Preparation Manual

Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
Reading Specialist (151)

Exam Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.

Exam Name	Reading Specialist
Exam Code	151
Time	5 hours
Number of Questions	100 selected-response questions
Format	Computer-administered test (CAT)

The TExES Reading Specialist (151) exam is designed to assess whether an examinee has the requisite knowledge and skills that an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools must possess. The 100 selected-response questions are based on the Reading Specialist exam framework. Questions on this exam range from grades EC–12. The exam may contain questions that do not count toward the score. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.

The Standards

Domains and Competencies

Table outlining test content subject weighting by domain.

Domain	Domain Title	Approx. Percentage of Exam*	Standards Assessed
I	Instruction and Assessment: Components of Literacy	57%	Reading Specialist I
II	Instruction and Assessment: Resources and Procedures	14%	Reading Specialist II
III	Meeting the Needs of Individual Students	14%	Reading Specialist III
IV	Professional Knowledge and Leadership	14%	Reading Specialist IV

*Percentages do not add up to 100 due to rounding.

The content covered by this exam is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each domain covers one or more of the educator standards for this field. Within each domain, the content is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:

• The competency statement, which broadly defines what an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools should know and be able to do.
• The descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing.

Domain I—Instruction and Assessment: Components of Literacy

Competency 001 (Oral Language)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of oral language development, relationships between oral language development and the development of reading skills and instructional methods that promote students’ oral language development at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Knows basic linguistic patterns and structures of oral language, such as continuant and stop sounds and coarticulation of sounds.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of stages and milestones in acquiring oral language and of relationships between oral language development and the development of reading competence.
3. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ oral language development.
4. Applies knowledge of instructional progressions, methods and materials that build on and support students’ oral language skills, reflect students’ cultural and linguistic diversity and are based on a convergence of research evidence (e.g., reading aloud, dramatizations, conversations, word play, discussions, questioning, presentations).
5. Knows how to provide systematic oral language instruction using language structures and pronunciations commonly associated with standard English.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ oral language development and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 002 (Phonological and Phonemic Awareness)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of phonological and phonemic awareness, relationships between phonological and phonemic awareness and the development of reading competence and instructional methods that promote students’ phonological and phonemic awareness at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of expected stages and milestones in acquiring phonological and phonemic awareness and of relationships between phonological and phonemic awareness and reading acquisition.
2. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ phonological and phonemic awareness.
3. Applies knowledge of instructional sequences, strategies and materials that reflect cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ phonological and phonemic awareness.
4. Knows how to provide systematic age-appropriate instruction and reinforcing activities to promote the development of students’ phonological and phonemic awareness.
5. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ phonological and phonemic awareness and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 003 (Concepts of Print and the Alphabetic Principle)—The reading specialist understands concepts of print and the alphabetic principle and applies knowledge of instructional methods that promote students’ reading acquisition at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates an understanding of the development of concepts of print (e.g., left-right progression, spaces between words) and knows how to model and teach concepts of print.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of the elements of the alphabetic principle, including graphophonemic knowledge and the relationship of the letters in printed words to spoken language.
3. Demonstrates knowledge of expected stages and patterns in the development of students’ understanding and application of the alphabetic principle and implications of individual variations in student development in this area.
4. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ understanding and application of concepts of print and the alphabetic principle.
5. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies and materials that reflect cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ understanding and application of concepts of print and the alphabetic principle.
6. Knows how to provide systematic age-appropriate instruction and reinforcing activities to promote students’ understanding and application of concepts of print and the alphabetic principle.
7. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ understanding of and ability to apply concepts of print and the alphabetic principle and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 004 (Word Identification)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of word identification skills and strategies and instructional methods that promote students’ reading competence at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of word identification skills and strategies for reading words (e.g., application of the alphabetic principle, phonics, structural analysis, syllabication, identification of high-frequency sight words, use of context clues).
2. Demonstrates knowledge of skills and strategies for confirming word pronunciation and/or meaning when reading words in text (e.g., use of context clues and resource materials).
3. Demonstrates knowledge of expected stages and patterns in the use of word identification strategies and implications of individual variations in student development in this area.
4. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ word identification skills.
5. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies and materials that reflect cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ understanding and application of word identification skills.
6. Knows how to provide systematic, age-appropriate instruction and reinforcing activities to promote students’ word identification skills, including the use of increasingly complex, connected text.
7. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ development of word identification skills and strategies and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 005 (Fluency)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of reading fluency and instructional methods that promote students’ reading competence at grades 1 through 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Recognizes the components of reading fluency (i.e., rate, accuracy and prosody) and demonstrates knowledge of the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of expected patterns of development in reading fluency (including developmental benchmarks) and implications of individual variations in the development of reading fluency.
3. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ reading fluency.
4. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies and materials that reflect cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ reading fluency.
5. Knows how to provide systematic age-appropriate instruction and reinforcing activities to promote students’ reading fluency.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ reading fluency and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 006 (Comprehension)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of reading comprehension and instructional methods that promote students’ reading comprehension at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Knows a variety of comprehension theories/models (e.g., transactional, interactive, metacognitive, socio-psycholinguistic, constructivist) and their impact on instructional strategies.
2. Identifies student factors that affect reading comprehension (e.g., schema, past reading instruction, oral language, interests, attitudes, word recognition skills, vocabulary, fluency, ability to monitor understanding).
3. Applies knowledge of textual factors that affect students’ reading comprehension (e.g., readability, vocabulary, visual representations, text organization, author’s schema, genre, syntactical and conceptual density).
4. Applies knowledge of contextual factors that affect students’ reading comprehension (e.g., curriculum materials, time allotted for reading, grouping practices, environment, assigned task and purpose).
5. Demonstrates knowledge of literal, inferential, critical and evaluative comprehension skills and knows how to provide instruction to promote students’ literal, inferential, critical and evaluative comprehension.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of characteristics of types of texts and genres and strategies for reading a variety of texts and genres (e.g., expository and narrative texts, including electronic media and other visual representations).
7. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ reading comprehension strategies.
8. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies and materials that reflect cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ reading comprehension skills.
9. Knows how to promote students’ comprehension skills by providing them with multiple opportunities to listen to, read and respond in various ways to a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction texts.
10. Knows how to promote students’ ability to apply strategies that facilitate comprehension before, during and after reading, including metacognitive strategies.
11. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in the development of students’ comprehension skills/strategies and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 007 (Vocabulary Development)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of vocabulary development and instructional methods that promote students’ oral and written vocabulary knowledge at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Recognizes the importance of teaching and modeling the use of a wide range of general, technical and specialized vocabularies.
2. Identifies student factors that influence vocabulary development (e.g., experiential background, cultural and linguistic diversity, interest in words, reading experience).
3. Knows how to plan, implement and monitor age-appropriate instruction that is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests and is based on ongoing informal and formal assessment of individual students’ vocabulary knowledge.
4. Applies knowledge of age-appropriate instructional strategies and materials that reflect students’ cultural and linguistic diversity, are based on a convergence of research evidence and promote students’ vocabulary knowledge.
5. Knows how to promote and extend students’ vocabulary knowledge by providing systematic, age-appropriate instruction and reinforcing activities (e.g., morphemic analysis, etymology, use of graphic organizers, contextual analysis, multiple exposures to a word in various contexts).
6. Knows which strategies to use before, during and after reading to facilitate students’ vocabulary development.
7. Demonstrates knowledge of age-appropriate strategies to teach students effective use of resources for vocabulary development (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, indexes, electronic media).
8. Knows how to promote students’ vocabulary development and knowledge by providing them with multiple opportunities to listen to, read and respond in various ways to a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction texts.
9. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ vocabulary development and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

