Study guide for TCT in Spanish [1985]

STUDY GUIDE
SPANISH
Georgia Teacher
-I ~ertification Testing Program
Georgia ~partm(lnt of Education.

STUDY GUIDE FOR TCT IN SPANISH
Published 1983
by
~eorgia Department of Education Georgia Teacher Certification Testing Program
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Edited 1985

National Evaluation Systems, Inc. has prepared for distribution by the Georgia Department of Education the set of content objectives found in this Study Guide. These objectives have been verified as important content requirements for certification. Not all of the listed objectives have had test items written for them. The selected objectives have not been identified. All objectives which appear here are certification requirements and a sampling of them will be tested. When the project to develop the Georgia Teacher Certification Tests (TCT) was begun in November 1976, an Ad Hoc Committee composed of Georgia educators was appointed to work with NES on each TCT. The function of these Ad Hoc Committees was to review all NES-generated materials with a goal of making the materials more reflective of Georgia education needs. The first step in the test development process was that of content domain specification. Educators identified all content knowledge that an applicant would need to know to function effectively in a Georgia school. This content was further defined into content objectives, which were sent to currently practicing Georgia educators for verification. These educators provided actual ratings of the "job-relatedness " of the content objectives. At that point, it was possible to identify, from the original domain specification, the extent of essentiality of specific content skills for successful performance on the job. Test items were written for the most essential objectives which spanned the content of the field. The purpose of providing objectives is to explicitly define the content required of an applicant for certification in this field. Further, the statement of these objectives should assist in preparing for the criterionreferenced content knowledge test. We encourage applicants to study these materials, which will enhance their understanding of the content field and alleviate any unnecessary concerns about the nature of the Georgia Teacher Certification Tests. Along with these materials go hopes for a rewarding career in education. If you have questions or desire further information, ~ontact:
Teacher Assessment Division of Staff Development 1858 Twin Towers East Atlanta, Georgia 30334 (404) 656-2556
Charles McDaniel State Superintendent of Schools

Acknowledgements

The Georgia Department of Education wishes to express its appreciation to the group of Georgia educators listed below who volunteered their time and expertise to develop this study guide.

Raul Fernandez Central Gwinnett High School

Martha McClure Fulton County Schools

Kay Gardner Berry College

Roslyn R. Sprayberry Riverdale Senior High School

Caro H. Feagin Georgia Department of Education

Introduction

After much deliberation and research, the Study Guide Task Force for the Georgia Teacher Certification Test in Spanish has compiled its recommendations for preparation for the TCT which include a list of suggested reference works. We wish to preface our guide with two observations which might prove beneficial in understanding the expectations of the examination.

1. The prospective examinee should be reminded that the TCT is designed not only to test the individual's ability in Spanish but also to examine skills in the teaching of the language. In other words, a working familiarity with grammatical terminology will be necessary for success.

2. As the published objectives indicate, the Spanish TCT is comprehensive in its coverage of language, culture and literature. It determines the teacher's readiness to teach at any level from seventh grade through high school and makes no distinction for those who may only teach first and/or second level Spanish as is often the case in Georgia.

With these two caveats in mind, the committee recommends the following guides for preparation for the TCT. Naturally, a solid college or university education in Spanish and teaching methodology is essential. Assuming, however, that the prospective examinee wishes to refresh certain areas of his/her preparation, the committee suggests possible aids for study.

The five subareas are listed below with the number of questions represented on the test from each of those areas.

I. Grammar

21 or more questions

II. Usage

21 or more questions

III. History, Geography and Literature 1-10 questions

IV. Writing and Written Translation 1-10 questions

V. Listening and Oral Skills

11-20 questions

The subarea objectives are listed, followed by brief discussions and recommendations. References have been listed for the five subareas. These are only suggested and are not intended to be an exhaustive or complete listing.
I. Grammar Identify the gender of a given noun. Identify the plural of a given noun. Indicate a relationship of possession between two nouns. Demonstrate an ability to use definite and indefinite articles. Identify the article which agrees in gender and number with a given noun. Use a possessive pronoun in a sentence. Use a reflexive pronoun in a sentence. Combine two sentences by using a relative pronoun. Use a pronoun to replace a noun used as a direct object in a sentence. Use a pronoun to replace a noun used as an indirect object in a sentence. Apply the rules governing the use of pronouns to replace nouns used as direct and indirect objects in a sentence. Make an adjective agree with the noun it modifies. Use an adjective in a sentence to express a given degree of comparison. Place an adjective in proper relation to the noun it modifies. Use a possessive adjective in a sentence. Use a demonstrative adjective in a sentence.
II. Usage Form a noun from a given adjective. Place an adverb in the proper location in a sentence. Form an adverb from a given adjective. Transform a positive statement into a negative statement.
2

