OPTE 6-12
A high school teacher's U.S. history class is beginning a series of lessons on the Montgomery bus boycott of the 1950's in preliminary discussions of the topic, the teacher learns that most students believe that Rosa Parks was the first and only person to have been arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to a white man and that she alone was responsible for the boycott. The teacher can best dispel this misconception by engaging students in which of the following activities during the upcoming lessons? A. examining primary documents and multiple secondary sources to explore the complexities of issues and events surrounding the boycott B. writing letters to current civil rights leaders who knew individuals who participated in the boycott C. responding to a series of writing prompts designed to lead students to an accurate understanding of issues and events surrounding the boycott D. researching other acts of civil disobedience similar to the boycott that prompted societal changes
A
A mathematics teacher wants to enhance students' ability to analyze statistics and decides to instruct students in the use of a Web-based statistics tool that allows students to display data in various types of graphs. Which of the following outcomes is the most important benefit of this approach for students' learning? A. providing students with visual and numeric representations of data B. improving the complexity of students' interpretations of data C. building students confidence in the accuracy of their interpretation of data D. enabling students to examine data in-depth in a short period of time
A
A new high school math teacher is formulating lesson objectives for an upcoming instructional unit. Which of the following should be the teacher's primary guide in this process? A.The relevant mathematics standards prescribed by the state for students in the appropriate grade level B. the results of students' past performance on mathematics achievement tests C. the lesson activities outlined in the mathematics textbook that will be used in instruction D. the results of a student survey designed to solicit information on interests and needs in mathematics
A
A sixth-grade classroom is equipped with an audience response system in which students respond to questions by clicking on a personal remote control. Students' responses are displayed immediately on a presentation computer. This type of response system can be used most effectively for which of the following purposes? A. monitoring students' understanding of key concepts B. diagnosing specific student learning needs C. placing students in instructional groups D. accommodating individual student learning preferences
A
A sixth-grade teacher is planning a lesson to introduce a new science concept to a class that includes English language learners with varying levels of English language proficiency. The teacher can best help ensure that the lesson will be responsive to the needs of the English language learners by including which of the following steps in the planning process? A. indentifying ways for students to sue various hands-on materials and activities to reinforce and apply the targeted concept B. developing several written practice exercises that reinforce the targeted concept for the English language learners to complete for homework C. reviewing content covered in fourth-grade and fifth-grade science textbooks that is relevant to the targeted concept D. asking the English language learners to identify strategies they believe will be most effective in helping them learn the targeted concept
A
A sixth-grade teacher is planning to engage students in a project about local government. The teacher has arranged for individuals holding various positions in local government to mentor students through email during the project. Although many students use email informally with their peers, this will be a new use of email for most students. This use of technology is likely to particularly effective in achieving which of the following instructional goals? A. providing students with an authentic context in which to develop written communication skills B. exposing students to many different perspectives on a given issue C. increasing students' awareness of privacy issues associated with online communication D. helping students develop the skills necessary for effective collaboration
A
A sixth-grade teacher often uses a card system with students during instruction in which each student has a red card, yellow card, and a green card. At various points during the lesson, the teacher checks for student understanding by having students raise one of their cards. Raising a green card indicates "I understand," a yellow card indicates "I'm not sure" and a red card indicates "I don't understand" The primary benefits of this practice is that it enables the teacher to: A. make immediate adjustments to instruction based on students' responses B. maintain students active engagement throughout a lesson C. predict students' performance on upcoming class assignments and homework D. form instructional groups according to students' specific skill needs
A
A student incorrectly answers three of six items on a daily math quiz. Which of the following examples of teacher feedback would best promote student improvement on the next quiz covering similar material? A. "I see the problem. You multiplied rather than dividing at this step right here. I think we need to review the steps for solving this type of equation" B. "I feel sure you can do better than this, so I want you to redo the incorrect problems at home tonight. I expect to see at least four problems correct on tomorrow's quiz" C. You earn 15 minutes of free time by correctly answering three problems, but you could earn 30 minutes of free time if you get them all correct. Keep trying" D. "I'd like you to practice solving this type of equation by adding the problems you got wrong to your homework assignment. I'm sure you'll do better on tomorrow's quiz."
