PLT FORM 3
Which of the following is an accurate statement about successful mentor observations of classroom teachers?
Multiple observations completed by mentors allow teachers to see an improvement in their practice.
According to research, professional learning communities (PLCs) are best characterized by which of the following?
One of the characteristics of PLCs is the supportive and shared leadership among the teachers and school administrators. Teachers are empowered and feel supported as they share ideas and suggestions for improving student performance.
When faced with a learning task, self-regulated learners are most likely to
Option (A) is correct. A self-regulated learner will adopt a strategy, such as breaking a large goal into smaller goals, to achieve success.
A social studies teacher assigns students a research project on the Civil Rights movement. The school librarian is assisting the teacher for the duration of the project. Which of the following responsibilities is best handled by the school librarian?
Option (C) is correct. Assisting students in evaluating information sources is a responsibility of the school librarian.
A student who is strong academically struggles with test anxiety. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it is most appropriate for the student's teachers to address which of the following areas of need to best help the student succeed?
Option (C) is correct. In this stage, a human needs to experience success and feel competent.
Which of the following activities is the best example of students using metacognition?
Option (C) is correct. Metacognition involves understanding one's own thought processes.
professional learning communities
Teams of teachers who work together to improve student learning.
Which of the following pieces of legislation mandates that students with exceptional needs be provided with a free, appropriate public education, tailored to their specific needs, in the least restrictive environment?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
operant conditioning
a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher. an individual makes an association between a particular behavior and a consequence
testing modification
change in the testing content or expectations to provide access for a student to participate in a test. Lowering the difficulty of the questions on a test modifies the test
manipulatives
concrete items used to assist students as they develop or learn a concept.
self-efficacy
one's sense of competence and effectiveness
teachable moment
the teacher takes advantage of an unplanned opportunity to foster learning.
attribution theory
the theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition
social learning theory
the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished
norm-referenced test
used to compare and rank students in relation to one another, typically of the same age or grade level
interactive instruction
- Brainstorming - Cooperative learning - Interviews - Discussions - Peer practice - Debates
Which THREE of the following methods are most appropriate for helping students understand the concept of personal space?
-Modeling for students the proper place to stand in relation to others -Discussing with students the idea of retaining a perimeter around oneself -Using visual cues with students to demonstrate nearness to other people. Options (A), (D), and (E) are correct. Modeling for students the acceptable distance to stand from others (between 18 and 24 inches), discussing the idea of retaining a perimeter around oneself, and using visual cues such as a tennis racket or other similar-length objects with students to demonstrate nearness to others are all appropriate strategies for helping students understand personal space.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
A federal law that protects the privacy of student education records
Which of the following is primarily comprised of numerous types of evaluations designed to measure progress and achievement over long periods of time?
A portfolioOption (C) is correct. A portfolio is composed of various student work that shows the student's progress over time.
An English teacher assigns a research project about the impact of literature on society. Which of the following school personnel is best able to provide guidance to students about how to research the topic?
A school librarian, Option (C) is correct. A school librarian is specially trained to teach students and colleagues how to use a spectrum of traditional and new information tools and resources across disciplines and grade levels.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
A special education law that requires schools to educate students with disabilities in least restrictive environments to the greatest extent of their abilities using plans tailored to the individual needs of the students.
Which of the following is the best example of a teacher providing scaffolding?
An English teacher giving students a checklist to use in proofreading their essays before submission -Option (C) is correct. Scaffolds are temporary aids to support learning, and a checklist to help students proofread their essays is considered such an instrument.
Teachers are most likely to use which of the following types of tests to determine a student's knowledge in a particular subject area?
Achievement
achievement tests
Achievement tests measure the extent to which a student has acquired academic knowledge in a content area.
Which of the following describes the most appropriate use of manipulatives to help students develop an understanding of an important topic in an Algebra 1 class?
Algebra tiles are concrete objects, or manipulatives, that can represent variables such as x and constants such as 1, 2, and 3. They are used in Algebra 1 to help students model and visualize the multiplication and factorization of algebraic expressions.
A high school teacher is conducting a lecture on the Second World War. During the lecture, the teacher asks questions. Which of the following techniques will best ensure successful student participation?
Asking questions that require varied and thoughtful responses, Option (B) is correct. Higher-order questioning results in higher-order student responses, as well as many different and reflective explanations and opinions.
Which of the following is the best first step for a teacher to take for developing collaborative relationships among a school's stakeholders?
