Practice Materials and Taking The Tests
Practice materials are available on the TDA website (below). These are downloadable files which can be installed on a home computer. The literacy test is based on spelling, punctuation, and comprehension and lasts for no longer than 48 minutes. The numeracy test starts off with a series of mental arithmetic questions, each with a strict time limit, though paper working is allowed. That is followed by a series of more complex questions involving interpretation of statistical data and graphs, computing costs of school trips and so on. For this section of the test an on-screen calculator is supplied. Candidates have up to 45 minutes for the whole test.
The most idiosyncratic of the three is the ICT test. This consists of a series of exercises in word-processing, e-mail, web-sites, using attachments, printing, presentations, databases and so on. The TDA has avoided the use of Microsoft Windows and instead utilised its own series of programmes. These resemble Windows applications but are crude in appearance and differ in significant detail. This makes prior practise essential. Candidates have 35 minutes to complete the test.
Read more about this topic: QTS Skills Tests
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