PPR Student Diversity Unit
Use the conversation between Jorge, an English-language learner from Mexico, and his teacher to answer the question that follows. Mr. Darcy: Jorge, can I see your completed homework? Jorge: No have. Home. Mr. Darcy: Well, I'm sorry Jorge, but I have to give you an incomplete for today. Jorge: Understand, es no problem. Mr. Darcy: If you can show it to me tomorrow, then I will change your mark. Jorge: OK. I bring you tomorrow! Jorge's speech can best be described as being at which of the following English-language proficiency levels?
Beginning
Use the conversation between Elizabeth, a middle school English-language learner (ELL), and her science teacher to answer the questions that follow. Mr. Kant: What do you think has a greater effect on people's behavior: their genetics, or nature, or their environment, what we call nurture? *Mr. Kant writes on the board nature (genetics) vs. nurture (environment), along with a quick drawing to depict each concept. (Elizabeth raises hand) Mr. Kant: Yes, Elizabeth. Elizabeth: I think nature is more strong. Mr. Kant: OK. So, you think nature, or someone's genetics, has a greater effect. Why do you think that? Elizabeth: Well, my sisters and me are very different. My more old sister is very quiet, and I like to talk a lot. My more young sister is brave, and I am not brave! We are different, but we have same environment in home. Mr. Kant: That's a great example! I am different from my sisters: let's write that on the board under nature. Based on Elizabeth's responses, she would most likely be classified at which of the following English-language proficiency levels?
Intermediate
A third-grade classroom contains students from diverse backgrounds and varied skills. The teacher plans to have students contribute individually to a class book that features each student with a page for pictures and brief information about each student to share with others. What is the best reason for selecting this instructional activity?
It demonstrates acceptance of diversity and its value in enriching students' learning.
Ms. Drucker believes that it is important for students to learn about each other's cultures, so whenever she can she incorporates opportunities for students to share experiences from their cultures with other students in the class. Why is this important in a multicultural classroom?
It promotes intercultural competence among students.
Mr. Martin is planning an instructional unit and wants to adjust the lesson to meet the needs of the English Language Learners (ELL) in his class. Each student has a varying level of English proficiency. What is the best strategy to adjust the instructional unit to meet the student's needs?
Make dictionaries accessible to the students and allow for additional time to complete the assignments while other students can work independently.
Mr. Duke wants to break his class into small groups for a discussion after a multimedia presentation. Mr. Duke has multiple English language learners in his class. Which of the following is the most important criterion for placing English language learners into groups?
Make sure the English language learners are placed into various groups to promote vocabulary development.
Sarah has Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and needs extra time on homework and tests. Giving Sarah extra time is an example of what?
accommodation
Marcos, a second-grade ELL student, writes the following journal entry: My best day Like me day. Yo and mkwid mom gowkdj par slw fon. According to the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), what is Marcos' level of proficiency in writing?
beginning
A second-grade teacher has many students from diverse backgrounds in her class this year. In preparation, she needs to ensure that she is effectively using culturally responsive teaching in the classroom. Which of the following would help to foster a sense of cultural inclusiveness in the classroom?
choosing content that reflects the different cultures of your students in lessons
Which of the following describes a skill which may prove difficult to master for a student with a specific learning disability in the area of reading?
comprehending grade-level text read independently
In a diverse classroom, a teacher can create a positive learning environment that provides all students the opportunity to reach their potential by:
considering individual strengths and needs when planning the curriculum.
A 10th-grade social studies teacher is teaching a unit on the Industrial Revolution. As she is reading an excerpt from the text about factories and the development of the assembly lines, she uses a think-aloud strategy. This strategy is typically used to assist English-language learners with which of the following?
constructing meaning from a text
An elementary teacher would like to assign a cultural heritage project, but realizes that not all of her students live with their biological family. Others may live with their family of origin, but their heritage includes difficult subjects such as slavery or ownership of slaves. The teacher can be responsive to these concerns by doing which of the following?
creating a new project that meets the same learning goals
Students tend to socialize and interact with classmates from their own cultural or linguistic background. This behavioral pattern has the greatest impact on which of the following?
creating an inclusive learning environment
A third-grade teacher is creating a social studies activity to help expand her student's cultural worldview and create an inclusive and understanding classroom. An example of an activity would be:
creating stations about various cultures where students must find one similarity.
