Preparation Manual

Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
Speech 7–12 (129)

Exam Overview

Table outlining the exam format, number of questions, time, and passing score.

Exam Name	Speech 7–12
Exam Code	129
Time	5 hours
Number of Questions	100 selected-response questions
Format	Computer-administered test (CAT)

The TExES Speech 7–12 (129) 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 100 selected-response questions are based on the Speech 7–12 exam framework and cover grades 7–12. 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

Domains and Competencies

Table outlining test content and subject weighting by domain.

Domain	Domain Title	Approx. Percentage of Exam	Standards Assessed
I	Communication Processes	31%	Speech 7–12: II–IV, XI–XII
II	Speaking and Listening in Different Contexts	38%	Speech 7–12: V–X
III	Speech Education	31%	Speech 7–12: I–XII

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.

Domain I—Communication Processes

Competency 001—The teacher understands the communication process and related theories.

The beginning teacher:

1. Understands and analyzes components of the communication process (e.g., sender, receiver, message, channel, feedback, encoding, decoding, barriers, noise, context) and their interrelatedness in various contexts.
2. Understands basic principles of communication and applies knowledge of communication theory to analyze the communication process.
3. Recognizes purposes and functions of communication (e.g., informing; persuading; expressing and responding to opinions, ideas and feelings; participating in social traditions; creating and imagining) and analyzes purposes and functions of communication in various contexts.
4. Recognizes the role of communication in creating meaning, influencing thought and making decisions.
5. Applies knowledge of factors that affect communication and distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate communication and between effective and ineffective communication.

Competency 002—The teacher understands factors that influence communication choices.

The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the importance of making appropriate communication choices and using effective communication strategies in interpersonal, group, organizational (e.g., professional, social) and public contexts.
2. Recognizes ways in which intrapersonal communication (e.g., self-esteem, self-concept, self-talk, personal perceptions) influences communication; the role of self-esteem and a positive self-concept in effective communication; and the importance of developing awareness of personal perceptions and using perception checks.
3. Recognizes the influence of personal attributes and cultural factors (e.g., age, gender, knowledge and experience base, ethnic identity, values, beliefs, disability, socioeconomic factors, nationality) in determining communication choices and behaviors and analyzes ways in which self and culture influence communication decisions in a variety of interpersonal, group, organizational and public contexts.
4. Understands the importance of poise, self-confidence and assertiveness in communication; strategies for developing poise, self-confidence and assertiveness; and the importance of exhibiting and modeling sensitivity to and respect for diversity (e.g., cultural, social, political) in various communication contexts.

Competency 003—The teacher understands the importance of using accurate and complete information as a basis for critical thinking, reasoning, decision making, effective listening and speaking in interpersonal, group, organizational and public contexts.

The beginning teacher:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of various types of information resources, including primary, print and electronic resources, and their uses.
2. Identifies and evaluates sources of information and applies criteria for evaluating source information (e.g., objectivity, source credibility, recency, accuracy) to meet various communication needs.
3. Understands principles and procedures for locating, gathering, analyzing, evaluating and using information from primary, secondary and electronic sources (e.g., interviews, surveys, questionnaires, written texts, technology and media sources).
4. Understands legal and ethical issues and guidelines related to the use of information from various sources, including avoidance of plagiarism and use of appropriate techniques for citing sources.

Competency 004—The teacher understands how to interpret, analyze and produce various types of media messages.