A
A student with multiple disabilities will be enrolling in a middle school. In regard to educating this student, school staff should be aware of their legal responsibility to: A. deliver instruction and services to the student in the least restrictive environment appropriate for meeting his or her needs B. incorporate into the student's school day ongoing opportunities to interact with similarly disabled peers or adults C. revise the student's Individual Education Program (IEP) each grading period in response to his or her classroom performance D. provide the student with instruction that enables him or her to perform at grade level in the basic skill areas of reading and mathematics
A
A teacher can best promote students' intrinsic motivation to master content and skills by using evaluation practices that: A. acknowledge each student's improvement and progress in learning B. reinforce strong student performance through the provision of concrete rewards C. take into account each student's performance relative to that of peers in the classroom D. define individualized criteria for mastery based on students' prior performance
A
As part of a long-term project, students in a high school science class will be participating in online discussion groups related to their projects. The teacher wants to help students use appropriate communication strategies in their discussions. The teacher can best achieve this goal by emphasizing which of the following guidelines? A. online discussions lack nonverbal clues that convey meaning in face-to-face conversations, so use satire or sarcasm with caution B. Reduce potential conflict by focusing primarily on positive comments in online discussions C. to avoid grammar and spelling errors, compose and edit messages offline before adding them to online discussions D. read planned comments aloud to an objective third party before posting them in online discussions
A
During the first week of school, a high school teacher provides students with a short list of basic classroom expectations. The teacher then poses the following question to students: What do you need to be able to learn effectively? The teacher engages students in a discussion of the question, charts the responses, and uses them to modify or add to the teacher's basic expectations. This process is likely to be most effective in helping the teacher achieve which of the following goals? A. prompting students' consideration of various elements of a productive learning environment B. facilitating the establishment of effeicient classroom routines and organizational structures C. encouraging students to monitor and correct their own and their peers' classroom behaviours D. ensuring that the learning environment promotes positive interpersonal interactionsD
A
English language learners at the middle school and high school levels are likely to be most successful in their learning when they receive explicit instructions and support in which of the following areas? A. academic language development B. English phonemes C. conversational language skills D. English idioms
A
High school teachers are implementing a project-based learning experience for 11th grade students as part of an interdisciplinary unit on the them of sustainable communities. After conducting preliminary research on the theme, students will choose a topic within the theme that sparks their interest. Students then will research the issue they select in-depth to identify what has been done in the past and what is currently being done to address the issue. Finally, students will develop an innovative solution to address the issue they have researched and present it to the class. The teachers can best use this project-based experience to promote students' understanding of global connections by: A. challenging students to include a national or global component in their proposed solution B. stipulating that students' selected issue must be relevant to more than one world nation C. submitting students' proposed solution to organizations with chapters around the world D. facilitating students' access to global resources during the research phase of the project
A
Students in a high school class are writing cause-and-effect essays. The teacher reviews students' first drafts and provides feedback on areas of strength and aspects of their essays that need improvement. Which of the following steps should the teacher take NEXT to promote students' ability to write effective cause-and-effect essays? A. discussing with students specific strategies for addressing areas of need in their cause-and-effect essays B. providing students with a list of helpful transition words to use in the next draft of their cause-and-effect essays C. suggesting that students search online for examples of high-quality cause-and-effect essays D. assigning students a partner to review the revised cause-and-effect essays before students turn them in
A
Students in a middle school classroom have varied learning preferences. In this situation, the teacher can best promote learning for all students by emphasizing which of the following approaches? A. implementing activities that address multiple learning modalities as a regular part of instruction B. surveying students regularly to monitor changes in their learning preferences C. gathering feedback from students about their preferred learning activities at the end of each unit D. designing learning center activities that address different modality each week
A
Teachers who have a goal of providing equitable instruction to diverse groups of students should begin by considering which of the following questions? A. Do I allow differences in culture, language, and behavior to shape my perceptions about students' motivation and ability to learn? B. How frequently do I interact with individual students to make sure that I am meeting their learning needs? C. Am I consistent in providing an equal amoung of time to each student, regardless of culture, language, and behavior? D. Have I clearly communicated my belief that my students are capable of mastering the targeted concepts and skills?