Which of the following describes the practice of a teacher having the students of a class with many Latino students study Latino traditions of oral storytelling and give their own presentations of stories to the class?
culturally responsive pedagogy
Your classroom receives a new female student from Pakistan. Which types of diversities should you be aware of when getting to know the student and planning lessons for her? Select all answers that apply.
culture; language background
In order to make speech into a comprehensible input for students, the teacher of English Learners may: Select all answers that apply.
make gestures to clarify certain actions mentioned; slow down the rate of delivery; show pictures that correspond to the message.
Mrs. Chain is a tenth-grade English teacher. As she is planning the summer reading list, she makes sure to include the following authors: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Elizabeth Stanton, Langston Hughes, Salvador Elizondo, Juan Rulfo, J.D. Salinger, and Ray Bradbury. The greatest benefit to having such a wide variety of authors is:
they promote students' knowledge of various cultures through themselves as literary writers.
At the beginning of the year, a teacher leads various icebreaker activities and keeps notes on students' hobbies and interests. The main purpose of keeping these notes is:
to incorporate their interests into lessons.
Ms. Klein has several advanced level English-language learners (ELLs) in her science class. Every day when the students enter the classroom, she has them take out their journals and respond to a writing prompt. Today's prompt is, "What is gravity?" Ms. Klein circulates around the room to view the responses. Juan, an intermediate ELL from Mexico, writes, "Gravity is the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth." Ms. Klein thinks that Juan has memorized the definition. To ensure that he understands the concept, what can she ask him to do? Select all answers that apply.
to provide an example; to elaborate on his response;
A third-grade ELL student notices the focus on being a winner in a competition. He may be uncomfortable acting independently because in his culture, actions are based on:
what is good for the whole.
Ms. Burnett is leading her biology class in a discussion on genetics. Ms. Burnett poses a question to Silvia, an intermediate English-language learner from Mexico. Ms. Burnett: Why is it important to understand genetics? Silvia: Well, some disease are genetic. So, if we know a disease that our family have, we can make less risk. Which of the following is the best way for Ms. Burnett to respond to Silvia?
"That's right. If we know that a disease is in our family genes, we can change our behaviors to lower our risk."
Which of the following assignments would be the most appropriate for a class of diverse English learners?
"Write a short essay about the things you like best about your hometown. Share selections from your essay with the class."
In which of the following situations might a student's culture affect their ability to learn?
a student who recently moved from South Korea is asked to work independently
A kindergarten classroom has a mixture of English language learners and native speakers. The classroom is reading from a large-print short story during circle time. The text tells the story of a child's day, but things keep going wrong. The illustrations and text describe the cause-and-effect nature of events. The teacher prompts students to identify either the cause or the effect on the page. On page 7, the child is sad to see that her dog has escaped the backyard because she left the gate open. The illustration shows the fence with the gate open, a leash and dog bowl, and a sad child. The teacher asks, "Why is the child sad now?" A student answers, "Someone left door open, so now no dog. It runs away and make kid sad." This student's response indicates a child in which category of language proficiency?
advanced
An English teacher is teaching his class how to write persuasive essays. In his class there are some English language learners. To assist these learners, he models abstract and technical writing before giving them their assignment. What English language level is this strategy most appropriate for?
advanced-level ELLs
Mrs. Brunson notices many of her English language learner students understand the beginning of what she says, but they become lost as she progresses in her lectures. She decides it will be helpful to pause as she speaks. What is the most appropriate time to pause during her instruction?
after every complete thought
A kindergarten classroom has a mixture of English language learners and native speakers. The classroom is reading from a large-print short story during circle time. The text tells the story of a child's day, but things keep going wrong. The illustrations and text describe the cause-and-effect nature of events. The teacher prompts students to identify either the cause or the effect on the page. When calling on students in the intermediate stage of oral language proficiency to identify the cause or effect, the teacher can expect the students to be able to:
answer using a simple or incomplete sentence.
