Finally passed CTEL after two attempts — here's what actually worked

I've been an EL teacher for six years and kept putting off the CTEL because honestly the sheer size of it felt overwhelming. Last spring I failed Module 1 by 4 points, which was crushing. I took three months off, regrouped, and this time I actually had a real plan instead of just reading through the handbook and hoping for the right.

The biggest shift was switching to a solid CTEL study guide that broke down the four competency domains by actual weight — I'd been spending way too much time on language structure and not enough on foundations of English literacy. I also started doing a CTEL practice test every Sunday and timing myself, which helped me get comfortable with the phrasing of the questions. So many of them are scenario-based and you really have to train your brain to think like a CLAD evaluator.

For anyone prepping right now: what sections are you most worried about? Module 2 (Learning About Students) tripped me up the first time. Happy to share specific exam tips that helped me pull my score up by almost 20 points.