Teacher test: How would you fare?

Teachers must pass the tests to qualify

Would-be teachers now have to sit new tests of their basic punctuation, spelling and grammar.

All students seeking qualified teacher status in England from May must pass the numeracy and literacy tests, which are similar to the numeracy tests introduced last year.

Assessments in information and communication technology will come into force in September and trainees will then have to sit all three tests.

Candidates can take the 45-minute computerised assessments at more than 40 centres across England.

The tests, co-ordinated by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA), were proposed in the 1998 Green Paper, Teachers: Meeting the challenge of change.

The TTA says the skills tests are intended "to ensure that all new teachers have a thorough grounding in the skills needed to carry out their professional role effectively".

Many teachers regard them as an insult but a proposed boycott last year failed to gather momentum. The pass rate was 93%.

Test time!

BBC News Online has selected some sample questions and answers from the TTA website.

How would you get on? Answers below.

Numeracy Test
1.	Geography maps cost £3 each for the first 20 purchased and £2.70 for each additional map. What was the cost of purchasing 22 maps?
2.	In a test a pupil scored 18 marks out of 25. What was the pupil's score as a percentage?
3.	A teacher taught GCSE science to 3 classes of 24 pupils and 2 classes of 27 pupils. Each of these pupils needed a textbook. How many textbooks were needed?
4.	Results showed that in Class A, 79% of boys achieved Level 4 and above. In Class B, 15 out of 20 boys achieved this standard. What was the difference between the 2 classes in the percentage of boys achieving Level 4 and above?
5.	As part of a 2 1/2 hour literature workshop, pupils watched a film lasting 1 hour and 42 minutes. How many minutes of the workshop remained?
6.	Last year a colour printer cost £180. This year the cost has increased by 5%. How much does the printer cost this year?

Spelling test
For the spelling test, candidates will normally be read a sentence and have to write down the missing word on the test paper in front of them. Candidates with a hearing impairment will be required to select the correct spelling as below.
1.	The new ----- will be ready next term.
	acommodation accommodation accomodation acomodation
2.	Mary won the competition with a ----- account of a day at the seaside.
	humorous humourous humerus humerous
3.	The trip to Lille has improved nearly everyone's French -----.
	pronounciation pronounceation preonunceation pronunciation
4.	It will not be ----- to set half-term tests this year.
	neccessary necesary necessary neccesary

Grammar Test
1.	Having attended Park Street Primary School, -----
	- my education has been continued at Vicarsly Comprehensive School. - I continued my education at Vicarsly Comprehensive School. - Vicarsly Comprehensive School is where I continued my education. - where I continued my education has been Vicarsly Comprehensive School
2.	I have enjoyed the years I spent at this school, where I have been well prepared for my GCSE exams, taken part in many sporting events, made friends ----- more self-confident.
	and became and I become and become and becoming
3.	I have enjoyed most lessons. The work in English and maths ----- for any career.
	are very important is very important were very important being very important
4.	I think I've done particularly well in these subjects. This means my employment prospects -----
	was much improved. being much improved. have very much improved. have been much improved.

Numeracy Test: Answers
1.	£65.40
2.	72%
3.	126
4.	4
5.	48
6.	£189

Spelling Test: Answers
1.	accommodation
2.	humorous
3.	pronunciation
4.	necessary

Grammar Test: Answers
1.	I continued my education at Vicarsly Comprehensive School.
2.	and become
3.	is very important
4.	have been much improved.

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