Mr. Drew's English Language Arts class has a few ELLs with an intermediate reading proficiency level. Mr. Drew puts them into small groups to read a work of fiction aloud. After reading the story, which of the following is the best example of an appropriate performance-based assessment tool that Mr. Drew can use to assess their comprehension?
asking the students to communicate their thoughts in a reading-response journal
What type of assistive technology could help a third-grade student who has dyslexia and, therefore, difficulty reading? Select all answers that apply.
audiobooks; optical character recognition; text-to-speech
Which of the following is the least important to consider when planning differentiated instruction?
behaviors
A fifth-grade teacher's science class includes several English language learners who have varying levels of English language proficiency. As the teacher considers ways to adapt instruction to meet these students' learning needs, what approach would be most important?
Address the same instructional goals and objectives as those in the original lessons.
A sixth-grade science teacher has assigned each student a scientist to write a report on. The following is an excerpt from the writing of Fernando, an English-language learner from Mexico. "Isaac Newton is one of the most important scientists in history. He developed the theory of gravity and some laws of motion. Moreover, he created a new type of mathematics, which today calls calculus! He has had large impact in the world." Fernando's writing primarily shows features of which of the following ELPS writing proficiency levels?
Advanced
Franco is a third-grade English-language learner from France. He occasionally mispronounces words, but he is usually understood by his teachers and native English-speaking peers. What ELPS speaking proficiency level does Franco have?
Advanced
Ms. Casper is trying to determine the reading proficiency level of Jose, an English-language learner in her ninth-grade class. Jose can understand the main points of grade-appropriate text, with the help of linguistic support. However, he struggles when it comes to understanding low-frequency vocabulary. The other day when reading a text in class, Jose surprised Ms. Casper when he demonstrated understanding of a word used beyond its literal meaning in the text. Based on this information, what is Jose's reading proficiency level?
Advanced
A ninth-grade social studies teacher is reading about Ancient Egypt with her students. In a writing assignment about the Nile River, Marta, an English-language learner (ELL) from Brazil, writes the following: "Flowing 4000 miles north from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, the Nile River was very important to the ancient Egyptians. Because Egypt gets a little rainfall, Egyptians relied on the Nile River for water. During the summer, the Nile River overflowed and left a layer of mud that was perfect to farming." This passage suggests that she is at which of the following ELPS writing proficiency levels?
Advanced High
Arturo moved to the US from Mexico two years ago, and his teacher has noticed major progress in his reading. In fact, on his progress report, his teacher notes that Arturo can read grade-level texts with appropriate rate, speed, intonation, and expression. This is a characteristic of which reading proficiency level?
Advanced High
Mrs. Brunson notices that many of her English language learner students understand the beginning of what she says but become lost as she progresses in her lectures. She decides it will be helpful to pause as she speaks. What is the most appropriate time to pause during her instruction?
After every complete thought
Aida is an ELL student from Iran. Mr. Bruno, her ESL teacher, is bothered by the fact that Aida looks down and doesn't make eye contact with him when he is giving her feedback. He noticed that eye contact doesn't seem to be a problem with her classmates. What is most likely to be the cause of this behavior?
Aida's culture might believe it's impolite to make eye contact with a person of authority.
To encourage an appreciation for diversity, a teacher wants to design a cultural activity. Which of the following will best help students appreciate their own culture and those of others?
Ask each student to research a family or cultural tradition they celebrate and then present the findings to the class.
Leticia, a new student from Mexico, recently joined Ms. Kramer's class. Ms. Kramer has been struggling to communicate with Leticia in English. Leticia struggles to understand basic conversations, even with familiar topics. Occasionally Leticia can understand when Ms. Kramer greatly modifies her speech and uses pictures for support. Based on this description, what listening proficiency level is Leticia most likely at?
Beginning
A middle school English language arts teacher uses a strategy called "double-entry journal" with students. Students have a dedicated notebook to use for double entry journal activities, and the teacher prompts them to make entries as they read and reflect on fiction and non-fiction works. Students divide a page into two columns and place short quotes or summaries on the left side and use the right side of the page to write thoughts about how they are connecting to the literary work. They may make a personal connection to the text, or they may make the connection between the text and another literary work or media. Below are two journal entries written by two students after reading a chapter from Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak. Student 1: "This is where you can find your soul if you date. Where you can touch that part of you that you've never dared look at before. Do not come here and ask me to show you how to draw a face. Ask me to help you find the wind." I relate to this quote personally because I started taking art lessons in sixth grade. I was afraid that I was not good enough, but my teacher helped me to learn new techniques and explore different mediums. Watercolor is my favorite, and painting helps me to express my feelings. Student 2: "I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. So, how can I find my way?" This quote reminds me of protagonists from some of my favorite series such as The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson. I usually prefer mythology and science fiction, but I can see similarities between Melinda in Speak and Katniss in The Hunger Games. They are flawed, but they are brave. They are survivors. There are several students in the class who are identified as English learners. Which of the following approaches would best address language challenges that students may experience with this assignment?
