Texas Education Agency
TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
Certification Examination
267 Questions & Verified Solutions
2026/2027
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Exam Structure
3. Part I: English Language Arts and Reading & Science of Teaching Reading (Questions 1–75)
4. Part II: Mathematics (Questions 76–122)
5. Part III: Social Studies (Questions 123–163)
6. Part IV: Science (Questions 164–215)
7. Part V: Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (Questions 216–267)
8. High-Yield Topics
9. Study Recommendations
10. References
Page 1 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
,Introduction
The TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291) examination is a comprehensive certification test required for
individuals seeking to teach in Texas elementary classrooms from early childhood through sixth grade.
This exam assesses content knowledge across five critical domains: English Language Arts and
Reading/Science of Teaching Reading (ELAR/STR), Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and Fine
Arts/Health/Physical Education. Each domain reflects the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
standards that form the foundation of classroom instruction across the state. The exam consists of 267
selected-response questions, and candidates have five hours to complete it.
This study resource provides 267 practice questions aligned with the current exam framework and Texas
EC-6 TEKS standards. Each question includes four answer options, the verified correct answer with
rationale, and references to relevant TEKS strands where applicable. The questions are designed to reflect
the content, difficulty, and format of the actual examination. Candidates are encouraged to use this
resource alongside the official TEA preparation materials, including the TExES preparation manual and
interactive practice tests. Thorough preparation across all five domains is essential for achieving a passing
score and entering the classroom as a well-prepared educator.
Exam Structure
The TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291) exam is organized into five domains. The table below shows the
domain breakdown, number of questions, percentage of the exam, and the recommended time allocation
for study and preparation.
Domain Questions Percentage Suggested Time
I: ELAR/STR 75 28% 85 minutes
II: Mathematics 47 18% 50 minutes
III: Social Studies 41 16% 45 minutes
IV: Science 52 19% 55 minutes
V: Fine Arts/Health/PE 52 19% 55 minutes
Total 267 100% 290 minutes
Page 2 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
,Part I: English Language Arts and Reading & Science of Teaching Reading (Questions 1–75)
1. A kindergarten teacher wants to promote oral language development during circle time.
Which strategy is MOST effective?
A. Reading aloud from a chapter book without stopping
B. Asking open-ended questions and allowing wait time for responses
C. Having students copy vocabulary words from the board
D. Playing a recorded story while students color
✓ Answer: B. Asking open-ended questions and allowing wait time for responses
Rationale: Open-ended questions with adequate wait time encourage expressive language production.
TEKS §110.2(b)(1) requires students to share information and ideas.
2. Which activity BEST supports phonological awareness in pre-K students?
A. Tracing letters on worksheets
B. Clapping the syllables in their names
C. Matching uppercase and lowercase letters
D. Copying words from a whiteboard
✓ Answer: B. Clapping the syllables in their names
Rationale: Syllable clapping develops phonological awareness by drawing attention to the sound
structure of language before formal reading instruction. TEKS §110.2(b)(2).
3. A first-grade student has difficulty producing the /r/ sound. The teacher should FIRST:
A. Refer the student for speech-language evaluation
B. Model correct pronunciation during read-alouds
C. Ignore the error to avoid embarrassment
D. Require the student to repeat words until correct
✓ Answer: A. Refer the student for speech-language evaluation
Rationale: Persistent articulation difficulties warrant referral to a speech-language pathologist for
assessment and targeted intervention.
4. During a classroom discussion, a 4th-grade English learner (EL) participates minimally.
The teacher can BEST support this student by:
A. Calling on the student more frequently
B. Providing sentence frames and vocabulary previews
C. Exempting the student from discussions until proficiency improves
D. Having the student write answers instead of speaking
✓ Answer: B. Providing sentence frames and vocabulary previews
Rationale: Sentence frames and vocabulary previews provide scaffolding that lowers the linguistic
barrier while maintaining participation expectations. TEKS §110.6(b)(1).
5. Which scenario demonstrates the strongest connection between oral language and
reading development?
A. A student reads silently for 30 minutes daily
B. A teacher engages students in retelling a story using sequence words
C. A student completes a phonics worksheet independently
D. A student memorizes a list of sight words
✓ Answer: B. A teacher engages students in retelling a story using sequence words
Rationale: Oral retelling reinforces comprehension, vocabulary, and narrative structure, all of which
support reading development. TEKS §110.4(b)(1).
