Page 8: Professional license requirements

The basic requirements for the Professional License are as follows. To help keep yourself oriented, refer to the chart entitled Requirements At-a-Glance by Route, a page ahead.

1. Passing score on the Communication and Literacy Skills Test. This is a two-part test—reading and writing—required of all new teachers licensed by our state. However, at least until October of 2006, applicants seeking the ABE Teacher's License at the professional level who have a preK-12 license or five years of ABE teaching experience are exempt from this test. New or novice teachers without licenses will still be required to take this test. You can see a description of the test, with sample questions and answers, online at www.doe.mass.edu/mtel.
   
   

Evidence of sound moral character. (Same as for Provisional.)

2. Passing score on the ABE subject matter test. This test has not been developed yet, so evidence of a bachelor's or master's degree is sufficient. Teachers with a preK-12 license and one year of ABE teaching experience, or teachers with five years of ABE teaching experience, are exempt from the test (once it becomes available) at least until October 2006. Successful completion of a supervised 75-hour pre-practicum, and/or a 15-hour field survey, and a 150 hour practicum. The pre-practicum is designed for new teachers without preK-12 license training, to give them actual experience working in a variety of ABE settings, such as an ESOL classroom or a GED test prep class in a Corrections facility. The 15-hour field survey is designed to expose teachers with less than five years of experience to a variety of settings; teachers with five years or more of experience are exempt. The practicum itself is designed to provide newer teachers with guidance while on the job. Proficiency in the Professional Standards for ABE Teachers. (See Appendix A). As we stated earlier, these standards are at the heart of the ABE licensure model. Many hours of work went into researching, drafting, and revising them by several groups, including a statewide Advisory Group. Research ensured that the best standards lists of other groups—e.g., several state and foreign adult literacy agencies and organizations—were considered, as well as the work of past Massachusetts task forces and committees. We think you'll agree that the Board-approved standards reflect a learner-centered approach to teaching adults.


3. Demonstration of Teaching. Every license-seeking teacher, regardless of route, will have to demonstrate her actual teaching. This is a bona fide method for indicating proficiency with many of the standards as well as a reasonable way to ensure that a given candidate can effectively put knowledge into practice. License-seekers have three methods for fulfilling this requirement: to be observed by a qualified person; to be videotaped; or to present a teaching demonstration before the Review Panel itself (this last option designed especially with candidates not currently teaching in mind).

The next page is an at-a-glance chart of requirements by route.