This free CTEL 2 study guide covers everything the Assessment and Instruction subtest (test code 032) measures — organized to the current California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and Pearson content for each of its three domains.[2]
It’s interactive, not a wall of text: every domain module has built-in checkpoint quizzes, labeled diagrams, and flashcards, so you learn by doing — not just reading.
CTEL 2 is one of three CTEL subtests, each passed and banked separately, so you can conquer this one on its own. It pairs 60 multiple-choice questions with 2 constructed-response (essay) assignments across three domains.
Read a module, test yourself at each checkpoint, then drill gaps with our free practice test and flashcards. This guide is a high-yield overview of what the subtest tests — not a full textbook.
CTEL 2 Exam Snapshot
| Detail | CTEL 2 |
|---|---|
| Test name & code | CTEL Test 2: Assessment and Instruction (032) |
| Part of | The CTEL — 3 subtests (031 Language, 032 Assessment & Instruction, 033 Culture) |
| Format | 60 multiple-choice questions + 2 constructed-response (essay) assignments |
| Domains | 3: Assessment of ELs; Foundations of language/literacy & content; Approaches & methods |
| Time | 2 hours 45 minutes of testing (plus a short tutorial and agreement) |
| Scoring | Scaled 100–300; MC ≈70% and constructed-response ≈30% of the subtest score |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 220 (each subtest passed independently) |
| Delivery | Computer-based at Pearson VUE test centers; year-round appointments |
| Fee | ≈$147 for CTEL 2 alone (verify the current fee when you register) |
| Used for | Earning a California English Learner authorization (e.g., CLAD) by examination |
| Retakes | Retake only the subtest(s) you didn't pass; passing scores are banked |
CTEL 1
Test 031Language & Language Development
Linguistics, first- and second-language development, and language structure.
CTEL 2★
Test 032Assessment & Instruction
Assessing English learners and the methods, approaches, and program models for ELD and content instruction.
CTEL 3
Test 033Culture & Inclusion
Cultural diversity, intercultural interaction, and family/community involvement.
CTEL 2 sits in the middle of the three-subtest sequence. Because each subtest is scored and passed independently at 220, you can prepare for and clear Assessment and Instruction on its own.[3] This guide focuses entirely on the 032 content.
Assessment of English Learners
Purposes and types of assessment, language-proficiency vs. content assessment, the ELPAC, formative vs. summative, rubrics, portfolios, and interpreting results to guide instruction.
Foundations of English Language/Literacy Development & Content Instruction
Second-language acquisition theory (Krashen, Cummins, Vygotsky), BICS vs. CALP, the silent period, comprehensible input, language transfer, and the CA ELD Standards.
Approaches & Methods for ELD and Content Instruction
ELD vs. SDAIE, sheltered instruction (SIOP), scaffolding, TPR, content-based instruction, program models, and integrated vs. designated ELD.
The bars above show the approximate balance of the multiple-choice questions: the Foundations domain (second-language acquisition theory and the ELD Standards) is the largest, followed by Approaches and Methods, with Assessmentthe smallest share — though the constructed-response essays can draw on any domain, so don’t neglect any of them.
Module 1 · Assessment of English Learners
Purposes and types of assessment, the ELPAC, and using results to guide instruction. This domain asks you to choose appropriate assessments for English learners, distinguish language-proficiency assessment from content assessment, and interpret results fairly.[2] The recurring theme: assess to inform teaching, and never confuse a language barrier with a lack of content knowledge.
- 1
Identify & place
Home-language survey flags potential English learners; an initial ELPAC determines proficiency and placement.
- 2
Diagnose with formative tools
Use observations, portfolios, rubrics, and checks for understanding to find what each learner needs next.
- 3
Adjust instruction
Use formative results to reteach, scaffold, or regroup — the whole point of formative assessment.
- 4
Measure with summative tools
End-of-unit tests and the annual Summative ELPAC gauge growth and proficiency against standards.
- 5
Reclassify when ready
Students who meet criteria are reclassified as fluent English proficient (RFEP) and monitored.