The beginning teacher:

1. Demonstrates knowledge of different types of mass media (e.g., radio, television, film, Internet) and the history and development of different media, including how the development of technologies has influenced each medium.
2. Recognizes the roles and functions of mass media as sources of information, entertainment, persuasion and education and recognizes strategies and types of programming used by media to inform, persuade, entertain and educate.
3. Demonstrates knowledge of media issues (e.g., censorship, violence, advertising, standards for information gathering and news dissemination), the role of government agencies in regulating media and the influence of mass media on media audiences (e.g., in relation to individual values, beliefs and perceptions; consumer behaviors; societal norms and standards; political ideas and policies).
4. Understands the roles and responsibilities of various media personnel (e.g., producers, directors, technicians, performers).
5. Demonstrates knowledge of skills and strategies used for planning, organizing, writing, designing, producing and communicating various types of media messages for a variety of audiences and purposes.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of skills and strategies for interpreting, analyzing and evaluating media messages; analyzes and evaluates media messages based on a variety of factors (e.g., content, nonverbal cues, objectivity); and analyzes the social and cultural contexts in which media content is produced and the relationships between audiences and media content.

Competency 005—The teacher understands ethical standards and major legal issues relevant to various communication contexts.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes the importance of freedom of speech in a democratic society and the role of public speaking, debate and mass media in a free society.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of major legal and ethical issues related to communication and media (e.g., copyright infringement, fair use principle, use of various sources of information, propaganda).
3. Recognizes rights and responsibilities of communicators in interpersonal, group, organizational, public and mass communication contexts.
4. Analyzes how modern public address influences public opinion and policy in a democracy.

Domain II—Speaking and Listening in Different Contexts

Competency 006—The teacher understands oral language, listening and nonverbal communication skills.

The beginning teacher:

1. Understands the conventions of oral language (e.g., meaning, vocabulary, syntax, grammar, phonation) and the skills needed to use oral language appropriately and effectively for diverse purposes, content, audiences and occasions.
2. Understands types of nonverbal communication and their characteristics, functions and effects; the relationships between verbal and nonverbal communication; and the use and significance of nonverbal cues (e.g., voice, body communication, facial and eye communication, use of space and touch, paralinguistic cues).
3. Analyzes the nature and purposes of listening, components of the listening process (e.g., focusing, decoding, interpreting) and barriers to listening and applies strategies for managing barriers to listening in various contexts.
4. Demonstrates knowledge of types of listening (e.g., critical, deliberative, empathic, appreciative); processes and requirements of active listening, including critical listening; and skills and procedures for analyzing context, self and others in communication interactions.

Competency 007—The teacher understands concepts and principles of classical and contemporary rhetoric.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes principles of classical and contemporary rhetoric (e.g., invention, organization, style, memory, delivery) and the influence of classical rhetoric in shaping Western thought and of contemporary speeches in shaping personal decisions, political values and current events.
2. Understands the importance of analyzing speaker (e.g., qualifications, credibility, personal image), audience (e.g., demographics, attitudes, values) and occasion (e.g., purpose, time, place) as a basis for planning, presenting and responding to speeches.
3. Demonstrates knowledge of types and purposes of speeches (e.g., to inform, to persuade, to promote social unity) and elements of speech form (e.g., introduction, body, conclusion).
4. Demonstrates knowledge of patterns of organization for informative speeches (e.g., chronological, topical, spatial) and their characteristics and uses; types of persuasive speeches (e.g., propositions of fact, value, policy, problem) and patterns of organization for types of persuasive speeches (e.g., cause-effect, problem-solution); and methods for analyzing and evaluating the organization and effectiveness of oral and written speeches.
5. Understands the use of a systematic process to prepare speeches (e.g., select and limit topic and purpose, conduct and analyze research, determine logical and appropriate patterns of organization, construct an outline, prepare manuscripts and notes, rehearse), skills and strategies associated with steps in the preparation process and types of speech delivery (e.g., memorized, manuscript, impromptu, extemporaneous).
6. Demonstrates knowledge of rhetorical strategies (e.g., previews, summaries, rhetorical questions, transitions) used to enhance clarity and interest in speeches; stylistic devices and figures of speech used to develop tone, clarity, interest and appeal in speeches; types of proof used to support points in speeches (e.g., testimony, statistics, logic, personal experience and observation); and types of audiovisual communication aids, their characteristics and their uses in speeches and presentations.
7. Recognizes noise and barriers in the public speaking process (e.g., speaker’s failure to project and speak clearly, environmental distractions, listeners’ past experiences and attitudes, cultural differences between speaker and audience), types of communication apprehension and effective strategies for coping with communication apprehension.

