log on that day after 5 p.m. to see their pass/fail status. Unofficial test results can be obtained as well, online, but the official score will not be sent until a later date. Student scores are automatically sent to the Massachusetts Department of Education and added to their file.
What constitutes a passing score will vary depending on which subject area is taken. Students who fail will be able to take the test again. People who take the test on a computer will need to wait 120 days before retaking any exam.