Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework American Sign Language (184)
Exam Overview
| Exam Name | American Sign Language |
|---|---|
| Exam Code | 184 |
| Time | 5 hours |
| Number of Questions | 80 selected-response questions |
| Format | Computer-administered test (CAT) |
The TExES American Sign Language (184) 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 80 selected-response questions are based on the American Sign Language 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
| Standard I |
The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of general language acquisition, communication processes, historical and current research on American Sign Language and signed languages used by Deaf communities in other countries. |
|---|---|
| Standard II | The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of language as a vehicle of culture and knowledge of theories of second language learning. |
| Standard III |
The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of effective methodologies for teaching American Sign Language, its history and its evolution to modern usage. |
| Standard IV |
The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of the grammatical features of American Sign Language and knowledge of comparative and contrastive attributes of American Sign Language and English. |
| Standard V |
The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of sociological theories, especially as related to the American Deaf culture and community, and can compare and contrast cultures. |
| Standard VI |
The ASL teacher demonstrates knowledge of American Deaf culture and its evolution. |
Domains and Competencies
The American Sign Language exam consists of only one domain.
| Domain | Domain Title | Approx. Percentage of Exam | Standards Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | American Sign Language | 100% | American Sign Language I–VI |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table above.
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.
* The American Sign Language exam consists of only one domain.
Domain I—American Sign Language
| Competency | Competency Title | Approx. Percentage of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | General Language Acquisition | 15% |
| 002 | Second Language Acquisition | 15% |
| 003 | Teaching Sign Language | 25% |
| 004 | Linguistics of American Sign Language | 20% |
| 005 | Sociology and Cultural Anthropology | 10% |
| 006 | Aspects of the Deaf Culture | 15% |
Competency 001—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of general language acquisition, communication processes, historical and current research on American Sign Language and signed languages used by Deaf communities in other countries.
The beginning teacher:
- Understands general language acquisition (i.e., general assumptions about how people acquire a first language, language development milestones in children and factors affecting first-language acquisition) and communication processes (e.g., attention getting, eye contact, turn taking).
- Demonstrates knowledge of historical and current research on American Sign Language and knows how to apply this knowledge to analyze situations relevant to the acquisition and use of American Sign Language.
- Demonstrates awareness of general similarities and differences between American Sign Language and signed languages of other countries (e.g., French Sign Language, British Sign Language).
Competency 002—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of language as a means of transmitting culture and demonstrates knowledge of theories of second-language learning.
The beginning teacher:
- Understands ways in which language transmits culture and that second-language acquisition involves developing awareness and understanding of a second culture.
- Understands the role of social and interactive processes in language acquisition.
- Recognizes similarities and differences in how culture is transmitted in both hearing and deaf communities.
- Understands and applies theories and concepts related to second-language learning (e.g., interlanguage, interference, fossilization, immersion).
Competency 003—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of effective methods for teaching American Sign Language, its history and its evolution to modern usage.
The beginning teacher:
- Understands how to use the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for American Sign Language (ASL) as a Language Other Than English (LOTE) in curriculum design and teaching.
- Understands and applies a variety of methods and approaches for teaching American Sign Language (e.g., direct, functional-notional, natural, communication and interactive learning activities).
- Understands the advantages and disadvantages of a wide range of language-related evaluation and feedback techniques (e.g., observation, video portfolios, teacher-made assessments, peer assessment, teacher-guided and/or individual student self-assessment) and knows how and when to use assessment to enhance students' language learning.
- Knows how to identify, develop and/or adapt appropriate materials, resources and current technologies for instruction.
- Demonstrates knowledge of strategies for accommodating diverse language-learning styles.
- Modifies language to be comprehensible and appropriate for instruction.
- Incorporates aspects of Deaf culture into instruction, including multicultural aspects of the deaf community.
- Knows how to connect language study with the study of other academic disciplines.
- Understands the relevance of language learning outside the classroom and demonstrates knowledge of ways for students to participate effectively in social, professional, civic and avocational activities using American Sign Language.