A
Which of the following actions by a high school teacher is likely to contribute most to the creation of a supportive and caring classroom learning environment? A. making an effort to learn about and incorporate knowledge of each student's interests and aspirations B. creating a system for recognizing and rewarding high academic achievement by students C. acknowledging changes that occur in students' manner of dress or other aspects of their appearance D. instituting class meetings or other forums aimed at encouraging group decision making
A
Which of the following is an important guideline for a teacher to follow when meeting with parents/guardians from diverse cultural backgrounds? A. monitor nonverbal communication (e.g. proximity, eye contact) to avoid inadvertently offending the parents/guardians B. keep written notes of comments made by the parents/guardians to help avoid misunderstanding and ensure clear communication C. adhere closely to a specific agenda of topics (e.g. teacher expectations, student grades) to keep the discussion focused and productive D. limit social communication and "small talk" to project and reinforce a professional image to the parent/guardians
A
Which of the following practices is likely to be most effective in facilitating a teacher's ability to provide effective instruction? A. implementing systematic and comprehensive assessment of student learning B. seeking student feedback about the performance incentives they find most motivating C. developing a standard approach for presenting new content to students D. including affective learning objectives in unit and lesson plans
A
Which of the following steps would be most helpful and appropriate for a teacher to take FIRST in planning differentiated instruction to help the students in a class achieve a particular learning goal? A. diagnosing the students' various levels of readiness and need in relation to the defined learning goal B. identifying a variety of texts and other resources related to the defined learning goal that are available within the school C. conducting an informal survey to determine current student attitudes regarding the defined learning goal D. creating heterogeneous groups of students who will work together on activities related to the defined learning goal
A
A high school classroom includes students who exhibit significant variation in their physical development. It is most important for the teacher to consider this range of development when planning learning experiences that: A. involve extensive interactions with peer partners B. require a high degree of coordination C. involve frequent transitions between tasks D. require extended periods of quiet work
B
A middle school teacher gives students a quiz halfway through a mathematics unit. Many of the students perform poorly on the quiz. Which of the following actions should the teacher take FIRST in addressing the situation? A. developing extended homework assignments that address problem areas B. conducting an error analysis to determine how best to adjust instruction C. giving a second assessment to see if students' errors are consistent D. reteaching the unit from the beginning using different instructional materials
B
A ninth-grade English teacher is beginning a unit on writing persuasive essays. The teacher wants to communicate high expectations for students' performance during this unit. Which of the following INITIAL strategies by the teacher is likely to be most effective for this purpose? A. providing students with a template or organizer to use when writing the first drafts of their persuasive essays B. reading aloud a well-written persuasive essay to students and guiding students in examining the key elements of the essay C. assigning students to draft a persuasive essay and using selected students' essays to model the revision process for the class D. having students write and revise based on peer feedback one paragraph of their persuasive essays at a time
B
A seventh-grade mathematics teacher assigns one challenging problem each day for students to solve and has students write a brief paragraph in their mathematics logs explaining how they arrived at a solution to the problem. At the end of the week, the teacher posts the correct answers to the five problems and then has students discuss their problem-solving strategies in small groups, examining strategies that were effective and those that were ineffective. Which of the following outcomes is likely to be the most important benefit of the teacher's strategy? A. improving students' ability to apply learned skills in new and interesting contexts B. providing opportunities for students to reflect on and communicate about their thinking and learning C. communicating to students that they have the primary responsibility for their success as learners D. facilitating students' recognition of the role of collaboration in effective learning
B
A sixth-grade teacher plans to have students write book reports throughout the year. The teacher would like to have the students use self-assessment as part of the process of evaluating their book reports. Which of the following teacher actions would best support students in using effective self-assessment skills for their book reports? A. having the students use the teacher's evaluation of their book reports as a means of guiding their own self=assessments B. helping the students identify specific criteria for evaluating a book report and apply those criteria in their self=assessments C. giving the students self=assessments written by students in previous years to use as models for their own self-assessments D. providing class time for the students to write their self-assessments as soon as possible after they finish each book report.