1.1 Purposes & Types of Assessment
English learners are assessed for several distinct purposes: identification and placement (the and ), diagnosis of strengths and needs, ongoing to guide teaching, and to measure results. A key distinction is between assessing language proficiency (how developed the learner’s English is) and assessing content knowledge (what they know in a subject).
| Purpose | Tool / example | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Identification | Home-language survey → Initial ELPAC | Is this student an English learner, and at what level? |
| Placement | Initial ELPAC proficiency level | What ELD level and services does the learner need? |
| Diagnosis | Observations, running records, checks | What specific skills need work next? |
| Monitoring (formative) | Exit tickets, portfolios, conferences | Is instruction working — what should I adjust? |
| Measuring (summative) | Unit tests, Summative ELPAC | How much progress was made against standards? |
| Reclassification | ELPAC + local criteria | Is the learner ready to be redesignated as RFEP? |
1.2 Formative vs. Summative & the ELPAC
The most-tested assessment distinction is versus . Formative is assessment for learning — quick, frequent, and used to adjust teaching. Summative is assessment oflearning — it measures the result. California’s statewide proficiency measure is the : an identifies and places, and the annual tracks progress and informs reclassification.
| Formative | Summative | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | During learning, frequent | End of a unit, term, or year |
| Purpose | Give feedback, adjust instruction | Measure achievement against standards |
| Stakes | Low | Higher |
| Examples | Exit tickets, portfolios, conferences, observations | Unit test, Summative ELPAC, final project |
| Slogan | Assessment FOR learning | Assessment OF learning |
1.3 Rubrics, Portfolios & Avoiding Bias
Because a single multiple-choice test rarely captures an English learner’s real abilities, CTEL 2 emphasizes and performance-based tools. A shows growth over time; a makes scoring consistent and transparent. The domain also expects you to recognize and reduce cultural and linguistic bias — for instance, a standardized test normed on native English speakers can underrate an English learner’s content knowledge.
| Tool | Strength | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Comprehensive, growth-focused view over time | Time-consuming to assemble and review |
| Rubric | Consistent, objective, transparent scoring | Criteria must be clear and shared with learners |
| Self-assessment | Builds metacognition and ownership | Needs modeling; learners may over/underrate |
| Peer assessment | Promotes collaboration and feedback | Requires training to be fair and useful |
| Performance task | Shows real, applied language use | Score language and content separately when needed |
Checkpoint · Assessment of English Learners
Question 1 of 8
An English learner converses easily in English but struggles with academic written tasks. Using Cummins's framework, what is the most likely explanation?
Module 2 · Foundations of Language & Literacy Development
Second-language acquisition theory, language transfer, and the California ELD Standards. This is the largest and most theory-heavy domain. CTEL 2 expects you to know the major researchers — Krashen, Cummins, Vygotsky, Swain — and, more importantly, to apply their ideas to classroom situations.[2]
Acquisition–Learning
Acquisition is subconscious (like a child's first language); learning is conscious rule-study. Acquisition drives fluency.
Natural Order
Grammatical features are acquired in a predictable order that explicit teaching cannot fully change.
Monitor
Consciously learned rules act only as an editor/'monitor' on output — they don't generate fluent speech.
Input (i + 1)
Acquisition happens when learners understand input slightly beyond their current level, made comprehensible by context.
Affective Filter
Anxiety, low motivation, or low confidence raise a 'filter' that blocks input. A low-anxiety class lowers it.
2.1 Krashen & Second-Language Acquisition
Stephen Krashen’s five hypotheses anchor this domain. The separates subconscious acquisition from conscious rule-study. The says learned rules only edit output.
But the two you must know cold are the input and affective-filter hypotheses: (acquisition happens at i + 1) and the (anxiety blocks acquisition). Many learners also pass through a before they speak.
| Hypothesis | Core idea | Classroom move |
|---|---|---|
| Input (i + 1) | Understand input slightly above current level | Use visuals, realia, modeling to make input clear |
| Affective filter | Anxiety/low confidence blocks acquisition | Build a safe, low-anxiety, welcoming class |
| Acquisition vs. learning | Subconscious acquisition drives fluency | Prioritize meaningful use over isolated grammar drills |
| Monitor | Learned rules only edit output | Don't expect grammar rules to create fluency |
| Natural order | Features acquired in a predictable order | Don't force a structure the learner isn't ready for |
2.2 Cummins, BICS/CALP & Language Transfer
Jim Cummins’s work is just as testable. The / distinction explains why a learner can sound fluent in conversation yet struggle with academic work. His (interdependence) model explains why developing the home language helps English: skills and concepts between languages.