Assessing the readiness of members of the community to participate. Option (B) is correct. Stakeholders who want to form a collaborative action team must take time to do some groundwork to get the team off to a good start. Assessing the environment of the community to ensure that conditions are right to start a team is the appropriate preliminary step.
formative assessment benefits
Formative assessments provide teachers with a quick method of assessing students' comprehension of material included in a lesson and often result in data that can be used to adjust instruction during the current lesson and inform future instruction.
A school district sends a sample of a textbook to teachers for review. Rather than purchasing the textbook, the teachers photocopy substantial parts of the book for use with the students. The teachers' action best describes a violation of which of the following types of legislation?
Copyright, Copyright laws protect authors of original works such as literary and artistic works. By reproducing substantial parts of the book without permission, the teachers' action constitutes a copyright infringement.
Which of the following statements best explains the difference between criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests?
Criterion-referenced tests measure how well a student has learned the curricular material, whereas norm-referenced tests compare a student's performance to that of other students.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Declared a person cannot be excluded on the basis of a handicap alone from any program or activity receiving federal funds (i.e. food allergy)
Which of the following activities will most likely require students to use higher-order thinking skills?
Developing conclusions based on evidence stated in a text. Option (C) is correct. Drawing conclusions requires a student to connect information provided in a text to make inferences that are implied or not explicitly stated in the text.
A student who has just turned 18 has the right to obtain his or her education records from the public school administration because of which of the following laws?
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
A teacher is assessing students' essays using a holistic rubric. Which of the following is most likely one of the teacher's goals?
Focusing on the overall quality of the essay
An algebra teacher observes that an English learner (EL) who regularly participates in class struggles to complete word problems that involve a significant amount of reading. Which of the following is the most likely reason for the student's difficulty?
Generally, students often find word problems challenging because even though they may understand the concept, they first have to read and comprehend the context of the problem, understand key terms, identify the question that needs to be answered, and then determine the appropriate equation for solving the problem. As such, ELs often have difficulty reading and understanding the written content in word problems.
Which of the following best illustrates a teacher using a test modification?
Giving a student questions at a lower level of difficulty
Which of the following situations best describes the use of a formal assessment by a teacher?
Giving students a district-wide examination to establish reading-comprehension levels
Which of the following is the most appropriate accommodation for a student with a visual impairment?
Giving the student large-print copies of texts and prepared written materials
Which TWO of the following are benefits of using formative assessments in the classroom?
Giving the teacher timely feedback that can be used to adjust instruction, Allowing for administration with minimum preparation or planning
A teacher wants to learn how a student's home life may be affecting the student's academic performance. Which of the following school support personnel is best for the teacher to consult?
Guidance counselor, Option (C) is correct. The guidance counselor meets with students regularly to discuss personal issues as well as academic issues.
Which of the following identifies an important element for successful collaboration among educators?
Having mutual respect for ideas and suggestions. Option (B) is correct. It is important for educators to feel that their ideas and suggestions are valid in order to build trust and a willingness to collaborate.
holistic scoring
In holistic scoring, a single score is assigned based on the overall quality of a student's work.
Which THREE of the following approaches best address the academic needs of students with exceptionalities?
Including the students in all class activities whenever possible, Allowing the students to be included in decisions about educational placement, Instructing students in approaches to advocate for themselves in class -Participating in the regular classroom environment whenever possible allows students with exceptionalities to reach their highest academic potential because the content taught in the classroom is always grade appropriate. Being included in decision making, whether done informally or in meetings, is important for older students with exceptionalities because it allows them to have a voice in their own education. Self-advocacy is an important tool for students with special needs to use in regard to their learning needs in class. Teachers are sometimes not aware of what works best to help a particular student be successful. Multiple-choice question with five answer choices. The correct answer consists of three answer choices. There is no additional information needed to answer the question, so there is no reference region.
positive reinforcement
Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as good grades. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response.
criterion-referenced test
Individual's performance is measured against mastery of curriculum criteria rather than other students
IEP
Individualized Education Program
Which of the following activities is most helpful for a beginning teacher when making use of reflection for professional growth?
Maintaining a journal on the effectiveness of different teaching methods, Option (B) is correct. A journal recording the successes and failures of different instructional strategies is a proper way of reflecting for professional growth.
A high school science class is conducting an experiment. The teacher wants to determine whether the students can demonstrate their learning according to the create level of the revised Bloom's taxonomy. Which of the following is the most appropriate task for the teacher to ask the students to do?
Option (A) is correct. Combining elements together to form a new coherent or functional whole is a key element of the create level of the revised Bloom's taxonomy. By taking the information gained from the experiment, students are forming a prediction.
Which of the following is the best way for a business education teacher to incorporate community members into a learning activity?