B
A student is facing a five-day suspension for violating a school rule. In this situation, the student has a right to which of the following protections? A. access to an official advocate, such as a teacher or school counselor B. an opportunity to refute the charges before an objective decision maker C. make-up sessions with qualified staff to compensate for missed work D. legal representation provided for the student by the district
B
A teacher is planning a geography lesson to introduce students to the concept that the resources available in a region influences the size and distribution of the region's population. The teacher is likely to be most successful in promoting student understanding of the targeted concept by implementing a lesson that: A. prompts students to explore the specific cognitive skills they will be using in learning the concept B. relates the concept to familiar situations or to concepts the students have previously learned C. provides concrete reinforcement for students demonstrating significant effort to learn the concept D. allows students to take the lead in determining procedures to be used to learn the concept
B
A teacher is planning a presentation to introduce a complex concept to the students in a tenth-grade class. The teacher is aware that some students in the class find it easy to grasp conceptual content that involves use of abstract thinking, while others have much more difficulty. The teacher can best help ensure all students' success in learning the targeted concept by: A. assigning the class to read those sections of their textbook that are relevant to the concept before the presentation occurs B. using examples, analogies, and visual representations during the presentation to clarify and reinforce the concept C. having students respond in writing to questions about the concept that are geared to a variety of cognitive levels after the presentation occurs D. pausing periodically during the presentation to summarize what has already been covered and preview what the teacher will address next
B
A team of 8th grade teachers are designing a multidisciplinary, project-based learning assignment that will focus on the issue of poverty. Which of the following focus questions for the project is likely to be most effective in prompting students to analyze the complexities of this issue? A. Is there a relationship between population density and high levels of poverty B. What actions can be taken at the local, state, and national levels to address global poverty C. Which regions of the world have the highest levels of poverty D. How do poverty levels compare in industrialized and nonindustrialized regions of the world
B
At the beginning of the school year, an eighth-grade language arts teacher asks students to identify areas of strength and areas of need of improvement in their writing. This process is likely to be particularly useful in helping students perform which of the following tasks? A. providing peers with effective feedback on their writing B. generating personal writing goals and action plans C. establishing and maintaining a writing portfolio D. managing extended writing assignments
B
In which of the following situations is the teacher's strategy most likely to promote students' ability to regulate their own learning? A. a teacher shows students how to maintain a log of each book they read for recreation during a grading period B. a teacher helps each student identify weekly goals that target the student's specific academic needs C.a teacher uses the results of regularly administered interest inventories to select reading materials for classroom activities D. a teacher offers after-school review sessions before tests, but allows students to decide for themselves whether to participate
B
Middle school teachers are developing new instructional units to ensure alignment with state standards. In determining an appropriate length of instructional time to allot for a new unit, the teachers should FIRST consider the: A. selection of activities to support student learning during the unit B. nature and complexity of the content they will teach during the unit C. methods of assessment used to measure student learning on unit content D. availability of state-approved resources and materials for the unit
B
Students in a middle school science class are beginning a study of the human endocrine system. In the first lesson, the teacher asks students to recall a situation in which they felt strong fear or panic. After a few students respond, the teacher asks them to think about how they felt physically at that moment and soon after. Through discussion, the teacher leads students to responses such as rapid heartbeat, mental alertness, and fast breathing.. At this point, the teacher introduces information about the body's adrenal glands. The teacher's approach to introducing new content best demonstrates an understanding of which of the following principles? A. establishing a foundation of factual knowledge on which to build new learning B. promoting learning by connecting new content to students' experiences C. helping students link new content to previously learned concepts D. engaging students in new learning by prompting their use of critical-thinking skills
B
Students in a science class are studying rain forests. The class has briefly discussed some of the issues related to the shrinking of rain forests around the world, and the teacher would like to help students gain a deeper understanding of these issues. One strategy the teacher plans to use is to have students read and respond to recent magazine articles on these issues. In selecting articles for this activity, the teacher's primary goal should be to select articles that: A. present information using various types of tables and graphs B. can be read and understood by students with different knowledge and skill levels C. are free from content that could be considered controversial D. include bibliographies of materials for students who wish to study the topic independently
B
Students in a seventh-grade social studies class want to interview local candidates for an upcoming election for their school newspaper but they have no experience conducting interviews. The teacher can best support students' efforts with this activity by: A. having students view excerpts of video interviews and analyze the content B. helping students develop specific questions and role-play the interview process C. arranging to be present when students are conducting the interviews D. assigning students to work in groups to conduct the interviews
