If you need help studying for the NYSTCE Spanish exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free NYSTCE Spanish practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
There are 53 questions on the exam, and the time limit is 3 hours and 15 minutes.
The questions are split into two types:
50 questions
Selected-response questions require you to select the correct answer from a list of options. Multiple-choice questions are the most common example, but you may also see true-or-false questions and “matching” questions, which ask you to match terms or concepts with their definitions.
Constructed-Response (CR)
3 questions
The constructed-response questions require you to write or speak your answer instead of selecting from a list of choices.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam.
1. Interpretive Listening
25 questions
- Explicit and relevant information in a spoken message
- The use of register and sociolinguistic conventions
- The meaning and nuances of words and phrases when spoken
- Recognizing social, educational, and professional language
- Summarizing a speaker’s key ideas from a spoken message
- Making inferences based on a spoken message
- Determining perspective or intent
2. Interpretive Reading
25 questions
- Explicit and relevant information in a text
- The meaning of words and phrases in texts
- Linguistic structures used in Spanish
- Analyzing a text’s structure and organization
- Summarizing key ideas from a text
- Making inferences based on a passage
- Analyzing communicative strategies and social/cultural contexts of a text
- Analyzing argument structure and the validity of reasoning
3. Presentational Writing
1 question
- Composing a coherent and effective written response to a prompt
- Determining the appropriate language, style, and social conventions for a written response
- Supporting ideas and opinions with relevant examples and details
- Forming a conclusion that supports ideas presented in your written response
- Effectively expressing ideas in Spanish
- The conventions of grammar, orthography, punctuation, and other mechanics in Spanish
4. Presentational Speaking
1 question
- Delivering a coherent and effective spoken response to a prompt
- Addressing problems and supporting ideas and opinions
- Effectively expressing ideas in English
- Maintaining a flow of speech
- Maintaining intelligible and clear pronunciation and intonation
5. Pedagogical Content Knowledge
1 question
- Identifying appropriate learning objectives
- Identifying content and language skills necessary for students to achieve learning objectives
- Identifying conceptual and cultural understandings necessary for students to achieve learning objectives
- Providing a rationale for including the learning objective in an instructional unit
- Determining students’ current strengths and readiness
- Instructional strategies or activities that creates opportunities for students to communicate in Spanish
- Strategic ways to use appropriate Spanish-culture resources and media
- Appropriate and effective use of technological tools, processes, and/or techniques to enhance teaching and improve learning
- Formative and summative assessment strategies and activities
How to Register
To get started with your registration, you’ll need to create an account on the NYSTCE website. You can then register for the exam and schedule a test date through your account.
When you submit your registration, you’ll need to pay the $122 testing fee.
NYSTCE Spanish Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 400 and 600.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
FAQs
How many questions are on the NYSTCE Spanish exam?
The exam contains 53 questions.
What is the time limit for the NYSTCE Spanish exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours and 25 minutes.
What is the passing score for the NYSTCE Spanish exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 520 to pass.
How much does the NYSTCE Spanish exam cost?
The testing fee is $122.