GACE: Spanish

The Spanish assessment, offered as part of the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, is divided into two tests.

The first test consists of 50 selected-response questions (70% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response assignments (30% of the test score). The content areas covered by the first test are listening comprehension, language structures, language comparisons, and oral expression. The topics covered by the listening comprehension subarea are: listening to, interpreting, and analyzing a variety of culturally authentic oral messages, including conversations, radio announcements, lectures, and public address announcements. The topics covered by the language structures and comparisons subarea are: the linguistic structures of Spanish; variations within Spanish; and the connections between Spanish and English. The topics covered by the oral expression subarea are: the ability to respond to a prompt with an effective oral message in Spanish, using correct vocabulary and linguistic structures.

The second test consists of 50 selected-response questions (70% of the test score) and 2 constructed-response questions (30% of the test score). The content areas covered by the second test are reading comprehension, cultural perspectives, cultural connections, and written expressions. The topics covered by the reading comprehension subarea are: understanding, interpreting, and analyzing various authentic materials written in Spanish, including letters, brochures, and literary works. The topics covered by the cultural perspectives and connections subarea are: the relationship between the products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures; and the relationship between the historical development, geographic features, and practices of Spanish-speaking cultures and the perspectives of these cultures. The topic covered by the written expression subarea is the ability to communicate an effective written message in Spanish using appropriate vocabulary, syntax, and mechanical conventions.

The examination must be completed within four hours. The total test score is placed on a scale of 100 to 300, with 220 as the lowest passing score. Scores are based on the number of selected-response questions answered correctly and the scores assigned by judges to the constructed responses. Test-takers will also receive performance indices indicating their success in each subarea of the examination. Scores will be available approximately a month after the date of the examination; unofficial results are posted on the internet, and an official score report is mailed to the test-taker, the Professional Standards Commission, and the institution specified by the test-taker during registration.

Practice Questions

1. Translate the following: Hablaba a los chicos en espanol.

A: He spoke to the Spanish children.
B: The children all spoke Spanish.
C: None of the children will speak Spanish.
D: He spoke to the children in Spanish.

2. Which of the following is NOT true of the indefinite article in Spanish?

A: It is used with abstract nouns.
B: It is left out of expressions including como.
C: It comes before the noun.
D: It is left out when the number cien is used.

3. Which kind of adverb entails adding -mente to the feminine singular form of the adjective?

A: invariable adverbs
B: adverbs of position
C: adverbs of manner
D: adverbs of consequence

4. Translate the following: No se, seran los dos.

A: I don't know, it's probably around two.
B: You know, the time is two in the morning.
C: I don't know more than two things.
D: I know, it is two or so.

5. Which of the following is NOT an infinitive verb ending in Spanish?

A: -ar
B: -er
C: -or
D: -ir

Answer Key

1. D. The imperfect tense is used here to express an action that does not have a definite beginning or end.
2. A. The definite article precedes abstract nouns.
3. C. Adverbs of manner describe the way an action is performed.
4. A. In this sentence, the future tense is used to indicate that something is probably true.
5. C. All infinitives in Spanish end in -ar, -er, or -ir.