B
Students in an eighth-grade English language arts class recently completed a literature unit focusing on identifying literary themes. The results of the end-of-unit assessment indicate that, although most students passed the assessment, the class as a whole appears to have a tenuous grasp of the concept. The most appropriate step for the teacher to take in response to this situation is to: A. create weekly homework packets on unit concepts to give students additional opportunities to practice the concepts independently B. examine instructional plans to identify areas where adjustments can be made to provide students additional reinforcement and guided practice with unit concepts C. move forward with planned instruction but include items related to this unit's concepts on upcoming end-of-unit assessments D. administer a second assessment of unit concepts to ensure that the initial assessment results are a valid measure of students' understanding
B
When students are working math problems independently, the teacher asks the students questions such as "How did you decide which operation to use?" and "What steps did you take to get this solution?" By taking this role during students' independent work, the teacher is most likely to achieve which of the following outcomes? A. encouraging students to experiment with new problem-solving strategies B. promoting students' awareness and understanding of their own thinking process C. enhancing students' ability to monitor their own learning progress D. increasing students' confidence in their ability to master challenging learning tasks
B
Which of the following scenarios is the best example of a high school teacher in a leadership role at the local level? A. a history teacher creates "This Day in History" podcasts for students spotlighting important historical events and individuals of the date B. a mathematics teacher shares information with the school board on how high-stakes assessments impact teaching practices and student learning C. a journalism teacher regularly responds to online blogs that discuss trends in media coverage of important news events D. a fine arts teacher attends a district meeting for the fine arts teachers when the colleague who was slated to go to the meeting is unable to attend
B
Which of the following student assignments is likely to be most effective in helping a middle school teacher learn about the values and beliefs of students' diverse cultures? A. providing various materials for students to use to construct a collage about their family B. having students interview an adult family member about his or her life as a child and stories he or she remembers from childhood C. asking students to fill out a questionaire about their daily routines and favorite recreational activities D. designing a writing prompt in which students describe the person in their lives whom they most admire and want to be like
B
Which of the following vocabulary skills would be most appropriately introduced at the high school level? A. using context clues to distinguish the meanings of a word with multiple definitions B. researching word origins as an aid to understanding meaning, derivations, and spelling as well as influences on the English language C. determining the meaning of new words by analyzing prefixes and suffixes D. using knowledge of word parts and word relationships to determine the precise meaning of specialized terms.
B
A high school history teacher wants to provide students with a body of factual knowledge to support their learning in an upcoming unit on the Korean conflict in the early 1950's. Which of the following instructional approaches is likely to be most effective for this purpose? A. guided discovery B. cooperative learning C. direct instruction D. inquiry learning
C
A middle school principal has asked a team of teachers to collaborate on the development of a new after-school enrichment program for the school. Which of the following strategies by the teachers would best enhance the quality of this collaboration? A. developing standard evaluative criteria for the team to apply throughout the decision-making process B. choosing a team member whose primary responsibility will be facilitating discussions and mediating conflict C. defining a clear and common goal for the team and acknowledging the value of all team members contributions D. requesting that the principal lead the team's first few meetings in order to set an appropriate tone
C
A middle school teacher develops a series of language arts lessons be believes might be useful for other teachers in the district. The teacher wants to share the lessons and invite feedback about how other teachers implement the lessons in their classrooms. Which of the following approaches is likely to be most effective for accomplishing the teacher's goal? A. asking the school principal to distribute the lessons to other schools B. gathering e-mail addresses of interested teachers at the next district meeting C. posting the lessons and related materials on an interactive blog D. seeking leave time to discuss the lessons in person with teachers at other schools
C
A middle school teacher is beginning a teaching assignment in a new school with a diverse student population. The teacher knows very little about some of the students' cultural backgrounds. Which of the following initial actions is likely to be most effective in enhancing the teacher's understanding of students' cultures? A. developing a survey about the culture values and traditions to send to students' families during the first week of school B. enrolling in a professional development workshop on culturally responsive instruction and learning environments C. talking with teachers who have experiences with the various cultural groups represented in the school D. examining student demographic data showing the various cultural groups represented in each grade level
C
A sixth-grade teacher has a goal of helping students not only learn the meanings of new social studies vocabulary but also understand the new vocabulary at the conceptual level. Which of the following strategies is likely to be most effective in achieving the outcome? A. using new terms repeatedly when introducing key concepts to students B. ensuring students have access to resources such as a dictionary and thesaurus C. guiding students in constructing concept webs for new topics D. having students maintain a personal dictionary of social studies terms
C
