MTEL Communications & Literacy Skills Test Practice Questions

How Do I Register for the Communication and Literacy Skills Exam From MTEL?

The MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam is offered by appointment throughout the year, except on Sundays and some holidays. The test consists of two subtests, and prospective participants can register for either one or both of these on the MTEL website.

The exam is offered at testing locations throughout Massachusetts and the rest of the country by Pearson, an international standardized testing company.

If a prospective participant registers for both of the subtests at once, they will both be administered during a single four-hour testing session. It will be up to the participant to determine how much time they spend out of that total on each subtest, as the subtests won’t be individually timed. Prospective participants can also register for each subtest separately and schedule them for different days. In this case, they will have four hours to take each subtest.

The registration fee for the MTEL’s Communication and Literacy Skills exam’s reading subtest is $76, registration for the writing subtest is $85 and the registration fee for both at once is $112.

What Can I and Can’t I Bring to MTEL’s Literacy Skills and Communication Exam?

Participants in the MTEL Literacy Skills and Communication exam are required to bring with them at least one piece of current, government-issued identification that is in English, bearing the name in which they registered and bearing their photograph and signature.

Participants in the exam are not allowed to bring calculators. They are also not allowed to bring cell phones, handwritten or printed materials, hats or large jewelry, food or drink, purses or backpacks or unauthorized medical devices.

What Specific Content Is on the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Exam and How Is it Divided?

As noted above, the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam contains two subtests. Both of these include a different number of objectives, each of which make up varying percentages of the full exam. The specific breakdown of content is as follows:

• Reading Subtest:
  • The meaning of words and phrases (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
  • Main ideas and their supporting details (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
  • A writer’s point of view and purpose (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
  • The relationships between ideas (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
  • Critical reasoning (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
  • Graph interpretation, outlining and summarizing (6 to 8 multiple-choice questions, 16.7 percent of subtest)
• Writing Subtest:
  • Establishing and maintaining a central idea (14 to 16 multiple-choice questions, 15 percent of subtest)
  • Grammar, usage and sentence construction (9 to 11 multiple-choice questions, 10 percent of subtest)
  • Punctuation, spelling and capitalization (9 to 11 multiple-choice questions, 10 percent of subtest)
  • Revising sentences with errors (7 sentence correction questions, 15 percent of subtest)
  • Summary exercise (1 summary exercise, 15 percent of subtest)
  • Composition exercise (1 composition exercise, 35 percent of subtest)

What Score Do I Need to Pass the Literacy Skills and Communication Exam from MTEL and When Will I Receive It?

240 points are required on each subtest in order to pass the full exam. Depending on a participant’s particular test date, their score report will be available online within about four to six weeks of completion.

How Can I Get a Passing Score on the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills Exam?

Because the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam covers such a broad range of fundamental teaching knowledge, participants usually find success by dividing their study efforts between the use of a flashcard system and study guide. Both a study guide and a flashcard set for this exam have been tailor made by Mometrix Test Preparation.