That is the argument for over . Vygotsky’s provides the rationale for scaffolding.
2.3 The CA ELD Standards & Literacy Development
California’s describe English learners’ development across three proficiency levels — Emerging, Expanding, Bridging — and pair with the content standards. In current California practice they distinguish (language development woven into every content class) from (a protected time focused on English). For literacy, English learners build phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension — strategies that often from a learner’s first-language literacy.
| Concept | What it means |
|---|---|
| Emerging | Beginning to learn English; needs substantial support |
| Expanding | Increasing English skills in more contexts; moderate support |
| Bridging | Approaching grade-level English; light, targeted support |
| Integrated ELD | Language development inside content instruction — every teacher's job |
| Designated ELD | Protected time focused specifically on building English |
| L1 literacy transfer | Reading strategies and concepts from the first language support English literacy |
Checkpoint · Foundations of Language & Literacy Development
Question 1 of 8
Which of the following best describes the "silent period" in second language acquisition for English learners?
Module 3 · Approaches & Methods for ELD and Content
How to actually teach English learners — ELD and SDAIE, sheltered instruction, scaffolding, and program models. This domain turns the theory of Module 2 into classroom practice. The single most important distinction is versus .[2]
ELD (English Language Development)
- Goal: develop English itself — listening, speaking, reading, writing.
- Content is the vehicle; language is the target.
- Leveled to the learner's proficiency (Emerging / Expanding / Bridging).
- Includes designated ELD (a protected time focused on language).
SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English)
- Goal: teach grade-level content (math, science, history) in English.
- Language is the vehicle; content is the target.
- Uses sheltering: visuals, scaffolds, comprehensible input, modeling.
- Often called sheltered instruction (the SIOP model formalizes it).
3.1 ELD vs. SDAIE & Sheltered Instruction
instruction targets English itself, leveled to the learner. teaches grade-level content in English using strategies — comprehensible input, visuals, modeling, and paired content and language objectives.
The widely used model makes sheltered teaching observable. The quick test: if the lesson objective is a languageskill it’s ELD; if it’s a contentstandard taught comprehensibly, it’s SDAIE.
| ELD | SDAIE | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary goal | Develop English (the language is the target) | Teach grade-level content (content is the target) |
| Language role | The objective | The vehicle for content |
| Typical setting | Designated ELD time, leveled by proficiency | Content classes (science, history) taught comprehensibly |
| Key strategies | Leveled language practice across the four domains | Sheltering: visuals, scaffolds, modeling, SIOP |
| Objective written | A language objective | A content objective + a language objective |
3.2 Scaffolding, Methods & Strategies
is the through-line of good ELD/SDAIE teaching: temporary support that keeps grade-level tasks within reach, then fades. Core methods include for newcomers, that teaches language through real content, and tasks that elicit . Common scaffolds are sentence frames, graphic organizers, word banks, modeling, and cooperative-learning structures.
| Strategy | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence frames | Give a partial structure to complete | Producing academic language at any level |
| Graphic organizers | Make relationships among ideas visible | Comprehension and organizing writing |
| Realia & visuals | Anchor meaning in concrete objects/images | Making input comprehensible for beginners |
| Total Physical Response | Respond to commands with actions | Newcomers and the silent period |
| Cooperative learning | Structured peer interaction | Low-anxiety practice and negotiated meaning |
| Modeling / think-aloud | Show the process explicitly | New tasks and academic routines |
3.3 Program Models for English Learners
Finally, CTEL 2 expects you to compare program models by how much they use the home language (L1) and whether they aim for bilingualism. uses mostly English; uses the L1 as a temporary bridge (subtractive); and and maintenance programs develop both languages (additive).
Structured English Immersion (SEI)
Nearly all instruction in English, with ELD support; designed for a temporary period. The common California default.
Transitional Bilingual Education
Uses the L1 early to teach content, then shifts to English-only as quickly as possible. The L1 is a bridge, not a goal (subtractive).
Maintenance (Developmental) Bilingual
Develops and keeps the L1 alongside English so students become biliterate (additive bilingualism).