Competency 008 (Written Language)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of written language and instructional to reinforce reading and writing at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Recognizes the reciprocal nature of reading and writing, the similarities and differences between spoken and written language and the relationships among listening, speaking, reading and writing.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of the developmental continuum of students’ written language, including milestones in physical and/or cognitive processes (e.g., letter formation, spelling, sentence construction, paragraph development).
3. Knows how to create an environment in which students are motivated to express their ideas through writing and how to use appropriate instructional strategies and sequences for developing students’ writing throughout the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, editing, revising).
4. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies for developing students’ meaningful writing for a variety of audiences, purposes and settings.
5. Applies knowledge of instructional strategies for developing students’ writing in connection with listening and speaking and in response to reading.
6. Knows how to provide students with opportunities to self-assess their writing (e.g., voice, coherence, depth of ideas, focus, sentence-to-sentence movement) and elicit critiques of their writing from others.
7. Knows how to model the use of writing conventions and appropriate grammar and usage to communicate clearly and effectively in writing and to reinforce students’ use of writing conventions and appropriate grammar and usage.
8. Demonstrates understanding of the role of spelling and graphophonemic knowledge in reading and writing, factors that affect students’ spelling, the stages of spelling development (i.e., prephonetic, phonetic, transitional, and conventional), how and when to support students’ development from one stage to the next and procedures for providing systematic spelling instruction.
9. Applies knowledge of the benefits of technology for teaching writing (e.g., word processing, desktop publishing software).
10. Knows how to formally and informally monitor and assess students’ writing development, including their use of writing conventions, and how to use assessment results to develop focused instruction that is responsive to students’ strengths, needs and interests to reinforce students’ writing skills.
11. Demonstrates knowledge of delays or differences in students’ writing and spelling development and when such delays/differences warrant further assessment and additional intervention.

