FTCE: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE WORKSHOPTO FIND THE COMPETENCIES THAT WILL BE TESTED ON THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EXAM PLEASE REFER TO HTTP://WWW.FLDOE.ORG/CORE/FILEPARSE.PHP/3/URLT/FTCE20EDITION.PDF

BRIEF UPDATE: THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EXAM

• Four sub-sections (Reading, Essay, Mathematics, & English Language Skills [test takers are required to pass each]);

• The GK was altered in May, 2014 – the questions are now more challenging;

• The cut scores required to pass the GK increased as of 1/15;

• Test takers were allotted 40 min. to complete the Reading Subsection of the GK - this was increased to 55 minutes in July, 2015.

THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EXAMTHE PASSING SCORES BELOW ARE THE: “MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE NEEDED TO EARN A PASSING SCORE ON ANY FORM OF AN EXAMINATION CURRENTLY BEING ADMINISTERED.”

Content Area Number of Questions

Time Allotted Passing Score

Mathematics Approximately 45 MC questions

100 minutes 69%

English Language Skills

Approximately 40 MC questions

40 minutes 68%

Reading Approximately 40 MC questions

55 minutes 75%

Essay Answer 1 question from a choice of 2

50 minutes 8 out of 12 points

WHEN DO I RECEIVE MY SCORES?• Tests with only MC questions = unofficial pass/non-

pass upon completion of the test unless the exam is being redeveloped or revised.

• Essay or tests with performance components = within 6-7 weeks of the test date

• Number of days between taking each test = 31

COSTS• If you are taking a test for the first time, you will pay the first-

attempt fee $130.00

• For tests with subtests, your first-attempt fee only applies to the subtest(s) taken on your initial test date. Subtests taken after that date are considered retakes $150.00

• “For tests with subtests, you may take any combination of subtests at a single appointment, for a single test fee. It may be possible to register for multiple appointments on the same day at the same test site; however, there can be no guarantee that multiple appointments can be scheduled consecutively.”

• If you need to review or reschedule…cannot be done within 24 hours of your “scheduled test time.”

COMPUTER-BASED TESTYou should be provided with:

• Dry-erase “paper”

• Marker

• Four-function calculator

• Ability to check items (in other words, you can complete the items you know, check on those that take more time, and go back to them later)

• REMEMBER: WHEN IN DOUBT, BETTER TO GUESS – DO NOT LEAVE ANSWERS BLANK (IF EXTRA TIME, CHECK YOUR ANSWERS)

• Not a bad idea to go and visit the test center prior to your test date (Is the room cold? Can you wear a sweatshirt?)

THE ESSAY

• Determine the purpose of writing to task and audience.

• Provide a section that effectively introduces the topic.

• Formulate a relevant thesis or claim.

• Organize ideas and details effectively.

• Provide adequate, relevant support by citing ample textual evidence; response may also include anecdotal experience for added support.

• Use of a variety of transitional devices effectively throughout and within a written text.

• Demonstrate proficient use of college-level, standard written English (e.g., varied word choice, syntax, language conventions, semantics).

• Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from, or supports, the argument or information presented.

• Use a variety of sentence patterns effectively.

• Maintain consistent point of view.

• Apply the conventions of standard English (e.g., avoid inappropriate use of slang, jargon, clichés).

SEE HANDOUT: LETS TAKE A MOMENT TO ORGANIZE THOUGHTS/IDEAS REGARDING HOW TO BEST RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPT:• “Teaching has become a profession that is considered to be

fundamental to the health of our nation. Some people contend teaching certification should be granted only after completion of a university teacher education program. Others maintain teaching certification via an alternate route through non-university entities such as school districts, education service centers, and private agencies is appropriate. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each of these paths to teacher certification.”