Dual-Language / Two-Way Immersion
English learners and English speakers learn together in both languages; goal is full bilingualism and biliteracy for all (additive).
Checkpoint · Approaches & Methods for ELD and Content
Question 1 of 7
What is the primary purpose of "sheltered instruction" in English Language Learner (ELL) education?
How to Use This CTEL 2 Study Guide
Because each CTEL subtest is passed separately, you can focus entirely on CTEL 2. Work it domain by domain:
- Start with the theory. Module 2 (Foundations) is the biggest and underpins everything — get Krashen and the BICS/CALP distinction solid first.
- Read a module, then check yourself. Take the end-of-module checkpoint to see exactly which sub-topics need another pass.
- Practice applying, not just defining. CTEL 2 items are scenarios — drill the flashcards and a practice test until you can match a classroom situation to the right concept.
- Prepare for the essays. The constructed-response assignments ask you to analyze a scenario and recommend assessment or instruction — rehearse explaining why a strategy fits, citing the theory.
- Check off as you go. Mark each section done in the Study Guide Contents — it raises your exam-readiness score.
CTEL 2 Concept Questions
Common CTEL 2 concepts candidates study — each answered briefly and backed by an official source. Test yourself, then drill them as flashcards.
CTEL 2 Glossary
The high-yield CTEL 2 terms across all three domains in one place — hover any dotted term in the guide, or flip the whole deck here as a self-grading flashcard set.
- Acquisition vs. learning
- Krashen's distinction: acquisition is subconscious (like a first language), learning is conscious rule-study; acquisition drives fluency.
- Additive bilingualism
- Developing English while maintaining and growing the home language (the goal of dual-language models).
- Affective
- Relating to emotions and attitudes (motivation, anxiety, confidence) that influence learning.
- Affective filter
- A mental barrier raised by anxiety, low motivation, or low confidence that blocks comprehensible input from being acquired.
- Authentic assessment
- Assessment through real, meaningful tasks (a presentation, a written piece) rather than only decontextualized test items.
- BICS
- Basic interpersonal communicative skills — everyday conversational language; develops in roughly 1–3 years (Cummins).
- CA ELD Standards
- California's English Language Development Standards, describing proficiency across Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging levels.
- CALP
- Cognitive academic language proficiency — the decontextualized academic language of school; develops over roughly 5–7 years (Cummins).
- Code-switching
- Alternating between two languages within one conversation or sentence — a normal, rule-governed bilingual practice.
- Common underlying proficiency
- Cummins's idea that a bilingual's two languages share a cognitive/academic base, so skills transfer from L1 to L2.
- Comprehensible input
- Language a learner can understand though it is slightly beyond their current level (Krashen's i + 1), made clear through context and support.
- Comprehensible output
- Swain's idea that producing language (speaking/writing) pushes learners to notice gaps and refine their English.
- Content-based instruction
- Teaching subject content and language together, using real content as the context for developing English.
- Designated ELD
- A protected instructional time focused specifically on developing English, aligned to the ELD Standards.
- Dual-language immersion
- A two-way program where English learners and English speakers learn together in both languages for full bilingualism.
- ELD
- English Language Development — instruction that targets English itself (listening, speaking, reading, writing) at the learner's level.
- ELPAC
- The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California — the state test of English proficiency used to identify English learners and measure their progress.
- Formative assessment
- Ongoing, low-stakes assessment during learning (observations, exit tickets, portfolios) used to give feedback and adjust instruction.
- Home-language survey
- A required survey of the languages used at home that flags students who may be English learners for assessment.
- Initial ELPAC
- The first ELPAC, given to a potential English learner to determine whether they are an EL and at what proficiency level.
- Integrated ELD
- English language development woven into content instruction by all teachers throughout the day.
- Interlanguage
- A learner's evolving in-between language system that contains rules of both the L1 and the developing L2.
- Language transfer
- The influence of the first language on the second; can be positive (helps) or negative (causes errors).
- Monitor hypothesis
- Krashen's claim that consciously learned rules act only as an editor on output, not the source of fluent speech.
- Portfolio
- A collection of a learner's work over time, giving a comprehensive, growth-focused picture of language development.
- Reclassification (RFEP)
- Redesignating an English learner as fluent English proficient once they meet state criteria, including ELPAC results.