Page 3 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
, 6. A 2nd-grade teacher notices a student uses 'goed' instead of 'went.' This indicates the
student is:
A. Language-delayed
B. Overgeneralizing grammatical rules
C. Lacking exposure to spoken English
D. Confused about verb tenses entirely
✓ Answer: B. Overgeneralizing grammatical rules
Rationale: Overgeneralization is a normal stage of language development where children apply regular
rules (adding -ed) to irregular verbs. It shows growing grammatical knowledge.
7. The BEST approach for supporting dialect speakers in the classroom is to:
A. Require Standard English exclusively in all activities
B. Value the home dialect while teaching Standard English for academic contexts
C. Ignore dialect differences to avoid singling out students
D. Focus only on correcting pronunciation errors
✓ Answer: B. Value the home dialect while teaching Standard English for academic
contexts
Rationale: Research supports bidialectalism — respecting students' home language while explicitly
teaching Standard English for academic and professional settings.
8. Phonological awareness differs from phonics in that phonological awareness:
A. Involves printed letters and sounds
B. Focuses on the sound structure of spoken language without print
C. Is only taught in kindergarten
D. Refers to reading comprehension strategies
✓ Answer: B. Focuses on the sound structure of spoken language without print
Rationale: Phonological awareness is an auditory skill involving manipulation of sounds in spoken
language, while phonics connects sounds to printed letters.
9. A teacher asks students to identify the beginning sound in 'cat' and then change it to /b/
to make 'bat.' This activity targets:
A. Phonics
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Vocabulary development
D. Reading fluency
✓ Answer: B. Phonemic awareness
Rationale: Manipulating individual phonemes (substituting /k/ with /b/) is a phonemic awareness task
— the most advanced level of phonological awareness. TEKS §110.2(b)(2).
10. Which assessment tool is MOST appropriate for measuring phonemic awareness in
kindergarten?
A. Running records
B. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
C. Standardized reading comprehension test
D. Writing portfolio analysis
✓ Answer: B. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
Page 4 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
Certification Examination
267 Questions & Verified Solutions
2026/2027
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Exam Structure
3. Part I: English Language Arts and Reading & Science of Teaching Reading (Questions 1–75)
4. Part II: Mathematics (Questions 76–122)
5. Part III: Social Studies (Questions 123–163)
6. Part IV: Science (Questions 164–215)
7. Part V: Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (Questions 216–267)
8. High-Yield Topics
9. Study Recommendations
10. References
Page 1 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
,Introduction
The TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291) examination is a comprehensive certification test required for
individuals seeking to teach in Texas elementary classrooms from early childhood through sixth grade.
This exam assesses content knowledge across five critical domains: English Language Arts and
Reading/Science of Teaching Reading (ELAR/STR), Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and Fine
Arts/Health/Physical Education. Each domain reflects the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
standards that form the foundation of classroom instruction across the state. The exam consists of 267
selected-response questions, and candidates have five hours to complete it.
This study resource provides 267 practice questions aligned with the current exam framework and Texas
EC-6 TEKS standards. Each question includes four answer options, the verified correct answer with
rationale, and references to relevant TEKS strands where applicable. The questions are designed to reflect
the content, difficulty, and format of the actual examination. Candidates are encouraged to use this
resource alongside the official TEA preparation materials, including the TExES preparation manual and
interactive practice tests. Thorough preparation across all five domains is essential for achieving a passing
score and entering the classroom as a well-prepared educator.
Exam Structure
The TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291) exam is organized into five domains. The table below shows the
domain breakdown, number of questions, percentage of the exam, and the recommended time allocation
for study and preparation.
Domain Questions Percentage Suggested Time
I: ELAR/STR 75 28% 85 minutes
II: Mathematics 47 18% 50 minutes
III: Social Studies 41 16% 45 minutes
IV: Science 52 19% 55 minutes
V: Fine Arts/Health/PE 52 19% 55 minutes
Total 267 100% 290 minutes
Page 2 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
,Part I: English Language Arts and Reading & Science of Teaching Reading (Questions 1–75)
1. A kindergarten teacher wants to promote oral language development during circle time.
Which strategy is MOST effective?