• Take some time to list the advantages and disadvantages; let’s share some ideas with the group (BE VERY CAREFUL TO READ THE PROMPT SO YOU ADDRESS THE QUESTION DIRECTLY)

SAMPLE FIRST PARAGRAPH – SET THE TONE, FORMULATE YOUR THESIS OR CLAIM• Teaching is a highly complex task. Becoming a skilled teacher requires knowledge of best

practices – derived by educational theories-, content area expertise, and extensive practice in the field. University-based certification programs are often constructed to increase the likelihood that all teachers will have these competencies; however, some university-based programs are of higher quality than others, and most require substantial financial and time commitments. These costs can dissuade those who could be talented teachers from entering the field. At the same time, although alternate route training programs may make entering the teaching profession more appealing -- due to the less lengthy and less costly training processes --, these shortened training programs may or may not prepare teachers to be skilled at their craft. If this is so then the United States could gain a larger teaching force, but suffer the consequences of lower teacher quality. These costs and benefits will surely affect the health of our nation.

PARAGRAPH TWO: ADVANTAGES

• See handout:

• Let’s look at a well-written version of a second paragraph and a less well-written version

• What are the differences?

PARAGRAPH 3…DISADVANTAGES

WRITING REMINDERS:

• Vary sentence length

• Use transitional words and phrases (secondly, similarly, in essence, therefore, finally, for example, however, generally, consequently, in short, moreover)

• Avoid overgeneralization

• Check for spelling and grammatical errors

• Avoid repetition

• Be sure your subject and verb agree

• Maintain consistency regarding first (“I”), second (“you”) or third person point of view (an objective observer)

• Do not use colloquial speech (“flick, cheesy, umpteen, as old as dirt”)

SAMPLE CLOSING: SEE HANDOUT

• In sum, teachers’ influence on educating our citizenry, thereby enabling our nation to retain its global standing, is incontestable. Whether we can incentivize entering the profession, while also ensuring our teachers are trained extensively to effectively assume their professional roles, is an extant issue. Thus, we must strive to find a balance that protects us from increasing quantity – or our pool of educators -- at the cost of quality and longevity.

NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE READING TEST

• You will be presented with a reading passage, which is an excerpt pulled from a longer piece of writing. Then you will be asked to answer several questions about the passage such as the main idea, the point of view, the tone, what specific terms mean, and fact-based information.

• How to approach this? Should I read the passage first and then look at the questions? Should I read the answers, the questions, and then the passage? How? Why?

• Free practice: www.ReadTheory.org

•Handout:When Hernando Cortéz left Cuba in February of 1519 with 550 soldiers on 11 ships, he could have no idea that one of the oldest soldiers in his company would become the last living survivor of his great conquest. Bernal Díaz not only participated in all of the great events of the conquest, but as an old, old man living almost without funds in Honduras, he happened to read an idealized and romanticized history of the conquest written by a priest and determined—at the age of 79—to set the record straight. Though Bernal Díaz died at the age of 84, he was able to complete his eminently readable six-volume account of the conquest of Mexico. •Though the priest's version of the conquest tells that Cortéz secretly burned the boats of the expedition so that his men would be unable to retreat and would have to advance, Díaz corrects him. Cortéz, says Díaz, was appalled to learn that the boats had been attacked by sea worms and that they were no longer seaworthy. Moreover, the fittings of the ships were made of metal that could be salvaged and used to make both guns and ammunition necessary for the conquest. According to Díaz, Cortéz called his men together and informed them of the problems, then they voted to burn the ships. •Díaz also sets the record straight with regard to Doña Marina, the brilliant girl from a Yucatan tribe who spoke several of the Mexican dialects and thus became invaluable to Cortéz as interpreter, negotiator, and guide. He acknowledges that Doña Marina bore Cortéz a son and that she was with Cortéz when Cortéz's wife died shortly after she arrived in Mexico City from Cuba. This situation was the center of a firestorm of gossip. But he tells how Cortéz arranged a marriage for Doña Marina with one of his lieutenants before marching off toward the Northwest on a new exploration and conquest and vanishing somewhere near the Sea of Cortéz—the inland bay between lower southern California and the mainland, the bay that bears his name. •Almost incidentally, Díaz describes how some indolent aristocrats from Spain, expecting to make their fortunes in the new world, were given large grants of land on some of the Caribbean islands. But, of course, they could earn little from their lands without workers, so they approached Bernal Díaz with the proposition that they would provide the financing if he would attack an island and carry back its population to bondage. His reward would be half of the captives. •Díaz showed his humanity and humility as he refused this partnership, declaring such an attack on the homes, culture, and lifestyle of free peoples a terrible injustice.

