The North Carolina Foundations of Reading Test is one of the required tests that make up the certification process to become a teacher in the state of North Carolina. The exam measures a candidates knowledge and understanding of how to effectively teach and promote literacy in their students.
How Long Will I Be at the Testing Center on Test Day?
North Carolina Foundations of Reading Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
You will have four hours in total to respond to the 100 multiple choice questions and two open response questions. In addition to that four hours, you will also have 15 minutes to complete an optional tutorial that shows you how to use the computer based testing program.
In order to make sure you don’t encounter any difficulties or problems while checking in, make sure you fulfill the following checklist:
- Bring two forms of valid, government-issued ID. At least one of these needs to be a photo ID such as your driver’s license, passport, stated ID, or military ID.
- Leave all personal belongings (including phone, study materials, purses, etc) at home or in your car. You won’t be able to bring anything into the exam room with you. If you’re not comfortable leaving your things in the car, call ahead to find out whether your testing location offers lockers.
- Go to the bathroom before leaving the house and again at the testing center right before beginning the exam. It’s a four hour test and there are no scheduled breaks so you want to do your best to avoid the need to take any unscheduled breaks which will eat into your testing time.
What Will I Be Expected to Know for the Test?
The North Carolina Foundations of Reading Test includes 100 multiple choice questions and two open response questions divided across four core subareas. Below, you will find an overview of what kind of skills and knowledge will be measured in each subarea:
- Foundations of Reading Development – 43-44 of the Questions
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- The alphabetic principle and concepts of print
- Promoting reading development through phonics
- Skills and strategies for word analysis
- Development of Reading Comprehension – 33-34 of the Questions
- Development of vocabulary
- Applying appropriate reading comprehension strategies and skills to literary or imaginative texts
- Applying appropriate reading comprehension strategies and skills to expository or informational texts
- Reading Assessment and Instruction – 22-23 of the Questions
- Demonstrate command of both the formal and informal methods of measuring reading development
- Demonstrate command of a range of diverse approaches to reading instruction
- Integration of Knowledge and Understanding – 2 Open Response Questions
- The ability to draw connections as well as integrate your knowledge from the previous three fields into a coherent approach to teaching literacy to students.
The fourth subarea involves open response questions rather than multiple choice questions as found in the previous three areas. These open response questions will provide you with a prompt on a topic which relates to one or more of the three fields of knowledge you were tested on.
Your task is to formulate a clear, coherent, and well thought out response demonstrating not only your critical analysis and understanding but also your command of the vocabulary and grammar conventions of the English language.
How Is the North Carolina Foundations of Reading Exam Scored?
The exam is given a cumulative score ranging from 100 to 300 based on your performance on the multiple choice questions as well as the two open response questions. In order to successfully pass the exam, you will need to achieve a minimum of 229 total.
What Is the Best Way to Prepare for the North Carolina Foundations of Reading Test?
Success on the North Carolina Foundations of Reading Test will come down to two interrelated skills—your reading skills and your ability to teach reading to students. This means your study sessions should include both time devoted to developing your reading and comprehension skills as well as time spent reviewing the standards and best practices for teaching reading to students.
For both of those, you’ll want to use great study aids like the Mometrix Study Guide and Mometrix Flashcards. The guide will provide sample passages and questions to help hone your comprehension skills in the context of the same style and topics you’ll encounter on test day. You’ll also get a thorough overview of the standards and practices for teaching reading in North Carolina.
The flashcards also come with sample passages and questions to help you get additional practice. In addition, you’ll get a great vocabulary review to help you memorize the words you are most likely going to see on the test. Plus, they offer a more interactive and engaging way to study the material.
Online North Carolina Foundations of Reading Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online NC Foundations of Reading Prep Course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The Foundations of Reading Course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering All the Topics
- 400+ Foundations of Reading Practice Questions
- More than 300 Digital Flashcards
- Over 40 Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The NC Foundations of Reading Prep Course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their Foundations of Reading exam; click below to check it out.
