MTEL Communications & Literacy Skills Test Practice Questions

The Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) Communication and Literacy Skills exam is a standardized test meant to determine participants’ aptitude for teaching careers in Massachusetts public schools.

The MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam is one of four such exams that the state leverages to find qualified candidates for teaching positions in its public schools. The other exams in the MTEL program are a prekindergarten to grade 12 subject matter test, a vocational technical literacy skills test and an adult basic education test. These exams correspond directly with relevant state licensure regulations and standards and the state’s curriculum frameworks.

How Do I Register for the Communication and Literacy Skills Exam From MTEL?

The MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam is offered by appointment throughout the year, except on Sundays and some holidays. The test consists of two subtests, and prospective participants can register for either one or both of these on the MTEL website.

The exam is offered at testing locations throughout Massachusetts and the rest of the country by Pearson, an international standardized testing company.

If a prospective participant registers for both of the subtests at once, they will both be administered during a single four-hour testing session. It will be up to the participant to determine how much time they spend out of that total on each subtest, as the subtests won’t be individually timed. Prospective participants can also register for each subtest separately and schedule them for different days. In this case, they will have four hours to take each subtest.

The registration fee for the MTEL’s Communication and Literacy Skills exam’s reading subtest is $76, registration for the writing subtest is $85 and the registration fee for both at once is $112.

What Can I and Can’t I Bring to MTEL’s Literacy Skills and Communication Exam?

Participants in the MTEL Literacy Skills and Communication exam are required to bring with them at least one piece of current, government-issued identification that is in English, bearing the name in which they registered and bearing their photograph and signature.

Participants in the exam are not allowed to bring calculators. They are also not allowed to bring cell phones, handwritten or printed materials, hats or large jewelry, food or drink, purses or backpacks or unauthorized medical devices.

What Specific Content Is on the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Exam and How Is it Divided?

As noted above, the MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills exam contains two subtests. Both of these include a different number of objectives, each of which make up varying percentages of the full exam. The specific breakdown of content is as follows: