Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental (165)

Exam Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.
Exam Name Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental
Exam Code 165
Time 5 hours
  • Subtest 1—Listening and Speaking in Spanish: 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • Subtest 2—Reading and Writing in Spanish: 1 hour and 45 minutes
  • Subtest 3—Foundations of Bilingual Education and Instructional Practice: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Number of Questions 100 selected-response questions and 5 constructed-response assignments
  • Subtest 1—Listening and Speaking in Spanish: 30 selected-response questions and 4 speaking constructed-response assignments
  • Subtest 2—Reading and Writing in Spanish: 30 selected-response questions and 1 writing constructed-response assignment
  • Subtest 3—Foundations of Bilingual Education and Instructional Practice: 40 selected-response questions
Format Computer-administered test (CAT)

The TExES Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental (165) 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 exam consists of three subtests: Listening and Speaking in Spanish (166), Reading and Writing in Spanish (167), and Foundations of Bilingual Education and Instructional Practice (168).

The 100 selected-response questions, 4 speaking constructed-response assignments, and 1 writing constructed-response assignment are based on the Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental exam framework. Your final scaled score on each subtest will be based only on scored questions. You must pass all three subtests to pass the exam.

Subtests and Competencies

The content covered by this exam is organized into subtests. Each subtest covers one or more of the educator standards for this field. Within each subtest, 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.

Subtest 1—Listening and Speaking in Spanish (166)

Table outlining subtest content subject weighting by competency.
Competency Approx. Percentage of Subtest
Competency 001 (Listening) 70%
Competency 002 (Speaking) 30%

Pie chart of approximate subtest weightings outlined in the table above.

Competency 001—(Listening): Apply literal, inferential, and interpretive listening skills to demonstrate understanding of oral communications in Spanish in a variety of situations relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.

For example:

  1. Identify the main idea or main theme of an oral communication.
  2. Identify contextual or supportive details in an oral communication.
  3. Select an appropriate response to a spoken question or comment.
  4. Make inferences based on a situation presented in an oral communication.
  5. Identify a speaker's point of view or perspective in an oral communication.
Competency 002—(Speaking): Apply knowledge of appropriate speaking conventions to communicate in Spanish in a variety of situations relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.

For example:

  1. Use appropriate formal and informal registers to communicate with various audiences and within various settings relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.
  2. Use accurate grammatical and syntactical structures that communicate coherent information or messages.
  3. Use linguistically responsive language in everyday communication.
  4. Use a range of vocabulary, including academic vocabulary, relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.
  5. Use clear pronunciation and appropriate intonation and maintain a flow of speech with few hesitations or pauses.

Subtest 2—Reading and Writing in Spanish (167)

Table outlining subtest content subject weighting by competency.
Competency Approx. Percentage of Subtest
Competency 001 (Reading) 60%
Competency 002 (Writing) 40%

Pie chart of approximate subtest weightings outlined in the table above.

Competency 001—(Reading): Apply literal, inferential, and interpretive reading skills to demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts in Spanish relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context, including authentic materials.

For example:

  1. Identify the main idea or main theme of a text.
  2. Identify contextual or supportive details in a text.
  3. Select an accurate summary of a text.
  4. Make inferences based on a situation presented in a text.
  5. Identify an author's point of view or perspective in a text.
Competency 002—(Writing): Apply knowledge of appropriate writing conventions to communicate in Spanish in a variety of situations relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.

For example:

  1. Use appropriate formal and informal registers to communicate in writing with various audiences and within various settings relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.
  2. Use accurate grammatical and syntactical structures that communicate coherent information or messages.
  3. Use linguistically responsive language in written communication.
  4. Use a range of vocabulary, including academic vocabulary, relevant to bilingual education and the bilingual program and classroom context.
  5. Use accurate spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation.

Subtest 3—Foundations of Bilingual Education and Instructional Practice (168)

Table outlining subtest content subject weighting by competency.
Competency Approx. Percentage of Subtest
Competency 001 (Foundations of Bilingual Education) 50%
Competency 002 (Instructional Practice) 50%

Pie chart of approximate subtest weightings outlined in the table above.

Competency 001—(Foundations of Bilingual Education): Demonstrate an understanding of the foundations of bilingual education and the educational systems that create an effective learning environment that supports the affective, linguistic, and cognitive needs of emergent bilingual students.

For example:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of major federal and state legislation and court cases (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Bilingual Education Act [BEA], Lau v. Nichols, San Antonio ISD v. Rodriguez, Plyler v. Doe, Santamaria v. Dallas ISD).
  2. Apply knowledge of the characteristics and goals of bilingual education program models approved in Texas to make appropriate instructional decisions.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate state-mandated criteria and of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) procedures for identifying, recommending program services for, reclassifying, and monitoring emergent bilingual students, as well as exiting students from emergent bilingual classification.
  4. Demonstrate understanding of the role of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) in coordinating with other special programs (e.g., special education, Section 504, dyslexia, gifted and talented) as applicable.
  5. Demonstrate understanding of the Texas state-approved English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
Competency 002—(Instructional Practice): Demonstrate knowledge of linguistically responsive research-based instruction and assessment methodologies and strategies that integrate language and content instruction and foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and all students' academic achievement.

For example:

  1. Use knowledge of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR) and English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and knowledge of the state curriculum (as specified in the TEKS) to internalize or develop linguistically responsive lesson plans that integrate language and content instruction and foster emergent bilingual students' academic achievement and language acquisition.
  2. Apply research-based methodologies and strategies and use linguistically responsive resources to make content-area instruction comprehensible to emergent bilingual students at various levels of proficiency in Spanish and English.
  3. Understand and apply major language components in both Spanish and English (e.g., phonics, phonology, morphology, syntactic features, semantics, pragmatics), as well as methodologies and strategies for integrating language and content instruction (in both Spanish and English) to promote emergent bilingual students' biliteracy and achievement of their linguistic and academic goals.
  4. Identify and/or develop a variety of assessments (e.g., formal, informal) that are linguistically responsive and that allow emergent bilingual students flexibility in demonstrating content and linguistic knowledge.
  5. Use information from a variety of sources to internalize or plan targeted, data-driven and linguistically responsive instruction and differentiation strategies to address the language acquisition and academic learning needs of emergent bilingual students.
  6. Apply knowledge of current theories of and key concepts in new-language acquisition (e.g., language and literacy transference, circumlocution, code-switching, translanguaging) and knowledge of cognitive, linguistic, and affective factors that affect emergent bilingual students' language acquisition and learning.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for creating a linguistically responsive and empowering learning environment that develops metalinguistic awareness by leveraging emergent bilingual students' linguistic and unique assets that promote constructive critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
  8. Apply knowledge of how to ensure access for all students by collaborating with general education, English as a Second Language (ESL) education, and special education colleagues and the school community to create or adapt linguistically responsive learning environments, instruction, and assessments that foster bilingualism and biliteracy.
  9. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for engaging parents, guardians, and communities in education to foster bilingualism and biliteracy to support student and community needs.
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