Option (A) is correct. Inviting guest speakers from the local community to talk about a variety of business careers will provide a direct instructional connection.
At a parent-teacher conference about a seventh-grade student, the parent asks about the student's grade-equivalent score of 9.0 on a standardized test of reading comprehension. Which of the following is the most appropriate statement for the teacher to make in explaining the score?
Option (B) is correct. A grade-equivalent score of 9 indicates that a student performed as well as a typical ninth grader would perform on the same test.
grade equivalent score
Option (B) is correct. A grade-equivalent score of 9 indicates that a student performed as well as a typical ninth grader would perform on the same test.
A middle school mathematics teacher notices that many students have trouble solving word problems and concludes that the lack of progression from the concrete operational to the formal operational stage of cognitive development is partially responsible. Which of the following strategies will best help the students?
Option (B) is correct. During the formal operational stage of development, children are able to use an organized approach to solve problems. Using a process chart to solve word problems will provide students with a procedure for working through math questions successfully.
A seventh-grade social studies teacher is preparing a review game for the current unit of study. The teacher wants to create a strategy to maximize effort and promote competency while encouraging student involvement. Which of the following strategies is the most appropriate way to motivate students to learn and participate in the classroom activity?
Option (B) is correct. Every student is different, and fostering motivation for each student starts with establishing individual mastery goals. Students can work toward reaching their own goals without comparing themselves to others.
Which of the following types of assessments is most effective to use as an indicator of students' progress and understanding during a unit?
Option (B) is correct. Formative assessments include both formal and informal assessments that teachers use during instruction to evaluate students' learning and progress and to make modifications to the instructional process to improve student achievement.
heterogeneous groups
Option (B) is correct. Heterogeneous groups are composed of students of varying ability levels. By occasionally forming such groups to work together, the teacher acknowledges that regardless of ability, all students have ideas and perspectives that are worth valuing and sharing.
Mr. Wilhite, a high school world geography teacher, has students research various features of two different European countries. He divides the class in half, assigning half of the class Spain and the other half Italy. All of the students are assigned a different topic relating to their country. The culminating activity is a series of debates in which students will attempt to persuade the teacher to visit their country.
Option (B) is correct. Indirect instruction is primarily student centered; students investigate, observe, and discuss their findings while the teacher acts as a facilitator. The teacher's approach exemplifies this instructional model.
Which of the following is the most common aspect of interactive instruction?
Option (B) is correct. Interactive learning occurs when teachers structure a problem that students must solve collaboratively by engaging in debates and discussions with one another and then coming to consensus that is supported by evidence.
Before writing an essay about the significance of the Civil War, Carolyn identifies what she knows about the topic by outlining the events that led to the war. The process in which Carolyn is engaged is best described as which of the following?
Option (B) is correct. Metacognition refers to the process by which a learner monitors, plans, or evaluates learning. By outlining the events that led to the war, the student is assessing her prior knowledge of the topic.
A teacher frequently reminds a student to complete the assigned homework in order to stop receiving low grades. The following week, the student completes the homework to avoid getting low grades. The scenario is primarily an example of which of the following forms of behavior modification?
Option (B) is correct. Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is reinforced by avoiding a negative condition. In the scenario, to avoid bad grades, the student completes homework.
schema
Option (B) is correct. Schema theory states that humans learn by attaching new information to content or experiences with which they are already familiar.
Which of the following strategies best develops a student's self-efficacy?
Option (B) is correct. Short-term goals will challenge students in a way that will develop their self-efficacy and push them to succeed. When students have goals that are more quickly reached, they are more likely to succeed.
behaviorism
Option (B) is correct. This learning theory suggests that knowledge is a repertoire of behaviors learned through exposure to stimuli and responses to those stimuli.
Which of the following scenarios is the best example of a teachable moment?
Option (C) is correct. A teachable moment is one in which the teacher takes advantage of an unplanned opportunity to foster learning. The teacher had not planned on addressing the news article brought by the student, but in holding a class discussion about it, the teacher is taking advantage of the teachable moment.
Which of the following best identifies the theory that active behavior affects the surrounding environment, generating consequences?
Option (C) is correct. According to B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning, an individual makes an association between a particular behavior and a consequence.
Having which of the following would qualify a student for services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act rather than for an IEP under IDEA if the student's ability to participate successfully in the general education classroom is affected?
Option (D) is correct. A chronic condition such as a food allergy can be a significant disability and is therefore covered under Section 504 but not serviced with an IEP under IDEA.
Which of the following is a required member of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team that determines the least restrictive environment in which to meet a student's special educational needs?
