Which Communication And Literacy MTEL Alternative Should You Try?

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently announced that there are Communication and Literacy MTEL alternative assessments now.  There are now five examinations that will count towards Mass education licensure for those who would rather not take the (or, more likely, have had trouble passing) the Reading or Writing subtests of the Communication and Literacy MTEL:

1. Praxis Core (Massachusetts Communication and Literacy Praxis Test)
2. National Evaluation Series – Essential Academic Skills (NES-EAS)
3. Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA)
4. Washington Educator Skills Test (WEST-B)
5. Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA)

Communication and Literacy MTEL Alternative Assessments – The Details

Our student-only Facebook group, joinETI.com MTEL Student Forum, has been buzzing with questions and bits of information about this exciting announcement.  I want to break down each of these assessments, so prospective educators can determine which assessments are best for them to jump on the fast track to certification.  Some assessments are better for those who are stronger in writing, and some are better for those who are stronger in grammar/punctuation.  

This link will take you to a page with a table of the exams.  Scroll down to the table and click each exam to see descriptions, samples, etc. (go to “preparation materials” on each page).   I have also provided links to individual exams in the tables of descriptions of the exams below.  

One important fact that was confirmed by students who posted in our Facebook group is that if you’ve already passed one section of the Communication and Literacy MTEL, you do NOT have to pass the corresponding section of these other exams. For example, if you have passed the MTEL C&L Writing exam, you only have to pass the Reading section of any one of the above-listed exams (or the MTEL C&L Reading exam, of course) and vice versa.  

Some of these exams (CASA, MoGEA, & WEST-B) are only available via online proctoring (taken at home).  Read this blog about the dangers of taking an at-home exam before signing up for one of these.  The exam still might be your best choice, but you should know what you’re getting into. 

The good news is that the skills necessary to pass any of these exams are pretty much the same, and if you’ve taken one of our ETI programs for the Communication and Literacy Reading or Writing MTELs, you have been taught the skills necessary to pass any of them. 

Communication and Literacy MTEL Alternative Assessments – The Options

Praxis Core (Massachusetts Communication and Literacy Praxis Test)

Conventional wisdom is that Praxis exams are easier than MTELs.  Over the two decades of my MTEL-prep career, dozens of my students who have struggled with MTELs have taken Praxis to get certified in other states and “passed easily.”  The Praxis is published by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) (the company that publishes the Hi Set [formerly the GED], TOFEL, and the GREs)—not Pearson—so the exams will not have the same look and feel as the MTELs that you are used to. While many of the skills necessary to pass may be identical, the way they are tested may be very different.  The questions will be phrased differently or be of a very different structure than what you’re used to.   

The Praxis Reading exam feels more like an SAT than an MTEL.  The passages vary in length. There are questions that ask you to compare 2 passages such as “The authors of these passages agree that…” or “Describe the relationship between the passages.”  There are also questions with more than one correct answer.  These questions are difficult, high-level inferential questions. I cannot recommend this exam as an easier or better alternative to the MTEL.

The Praxis Writing exam multiple-choice section consists of several different parts and types of questions.  The Usage and the Sentence Correction sections parallel former SAT-II Writing exam sections.  The Usage section has 4 underlined words or phrases.  The task is to identify the underlined part that is being used incorrectly.  There is a fifth option, “no error.”  The Sentence Corrections has a sentence with a phrase underlined.  There are 5 choices that have revisions of the phrase.  Pick the one that fixes an error.  There is a section that is like the paragraph improvements (multiple-choice) section of the C&L Writing MTEL.  There is also a Research Skills section.  While the grammar/usage/punctuation skills sections on this exam might be easier because all the questions are multiple-choice (no re-writing sentences to fix errors), the main issue some people will have is that there are TWO essays, and there are only 30 minutes given to write each.

National Evaluation Series – Essential Academic Skills (NES-EAS)

This is a Pearson assessment, so there should be many similarities to the MTELs.   The Reading section of the NES-EAS is very similar to the MTEL.  The sample exam has a passage that is similar in length to an MTEL reading comprehension passage, but there are five questions per passage, unlike the 6 that are on the MTEL.  The questions that are there are of the same type; the Idea Relationship questions are NOT on the NES-EAS.  The passages might actually be a bit easier.  This is a good alternative for those struggling to pass the C&L Reading MTEL.  The only caveat is the time.  The MTEL gives 4 hours to complete this section.  The NES-EAS gives you one hour. 

