FTCE Exceptional Student Education K-12 Book + Online

Ken Springer, Maryann Gromoll, Nancy Ann Tattner

• Publisher: Research & Education Association
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9780738684239
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Teacher Training

REA's FTCE Exceptional Student Education K-12 Test Prep with Online Practice Tests
Gets You Certified and in the Classroom!

Nationwide, more than 4 million teachers will be needed over the next decade, and all must take appropriate tests to be licensed. REA gets you ready for your teaching career with our outstanding library of Teacher Certification test preps.

Our test prep is designed to help teacher candidates master the information on the FTCE Exceptional Student Education K-12 exam and get certified. It's perfect for college students, teachers, and career-changing professionals who are looking to become Florida Special Education teachers.

Written by Florida education experts, our complete study package contains an in-depth review of all the competencies tested on the FTCE Exceptional Student Education K-12 exam, including knowledge of language development, reading and communication skills, assessment and evaluation, teaching interpersonal interactions, and more.

Two full-length practice tests are offered online in a timed format with instant scoring, diagnostic feedback, and detailed explanations of answers. Each test features every type of question, subject area, and skill you need to know for the exam. Our online practice tests replicate the FTCE question format, allowing you to assess your skills and gauge your test-readiness.

The online tests at REA's Study Center offer the most powerful scoring and diagnostic tools available today. Automatic scoring and instant reports help you zero in on the topics and types of questions that give you trouble now, so you'll succeed when it counts. Every practice exam comes with detailed feedback on every question. We don't just say which answers are right - we explain why the other answer choices are wrong - so you'll be prepared on test day.

The book includes the same two practice tests that are offered online, but without the added benefits of detailed scoring analysis and diagnostic feedback. This complete test prep package comes with a customized study schedule and REA's test-taking strategies and tips.

This test prep is a must-have for anyone who wants to teach Exceptional Students in Florida!

CHAPTER 1

Passing the Examination

Congratulations! By taking the FTCE Exceptional Student Education K–12 exam, you’re on your way to a rewarding career working with exceptional students. Our book and the online tools that come with it give you everything you need to succeed on this important exam, bringing you one step closer to being certified to teach in Florida. Our FTCE test prep package includes:

• a complete overview of the FTCE Exceptional Student Education K–12 exam

• a comprehensive review of every competency

• end-of-chapter quizzes

• two full-length online practice tests with powerful diagnostic tools to help you personalize your prep

How To Use This Book

About the Review

The review chapters in this book are designed to help you sharpen the skills needed to pass the FTCE test. We present the competencies assessed on the exam in the order that helps make the material easiest to review and retain. Each of the skills required for all seven competencies is discussed at length to optimize your understanding.

Keep in mind that your schooling has taught you most of what you need to know to answer the questions on the test. Some of the education classes you took should have provided you with the know-how to understand and make important decisions about professional situations involving exceptional students (also called special education students).

Our review is designed to help you relate the information you have acquired to specific competencies. Studying your class notes and textbooks together with our review will give you an excellent foundation for passing the exam.

About the REA Study Center

The best way to personalize your study plan is to get feedback on what you know and what you don’t know. At the online REA Study Center, we give you two full-length practice tests with detailed score reports that pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

Before you review with the book, go to the REA Study Center and take the first practice test as a diagnostic. Your score report will identify the areas in which you need to concentrate. Review the parts of the book where you’re weakest and focus your study on the areas where you need the most review.

After reviewing with the book, take Practice Test 2 online at the REA Study Center to ensure that you have mastered the material and are ready for test day. Use your score reports to identify any other areas where you need extra study, and read those sections of the review chapters again.

If you are studying and don’t have Internet access, you can take the printed tests in the book. These are the same practice tests offered at the REA Study Center, but without the added benefits of timed testing conditions, automatic scoring, and diagnostic score reports. Remember, the FTCE is a computer-based exam, and we strongly recommend taking the practice tests online to replicate exam-day conditions.

An Overview of the Test

What is Tested on the FTCE Exceptional Student Education K–12 Exam?

The FTCE Exceptional Student Education K–12 exam is computer-based and assesses seven broad area competencies along with the skills aligned to each competency. Below are the competencies used as the basis for the exam, as well as the approximate percentage of the total exam that each competency covers.

These competencies represent the knowledge that teams of teachers, administrators, subject area specialists, and others have determined to be important for beginning teachers who work with exceptional students. Each review chapter discusses a competency in depth and is organized by the skills that the Florida Department of Education lists for each competency.

What is the Format of the Test?

The FTCE Exceptional Student Education K–12 exam includes 120 scorable multiple-choice questions. All questions are designed to assess your knowledge of the competencies and the related skills reviewed in this book. In general, the multiple-choice questions are intended to make you think logically. You are expected in most cases to demonstrate more than an ability to recall factual information; you may be asked to think critically about the information, analyze it, consider it carefully, compare it with knowledge you have, or make a judgment about it.

