How to Prepare for Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS) Practice Test?
Through the classroom and more, teachers help shape every young generation that follows. Considering the significance of educators, it’s obvious why we seek assurances of their expertise.
One way to accomplish that is to require educators to become licensed. This licensing establishes a standard for teachers, ensuring that each certified instructor has a firm grasp on their chosen subject. The ATAS test is one of those licensing exams.
This article will dive deep into the test, its usage, and subcategories. We will also provide you with sample questions, so read on.
Table of Contents
What Is the ATAS Test?
The New York State Teacher Certification Exams, also known as ATAS, is a test used to certify new teachers for a license.
Topics covered in this test include:
- Reading
- Writing
- Math
- Coaching
The evaluation assesses the participant’s capacity to help school professors across areas of pedagogical focus or competence. Additionally, ATAS effectively assesses core areas of particular expert knowledge required of teaching staff.
Aspiring educators use ATAS exam prep materials to evaluate the exam format while also track their own performance in understanding the topic. This enables an examinee to identify areas that require additional practice.
What Is the Format of the ATAS Test?
Thankfully, there are numerous unrestricted options to help an aspiring teacher prepare for the assessment of the teaching assistant abilities exam. The availability of solid ATAS study materials like the free preparatory reference is accessible on several internet sites.
Extra study resources are furthermore accessible on the internet on the Job Prep Test website. This learning resource address both the material and the structure of the test. Training aids typically feature learning suggestions to assist test-takers in preparing for the examination date.
What Does the ATAS Test Measure?
The ATAS is intended to assess expertise and skills in four sub areas stated below:
- Reading
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Instructional Support
Each section has different objectives connected to the job of a teacher. There are numerous objectives in each of these four mentioned subcategories. Our next section will get into more detail about the objectives of each part. Most of the time, there will be at least one question for each of these objectives.
What Kinds of Questions Are Expected on the ATAS Test?
The following passages will explain the objectives of each sub-test and its questions.
Reading Comprehension and Vocab
- Understanding the meaning of frequently occurring terms in a situation
- Finding suitable synonyms and antonyms for terms
- Identifying the proper usage of frequently mispronounced word pairings
Recognizing the Primary Topic of a Reading Chapter
- Recognizing a passage’s stated core point
- Determining a passage’s topic phrase
- Detecting a passage’s introduction and summary remarks
- Choosing an accurate paraphrase of a passage’s core theme
Recognizing the Order of Concepts in Textual Material
- Determining the sequence of events or processes mentioned in a section
- Putting a series of instructions in the correct order
- Recognizing cause-and-effect linkages in a paragraph
Interpreting Lexical and Pictorial Data
- Using spreadsheets, column graphing, bar diagrams, and pie graphs to assess data
- Identifying acceptable graphic or columnar depictions of written material
- Acknowledging the distinctions between truth and fiction
Writing and the Usage of Verbs
- Recognizing common subject-verb relationships
- Determining verb tense
- Detecting verb tense coherence
Image Source: NYSTCE Preparation Guide
Utilizing Pronouns and Modifiers Correctly
- Recognizing harmony between a pronoun and its context
- Employing possessive, relative, and demonstrative pronouns
- Combining superlative and comparative classifiers
Recognizing Basic Sentence Construction and Punctuation
- Differentiating between incomplete sentences and full sentences
- Differentiate between passing sentences and properly separated sentences
- Differentiating between correct and incorrect punctuation
Recognizing the Proper Usage of Capitalization and Spelling
- Recognizing normal capitalization at the start of sentences
- Identifying suitable word and title capitalization standards
- Understanding the conventional spelling of regularly used words
Mathematics – Understanding Number Concepts
- Recognizing the put value of numbers
- Recognizing properly-rounded numbers
- Locating equal weights and measurements in various units
- Assuming a measurement problem’s resolution
Addition and Subtraction of Whole Numbers
- Resolving difficulties involving whole-number addition
- Finding solutions using whole-number subtraction
- Using whole-number addition and subtraction concepts to address
Image Source: NYSTCE Preparation Guide
Multiplication and Division of Whole Numbers
- Resolving multiplication problems with whole numbers
- Addressing difficulties involving whole-number division