QUESTION ONE: SEE HANDOUT

• 1. Identify the most accurate statement of the central idea of this passage.

• A. Bernal Díaz corrected the record of Cortéz's conquest of Mexico.

• B. Bernal Díaz proved that Cortéz did not trick his men into marching to Mexico by burning their boats.

• C. Hernando Cortéz conquered Mexico in one of the greatest invasions the world has ever known.

• D. Doña Marina was a great help to Cortéz during his great battles in Mexico

AbdCBAC

QUESTION TWO: SEE HANDOUT2) From this passage one could infer that the author

• A. likes Cortéz very much.

• B. thinks Díaz was a fine man.

• C. believes that Doña Marina and Cortéz murdered Cortéz's wife.

• D. thinks the priest's version of the conquest is superior to that of Díaz.

QUESTION THREE: SEE HANDOUT• All of the following pieces of information relate to Cortéz's conquest EXCEPT

• A. Cortéz asked his men to vote on whether or not to burn their ships.

• B. Doña Marina was with Cortéz at the time of his wife's death.

• C. the ships of the expedition had been attacked by sea worms and were no longer seaworthy.

• D. Bernal Díaz refused to lead an expedition to bring back islanders as slaves.

QUESTION FOUR• In this context, the word indolent (paragraph 4) most nearly means

• A. infamous.

• B. poor.

• C. lazy.

• D. frivolous.

QUESTION FIVE• The tone of this passage could best be described as

• A. reserved.

• B. approving.

• C. pious.

• D. cynical.

QUESTION SIX

• The author's statement that Bernal Díaz was able to "set the record straight" (paragraph 1) is

• A. valid because the author presents several specific examples.

• B. valid because the author is an expert in history.

• C. invalid because of the lack of specific details.

• D. invalid because of illogical conclusions.

QUESTION SEVEN• What is the relationship between these two sentences?

• Sentence 1: Though the priest's version of the conquest tells that Cortéz secretly burned the boats of the expedition so that his men would be unable to retreat and would have to advance, Díaz corrects him. (paragraph 2)

• Sentence 2: Cortéz, says Díaz, was appalled to learn that the boats had been attacked by sea worms and that they were no longer seaworthy. (paragraph 2)

• A. Sentence 2 analyzes the comment in sentence 1.

• B. Sentence 2 contradicts the main idea of sentence 1.

• C. Sentence 2 explains the main idea of sentence 1.

• D. Sentence 2 continues the definition begun in sentence 1.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS: SEE HANDOUT

1 Knowledge of language structure 25%• Evaluate correct placement of modifiers.

• Apply knowledge of parallelism, including parallel expressions for parallel ideas.

• Apply knowledge of a variety of effective structures (e.g., recognizing fragments, comma splices, run-on sentences, syntax errors).

• Determine patterns of organization in a written passage (i.e., modes of rhetoric).

2 Knowledge of vocabulary application 25%

• Determine the meaning of unknown words, multiple-meaning words, and phrases in context.

• Determine and select the correct use of commonly confused words, misused words, and phrases.

• Determine diction and tone appropriate to a given audience.

3 Knowledge of standard English conventions 50%

• Determine and select standard verb forms.

• Determine and select inappropriate shifts in verb tense.• Determine and select agreement between subject and verb.

• Determine and select agreement between pronoun and antecedent.

• Determine and select inappropriate pronoun shifts.

• Determine and select clear pronoun references.

• Determine and select pronoun case forms (e.g., subjective, objective, possessive).

• Evaluate the correct use of adjectives and adverbs.

• Determine and select appropriate comparative and superlative degree forms.

• Demonstrate command of standard spelling conventions.

• Demonstrate command of standard punctuation/capitalization.

MODIFIERS

• How might we re-phrase this sentence?

         

                              

"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know." (Groucho Marx). 