Answering the multiple-choice questions is straightforward. Each question will have four choices labeled A, B, C, and D. Mark your answer choice directly below each test item on the computer screen. The test is scored based on the number of questions you answer correctly, and no points are deducted for wrong answers. Therefore, do not leave any item unanswered, since you are not penalized for guessing.

You are given two and a half hours to complete the test, but be aware of the amount of time you are spending on each question so you allow yourself time to complete the whole test. Maintain a steady pace when answering questions and use your time efficiently.

When Should the FTCE Exam Be Taken?

Florida law requires that teachers demonstrate mastery of basic skills, professional knowledge, and the content areas in which they are specializing. A Professional Florida Educator’s Certificate requires, among other things, that you pass all three parts of the FTCE battery: Professional Education, General Knowledge, and the Subject Area Exam. Temporary Certificates are available to qualified individuals for three years, during which time you may teach while preparing to take the certification tests, including the one corresponding to your area of specialization.

This book helps you prepare for the area of specialization called Exceptional Student Education K–12. (Separate tests are required for certification in the areas of Hearing Impaired K–12, Speech-Language Impaired K–12, and Visually Impaired K–12.) Whether you are a student, a graduate of a Florida state-approved teacher preparation program, or an educator who has received certification in another state, you should carefully read the requirements for working with exceptional students provided in the Educator Certification pages of the Florida Department of Education website (http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/).

How Do I Register for the Test and Is There a Registration Fee?

You may register on the Internet at any time. There are no registration deadlines for the exam, but it is wise to register early for the session you desire, as test sites tend to fill up fast. You must pay a registration fee at the time you register for the exam. Information about FTCE test registration and fees is online at: http://www.fl.nesinc.com.

Scoring the Test

There are 120 multiple-choice questions on this test. A question answered correctly is worth one raw point, and your total raw score is the number of questions answered correctly on the full test.

Our online practice tests are scored automatically for you. If you do not get a passing score on the practice tests, review your online score report and study the detailed explanations for the questions you answered incorrectly. Note which types of questions you answered wrong, and re-examine the corresponding review. After further review, you may want to retake the practice tests online.

When Will I Receive My Score Report?

On the score report release date you will receive an email notifying you that your score report is available in your account. This is only if you had provided your email address at the time of registration.

Test scores are released on Tuesdays after 10 p.m. Eastern Time within six weeks of the test date. Your score will be sent directly to the school district, college, or university you indicated when you registered. Your score will also be automatically sent electronically to the Bureau of Educator Certification.

Can I Retake the Test?

If you don’t do well on the FTCE, don’t panic! You can take it again, and in fact many candidates do. However, you must wait 31 days to retake the exam. You will have to reregister for the test and pay a fee.

Studying for the Test

When Should I Start Studying?

It is never too early to start studying for the FTCE. The earlier you begin, the more time you will have to sharpen your skills. Do not procrastinate. Cramming is not an effective way to study, since it does not allow you the time needed to learn the test material. It is very important for you to choose the time and place for studying that works best for you. Be consistent and use your time wisely. Work out a study routine and stick to it.

When you take the practice tests, simulate the conditions of the actual test as closely as possible. Turn your television and radio off, and sit down at a quiet table free from distraction.

As you complete each test, review your score reports, study the diagnostic feedback, and thoroughly review the explanations to the questions you answered incorrectly. However, do not review too much at any one time. Concentrate on one problem area at a time by reviewing the question and explanation, and by studying our review until you are confident that you have mastered the material. Give extra attention to the reviews that cover your areas of difficulty, as this will build your skills in those areas.

FTCE Study Schedule

Although our study plan is designed to be used in the six weeks before the exam, it can be condensed or expanded to suit your schedule. Be sure to set aside enough time (at least two hours each day) to study. The more time you spend studying, the more prepared and confident you will be on the day of the test.

Test-Taking Tips

Taking an important standardized test like the FTCE might make you nervous. These test tips will help alleviate your test-taking anxieties.

Tip 1. Become comfortable with the format of the test. When you are practicing, stay calm and pace yourself. After simulating the test even once, you will boost your chances of doing well, and you will be able to sit down for the actual FTCE exam with much more confidence.

Tip 2. Familiarize yourself with the directions on the test. This will not only save time but will also help you avoid anxiety (and the mistakes anxiety causes).

Tip 3. Read all of the possible answers. Just because you think you have found the correct response, do not automatically assume that it is the best answer. Read through each choice to be sure that you are not making a mistake by jumping to conclusions.

Tip 4. Use the process of elimination. Go through each answer choice and eliminate as many as possible. If you ...