Monday, June 28, 2010

The GACE English Test (Study Guide, Resources, & Suggestions)

During the spring, I took the GACE English test to add High School English to my teaching certification.  The English GACE test is like many state and national tests, it is a comprehension exam designed to test the individual on many English/Language Arts standards.  I was a little anxious going into the test, for many reasons.  One) The length, you have four hours to complete two tests, each containing 60 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer essays.  Two) The fee - I paid close to $200 to take this thing and I wanted to pass it the first time.  Three) The uncertainty surrounding the test.

I felt very comfortable with most of the grammar that might be on the test.  Additionally, I was very comfortable with the writing process, instructional strategies involving reading, writing, and any media literacy elements that might be on the test.  The only area I was really concerned with involved the literature. I read a lot, but I tend to read more obscure authors like Julio Cortazar or Harry Crews.  My reading does not fall within the traditional and well-studied ranges of English literature.  And even so, it seemed as if I'd have to know everything about literature, starting with Homer and ending with Amy Tan.  So, I was concerned and felt the need to study.  The problem I encountered was that there was very little information on the internet about the test.  The GACE website does a good job outlining the standards and element for the test, but that is it.  So, I decided after taking the test I would share the resources I spent countless hours gathering. I cannot tell you what was on the test but I can tell you what I used to study for the test.  Even though the test had some tough questions, I felt it was fairly easy and straight forward.  However, I feel the need to state that I felt very prepared for the test, probably because I spent a month or two studying. 

My best advice is to review the standards and focus on the areas you feel weak in. 

GACE English Test Resources
1. GACE Website.  Review the standards, elements, frameworks, and sample questions.  This is a great place to get started.
http://www.gace.nesinc.com/GA_PG_020021_opener.asp

2. XAM GACE English Study Guide.  I have read many bad reviews about this book but, honestly, it helped.  The sample tests were very helpful and identified some of my weaknesses.   The book isn't perfect (or cheap), so find it used or buy it new at Amazon (the cheapest place online).

3. This Guy's Study Guide.  This was the only place I found a short and sweet study guide from someone that took the test.  I often used this to review the concepts he had listed.  His blog also contains some good insight about the test.
http://gateacher.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/english-gace-test/ (blog entry)
(direct link to download study guide)

4a. Review the Georgia Performance Standards for English/Reading Grades 9-12.  You want to be a high school English teacher, right?  So, why not review what you'd have to teach?  In addition, the standards match up with the GACE test. There are a lot of great resources here: lists of terms, concepts, explanations, and tips.  There is a lot of information here, so make sure to focus on what you do not know.
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/pages/BrowseStandards/ELAStandards9-12.aspx

4b. Review the Georgia Performance Frameworks.  Even more helpful than the GPS.
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Frameworks/pages/BrowseFrameworks/ela9-12.aspx

5. Georgia DOE Website.  Use the review resources for high school students.  Very helpful (and free).
A link to the content descriptions for high school English. 
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_testing.aspx?folderID=227&m=links&ft=Content%20Descriptions
A link to some online practice questions (for high school graduation), just follow the steps for a high school student. 
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CI_TESTING_OAS

6. End of Course and High School Graduation Study Guides.  Again, the GADOE is here to help you.  These study guides are great and contain many practice questions.  In my opinion, many of the questions seemed a bit easier than the GACE, but it was the same subject matter and concepts. Also, it is great practice for reading passages and deciding on the best answer.
http://www.gadoe.org/ci_testing.aspx?folderID=14732&m=links&ft=EOCT%20Guides
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_testing.aspx?folderID=228&m=links&ft=Student%20Guides

7. Use the Internet.  Since literary movements were my greatest concern, I spent a lot of my time reviewing literary time periods and authors. Here are a few of them.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/timeline/
http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/rickard/Timeline.html
http://www.socsdteachers.org/tzenglish/literature_timeline.htm
http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/TABLE.HTML

8. Watch Movies.  Here is a great collection of PBS videos that review all of the major literary movements in America.  http://www.learner.org/resources/series164.html?pop=yes&pid=1747 Very well done and very interesting.  Also, I watched whatever movies I could find at the library (for example: the Harlem Renaissance and studying poetry).

9.  Read Some Classics.  I read (and listened to) books I hadn't thought about since high school like The Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God (to name a couple).

10.  Take Notes and Apply Them in Some Way.  I made word clusters/maps.  I've scanned a few to show you.

By the end of my two month study window I felt very prepared for the English GACE and, in the end, I passed.  For the first time ever, I was not just trying to cram for a test, I was trying to self-educate.  I probably did not need to take every practice test twice, but I did. I surely did not need to read those handful of classics, but I did.  Regardless, everything I did helped shape my understanding of what I was studying and enriched my study sessions.  I hope my suggestions help future test takers out there, I would rather people spend more time studying than searching.

3 comments:

  1. I just took the English 020 test on March 26 2011. The test is forever changing but, here is what I remember. You may want to focus on

    *common slave narratives themes
    *common themes in medieval courtly poetry
    *common Victorian themes in writers like Dickens, Gaskell and C. Bronte
    *common themes of the New England Renaisance
    *surrealist movement
    *common themes of the 1950's movement "the Beat"
    *common themes in 19th century arabic literature
    *define terms -conceit, denoument, Pyyrhic victory, connotation
    *language of Elizabethean writers
    *Pormanteaus words
    *transcendentalism, Jean Satre and existentialism

    ReplyDelete
  2. Also, be prepared to read and analyze semi long passages

    ReplyDelete
  3. I take both test in 8 days! Thanks so much for this posts and the comments!

    ReplyDelete