A teacher can best ensure the effectiveness of a teaching portfolio as a tool for professional development by using which of the following strategies? A. verifying on a regular basis that there is appropriate variety in the items selected as evidence of the teacher's knowledge and skills B. having a colleague review the items selected periodically to check for thoroughness and coherence C. writing a brief rationale for each item selected describing how the item reflects the teacher's knowledge, skills, and growth D. organizing the items selected chronologically to illustrate changes in skills over time
C
A teacher wishes to adopt a proactive classroom management approach to help prevent minor incidents of misbehavior and disruptions to students' learning. The teacher can best achieve this goal by: A. assigning students as class monitors and encouraging them to report potential issues to the teacher B. publicly recognizing students who consistently demonstrate positive behavior and work habits C. actively monitor students' work and activities and addressing potential behavior issues early D. using sanctions that increase in severity each time students fail to comply with established class rules
C
A tenth-grade student with cerebal palsy uses a customized wheelchair to help normalize his posture and facilitate movement. The teacher wants to ensure that the student is appropriately positioned to participate in different types of class activities. Which of the following actions would be most useful for the teacher to take FIRST in this effort? A. conducting online research to gather information about positioning techniques to use with the student B. speaking with the student directly about what he thinks will be the best position for specific activities C. discussing with the student's physical and occupational therapists how to position him for planned activities D. requesting that the student be provided a paraprofessional to oversee his positioning during class
C
An experienced high school teacher is examining recent research describing evidence-based writing instruction for long-term English language learners. The teacher can best use these research studies to improve personal professional practices by taking which of the following actions FIRST? A. gathering information on the credentials of the individuals who conducted the research studies B. comparing the characteristics of the participants in the research studies with the characteristics of the students in the teacher's classes C. analyzing the extent to which the teacher's current practices reflect the research findings D. developing a list of questions prompted by the research findings to discuss the school's English as a Second Language staff
C
In addition to whole-class and small-group activities, a middle school social studies teacher creates assignments for students that address the central concepts of a lesson at varying levels of complexity. For example, in a lesson on U.S. government, students in Group A defined the branches of the government and created a flow chart showing how a bill becomes a law. Students in Group B explained the system of checks and balances and researched the issues surrounding a pending piece of legislation. Students in Group C created a diagram comparing the structure and principles of the U.S. government with the structure and principles of a government in another country and wrote a brief essay on what they believed to be the advantages and limitations of the two governments. The teacher's practice is likely to be most effective in achieving which of the following instructional goals? A. promoting students' sense of ownership with regard to their learning B. facilitating students' ability to learn from one another C. differentiating instruction to meet students' learning needs D. providing students with opportunities to make choices in their learning
C
In which of the following questioning situations would it be most appropriate for a teacher to wait less than three seconds for a student response? A. the teacher's emphasis is on enhancing students' ability to think creatively B. students have extensive background knowledge about a discussion topic C. the teacher's emphasis is on building students' automatic recall of factual information D. students are generally at similar levels of cognitive development
C
Middle school teachers are planning an interdisciplinary unit about freshwater ecosystems. The teachers want to ensure that all students' learning needs are addressed in this unit and that students benefit fully from instruction. Which of the following strategies would be most effective in helping the teachers achieve this goal? A. developing an equal number of learning activities for each unit objective B. gathering periodic feedback from students about learning activities during the unit C. including in the unit multiple formative assessments of student progress and learning D. allowing students to choose which classmates to work with on small-group learning tasks
C
One goal for a middle school is to establish partnerships with local businesses to enhance student learning. Several local businesses have agreed to participate in this initiative. The teachers would like to identify how each of the businesses can best become actively involved in students' learning. Which of the following steps should the teachers take FIRST in this effort? A. arranging for representatives from each of the businesses to visit the school and observe instruction in several classrooms B. requesting that each of the businesses submit to the school a list of the resources and services they are prepared to offer C. meeting with representatives from each of the businesses to examine the curriculum and discuss specific ways they may be able to support in implementation D. scheduling field trips for students to some of the businesses that have offered help so that the stuents can meet employees and learn about the business's activities
C
Several high school teachers across the state will be collaborating on the development of a program for school districts that will bring enrichment opportunities to underserved populations of students. The majority of the teachers' collaboration will take place online. Making which of the following activities the most important priority will best promote the success of the teachers' virtual collaboration? A. establishing procedures for quality assurance of the final product B. taking turns planning and leading discussions C. engaging in consistent and plentiful communication D. monitoring group processes on a regular basis