- Using whole-number multiplication and division concepts to solve
Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages
- Using fractions to solve problems
- Using decimals to solve problems
- Problems involving percentages
- Conversion issues with fractions, decimals, and so on
Understanding Classroom Instructions Related to Reading
- Under the supervision of classroom teachers, assisting in the matching of student needs, learning styles, and background experiences
- Assisting students in the use of instructional tools to support reading
- Assisting trainees in using a number of techniques to comprehend what they read
- Obtaining information about students’ reading progress to aid the teacher’s preparation, evaluation, and instruction
Image Source: NYSTCE Preparation Guide
Understanding Classroom Instructions Related to Writing
- Learning how to draft, edit, and proofread written content
- Assisting students in narrowing their writing focus
- Assisting students in using instructional tools to support their writing
- Obtaining information on students’ writing progress to aid the teacher’s preparation, evaluation, and instructing
Understanding Classroom Instructions Related to Mathematics
- Applying mathematics to real-world circumstances
- Detecting and correcting fundamental addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division faults
- Assisting students in making use of educational tools to support mathematics learning
- Obtaining information on students’ mathematical progress to aid the teacher’s preparation, evaluation, and teaching
How Many Questions Are There on the ATAS Practice Test?
The ATAS test for teaching assistants has 100 questions divided into four categories to answer, including reading, writing, mathematics, and pedagogical assets. Besides the pedagogical assets, a single ATAS test chapter usually includes 19 questions. Each of the four subtopics has 27 queries to answer.
How Long Does the ATAS Test Take?
The Assessment of Teaching Assistant testing usually lasts three hours, with every sub-section accounting for a variable percent of the overall test session. The entire test duration for each segment may also fluctuate based on the complexity of the topics within every part as well as the level of skill of the aspiring assistant professor within that subject.
Additionally, there is no deadline for whichever segment of the test is taken. Candidates may work productively while taking into consideration that they should designate time to accomplish every subject.
Can You Practice the ATAS Test?
Yes. One of the best strategies for an examinee to pass the ATAS test for teaching assistant qualification is to plan ahead of the exam.
Making a study schedule is among the major factors that determine success. You can start by doing a schedule for a number of weekly study sessions and the time frame for each one.
Developing a timetable might assist you in developing a routine and sticking to it. Making learning a routine is an excellent way to pass any exam because expertise is gained through continuous practice.
The greatest tactic, though, is being confident. Aspiring teachers can ensure the best possible exam results by using the best samples and learning resources for their exams.
JobTest Prep is the best online learning resource there is. So, purchase their ATAS practice materials and ace the license test.
What Does the Job Test Prep Offer?
Job Test Prep offers preparation exercises that you could use to determine what you have learned and also what areas you have to examine deeper. They offer numerous tests and practice materials you can use in order to learn the test structure and the format of the questions.
You can also use their practice materials to refresh your knowledge in certain areas or find out what it is that you need to work on.
Job Test Prep offers:
- Five study guides and video tutorials
- Money-back guarantee
Reading sub-test list:
- Five, in-depth vocabulary tests
- Four verbal reasoning tests
- Four graphs understanding tests
For the writing sub-test list:
- Seven tests for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization
For the Mathematics sub-test list:
- 11 tests: four functions, fractions, decimals, ratios, conversions, and accounting
- Eight hybrid exercises on the same topics
- Seven math expression matters
Conclusion
Understanding strategies to prepare for a teaching licensing exam is an important aspect of studying to become a schoolteacher. Educator exam preparation is divided into two stages: discovering information in the exam and then memorizing the said content.
These stages of studying have very well-recommended methods, regardless of the licensing test a teacher applicant takes.
Written by Victoria Todorovska
Victoria (or Viki) is a Freelance Writer, Psychologist, and Gestalt Therapy Consultant. With years of experience in higher education as well as counselling others, she is well-placed to offer expert advice on guiding others up the career ladder.
Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.