Consult with the English Learner (EL) teacher who provides direct instruction to the students to discuss their needs and strategies to support the students during this assignment.
Mr. Michaels typically uses direct instruction as his primary means of teaching. At the beginning of the school year, his principal informs Mr. Michaels he will have four English language learners in his class. Of the following, which is the best adjustment Mr. Michaels can make to enhance his teaching style for the English language learners?
Prepare multimedia presentations with visual images to coincide with his lectures.
Current studies have shown that which of the following methods of language arts instruction is most appropriate for English language learners?
Provide language arts instruction to English language learners with accommodations as needed.
A high school English teacher is preparing a unit of instruction on poetry. The teacher's class consists of students with varying levels of achievement. Many of the students in the class have IEPs, Section 504 plans, or are identified as English Learners. Below is an outline of the teacher's plan for this unit. Activity 1: Provide direct instruction on the history of poetry and common types of poems. Explore several poems as a group to learn more about types of poems. Activity 2: Have students read poems individually and make annotated notes on the paper. Break students into pairs to discuss their notes. Activity 3: Have students read poems in small groups and work with group members to respond to a series of questions. Then, participate in a whole-class discussion. Activity 4: Have students read poems individually and respond to a series of comprehension questions as they read. The teacher grades their responses for accuracy and understanding. Which of the following strategies, used during Activity 2, would be most appropriate to use to guide students in understanding the poem and engaging in meaningful discussion?
Provide students with a series of questions to consider when reading the poem and making annotations.
A high school English teacher has an inclusion classroom in which several of the students have IEPs. The teacher is preparing to give the first assessment and would like to make adjustments to the assessment for the students with IEPs. What would be the most appropriate first step for the teacher to take?
Review the students' IEPs to determine what types of accommodations and modifications are recommended.
Which of the following would NOT be an indicator that an English language learner has reached a high oral proficiency?
Sounding like a native speaker
Carl is a hardworking, respectful tenth grader until his teacher notices his grades are slipping, that he is having trouble concentrating during class, and that he is easily agitated by other students. Out of concern, the teacher asks Carl to stay after class to discuss his slipping performance. He confides in the teacher that he has been working two part-time jobs because his mother was recently laid-off, and he knows the stress is hurting his academic performance. Of the following principles, which of these is best illustrated in the example?
Teachers should be aware of a student's circumstances outside of school that could adversely affect learning.
Use the conversation between Elizabeth, a middle school English-language learner (ELL), and her science teacher to answer the questions that follow. Mr. Kant: What do you think has a greater effect on people's behavior: their genetics, or nature, or their environment, what we call nurture? *Mr. Kant writes on the board nature (genetics) vs. nurture (environment), along with a quick drawing to depict each concept. (Elizabeth raises hand) Mr. Kant: Yes, Elizabeth. Elizabeth: I think nature is more strong. Mr. Kant: OK. So, you think nature, or someone's genetics, has a greater effect. Why do you think that? Elizabeth: Well, my sisters and me are very different. My more old sister is very quiet, and I like to talk a lot. My more young sister is brave, and I am not brave! We are different, but we have same environment in home. Mr. Kant: That's a great example! I am different from my sisters: let's write that on the board under nature. Based on the grammatical errors that Elizabeth makes in the conversation, she would most benefit from instruction in which of the following English-language skills?
changing adjective form in comparative statements
A kindergarten teacher reviews the records of a new student, Billy, and meets with his parents. Although the records and previous parent conferences indicate that Billy is socially developed, his teacher notices Billy's play is typical of a much younger child. As the teacher analyzes and assesses the situation, it is most important to remember that:
children in stressful situations often act more immature in response to the situation.
