Domain I: Designing Instruction and Assessment to Promote Student Learning

Domain I is the largest domain on the exam, and it sets the logic for many other items. Strong answers usually show a teacher who:

• Starts with clear learning goals
• Aligns lessons to TEKS
• Considers developmental readiness
• Anticipates differences in language, background, disability, and prior knowledge
• Uses assessment to gather useful evidence, not just assign grades

When two answer choices both sound caring, choose the one that is instructionally purposeful and tied to evidence of student learning.

What to Know for Domain I

• Child and adolescent development
• Readiness, attention, and cognitive load
• Differentiation and access for multilingual learners and students with accommodations
• Formative assessment and progress monitoring
• Planning that matches lesson goals, materials, and checks for understanding

Domain II: Creating a Positive, Productive Classroom Environment

This is the smallest domain by official weight, but it still appears often because classroom routines and behavior decisions shape access to instruction. TExES favors teachers who create conditions for success before problems escalate.

Strong answers typically include:

• Clear expectations taught explicitly
• Routines that protect time on task
• Positive reinforcement and corrective feedback that preserve dignity
• Safe, inclusive spaces where students feel respected
• Responses that address the function of behavior, not just the symptom

For classroom-management questions, avoid answers that are purely punitive, public, or disconnected from instruction.