Demonstrate an understanding of the uses of prepositions in context. Demonstrate the ability to form contractions where they are needed. Use the present indicative tense in a sentence. Use the preterite tense in a sentence. Use the imperfect tense in a sentence. Use the future tense in a sentence. Use the conditional tense in a sentence. Use the perfect tense(s) in a sentence. Use the perfect tense(s) with an irregular past participle in a sentence. Use the progressive tense(s) in a sentence. Use the progressive tense(s) with a stem-changing present participle in a sentence. Use the infinitive as the object of a preposition. Use the infinitive with a conjugated verb. Identify the subjunctive form of a regular or irregular verb in context. Apply the rules governing the uses of the subjunctive. Apply the rules governing the sequence of tenses in the subjunctive mood. Use the imperative mood by writing a direct positive command. Use the subjunctive mood by writing an indirect command. Grammar and Usage: Discussion and Recommendations As the most succinct method of grammar preparation, the committee recommends any of the Spanish review texts presently available. A good example would be: Resnick, Seymour and Giuliano, William. En breve: A Concise
Review of Spanish Grammar. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1982. In lieu of the review text, the committee strongly recommends the use of college rather than high school texts for their more intense, concise presentation of material. The Da Silva and Turk/Espi~osa texts are noteworthy for their emphasis on grammar.
3

III. History, Geography and Literature Demonstrate an understanding of the Spanish system of names. Identify the aspects of daily life which are unique to Hispanic culture. Identify Hispanic religious beliefs and customs. Identify the characteristics of the Hispanic educational system. Analyze the influence of Spanish language and culture on U.S. language and culture. Identify examples of typical Hispanic leisure time activities. Identify the characteristics and dishes of Hispanic cuisine. Identify major Hispanic holidays. Identify major Hispanic artists, works of art and artistic styles. Identify major types and styles of Hispanic music. Identify the major invasions of Spain and their effects on Spanish language and culture. Demonstrate an understanding of the major figures and events that unified Spain. Identify major causes, results, events, and figures of the Spanish Civil War. Identify contributions of pre-Columbian peoples to Spanish-American civil ization. Identify the major figures and events of the struggles for independence in Spanish America. Identify the boundaries and major topographical features of Spain. Identify the names and locations of the 13 regions of Spain. Identify the principal cities of Spain. Locate the countries of Latin America on a map. Identify the capitals of the Latin American countries. Identify major authors, works and literary movements in Spanish literature through the nineteenth century. Identify major authors, works and literary movements in Spanish literature of the twentieth century.
4

History and Geography (Culture): Discussion and Recommendations
It should be noted that this group of objectives requires a broad preparation in the daily Hispanic culture of Spain, Spanish America and the United States, as well as historical background of all areas. While many classroom texts offer culture units, the committee recommends the following for their concise outlines of Hispanic civilization.
Nassi, Robert J. and Bernstein, Bernard. Review Text in Spanis~ Two Years. New York: AMSCO School Publications, Inc., 1973.
Nassi, Robert J. and Bernstein, Bernard. Spanish First Year Workbook. New York: AMSCO School Publications, Inc., 1973.
Aside from textbooks, the collections of college and university libraries generally include a variety of outline histories of Hispanic culture. A cursory but perhaps helpful example would be the following work:
Cabat, Louis and Robert. the Hispanic World. New York: Oxford Book Company, Inc., 1961.
Literature: Discussion and Recommendations
As the objectives suggest, this section of the TCT is also broad in scope including all periods of Spanish and Spanish American literature. Perhaps special note should be made of the repeated use of the word "major" in the objectives as a guide to the depth of preparation necessary. Since only the examinee can determine his/her strengths and weaknesses in the various areas and also the time available for study, the committee simply recommends the following standard literary histories as aids to review.
Chandler, Richard Eugene. A New History of Spanish Literature. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1961.
R~, Angel del. Historia de la Literatura Espanola. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963.
Imbert, Enrique Anderson. Literatura Hispanoamericana; Antologi'"a e Introduccion Historica. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960.
IV. Writing and Written Translation Apply the rules for spelling and punctuation in Spanish. Demonstrate an understanding of the uses of diacritical marks in Spanish. Evaluate a given Spanish text for clarity of expression. Identify the meaning of a given Spanish idiomatic expression. Translate a given passage from Spanish to English. (written)
5

,
Translate a given passage from English to Spanish. (written) Writing and Written Translation: Discussion and Recommendations For this section of the test we recommend the use of the Mastery Exercises from the Grammar and Vocabulary sections of:
Nassi, Robert J. and Bernstein, Bernard. Review Text in Spanish Two Years. New York: AMSCO School Publications, Inc., 1973.
V. Listening and Oral Skills Transform a given statement into a question. Demonstrate proper pronunciation and intonation while reading aloud a given passage in Spanish. (oral) Demonstrate fluency and mastery of vocabulary in Spanish by responding to an orally administered question. (listening/oral) Answer questions concerning the grammar or syntax of an orally presented passage in Spanish. (listening/oral or written) Discriminate between similar words and/or sounds presented orally. (listening/oral or written) Demonstrate comprehension of an orally presented passage in Spanish by answering questions about the passage. (listening/oral or written)
Listening and Oral Skills: Discussion and Recommendations This section tests both the listening and speaking skills of conversational Spanish. In this instance, while some review work with tape programs may be helpful, the committee recommends that the examinee in need of sharpening conversational skills avail himself/herself of all opportunities for the practical use of conversation in classes or with Spanish-speaking colleagues and friends. The members of the Study Guide Task Force recognize that our suggested list of references is not exhaustive and serves only as a guide for preparation for the Georgia TCT in Spanish. Likewise, our observations and recommendations can hardly assure successful completion of the examination. We would hope, however, that our work might facilitate the efforts of those who are preparing themselves for this TCT.
6