A. Reading aloud from a chapter book without stopping
B. Asking open-ended questions and allowing wait time for responses
C. Having students copy vocabulary words from the board
D. Playing a recorded story while students color
✓ Answer: B. Asking open-ended questions and allowing wait time for responses
Rationale: Open-ended questions with adequate wait time encourage expressive language production.
TEKS §110.2(b)(1) requires students to share information and ideas.
2. Which activity BEST supports phonological awareness in pre-K students?
A. Tracing letters on worksheets
B. Clapping the syllables in their names
C. Matching uppercase and lowercase letters
D. Copying words from a whiteboard
✓ Answer: B. Clapping the syllables in their names
Rationale: Syllable clapping develops phonological awareness by drawing attention to the sound
structure of language before formal reading instruction. TEKS §110.2(b)(2).
3. A first-grade student has difficulty producing the /r/ sound. The teacher should FIRST:
A. Refer the student for speech-language evaluation
B. Model correct pronunciation during read-alouds
C. Ignore the error to avoid embarrassment
D. Require the student to repeat words until correct
✓ Answer: A. Refer the student for speech-language evaluation
Rationale: Persistent articulation difficulties warrant referral to a speech-language pathologist for
assessment and targeted intervention.
4. During a classroom discussion, a 4th-grade English learner (EL) participates minimally.
The teacher can BEST support this student by:
A. Calling on the student more frequently
B. Providing sentence frames and vocabulary previews
C. Exempting the student from discussions until proficiency improves
D. Having the student write answers instead of speaking
✓ Answer: B. Providing sentence frames and vocabulary previews
Rationale: Sentence frames and vocabulary previews provide scaffolding that lowers the linguistic
barrier while maintaining participation expectations. TEKS §110.6(b)(1).
5. Which scenario demonstrates the strongest connection between oral language and
reading development?
A. A student reads silently for 30 minutes daily
B. A teacher engages students in retelling a story using sequence words
C. A student completes a phonics worksheet independently
D. A student memorizes a list of sight words
✓ Answer: B. A teacher engages students in retelling a story using sequence words
Rationale: Oral retelling reinforces comprehension, vocabulary, and narrative structure, all of which
support reading development. TEKS §110.4(b)(1).
Page 3 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
, 6. A 2nd-grade teacher notices a student uses 'goed' instead of 'went.' This indicates the
student is:
A. Language-delayed
B. Overgeneralizing grammatical rules
C. Lacking exposure to spoken English
D. Confused about verb tenses entirely
✓ Answer: B. Overgeneralizing grammatical rules
Rationale: Overgeneralization is a normal stage of language development where children apply regular
rules (adding -ed) to irregular verbs. It shows growing grammatical knowledge.
7. The BEST approach for supporting dialect speakers in the classroom is to:
A. Require Standard English exclusively in all activities
B. Value the home dialect while teaching Standard English for academic contexts
C. Ignore dialect differences to avoid singling out students
D. Focus only on correcting pronunciation errors
✓ Answer: B. Value the home dialect while teaching Standard English for academic
contexts
Rationale: Research supports bidialectalism — respecting students' home language while explicitly
teaching Standard English for academic and professional settings.
8. Phonological awareness differs from phonics in that phonological awareness:
A. Involves printed letters and sounds
B. Focuses on the sound structure of spoken language without print
C. Is only taught in kindergarten
D. Refers to reading comprehension strategies
✓ Answer: B. Focuses on the sound structure of spoken language without print
Rationale: Phonological awareness is an auditory skill involving manipulation of sounds in spoken
language, while phonics connects sounds to printed letters.
9. A teacher asks students to identify the beginning sound in 'cat' and then change it to /b/
to make 'bat.' This activity targets:
A. Phonics
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Vocabulary development
D. Reading fluency
✓ Answer: B. Phonemic awareness
Rationale: Manipulating individual phonemes (substituting /k/ with /b/) is a phonemic awareness task
— the most advanced level of phonological awareness. TEKS §110.2(b)(2).
10. Which assessment tool is MOST appropriate for measuring phonemic awareness in
kindergarten?
A. Running records
B. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
C. Standardized reading comprehension test
D. Writing portfolio analysis
✓ Answer: B. DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)
Page 4 | TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