Option (D) is correct. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an IEP team includes the student's parents. The parents have the final say in their child's education, and they can approve or challenge the placement decision recommended at an IEP team meeting.
To initiate conversation, beginning English learners (ELs) primarily use words that are
Option (D) is correct. Beginning ELs develop communication strategies to help them convey meaning, sometimes mixing their native language and English.
A middle school mathematics teacher wants to enhance students' understanding of the concept of fractions. Which of the following instructional activities would best enrich the learning environment for the students?
Option (D) is correct. Having a discussion about how fractions are used in daily life encourages students to see that fractions are commonly used in cooking, measuring, and talking about time and money. Eliciting student knowledge enriches the learning environment.
A foreign-language teacher has a class with several students who have been identified as academically gifted. Which of the following teacher actions will best meet the needs of the students?
Option (D) is correct. Independent research projects encourage gifted students to learn more about specific areas, foster their creativity, and take ownership of their learning.
Which of the following approaches will best help students' self-motivation for learning?
Option (D) is correct. Relevance of assignments and activities to students' lives is a powerful motivational tool.
By asking students to brainstorm what they already know about a topic of study, a teacher is using an approach most closely aligned with which of the following learning theories?
Schema
socratic seminar
Teacher-led discussion strategy in which the teacher engages students in dialogues by responding to questions with questions, instead of just providing answers. Although it engages higher-order thinking, it can be a time consuming technique.
Which of the following is the most appropriate pedagogical reason for occasionally using heterogeneous ability-level groupings in the classroom?
Students can benefit from sharing ideas, discussing perspectives, and mentoring one another.
Which of the following best describes the scope of a curriculum?
The scope refers to the breadth of the content, learning activities, and experiences that will be included in a curriculum.
Which of the following is the most appropriate explanation of a student's score of 80 on a criterion-referenced test?
The student attained proficiency by responding correctly to 80 percent of the questions on the test. A criterion-referenced test is used to determine students' performance based on an established set of learning standards or criteria. The student achieved proficiency by answering 80 percent of the questions correctly.
Which of the following is the best phrasing to use in designing observable and measurable instructional objectives for students?
The student will define, Option (D) is correct. Observable and measurable instructional objectives should contain verbs that are observable and measurable. The verb "define" is observable and can be measured.
direct instruction
The teacher defines and teaches a concept, guides students through its application, and arranges for extended guided practice until mastery is achieved.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of an aptitude test in a mathematics class?
To determine how well students are likely to do in future mathematics coursesOption (B) is correct. Aptitude tests are designed to evaluate students' potential to perform a specific skill or task in the future.
aptitude test
a test designed to predict a person's future performance; aptitude is the capacity to learn
At the end of a physics class, a teacher writes the preceding questions on the board. The teacher then asks each student to select one of them and provide an oral response to it. Which of the following is most likely the purpose of the activity? What are two questions related to the key concept? What is something important that you remember from the lesson? What are three important ideas about the topic?
To enable students to summarize the information that was presented during the lesson
intelligence test
a method for assessing an individual's mental aptitudes and comparing them with those of others, using numerical scores
formal assesment
a standardized measure with data that support the conclusions made from the test, such as indicating a student is reading below grade level. A district-wide common assessment that provides specific information on reading-comprehension levels is considered a formal assessment.
achievement test
a test designed to assess what a person has learned
constructivism
an extension of symbolic interaction theory which proposes that reality is what humans cognitively construct it to be
negative reinforcement
behavior is reinforced by avoiding a negative condition
A teacher who is helping students learn by teaching them how to respond appropriately to a given stimulus is primarily using an approach based on which of the following learning theories?
behaviorism
formative test
formal and informal assessments that teachers use during instruction to evaluate student's learning and progress and to make modifications to the instructional process to improve student achievement
concrete operational stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts, children are able to use an organized approach to solve problems
According to Lev Vygotsky, the zone of proximal development primarily refers to students' ability to
learn new tasks that are just beyond their current level of understanding with help
Experiential Learning
learning that takes place when students actually experience and then reflect on their learning
maslow
please stop liking stupid shit. physiological safety love self-esteem self-actualization
indirect instruction
primarily student centered; students investigate, observe, nad discuss their findings while the teacher acts as a facilitator
metacognition
process by which a learner monitors plans or evaluates learning
questioning strategy
reemphasize the key ideas presented during the lesson
negative punishment
taking away a pleasant stimulus to decrease or stop a behavior
positive punishment
the administration of a stimulus to decrease the probability of a behavior's recurring
self-regulation
the exercise of voluntary control over the self to bring the self into line with preferred standards