WHAT IS A MODIFIER? A MODIFIER IS A WORD, PHRASE, OR CLAUSE WHICH FUNCTIONS AS AN ADJECTIVE OR AN ADVERB TO DESCRIBE A WORD OR MAKE ITS MEANING MORE SPECIFIC. MODIFIERS MUST BE CLOSE TO THE WORD IT IS MODIFYING. SEE HANDOUT…

• See handout: Princess Beatrice, who is starting a history degree at Goldsmiths College, London, later this year, was photographed running in the surf on the island of St Barts with her American boyfriend Dave Clark dressed in a blue bikini last month.”

Please view the sentence below. What is the modifier? How can it be moved closer to the word it is modifying?

• The wildlife scientist saw several male moose driving through the woods.

PARALLELISMS -- PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION

HOW WOULD YOU FIX THIS SENTENCE? SEE HANDOUT

• Arnold is both friendly and a considerate person.

FRAGMENTS –WHAT IS AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE? WHAT IS A COMMA SPLICE? COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS…FRAGMENTS –WHAT IS AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE? SEE HANDOUT

AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE IS A GROUP OF WORDS CONTAINING A SUBJECT AND A PREDICATE (VERB).

COMMA SPLICE: (SEE HANDOUT)

THE HORSE RACE WAS SUSPENSEFUL FROM START TO FINISH, MY FRIEND’S HORSE WON THE RACE.

How would you correct this comma splice?

Commonly Confused Words: (see handout)

• Please see list

Answer the question:

Marta will need to decide among two places to visit.

A. Between

B. Too

C. places’

D. No change is necessary

ALSO STUDY SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT- A SINGULAR SUBJECT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY A SINGULAR VERB. ALSO STUDY PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT. SEE HANDOUT--

A chorus of cheers were heard from the crowd.

• What is the subject of this sentence?

• What is the verb?

• Is this sentence written correctly?

• A woman who works hard to achieve success may find they are not accepted as equals in certain situations.

What is the antecedent in this sentence? What is the pronoun? Is there agreement? Why or why not?

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS- SEE HANDOUT

• Adverbs modify _________

• Now – identify the adjectives or adverbs in this sentence:

• The rotten fruit smells bad.

• Adjectives modify __________

• He ran quick and turned off the alarm.

• I feel bad that I missed your college graduation.

BE SURE TO STUDY SPELLING- SEE HANDOUT

• Believe

• Occasion

• Patted

• successful

• Receive

• Noticeable

• Beginning

• Irregular plurals: sheep, deer

PUNCTUATION – SEE HANOUT

• Use of commas

• Use of semicolons

• Use of colons

• I will need apples, pumpkins, and cinnamon.

• We were living in Newtown, Pennsylvania, before we moved to Florida.

• I broke my clock; therefore, I could not tell what time it was.

CAPITALIZATION – SEE HANDOUT

• I spoke to the dean yesterday regarding our new fundraising initiatives.

• I spoke to Dean Lupi yesterday regarding our new fundraising initiatives.

• My math teacher is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

• My English teacher is judgmental and hard to please.

TENSES – SEE HANDOUT• Present: I work

• Past: I worked

• Future: I will work; he will work

• Present perfect: I have worked; he has written (started in the past and is ongoing)

• Past perfect: I had worked; she had written (past action that occurred before a previous past action)

• Future perfect: I will have worked; she will have completed (past action that will occur before a future action)

PLEASE CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

• It was highly unlikely that he could pick up the medicine before the store closed. Just as he was walking to the front door, the store manager sees him and unlocked the door.

• A. closes

• B. saw

• C. unlocks

• D. No change is necessary.

HOW TO STUDY THE CONTENT FOR THE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS SUBTEST?

• Look at the list of constructs that will be measured on the test

• Choose some that seem unfamiliar and look up those concepts

• Practice correcting sentences that may or may not be grammatically correct

• You can use the practice tests in the CliffsNotes and other FTCE test prep guides; please note, however, that the questions in these guides are likely to be easier than those presented to you on the test.

MATH- YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A MATH REFERENCE SHEET AND A FOUR FUNCTION CALCULATORBE SURE TO USE SCRAP PAPER…

WHICH PART(S) OF THE MATH WILL BE COVERED THE MOST?1 Knowledge of number sense, concepts, and operations 17%

•Compare real numbers and identify their location on a number line.