 

Domain II—Instruction and Assessment: Resources and Procedures

Competency 009 (Assessment)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of assessment instruments and procedures used to monitor and evaluate student progress in reading and to guide instructional decision making at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of the reciprocal nature of assessment and instruction and uses multiple and varied reading assessments before, during and after instruction to monitor progress and design and modify instruction.
2. Applies knowledge of the characteristics, advantages and limitations of types of reading assessment (e.g., norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, formal and informal inventories, constructed-response, portfolios, running records, miscue analyses, observations, anecdotal records, journals, technology-based assessments) and their use in monitoring and evaluating student progress in the components of reading (i.e., oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print, alphabetic principle, word identification, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development and written language).
3. Uses information from reading assessments for various purposes (e.g., screening, in-depth assessment, continuous progress monitoring, formative and summative evaluation).
4. Knows how to identify students’ independent, instructional and frustrational reading level and listening comprehension level and to adjust instruction to accelerate learning.
5. Applies knowledge of a variety of methods for assessing students’ reading, study and inquiry skills across content areas.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of instructional strategies that promote students’ use of self-assessment to enhance literacy development.
7. Analyzes factors that may impact student performance on various types of assessment (e.g., text characteristics; testing environment; student characteristics such as language, culture, prior knowledge, disabilities).
8. Applies knowledge of assessment-related concepts and issues (e.g., reliability, validity, utility, bias, confidentiality) and common standardized testing terminology (e.g., raw score, scaled score, percentile, grade equivalency, stanine, normal curve equivalency [NCE], growth scale) in selecting and using assessments and interpreting results.
9. Knows state and federal requirements related to reading assessment and diagnosis.
10. Applies skills for communicating to various stakeholders the results and instructional implications of formal and informal assessments.
11. Knows grade-level expectations for literacy and when delays or differences in language and literacy development warrant referral for additional evaluation or intervention.

Competency 010 (Instructional Methods and Resources)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of methods and resources for providing effective literacy instruction that addresses the varied learning needs of all students at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Knows about state and national standards and requirements that relate to reading and writing curriculum and instruction.
2. Knows how to develop systematic, sequential, age-appropriate literacy instruction that reflects content and performance standards, components of a comprehensive literacy program, students’ strengths and needs and a convergence of research evidence.
3. Applies knowledge of educational theories that underlie instructional practices and components of effective instructional design.
4. Applies knowledge of instructional methods and resources to provide effective literacy instruction that addresses various student dialects, learning preferences and modalities.
5. Knows how to select materials and provide instruction that promotes respect for cultural and linguistic diversity and fosters all students’ literacy development.
6. Knows how to implement effective instructional strategies that focus on specific literacy components (e.g., oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print, alphabetic principle, word identification, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development, written language) and identifies specific short-term and long-term interventions to address student needs in each component.
7. Identifies appropriate strategies for addressing the literacy needs and accelerating the achievement of students who are reading below grade level.
8. Recognizes the value of using flexible grouping to promote literacy growth for all students and knows how to assist other educators in implementing flexible grouping.
9. Knows how to evaluate, select and incorporate various types of reading materials, including children’s and young adult literature, expository texts and other instructional materials for a range of reading levels, purposes and interests.
10. Knows how to support students’ learning in all content areas by teaching them to apply various strategies for comprehending expository and narrative texts and by promoting their acquisition and use of study and inquiry skills (e.g., note taking, outlining, skimming and scanning, using graphic organizers, setting purposes for reading, self-assessing, locating and evaluating multiple sources of information).
11. Knows how to promote students’ comprehension, literary response and analysis using various genres.
12. Knows how to design and implement instruction in interpreting, analyzing and evaluating information (e.g., maps, charts, graphics, video segments, technology presentations) and how to use media to produce visual images, messages and meanings.