The multiple-choice section of the NES-AES Writing assessment is similar to the corresponding MTEL.  It is parallel to the multiple-choice, “paragraph improvements,” section of the MTEL in terms of format and content.  The writing assignment is different.  It mirrors a past version of the MTEL.  The example in the practice document is to write an essay on whether or not you agree with the statement, “the less government we have, the better.”   If you are a good writer and can independently come up with arguments to support a thesis, you could pass this exam.  If you have a good general fund of knowledge and can write about anything without much difficulty, this is a viable alternative.  However, I would rather take the MTEL because they give more help on the essay and you have much more time.  This is not a good alternative.

Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA)

These exams are the least expensive of all the certification exams available at only $25 each, so if money is tight, these might be a good option.   These are Pearson exams as well, so there should be a similar feel to the MTELs.

The passages and question-types on the Reading subtest are familiar.  One available practice material, there were 3 questions per passage, so we can assume that there are 13 passages with 3 questions each.  There was a main idea question, idea relationship type question, and a critical reasoning question.  The questions were relatively difficult.  The reading level of the passage was consistent with the C&L Reading MTEL.  Timing could be an issue; the MTEL gives 4 hours to read 7 passages and answer 42 questions.  This exam allows 75 minutes for 13  (I think) and 39 questions.  I do not think this is better for people than the C&L Reading MTEL.  The exam is only available via online proctoring (taken at home). There are probably more passages to read in a significantly shorter length of time, and the question types seem more difficult as well.  Take the standard MTEL unless the lower cost outweighs the risks.  

The writing subtest has some very important similarities and differences to the C&L Writing MTEL.  There are NO multiple-choice questions.  Grammar, punctuation, usage, etc., are not a major concern. The essay is on an educational topic, and they give paragraphs for the pros and cons of the issue, so there is help to make an argument.  If you are a good writer, this is the exam for you.  Drawbacks may be the time—75 minutes is given for the essay—and that the exam is only available via online proctoring.  

Washington Educator Skills Test (WEST-B)

Another Pearson assessment, the question types on the Reading subtest are exactly the same as you’ll see on the MTEL.  From what I see on the practice materials of the Reading Subtest of the WEST-B, you are not given 6 questions per passage in a particular order, however.  The questions are qualitatively different in some cases.  One main idea question requires the reader to add a sentence that fits with the main idea to the end of a passage. There are also questions looking at word usage, like what are found in the paragraph improvement section of the MTEL Writing exam.  The lengths of the passages vary in  length from short one- or two-paragraph passages to more MTEL-like 4+ paragraph passages.   This exam is not unreasonable as an alternative for the MTEL.  There is plenty of time given for the 60 questions.  Endurance might be an issue; the MTEL has only 42 questions.  This exam is inexpensive compared to the MTEL and might be worth trying.

The Writing Subtest has many similarities and some important differences to the MTEL version as well.  The multiple-choice section consists of 50 questions that generally correspond to the same skills such as punctuation, paragraph development, and word choice/usage as on the MTEL.  However, some questions here resemble Reading questions on the MTEL.  For example, there are questions asking for the author’s purpose, which is a category of questions on the Reading MTEL.  There are two writing prompts, and they are more similar to what you might see on the NES-AES Writing subtest; the topics are not educational in nature, nor are you given paragraphs with which to help build an argument.  The example on the sample is “What are the characteristics of a good friend.”  Unless you are a very strong writer, I would pass on this option.  

Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA)

The CASA Reading assessment is MTEL-like in content and structure.  From what is in the available practice documentation, there are 10 passages with 4 questions per passage.  The questions mirror the question types on the C&L Reading MTEL.  There are no Idea Relationship or Summarizing/Organization questions.  The test is a reasonable alternative to the MTEL.  The cost makes it worth taking if you’ve struggled with the MTEL.   A downside is that the exam is only available via online proctoring.  

The Writing CASA is also worthy of a try.  The multiple-choice questions are very similar to the MTEL’s.  There is only one essay, and it is also MTEL-like.  On the positive side, there is no Summary Exercise or Sentence Correction section.   A downside is that the exam is only available via online proctoring.

Communication And Literacy MTEL Alternative: The Takeaways

Ok.  This has been a very long blog with a lot of information. What’s important?

Recommended alternatives to the C&L Reading MTEL:

• CASA Reading
• WEST-B Reading

Recommended alternatives to the C&L Writing MTEL:

If you are a strong writer who wants to avoid grammar –

• MoGEA Writing 

If you want to minimize the impact of the Summary Exercise and the Sentence Corrections –

• CASA Writing

Other than these options, I do not strongly recommend any of the other alternative options.  

If you plan to take any of these exams, please consider ETI’s programs.  We have been guaranteeing certification exam success since 1999.

Please check back for our next blog.  I will be taking a close look at the new Flex option for certification—those who have come close to passing certain MTELs (not either of the Communication and Literacy sections) now have an option to do a project-based assignment instead of retaking the MTEL!