- Rubric
- A scoring tool listing criteria and performance levels so assessment is consistent, objective, and transparent.
- Scaffolding
- Temporary, targeted support (sentence frames, models, graphic organizers) that helps a learner do a task, then is removed.
- SDAIE
- Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English — teaching grade-level content in English using sheltering strategies.
- Sheltered instruction
- Teaching content comprehensibly to English learners through visuals, scaffolds, modeling, and clear language objectives.
- Silent period
- An early stage in which a learner understands more than they produce — listening and comprehending while speaking little.
- SIOP
- The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol — a framework that organizes sheltered teaching into observable components.
- Structured English Immersion
- A program in which nearly all instruction is in English with ELD support, designed for a temporary period.
- Subtractive bilingualism
- Replacing the home language with English, so the L1 is lost as English is gained.
- Summative assessment
- Assessment at the end of a unit or year (a final test, the Summative ELPAC) that measures learning against standards.
- Summative ELPAC
- The annual ELPAC that measures an English learner's yearly progress and informs reclassification.
- Total Physical Response
- A method in which learners respond to spoken commands with physical actions, linking language to movement and meaning.
- Transitional bilingual education
- Using the home language early to teach content, then shifting to English-only as quickly as possible.
- Zone of proximal development
- Vygotsky's gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with guidance — the basis for scaffolding.
CTEL 2 Study Guide FAQ
CTEL 2 — Assessment and Instruction (test code 032) — has 60 multiple-choice questions plus 2 constructed-response (essay) assignments across three domains: Assessment of English Learners; Foundations of English Language/Literacy Development and Content Instruction; and Approaches and Methods for ELD and Content Instruction. You get 2 hours 45 minutes. Multiple choice is about 70% of the subtest score and the essays about 30%, reported on a 100–300 scale with 220 needed to pass.
Three. CTEL 1 (Language and Language Development, test 031), CTEL 2 (Assessment and Instruction, test 032), and CTEL 3 (Culture and Inclusion, test 033). Each subtest is scored and passed separately, so you can prepare for and pass CTEL 2 on its own and bank that passing score.
You need a scaled score of 220 on CTEL 2. The multiple-choice and constructed-response portions are combined into that single scaled score, with multiple choice weighted about 70% and the written assignments about 30%. Each subtest is passed independently at 220.
Yes. The three CTEL subtests can be taken in any order and in separate sessions. Once you pass a subtest, that passing score is banked and you only retake the subtests you have not yet passed — so you can focus on CTEL 2 by itself.
ELD (English Language Development) instruction targets English itself at the learner's proficiency level — language is the goal. SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) teaches grade-level content in English using sheltering strategies — content is the goal and language is the vehicle. CTEL 2 expects you to distinguish and apply both.
Candidates pursuing a California English Learner authorization (such as a CLAD or bilingual authorization) by examination take the CTEL. Passing all three CTEL subtests, including CTEL 2, is one route to the authorization that lets a teacher provide instruction to English learners. This guide, practice test, and flashcards are free.
Work one domain at a time. Read each module, take the end-of-module checkpoint quiz, then drill weak areas with our free practice test and flashcards. Pay special attention to the SLA theorists (Krashen, Cummins, Vygotsky) and to telling ELD apart from SDAIE — both are heavily tested. Check off each section to raise your exam-readiness score.
Yes. This guide is organized to the current CTEL Test 2 (032) structure from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Pearson — the three domains of Assessment, Foundations, and Approaches and Methods — and to the California ELD Standards and ELPAC from the California Department of Education.
References
- 1.California Commission on Teacher Credentialing / Pearson. “CTEL Program — Test Structure & Test Codes (031, 032, 033).” ctcexams.nesinc.com. ↑
- 2.California Commission on Teacher Credentialing / Pearson. “CTEL Test 2: Assessment and Instruction (032) — Domains.” ctcexams.nesinc.com. ↑
- 3.California Commission on Teacher Credentialing / Pearson. “CTEL Scoring & Score Reports.” ctcexams.nesinc.com. ↑
- 4.California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. “English Learner Authorizations (CTEL).” ctc.ca.gov. ↑
- 5.California Department of Education. “California English Language Development Standards.” cde.ca.gov. ↑
- 6.California Department of Education. “English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).” cde.ca.gov. ↑
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