Fill in the blanks that best complete the statement below: An effective teacher provides instruction in a manner that is linguistically accommodated (____________, ___________, and _________) to the student's level of English-language proficiency to ensure that the student learns the knowledge and skills across content areas.
communicated, sequenced, scaffolded
Which of the following exceptionalities may qualify a student for special education services under the category of an emotional/behavioral disability?
conduct disorder
Use the conversation between Elizabeth, a middle school English-language learner (ELL), and her science teacher to answer the questions that follow. Mr. Kant: What do you think has a greater effect on people's behavior: their genetics, or nature, or their environment, what we call nurture? *Mr. Kant writes on the board nature (genetics) vs. nurture (environment), along with a quick drawing to depict each concept. (Elizabeth raises hand) Mr. Kant: Yes, Elizabeth. Elizabeth: I think nature is more strong. Mr. Kant: OK. So, you think nature, or someone's genetics, has a greater effect. Why do you think that? Elizabeth: Well, my sisters and me are very different. My more old sister is very quiet, and I like to talk a lot. My more young sister is brave, and I am not brave! We are different, but we have same environment in home. Mr. Kant: That's a great example! I am different from my sisters: let's write that on the board under nature. During the conversation with Elizabeth, what does Mr. Kant do effectively? Select all answers that apply.
defines and repeats key vocabulary; validates Elizabeth's response; asks Elizabeth to elaborate on her initial response
Mr. Keeve has a significant population of English Language Learners in his class this year. He has made it a goal to be culturally responsive and aware of the effects of his attitude on his students. Which is not an effective practice for Mr. Keeve to use to meet his goal?
direct the students' focus to content, not culture
A second-grade teacher would like to promote cultural understanding within the classroom environment. Which of the following activities should the teacher integrate into the social studies curriculum in order to best accomplish this goal?
each week, have a different student create a poster describing their family's cultural heritage to share with the class
A teacher is observed by an outside administrator for practices in cultural fluency and equality in her classroom. The results of the observation showed that English Language Learners (ELL) answer questions half as often as their peers and volunteer classroom roles are primarily taken by males. To address these issues, the teacher should:
group students together and designate spokespersons, as well as assign classroom roles.
Francisco, an ELL student from Paraguay, has just entered Mr. Warren's sixth-grade class. From his record, Mr. Warren learns that Francisco comes from a poor socioeconomic background. Mr. Warren is aware that students like Francisco are likely to:
have experienced less access to English language education as students from more privileged backgrounds.
A social studies class has several students who are classified as English language learners. As the teacher reviews the class' homework, he notices the English language learners have the lowest grades in the class. The most appropriate response to this information would be to:
have the teacher ensure that the homework demonstrates the students' academic abilities and not their limitations of the English language.
Why is it important for teachers to recognize and be aware of student diversities? Select all answers that apply.
in order to modify and adapt curriculum to include students of many backgrounds and diversities; in order to bond with students to promote trust and deeper learning
In planning instructional units with a large group of both male and female students, it is important for the teacher to:
incorporate activities into the instruction that appeal to the interests and strengths of both male and female students.
Haru is a sixth-grade student from Japan. Haru, similar to some other Japanese students, is passive, especially when interacting with adults. He is hesitant to share his insights and engage in class discussions. What should Haru's teacher do to ensure he is getting the most from his learning experience?
incorporate group work into activities throughout the day
In a very diverse class, the teacher notices that some students from the same culture are eager to help others before ensuring they have finished their work. This may be due to cultural impact on:
interactions.
A teacher is preparing a lesson for a small group of students with moderate-to-severe physical disabilities. The students will sequence events from a short reading passage. Which of the following instructional activities would be most appropriate for this group of students?
oral discussion
A kindergarten teacher is planning to read the book Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins, by James Dean, to the class and ask some text-dependent questions. The teacher has several English Language Learners in the classroom and wants to ask developmentally appropriate questions. In the book, five pumpkins sit on a gate, fly in the air, and trick or treat, among other fall activities. The book talks about each pumpkin, from number one to number five, and each one's unique characteristics. At the end of the story, the pumpkins are shown walking away from the reader, ready to have fun. The teacher turns to the page in the book where the pumpkins are flying and says, "What are the pumpkins doing?" When calling on students, the teacher should expect a student with a beginning level of oral language proficiency to respond by:
pointing to the flying pumpkin in the book while the teacher holds it open.