Competency 008—The teacher understands concepts and principles of argumentation and debate.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes the goals and uses of persuasive speaking, types of persuasive appeals (e.g., ethos, pathos, logos) and strategies for evaluating persuasive messages.
2. Understands the role of argumentation and debate in a free society and the historical and contemporary uses of argumentation and debate in various contexts (e.g., political, social).
3. Recognizes ethical issues relating to the use of persuasion, elements of formal debate (e.g., propositions, contentions, presumptions), rules and principles of formal debate and types of debate formats (e.g., policy, value, parliamentary).
4. Understands types of propositions used in debates (e.g., fact, value, policy), forms of support used in debate (e.g., expert opinion, statistics, logic), types of reasoning (e.g., inductive, deductive, syllogisms, cause-effect), the use of affirmative and negative strategies and stock issues in debate and guidelines for effective cross-examination in debates.
5. Understands traditional judging paradigms (e.g., tabula rasa, stock issues, policy, hypothesis tester) for evaluating debate.

Competency 009—The teacher understands concepts and principles of oral interpretation.

The beginning teacher:

1. Understands oral interpretation as a communication art; the role of the interpreter; and ethical responsibilities of the interpreter to the author, the literary text and the audience.
2. Understands types and characteristics of literature suitable for oral interpretation, including fiction and nonfiction prose, poetry and drama; standards for selecting literature for performance (e.g., appropriateness for reader, audience and occasion; literary merit); and skills and strategies for adapting literature for performance (e.g., lifting scenes, cutting, writing introductions and transitions).
3. Demonstrates knowledge of skills and strategies for conducting research for oral interpretation, including research on the author and the author’s body of work, literary criticism and references, allusions and terms in the text; skills and strategies for analyzing literary texts as a basis for making performance choices; and the use of research, analysis, personal experience, insight and imagination to justify performance choices (e.g., use or nonuse of manuscript, use of voice, use of body, use or nonuse of props).
4. Analyzes the use of various vocal strategies (e.g., rate, pitch, inflection, volume, pauses, dialect, pronunciation, articulation) to enhance performance and analyzes rehearsal techniques used to develop confidence, promote internalization of the literature and enhance visualization and imagination.
5. Demonstrates knowledge of group decision-making skills and processes for preparing and presenting group performances.
6. Recognizes the empathic, appreciative and critical-listening skills used to evaluate and critique performances of literature.

Competency 010—The teacher understands interpersonal communication skills as they are applied in a variety of contexts.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes the importance of various types of interpersonal relationships (e.g., personal, professional, social) for individual well-being and success, the importance of interpersonal communication skills in developing and maintaining productive interpersonal relationships and the purposes and goals of interpersonal relationships and interpersonal communication in various contexts.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of skills for participating in conversation in a variety of interpersonal contexts and for a variety of purposes (e.g., engaging in interpersonal rituals such as greetings and introductions, sharing experiences and ideas, conducting business).
3. Understands verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills for developing and maintaining productive relationships (e.g., using courtesy and tact, engaging in empathic listening, providing appropriate feedback) and verbal, nonverbal, listening, responding and critical-thinking skills for analyzing and managing interpersonal conflicts and problems in relationships.
4. Recognizes the importance of social etiquette, norms and conventions in interpersonal communication and how these are influenced by factors such as self-concept, self-talk, perception of others and culture.