•Solve real-world problems involving the four operations with rational numbers.

•Evaluate expressions involving order of operations.

2 Knowledge of geometry and measurement 21%

•Identify and classify simple two- and three-dimensional figures according to their mathematical properties.

•Solve problems involving ratio and proportion (e.g., scaled drawings, models, real-world scenarios).

•Determine an appropriate measurement unit and form (e.g., scientific notation) for real-world problems involving length, area, volume, or mass.

•Solve real-world measurement problems including fundamental units

3 Knowledge of algebraic thinking and the coordinate plane 29%

•Determine whether two algebraic expressions are equivalent by applying properties of operations or equality.

•Identify an algebraic expression, equation, or inequality that models a real-world situation.

•Solve equations and inequalities (e.g., linear, quadratic) graphically or algebraically.

•Determine and solve equations or inequalities, graphically or algebraically, in real-world problems.

•Graph and interpret a linear equation in real-world problems (e.g., use data to plot points, explain slope and y-intercept, determine additional solutions).

•Identify relations that satisfy the definition of a function.

•Compare the slopes of two linear functions represented algebraically and graphically.

4 Knowledge of probability, statistics, and data interpretation 33%

• Analyze data presented in various forms (e.g., histograms, bar graphs, circle graphs, pictographs, line plots, tables) to solve problems.

•Analyze and evaluate how the presentation of data can lead to different or inappropriate interpretations in the context of a real-world situation.

•Calculate range, mean, median, and mode of data sets.

•Interpret the meaning of measures of central tendency (i.e., mean, median, mode) and dispersion (i.e., range, standard deviation) in the context of a real-world situation.

•Analyze and evaluate how the selection of statistics (e.g., mean, median, mode) can lead to different or inappropriate interpretations in the context of a real-world situation.

•Solve and interpret real-world problems involving probability using counting procedures, tables, and tree diagrams.

• Infer and analyze conclusions from sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies

SAMPLE PROBLEM USING STATS – SEE HANDOUT

• If the company would like to give the impression that its employees are highly paid, which salary statistics should it use?

• Employee Salaries Title Yearly salaryPresident $120,000

Office manager 40,000

Foreperson 60,000

Laborer 1 15,000

Laborer 2 15,000

Laborer 3 15,000

Laborer 4 15,000

A. minimum B. mode

C. medianD. mean

PROBABILITIES – SEE HANDOUT• Ellen has a bag full of 5 red, 7 yellow and 8 black marbles. If

she draws one marble from the bag without looking, what is the probability it will be black?

• First ask: How many marbles are there in all?

• Second: How many are black?

• Then create a ratio: the dividend/divisor = quotient (or probability)

• Or, the number of black marbles is divided by the total number of marbles

CORRELATIONAL STUDIES, EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES, CONTROL GROUPS, STANDARD DEVIATION, MEAN, MEDIAN, MODE, CONFOUNDING VARIABLES

• Forearm length is positively correlated with reading ability – why?

• If I randomly assign participants to multiple conditions, is that an experimental study or a non-experimental study?

• I administered a placebo to 1/3rd of the participants. Why?

• How would I compute the mean, median and mode?

• What does the standard deviation tell me?

• If I want to evaluate reading comprehension on a typewritten test and the participants vary in their ability to type, why would this variation be a confounding variable?

LINEAR EQUATIONS

• Yael bought 4 pairs of shoes and two pairs of boots for $250.00. All shoes cost $25.00 less than boots. How much did Yael pay for one pair of boots?

4(x – 25) + 2x = 250

4x – 100 + 2x = 250

6x -100 = 250

6x = 250 + 100

X= 58.30

How can I check my answer?

HOW TO STUDY

• Read over the competencies that will be tested

• Choose those that may be unfamiliar (test covers up to 8th grade)

• Practice completing those problems

• Use Khan Academy or MathisFun.com for assistance

• The good news: Math is math and you have 100 minutes for this section of the test.

RECAP

• Next steps?

• Essay?

Please feel free to contact me at:

megan.posssinger@unf.edu or 904 620 1944

Thank you!