C
Students in a sixth-grade science class will be creating multimedia presentations on self-selected topics. The students are encouraged to include text, graphics, photographs, and video clips in their presentations. In this situation, it would be most important for the science teacher to emphasize which of the following guidelines for the presentations? A. Copyrighted material used in the presentation must be preapproved by the teacher B. Each visual element in the presentation should include a title or caption as appropriate C. Sources of information in any format must be appropriately credited in the presentation D. The creative use of visual elements will enhance the effectiveness of the presentation
C
Teachers in a high school science department want to improve their teaching practices to better promote students' learning. They have arranged to observe instruction in each other's classrooms on a regular basis and discuss their observations afterward. The teachers can best help ensure the effectiveness of this process by: A. keeping the school principal informed about their progress B. choosing a mediator to assist in resolving differences of opinion C. demonstrating receptiveness to constructive feedback D. working toward developing similar teaching styles
C
Teachers in a middle school provide students with opportunities to participate in regular exploratory activities designed to introduce them to a variety of specialized subjects (e.g. archaeology, computer code, dance). These activities are likely to be most effective in helping students begin to address which of the following challenges? A. developing a sense of self-efficacy as a learner B. forming an accurate perception of their abilities C. making decisions about their future education & career D. becoming independent and goal oriented in their learning
C
Which of the following approaches is likely to be most effective in facilitating middle school students' knowledge construction? A. ensuring that students have access to information resources on a broad range of topics B. quizzing students frequently on new concepts and vocabulary C. providing students with opportunities to use new learning in authentic and meaningful contexts D. allowing students to establish their own goals and pace for learning
C
Which of the following assessment strategies is the most appropriate and effective method for monitoring students' progress toward achieving grade-level content standards? A. rating scales B. oral questioning C. benchmark tests D. portfolio conferences
C
Which of the following situations most clearly illustrates how a student's development in one domain (e.g. cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, emotional) can affect development and/or performance in another domain? A. a student with severe physical disabilities exhibits strong verbal and conceptual skills in her academic work B. a student who is a talented athlete is also one of the highest achievers in her school in math and science C. a student with low self-esteem refuses to attempt new or challenging learning tasks because he is sure he will fail D. a student who is bilingual shows similar skills and confidence in both languages in which he is proficient
C
A ninth-grade science teacher plans to use small-group discussions and activities as a regular part of instruction. The teacher can best promote students' ability to work effectively and productively in small groups by taking which of the following steps FIRST? A. engaging students in several activities to help them learn more about each other's backgrounds and interests B. using surveys and other strategies to gather information about individual students' leadership experience and ability C. identifying students who are performing well above or below grade-level expectations to facilitate group assignments D. providing students with explicit instruction in group processes such as conflict resolution and consensus building
D
A seventh-grade student has been having difficulty keeping up with assignments, finishing and turning in homework, and studying for tests. The seventh-grade teachers have met with the students' parents, who agree that their child would benefit from extra help in several areas. Together, the teachers and the parents identify supports for the the student that will be implemented at home and at school. Which of the following ADDITIONAL steps should the teachers take to facilitate the parents' involvement in addressing their child's challenges? A. asking the parents to take responsibility for explaining to their child the supports that will be implemented B. recommending that the parents investigate private tutoring for their child should the supports prove unsuccessful C. suggesting that the parents visit the classroom to observe their child during various instructional periods D. establishing a dialogue journal to communicate with the parents about their child's progress and any issues that arise
D
A teacher often discusses upcoming unit topics and planned lesson activities with the school's art and music teachers and considers ways to integrate fine arts and content-area instruction. Which of the following is likely to be the most important positive outcome of this approach? A. helping ensure consistency in the instructional approaches used across subject areas B. enhancing the overall quality of the schoolwork environment C. minimizing the potential for redundancy in curriculum goals and objectives D. promoting a climate of professional collaboration and mutual support
D
Eighth-grade math students are learning how to form algebraic equations based on word problems. The teacher has demonstrated this process for students several times and guided them through several practice equations. While monitoring students' independent practice in forming equations, the teacher realizes that many students are not able to apply the strategies from the lesson consistently and are becoming frustrated. At this point, the teacher would be best advised to take which of the following steps? A. offer students continued encouragement and allow them to practice with a partner if they choose B. Postpone the practice activities and attempt them again when students show evidence of greater cognitive ability C. Assign the class independent practice work on a familiar concept and reteach the lesson to small groups of students D. Provide the class with additional modeling and extended guided practice with the new concept
D