Competency 011—The teacher understands group and organizational dynamics and skills for communicating in groups and organizations.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes the roles and importance of groups and organizations in a democratic society; types of groups (e.g., social groups, task groups, teams, professional groups) and their characteristics and functions (e.g., developing friendships, accomplishing goals, making and implementing plans, solving problems); types of professional and social organizations and their purposes (e.g., providing employment, providing professional development, meeting individual and social needs); and characteristics of organizations (e.g., structure, hierarchy, culture) and their effects on employees and members.
2. Understands principles of group dynamics and factors that influence group effectiveness (e.g., group size, group norms, environment, group composition, roles assumed by group members) and applies knowledge of skills and strategies for building effective groups, teams, and organizations in various contexts.
3. Recognizes roles and responsibilities of individuals in groups and the effects of individual behavior on group dynamics and communication; leadership styles and their potential for effectiveness in various group and organizational situations; and effective communication skills and strategies used by leaders in various contexts.
4. Applies skills for analyzing the participation and contributions of group members and for evaluating group effectiveness, identifies and analyzes effective leadership styles and provides students with opportunities to be effective leaders and participants in various group contexts.
5. Understands types of group discussions (e.g., panel, symposium, forum) and their characteristics and functions; verbal, nonverbal, listening, responding, research and critical-thinking skills needed to participate effectively in group discussions for various purposes (e.g., presenting ideas, promoting group cohesion, questioning, agreeing or disagreeing, brainstorming); and techniques for conducting formal meetings (e.g., use of agendas, parliamentary procedure).
6. Recognizes the nature of power and conflict and strategies used in groups and organizations for conflict diagnosis, analysis, management and resolution (e.g., compromise, negotiation, collaboration, accommodation, coercion) in various contexts and procedures for group problem solving (e.g., identify problem, propose alternative solutions, test alternatives, implement solutions).
7. Demonstrates knowledge of communication skills for developing positive relationships, networking, participating in groups and teams, making professional presentations and the importance of professional and social etiquette, protocol and ethics in group and organizational contexts.

Domain III—Speech Education

Competency 012—The teacher understands instruction that is appropriate for all students and reflects the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in speech.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows strategies for designing and providing speech instruction that integrates all components of the speech curriculum, actively involves and engages students in the learning process and promotes all students’ achievement of the content and skills in the speech TEKS.
2. Knows how to use assessment methods, strategies and knowledge of TEKS to plan, adjust instruction and monitor student progress in order to evaluate student learning of concepts and skills in speech.
3. Knows how to model and teach the appropriate and effective use of oral and written language, nonverbal communication and listening skills and how to apply principles and strategies for communicating effectively with students in various instructional contexts.
4. Understands the significance of student diversity for instructional planning and devises strategies for making speech content and skills relevant to students with diverse backgrounds and needs.
5. Knows how to maintain an appropriate balance of breadth and depth in implementing the speech curriculum and how to select and use appropriate materials and technologies to prepare and implement effective, engaging instruction.

Competency 013—The teacher understands methods for designing and implementing speech instruction related to communication processes and choices, ethics, mass media and the evaluation and use of information.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to teach students to apply knowledge of the communication process to make appropriate and effective communication choices as senders and receivers of messages and to analyze and evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of their own and others’ communication.
2. Knows how to teach students that attitudes and perceptions regarding self and others affect communication choices, ways in which diversity (e.g., social, cultural, political) influences communication, ways to exhibit sensitivity to and respect for diversity, ways to communicate effectively in diverse contexts and how to help students use communication skills in various contexts, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, group and public contexts.
3. Knows how to teach students to use perception checks to interpret, analyze and evaluate communication in various contexts; to analyze the appropriateness and effectiveness of their communication skills; to develop assertiveness and self-confidence; and to reduce communication apprehension.
4. Knows how to teach students to select and use appropriate verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills and strategies in interpersonal, group, public, professional and social contexts; to use appropriate nonverbal communication and distinguish between intentional and unintentional nonverbal messages; and to apply skills for different types of listening in various situations and settings.
5. Knows how to promote students’ understanding of the development of different types of mass media and the roles and functions of mass media as sources of information, entertainment, persuasion and education and how to provide students with opportunities to view (or listen to) and analyze different types of media and different types of programming (e.g., news program, comedy, drama, commercial, infomercial).
6. Knows how to teach students about production strategies used by the media (e.g., visual effects, verbal and nonverbal communication strategies, propaganda and appeals); ways mass media influences individuals, consumers, society, political ideas and policies; the role of government agencies in regulating media; and ways to explore and evaluate media issues.
7. Knows how to promote students’ understanding of media personnel and development of skills for planning, organizing, writing, designing and communicating in media productions; how to promote students’ ability to analyze and evaluate their own program choices and those of media audiences; and how to promote students’ ability to become critical consumers of mass media.
8. Knows ways to help students understand the importance of freedom of speech and the rights and responsibilities of communicators in interpersonal, group, public, professional and social contexts; to help students apply appropriate ethical standards when constructing and delivering messages; and to teach students the importance of assuming responsibility for their own communication decisions.

