The WEST Middle Level Humanities test is required of all candidates desiring to teach Middle School Humanities in the state of Washington. The exam consists of two subtests each containing approximately 55 multiple choice questions. Subtest 1 of the WEST Middle Level Humanities test measures proficiency in English, Language Arts, and Reading. Subtest 2 measures proficiency in Social Studies. Examinees are required to pass both subtests in order to pass this test.
WEST Middle Level Humanities Subtest 1 for English, Language Arts, and Reading (052) includes the following content domains: Reading Process and Comprehension (42%), Writing Process and Applications (33%), and Oral and Visual Communication (25%). You will have one hour and fifteen minutes to complete this subtest.
The Reading Process and Comprehension section will evaluate your comprehension of skills associated with phonology, strategies to develop word identification and vocabulary, recognition of word relationships, factors that improve reading comprehension and fluency, and understanding the main idea and purpose of expository, persuasive, functional, and literary texts.
The Writing Process and Applications portion of the WEST Middle Level Humanities test examines your understanding of the entire writing process including identification of various forms of writing, generation of writing ideas and purpose, drafting, proofreading and revision of text, understanding elements of an effective text, appropriate sources, and organization.
The Oral and Visual Communication section will test your competency in identifying purposes and characteristics of different types of listening, obstacles to effective listening, components of successful presentations, and analysis of various media images used in presentations.
WEST Middle Level Humanities Subtest 2 Social Studies (053) is comprised of approximately an equal number of questions from the following content domains: Civic and Economics, U.S. and World History, and Geography and Social Studies Concepts. You will have one hour and fifteen minutes to complete this subtest.
The Civic and Economics section includes topics such as purposes and types of government, framework of the United States government, features of a democratic society, federalism, roles and responsibilities of the three branches of the federal government in the United States, key democratic ideals and concepts, the electoral process in the United States, the structure of the Washington State government, civic involvement, participatory citizenship, and economic concepts and systems.
The U.S. and World History portion of the WEST Middle Level Humanities test is comprised of three major themes: U.S. History from the Precontact period to 1900, Washington State history, and world history from 8000 BCE to 1450 CE. The U.S. History portion consists of a wide range of topics including but not limited to: Native American culture, exploration patterns, the American independence movement, the U.S. Constitution, westward expansion, slavery, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War. You will need to consider Washington State history from multiple perspectives including the perspective of Native Americans in the Northwest. These questions will address developments and issues that have shaped the state of Washington including more recent events such as the civil rights movement and the Cold War. World history from 8000 BCE to 1450 CE will be in this section including features and comparisons of civilizations during this time period.
In Geography and Social Studies Concepts, there is an evaluation of your understanding of construction and use of geographic tools, identification of features on maps and globes, the Five Themes of Geography, characteristics of the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Rim, the use of natural resources by humans and its effect on the environment, and the application of basic social studies terms and concepts.
The WEST-E Middle Level Humanities practice test developed by Mometrix covers the same content as the actual test and will prepare you for success so that you can begin teaching in your preferred field of study.