In a high school, students' overall scores on state assessments have declined each year for the last three years. The department chairpersons have been asked by the principal to lead their teams in professional learning activities to help address this decline. As leader of this professional learning effort, the department chairpersons should ensure that their team members: A. observe instruction in colleagues' classrooms to establish a frame of reference for evaluating potential strategies for use in instruction B. cite specific research in their lesson plans that supports the use of new instructional approaches and student activities C. ask at least one colleague to review planned lessons that include new techniques or strategies before implementation D. participate actively in identifying goals for improved student outcomes and analyzing data related to the goals for improvement
D
In general, students with specific learning disabilities are more likely than their peers without disabilities to develop: A. speech problems such as stuttering B. conduct disorder C. unrealistic fears of certain objects or situations D. low self-esteem
D
Midway through the second quarter of the school year, an eighth-grade teacher asks the school's reading specialist to collaborate on the development of interventions for two students whose reading comprehension skills are far below grade-level expectations. In this situation, it is most important for the teacher to provide the reading specialist with which of the following information? A. overviews of the students' performance on the previous year's state reading assessment B. logs kept by students showing the number of pages they have read each day so far this school year C. summaries of the students' performance on tasks that do not include a significant amount of reading D. strategies implemented so far to address the students' reading needs along with the outcome data
D
Students in a high school geography class are exploring the population trends in the Western hemisphere for the last 50 years. The teacher provides students with several graphic representations (e.g. bar graph, table, map) illustrating the same set of population data for students to examine in small groups. This approach is likely to be most beneficial to students' explorations of population trends if the teacher takes which of the following ADDITIONAL steps? A. having students respond to a series of factual questions about each of the graphic representations to ensure that they understand information presented in alternate formats B. providing written interpretations of the information illustrated in each of the graphic representations to enhance students' understanding of population trends C. encouraging students to brainstorm possible conclusions that can be drawn from one graphic representation before moving to the next one D. prompting students to analyze the graphic representations in relation to one another to make inferences about the nature of causes of population trends
D
The seventh-grade teachers in a school are planning their first cross-curricular unit. The teachers have reviewed relevant content standards and identified "interdependence" as the unifying theme for the unit. Which of the following would be the most appropriate and effective step for the teachers to take NEXT in the planning process? A. preparing an annotated list of instructional resources related to the theme of the unit that individual teachers can use to plan lessons B. assigning each teacher a specific responsibility for planning activities and assignments that support the theme of the unit C. creating a standard format for written lesson plans that reflects the targeted standards as well as the theme of the unit D. developing a planning web on which to note connections among specific ideas in each content area and the theme of the unit.
D
Throughout the school year, students in an eighth-grade science class conduct internet research on a wide range of topics. The teacher wants to facilitate students' ability to determine the credibility of the information they find. Which of the following strategies would best support students in this area? A. encouraging students to explore each of the links provided by a Web site before using information from the site B. preselecting several reputable Websites for students to use in information searches C. requiring students to use a general reference source, such as an encyclopedia, to verify online information D. helping students develop a checklist of criteria to use when evaluating online information sources
D
When designing a virtual learning environment for students, teachers can best facilitate the learning process by adhering to which of the following guidelines? A. providing open-ended time lines for assignments that enable students to work at their own pace B. using a modular approach for organizing content and related assessments to help students manage their time C. including a rating scale that allows students to provide feedback on the effectiveness of each activity D. linking supplemental resources directly from content pages to streamline students' access to information
D
Which of the following approaches represents the most effective way to differentiate instruction for a class of ninth-grade students who perform at a wide range of skills levels? A. revising academic standards to accommodate students' individual skill levels B. acquiring the textbooks used at lower or higher levels as appropriate for students' needs C. implementing small-group activities in which each group includes students at various skill levels D. designing tiered assignments for students that address the essential concepts being taught
D
Which of the following characteristics must be present in an authentic assessment? A. students have a minimal, set amount of time to respond to test questions B. student learning is evaluated through the examination of one or more student products C. Students have an opportunity to examine exemplary products or responses prior to the test D. Students must use knowledge to perform a task that is grounded in real-world contexts
D
Which of the following social behaviors typically first appears in early adolescence? A. viewing friendship as a mutual relationship based on trust B. organizing peer groups based on proximity and similarity in gender and ethnicity C. demonstrating awareness of gender stereotypes in personality traits D. forming small groups of peers with similar family backgrounds, attitudes, and values
D