 

Domain III—Meeting the Needs of Individual Students

Competency 011 (Instruction for English-Language Learners)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of effective literacy instruction for English-language learners at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of expected stages and patterns of first- and second-language learning and issues and concepts related to the transfer of literacy competency from one language to another.
2. Applies knowledge of issues and procedures in assessing English-language learners’ reading strengths and needs, including when to collaborate with other specialists to aid in assessment.
3. Applies knowledge of how to develop systematic, sequential, age-appropriate reading instruction for English-language learners that is based on a convergence of research evidence and is responsive to individual students’ strengths, needs and interests.
4. Knows how to work with other professionals in selecting and using appropriate formal and informal assessments of English-language learners and in planning effective literacy instruction, including selecting instructional materials and strategies that reflect cultural diversity.
5. Knows how to work with other professionals to implement and monitor instruction that reflects an awareness of appropriate instructional progressions and that facilitates students’ transfer of oral language skills and literacy from their primary language to English while maintaining literacy in their primary language.
6. Applies strategies for collaborating with teachers, specialists, parents/guardians, students and administrators to promote and maintain English-language learners’ literacy in English and their primary language.
7. Recognizes the importance of distinguishing between language differences and reading disabilities and knows when additional assessment and additional intervention is needed.

Competency 012 (Instruction for Students with Reading Difficulties, Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of effective literacy instruction for students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities at the levels of early childhood through grade 12.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Applies knowledge of the characteristics and instructional implications of reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities in relation to the development of reading competence.
2. Knows about state and federal laws, regulations, guidelines and procedures regarding assessment and provision of services for students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities.
3. Knows how to work with other professionals to select and administer appropriate formal and informal assessments for students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities and analyze results to plan effective literacy instruction that is responsive to individual strengths, needs and interests.
4. Uses results from formal and informal assessments to determine when in-depth evaluation and additional intervention are warranted.
5. Applies knowledge of convergent research about practices for providing effective literacy instruction to students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities, including both prevention and intervention strategies.
6. Uses assessment results to design age-appropriate instruction that promotes reading skills and strategies by building on strengths and addressing needs of students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities.
7. Applies strategies for collaborating with teachers, specialists, parents/guardians, students and administrators to promote literacy for individual students with reading difficulties, dyslexia and reading disabilities.
8. Knows how to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention and how to determine when additional or alternative interventions are appropriate.

 

Domain IV—Professional Knowledge and Leadership

Competency 013 (Theoretical Foundations and Research-Based Curriculum)—The reading specialist understands and applies knowledge of the theoretical foundations of literacy and of research-based reading/literacy curriculum.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of major theories of language acquisition, reading, cognition and learning (e.g., behaviorism, cognitive theory, constructivism, transactional theory) and how they relate to approaches and practices in literacy instruction.
2. Analyzes the impact of physical, perceptual, emotional, social, cultural, linguistic, environmental and intellectual factors on learning, language development and reading competence.
3. Demonstrates knowledge of the significance of interactions among the reader, the text and the context of the reading situation.
4. Knows the role of societal trends and technological innovations in shaping literacy needs (e.g., the Internet, reading electronic texts).
5. Applies knowledge of convergent research on reading and literacy instruction for all students and identifies sources for locating information about convergent research on reading and literacy instruction.
6. Applies knowledge of the foundations of basic research design, methodology and application to critically review research on reading and to select research findings for the purpose of improving reading instruction.
7. Knows how to prepare written documentation of literacy assessment data, analysis of instructional needs and accommodations for instruction.

Competency 014 (Collaboration, Communication and Professional Development)—The reading specialist understands and applies procedures for collaborating and communicating with educational stakeholders and for designing, implementing, evaluating and participating in professional development.

The beginning reading specialist:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of how to use leadership, communication and facilitation skills and strategies to effect positive change in the school reading program and literacy instruction.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of principles, guidelines and professional ethical standards related to collegial and professional collaborations and applies skills and procedures for facilitating effective interactions among groups and individuals to improve literacy instruction for all students.
3. Knows how to communicate research findings and make recommendations based on a convergence of research evidence to colleagues and the wider community.
4. Knows how to communicate local data and information related to literacy issues and, when appropriate, make recommendations to district staff and community stakeholders.
5. Applies strategies for working with other educators to involve parents/guardians in cooperative efforts to support students’ reading and writing development.
6. Knows how to use local data to identify and prioritize professional development needs and provide professional development experiences that address the needs of participants, are sensitive to school constraints (e.g., class size, limited resources) and use multiple indicators to monitor and evaluate effectiveness.
7. Demonstrates knowledge of strategies for facilitating positive change in instructional practices through professional development and for working with other educators to initiate, implement and evaluate professional development and its impact on instructional practice.
8. Applies knowledge of procedures for effectively mentoring and coaching educators to promote the successful implementation and sustained application of instructional practices addressed in professional development.
9. Knows how to expand knowledge of literacy through a variety of professional activities (e.g., reading professional publications, participating in conferences), and recognizes the value of participating in local, state, national and international professional organizations whose mission is the improvement of literacy.

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