ILTS English as a New Language (250) study materials

ILTS English as a New Language (250) study guide

ILTS English as a New Language (250) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

The ILTS English as a New Language (250) was the Illinois Licensure Testing System content-area test for the ENL endorsement, which prepared educators to teach English learners in Illinois public schools. The most important thing a candidate can learn first is that this test is retired: ISBE no longer offers the ENL endorsement, and the last test administration was June 29, 2025. Anyone with an active deficiency in this field, or anyone interested in the endorsement area, is directed to contact ISBE directly to determine next steps toward licensure rather than registering for this exam. For historical and study purposes, the test was computer-based and consisted of 100 multiple-choice questions. Candidates received 3 hours and 15 minutes of testing time inside a 3 hours and 30 minutes total appointment that included a 15-minute CBT tutorial and nondisclosure agreement. The passing score was 240, the fee was $110, and no reference materials were provided, so all content had to be recalled from memory. Topics on this exam: English as a New Language. The ILTS English as a New Language (250) study guide has 1 section and about 390 words.

English as a New Language (ILTS 250)

English as a New Language is the single domain on ILTS 250, and it tests whether you can connect second-language acquisition theory to day-to-day planning: writing language objectives, scaffolding grade-level content, and interpreting proficiency evidence so multilingual learners are assessed on language rather than on content they were never taught. Standard 1 covers social and instructional language; Standards 2–5 attach language to Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Proficiency runs 1 Entering, 2 Emerging, 3 Developing, 4 Expanding, 5 Bridging, 6 Reaching, described through Can Do descriptors. Acquisition versus learning, the Monitor, natural order, comprehensible input (i + 1), and the affective filter.

390 words, about 2 min

More study resources for ILTS English as a New Language (250)

Practice questionsA middle school ENL teacher plans instruction around the idea that academic language proficiency develops differently from conversational fluency.
FlashcardsComprehensible input. Krashen's hypothesis that learners acquire language when they understand messages slightly beyond their current level (i+1), supported by context, visuals, and prior knowledge rather than explicit grammar rules.
Cheat sheetKrashen's five hypotheses: acquisition-learning distinction, natural order, monitor, input (i+1), and affective filter; comprehensible input drives acquisition, not conscious rule study.
Key termsBICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills). Everyday conversational language used in social settings, typically acquired within one to three years of exposure.
Study planMap the full Domain 1 blueprint into a one-page outline listing every subarea (language acquisition theory, linguistics, culture, instruction, assessment, advocacy) and estimate the share of test items each likely carries.
Common mistakesMost candidates are practicing teachers who have strong procedural knowledge but learned methodology informally; the exam rewards the named construct, not the intuitive practice, so plausible-sounding answers that are not tied to a construct get missed.
Exam-day guideBring the exact ID name that matches your registration.