FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills Subtest Lecture

Introduction

• Speaker: Jessica Solano

  • 2017 Florida Teacher of the Year
  • Partnering with 240 to help teachers in Florida pass certification exams

• Purpose of Video: Prepare viewers for the FTCE General Knowledge English Language Skills subtest

Overview of FTCE General Knowledge Exam

• Designed to measure basic skills required for teaching in Florida
• **Divided into Four Subtests: **
  • Essay
  • English Language Skills
  • Reading
  • Mathematics

Focus of Today’s Lecture

• English Language Skills Subtest
  • Three Competencies:
    1. Knowledge of Language Structure
    2. Knowledge of Vocabulary Application
    3. Knowledge of Standard English Conventions

FTCE English Language Skills Breakdown

• Number of Questions: 40 multiple choice questions
• Key Competency: Competency 3 (Standard English Conventions)
  • Constitutes 50% of the subtest

Competency 3: Standard English Conventions

• Total Skills: 12

• Focus: Grammar and mechanics of English

  • Pronoun usage (appears multiple times)

• Key Topics for Pronouns:

  • Possessive pronoun usage: Replace "his or her" with "their"
  • Example correction: "my teammates always bring his or her best effort" ➡️ "my teammates always bring their best effort"
  • Practice sentence: "the room is open to my classmates and its backpacks" ➡️ "the room is open to my classmates and their backpacks"

Competency 1: Knowledge of Language Structure

• Focus: How sentences create meaning
• Key Concept: Modifiers
  • Types of Modifiers:
    • Misplaced Modifiers
    • Dangling Modifiers
  • Examples:
    • Misplaced Modifier: "The child ate a cold plate of spaghetti" ➡️ "The child ate a plate of cold spaghetti"
    • Dangling Modifier: "Walking to school, the roads were covered with snow" ➡️ "Walking to school, I noticed the roads are covered with snow"

Competency 2: Knowledge of Vocabulary Application

• Focus: Word meanings, correctness, and usage in context
• Key Skill: Choosing opening lines with appropriate diction and tone
  • Example: Thank you email
    • "Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the teaching position at your highly regarded campus."

Practice Questions

Example from Language Structure (Modifiers)

• Question: Choose the sentence with properly placed modifiers
  • Correct: "Scrambling the eggs with a whisk, the frazzled chef tipped over the bowl, spilling eggs across the counter."

Example from Vocabulary Application

• Question: Most effective word to complete the sentence
  • "John was known for his prodigious memory..."

Example from Standard English Conventions

• Question: Identify error in the sentence

  • Sentence: "During allergy season, many people suffer from headaches, itchy and watery eyes, and constantly sneezing."
    • Correction: "constantly sneezing" ➡️ "constant sneezing"

• Question: Correct usage of 'less' and 'fewer'

  • Sentence: "Adults often have less friends as they get older..."
    • Correction: "less friends" ➡️ "fewer friends"

Conclusion

• Resources Available: 240 study guide
  • Hundreds of practice questions
  • In-depth videos and test-aligned study materials
  • Money-back guarantee