Competency 014—The teacher understands methods for designing and implementing speech instruction related to information and oral interpretation.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to teach students to apply systematic strategies for selecting topics to research; to locate, gather, analyze, evaluate and use information from a variety of texts and technological resources; and to apply critical-thinking, reasoning and decision-making skills in rhetorical contexts.
2. Knows how to teach students to use a systematic process to organize speeches for various purposes; use logical, emotional and ethical proofs and appeals to support claims in speeches; use effective devices for introductions and conclusions; and use rhetorical strategies for clarity (e.g., previews, signposts, transition statements, summaries).
3. Knows how to teach students to use oral language appropriately and effectively to promote clarity, establish tone and develop style to add interest and appeal to speeches.
4. Knows how to teach students to apply strategies and skills for rehearsing and presenting speeches (e.g., promoting memory, selecting and polishing delivery, using language and nonverbal communication effectively, using audiovisual communication aids appropriately, responding to audience feedback) and for overcoming communication apprehension and building self-confidence with regard to public speaking.
5. Knows how to provide students with opportunities to plan and conduct research relevant to a variety of speech activities; to apply criteria for evaluating the quality and credibility of information from various sources, including the Internet; to develop an understanding of legal and ethical issues related to the use of information from various sources; and to apply knowledge of legal and ethical guidelines in using and presenting information.
6. Knows ways of promoting students’ understanding of classical and contemporary speeches and their influence on individuals and society; ability to analyze speaker, audience and occasion as a basis for decision making in planning, presenting and responding to speeches; ability to use critical, deliberative, empathic and appreciative listening skills and knowledge of rhetoric to analyze and evaluate oral and written speeches; ability to use language effectively, employing rhetorical and stylistic devices to achieve a desired effect; and ability to use technology to enhance the effectiveness of speeches.
7. Knows ways of promoting students’ understanding of the art of interpretation, the role of the interpreter and the interpreter’s relationship and responsibilities to author, text and audience; types and characteristics of literature for oral interpretation and how to apply appropriate standards to select literary texts to perform for a variety of audiences, purposes and occasions; methods for conducting research for oral interpretation and using research as a basis for analyzing, adapting, interpreting and performing text; and ways of analyzing various aspects of a literary text (e.g., literary form or genre, structural elements, narrative voice, emotional progression, literal and symbolic meanings, imagery, characterization).
8. Knows how to teach students strategies for adapting literature for individual and group performance for a variety of audiences, purposes and occasions; using text analysis, research, personal response and imagination to make and justify performance choices; and using effective vocal and physical strategies and rehearsal techniques to enhance performance and achieve performance goals.
9. Knows how to teach students to use effective decision-making skills and processes to prepare and present group performances and to use knowledge of interpretation theory and critical, empathic and appreciative listening skills to evaluate and critique individual and group performances.