- Knows how to include people who are deaf and other deaf community resource personnel in classroom instruction.
- Demonstrates knowledge of current research about American Sign Language instruction and uses that knowledge to enhance instruction.
- Knows the history of American Sign Language and its evolution to modern usage.
Competency 004—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of the linguistic and grammatical features of American Sign Language and knowledge of comparative and contrastive characteristics of American Sign Language and English.
The beginning teacher:
- Demonstrates knowledge of the major linguistic features of American Sign Language (e.g., pluralization, distributional aspect, classifiers, subject–object agreement, temporal aspect, spatial agreement, signs indicating tense).
- Demonstrates knowledge of the phonological structure of American Sign Language, including phonological parameters (i.e., handshape, movement, location, palm orientation and non-manual signals).
- Understands the effects of phonological processes on signs and combinations of signs (e.g., assimilation, metathesis, alternative locations of signs, two-hand relationships, noun–verb pairs) and demonstrates the ability to analyze and correct student production errors that are phonologically based.
- Demonstrates knowledge of grammatical features of American Sign Language (e.g., non-manual signals, rhetorical questions, negation, "yes/no" questions, "wh–" questions).
- Understands and identifies the morphological features of American Sign Language (i.e., numerical incorporation, distributional aspect, classifiers, subject–object agreement, temporal aspect, spatial agreement, free/bound morphemes and free/bound compound morphemes).
- Understands the function of fingerspelling, lexical borrowing and numbers in American Sign Language.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the syntax of American Sign Language (e.g., sign/word order, topicalization, ASL gloss, sentence constructions and types).
- Understands the organization of various forms of discourse in American Sign Language and can recognize linguistic features (i.e., discourse markers) that identify the structure of the discourse.
- Understands various sociolinguistic aspects of American Sign Language (e.g., register variation, regional variation), including the use of American Sign Language and its derivative, contact sign (formerly referred to as Pidgin Sign English [PSE]).
- Recognizes and can explain to students that they may encounter invented sign systems.
- Demonstrates knowledge of comparative and contrastive characteristics of American Sign Language and English.
Competency 005—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of sociological theories, especially as related to the American Deaf culture and community.
The beginning teacher:
- Knows how to compare and contrast hearing/Deaf cultures and can analyze and apply general sociological theories.
- Demonstrates an understanding of the deaf community and recognizes that the Deaf are a cultural and linguistic minority within the majority culture.
- Understands the multicultural aspects of and diversity within the American Deaf culture.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of people who are culturally Deaf and of the deaf community.
- Demonstrates an understanding of the ways to participate in the deaf community (e.g., social, political, linguistic, audiological).
Competency 006—The teacher demonstrates knowledge of American Deaf culture and its evolution, including the social, political, educational and audiological aspects of Deaf culture, as well as federal and state legislation regarding the education and civil rights of individuals who are deaf.
The beginning teacher:
- Demonstrates knowledge of the history and evolution of Deaf culture, including the oppression of and discrimination against people who are deaf.
- Demonstrates an awareness of International Deaf cultures and organizations.
- Understands how people who are deaf are viewed (clinical/pathological vs. cultural-linguistic) and the perspectives of the majority and minority cultures.
- Demonstrates knowledge of educational facilities (e.g., schools for the deaf, public schools, private schools, charter schools), various philosophies of educational instruction and educational issues of concern to the deaf community.
- Demonstrates knowledge of services and cultural organizations (e.g., national, state) related to the deaf community.
- Understands the history and current status of technology and how communication access is evolving for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Understands Deaf culture's language, values, customs, traditions and rules for social interaction.
- Understands multiculturalism and diversity within the American Deaf culture.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the folklore of the Deaf and their culture (e.g., humor, storytelling, myths, legends, art, poetry, theater).
- Demonstrates knowledge of major contributions and accomplishments of individuals within the deaf community in historical events, popular culture and the arts.
- Demonstrates knowledge of federal and state laws regarding the education and civil rights of individuals who are deaf.
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