CTEL Exam Information and Guideline
California Teacher of English Learners
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California Teachers of English Learners (CTEL)
Program Leading to Certification to Teach
The Commission is the agency of California government that licenses teachers and other professionals
who serve in the public schools. As the policy-making body that establishes and maintains standards for
the education profession in the state, the Commission is concerned with the quality and effectiveness of
the preparation of teachers and other school practitioners. On behalf of the education profession and
the general public, one of the Commissions most important responsibilities is to establish and
implement strong, effective standards of quality for the preparation and assessment of teachers who
will teach English learners.
AB 2987, passed in 1992 (California Education Code sections 44253.1- 44253.6), created a two-tiered
teacher certification structure for teaching English learners. Known as the Bilingual, Crosscultural,
Language and Academic Development Examination and Certificate, this structure has been in effect
from 1994 to the present, and it consists of the following six tests or domains:
• Test 1: Language Structure and First- and Second-Language Development;
• Test 2: Methodology of Bilingual Instruction, English Language Development and Content Instruction;
• Test 3: Culture and Cultural Diversity;
• Test 4: Methodology for Primary-Language Instruction;
• Test 5: The Culture of Emphasis; and
• Test 6: The Language of Emphasis (listening, reading, speaking, and writing)
The first tier, called Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) Certificate, authorizes
instruction for English Language Development (ELD) and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in
English (SDAIE). Candidates must pass the first 3 Tests (above) to earn this certification. The second
level, called the Bilingual Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) Certificate,
authorizes instruction in ELD and SDAIE as well as instruction for primary-language development and
content instruction in the primary language. Candidates must pass all six tests in order to earn the
BCLAD Certificate.
The Standards of Program Quality and Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Preparation Programs were
also referenced by the panel in its development of the CTEL Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities and the CTEL
Program Standards. This was to ensure that content of CTEL Programs and the CTEL Examination were
closely aligned with the relevant content in the 2042 multiple and single subject teaching credential,
since all of these routes lead to an equivalent English learner authorization. The standards of the
national professional organizations such as those adopted by TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of
Other Languages) also served as a guide and provided a comprehensive perspective for panel members
The ELIDT developed two types of standards to guide institutional responses and expert review for CTEL
Programs. The first type, called “Program Design Standards”, make up Category I of the CTEL Program
Standards. These standards inform institutions about the organizational structures and resources
required for sponsorship of a CTEL program. Category II of the Standards Specific to CTEL Programs
provides guidance on the instructional content of the curriculum as well as the competencies that
candidates must demonstrate in order to meet the requirements of the CLAD Certificate. These
standards, called the “Candidate Competency Standards” are closely aligned with the CTEL Knowledge,
Skills, and Abilities.
Once the ELIDT completed the draft CTEL standards, Commission staff worked with formatting and
organization in order to align with the most currently-developed standards of quality for teacher
preparation. The Commission adopted the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for California
Teachers of English Learners (CTEL) Programs Leading to CLAD Certification on November 30, 2006.
Language and Language Development
Domain 1:
Language Structure
and Use
Phonology and Morphology
Syntax and Semantics
Language Functions and Variations
Discourse
Pragmatics
Domain 2:
Additive Language
Development
Theories, Processes, and Stages of Language Acquisition
Theories, Models, and Processes of Second-Language Acquisition
Cognitive, Linguistic, and Physical Factors Affecting Language
Development
Affective Factors Affecting Language Development
Sociocultural and Political Factors Affecting Language
Development
Assessment
and
Instruction
Domain 1:
Assessment of
English Learners
Principles of Standards-Based Assessment and Instruction
Role, Purposes, and Types of Assessment
Language and Content-Area Assessment
Domain 2:
Foundations of
English
Language/Literacy
Development and
Content Instruction
Foundations of Programs for English Learners
Foundations of English Language Literacy
Instructional Planning and Organization for ELD and SDAIE
Components of Effective Instructional Delivery in ELD and SDAIE
Effective Resource Use in ELD and SDAIE
Domain 3:
Approaches and
Methods for ELD
and Content
Instruction
ELD – Approaches and Methods
ELD – Listening and Speaking
ELD – Reading and Writing
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)
Culture and
Inclusion
Domain 1:
Culture and Cultural
Diversity and Their
Relationship to
Academic
Achievement
Cultural Concepts and Perspectives
Cultural Contact
Cultural Diversity in California and the United States
Crosscultural Interaction
Domain 2:
Culturally Inclusive
Instruction
The Role of Culture in the Classroom and School
Culturally Inclusive Learning Environment
Family and Community Involvement
Culturally Inclusive Curriculum and Instruction