Competency 015—The teacher understands methods for designing and implementing speech instruction related to rhetoric and debate.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to teach students about the value of debate for developing skills in a variety of areas (e.g., research, public speaking, refutation); the use of persuasive skills and strategies in informal and formal argumentation; and ways to analyze and respond to persuasive communications (e.g., ethos, pathos, logos).
2. Knows how to teach students ways to analyze, phrase and define propositions, ways to use various debate formats to support propositions and strategies for debating value and policy propositions (e.g., construct cases, use valid proofs, evaluate implications of stock issues).
3. Knows ways of promoting students’ use of critical thinking, logic and reasoning in debate (e.g., by formulating logical arguments, choosing appropriate proofs, applying standard tests of evidence, identifying fallacies in reasoning), application of ethical guidelines for debate research and use of evidence and ability to demonstrate ethical behavior and courtesy during debate.
4. Knows ways of promoting students’ ability to construct affirmative and negative cases and present a prima facie case; to apply skills and strategies for refuting, rebutting and defending arguments and for effective cross-examination; to apply effective communication skills in debating and in the development of extemporaneous speaking skills; to use critical-listening skills and note-taking skills in debating contexts; and to apply knowledge of debate principles to analyze and evaluate debates.

Competency 016—The teacher understands methods for designing and implementing speech instruction related to interpersonal and group communication.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to promote students’ awareness of the importance of productive interpersonal relationships in personal, group, organizational and public contexts; ability to recognize and analyze the influence of verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills and strategies on the quality of interpersonal relationships; and ability to apply strategies for making appropriate and effective communication decisions in interpersonal relationships in various situations, including situations involving problem solving and conflict resolution.
2. Knows how to promote students’ ability to analyze the influence of intrapersonal communication (e.g., self-concept, self-esteem, self-talk, personal perception) and cultural factors on interpersonal relationships; to make appropriate and effective communication choices in response to personal and cultural differences; and to apply appropriate and effective listening skills (e.g., empathic, critical, deliberative) and responding skills (e.g., interpreting, providing feedback) in interpersonal communication in a variety of contexts.
3. Knows how to teach students to apply appropriate and effective verbal skills to achieve clarity and to demonstrate tact, courtesy and assertiveness for various communication purposes (e.g., to inform; to persuade; to express and respond to opinions, ideas and feelings; to express agreement and disagreement) and to apply appropriate and effective nonverbal skills (e.g., space, touch, voice) in interpersonal conversations in various contexts).
4. Knows how to teach students to apply appropriate social etiquette, norms and conventions in interpersonal communication; to use appropriate and effective verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills to participate in social traditions and to initiate, maintain and conclude interpersonal conversations; and to use appropriate and effective research, verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills to prepare for and participate in interviews (e.g., gathering and responding to information, asking and answering questions).
5. Knows how to promote students’ understanding of types, characteristics and functions of groups; group dynamics and norms; roles assumed by group members; verbal, nonverbal, listening, responding, research and critical-thinking skills; strategies needed to communicate appropriately and effectively in various group contexts and knows how to promote students’ ability to identify and apply strategies for making decisions, solving problems, resolving conflicts and reaching consensus in groups and teams.
6. Knows how to provide students with opportunities to plan, organize and participate in group discussions and to make group presentations for a variety of purposes, audiences and occasions and how to promote students’ ability to use research, problem-solving, interpersonal, verbal, nonverbal, listening and responding skills to be effective leaders and participants in groups and teams.
7. Knows how to provide students with opportunities to apply techniques for conducting formal meetings; how to promote students’ understanding of types of professional and social organizations, their functions and their characteristics; and how to promote students’ ability to recognize and analyze factors that affect successful participation and leadership in organizations.
8. Knows how to provide students with opportunities to develop and apply verbal, nonverbal, listening, decision-making, problem-solving and conflict-management skills to communicate appropriately and effectively for a variety of purposes in various organizational contexts (including making and responding to professional presentations); how to identify norms for professional and social etiquette, protocol and ethics; and how to teach students to apply these norms and rules in group and organizational contexts.

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