Use the details below to answer the questions that follow: A seventh-grade science teacher has several English language learners from Mexico in his class. This week he is teaching his students about local endangered and extinct species. Coincidently, the week ends on November 1st, the day of the traditional Mexican holiday, The Day of the Dead. Traditionally, on this day, family and friends gather and celebrate their loved ones who have passed away. The teacher decides to use this as an opportunity for a fun activity. At the start of the week, he assigns each student an endangered or extinct species to research. He gives them most of the week to gather information and create a poster with details about their species and why it is endangered or extinct. He encourages students to be creative and incorporate costumes or food if they choose. On Friday, the class has a celebration, which mimics the Mexican Day of The Dead celebration, during which students display their posters and celebrate the lives of their species. In the development of this activity, this teacher is most likely trying to:
promote students' cultural awareness.
Use the details below to answer the questions that follow: A seventh-grade science teacher has several English language learners from Mexico in his class. This week he is teaching his students about local endangered and extinct species. Coincidently, the week ends on November 1st, the day of the traditional Mexican holiday, The Day of the Dead. Traditionally, on this day, family and friends gather and celebrate their loved ones who have passed away. The teacher decides to use this as an opportunity for a fun activity. At the start of the week, he assigns each student an endangered or extinct species to research. He gives them most of the week to gather information and create a poster with details about their species and why it is endangered or extinct. He encourages students to be creative and incorporate costumes or food if they choose. On Friday, the class has a celebration, which mimics the Mexican Day of The Dead celebration, during which students display their posters and celebrate the lives of their species. In order to scaffold this activity for the intermediate English language learners (ELLs) in the classroom, what could the teacher do?
provide students with sentence stems to use on their posters
Ms. Samson has recently started a new unit with her fifth-grade science class on the plant life cycle. During class, the students were introduced to several new vocabulary words. For homework, she asks the students to complete a writing prompt describing the process of photosynthesis. What can Ms. Samson do to assist her intermediate-level English-language learners (ELLs) with this task?
provide them with sentence frames
At the beginning of the year, an elementary teacher learns that her class roster includes two students with mild autism. Which of the following teacher actions would be most effective in addressing the social and academic needs of the students?
providing a quiet space in the classroom for students to calm down when overstimulated
A student was recently dismissed from the English as a Second Language (ESL) program after showing proficient skills in everyday spoken English. The student is continuing to struggle with academic language and needs assistance when answering vocabulary-intense questions in class. Which of the following would be an appropriate accommodation for the student?
providing sentence stems to help with answering questions
Mr. Driscoll is worried about Kai, an English-language learner (ELL) from Brazil. Kai is at the beginning level of language proficiency in speaking and doesn't participate in classroom conversations. Even when Mr. Driscoll asks him a question directly, Kai doesn't say anything. What should Mr. Driscoll do?
respect Kai's silent period
A high school ESL teacher is struggling to find new ways for her advanced English-language learners (ELLs) to demonstrate their comprehension of increasingly complex English texts. After every reading assignment, she asks them to independently respond to questions about the reading. What's another way the students can demonstrate their comprehension?
retelling or summarizing text
A teacher has several intermediate-level English-language learners in her class for the first time. She is planning to introduce a text in class and wants to ensure that the ELLs are able to follow along. She asks the ESL teacher for advice, and the ESL teacher suggests:
selecting high-interest texts with common vocabulary.
An elementary science teacher is starting a new unit on the solar system. He is introducing the concept of planets and space and wants to ensure that all of his English-language learners (ELLs) are able to follow along. Which of the following accommodations would be appropriate for ELLs with a beginning level of listening proficiency? Select all answers that apply
speaking slowly; using pictures and diagrams;
After observing Enrique in the classroom and researching his past assessment data from the previous years, Mr. Stancill decides that the student is not performing up to his potential. During an individual conference, Enrique tells the teacher that he is currently working varied part-time hours. He verbalizes that he likes school but plans on dropping out when he reaches sixteen because his father needs help with finances in order to take care of the family. Enrique further states that his parents do not place very much importance on the necessity of education. This situation best illustrates that:
teachers should be aware and concerned about differing factors and morals in families and communities and how they may seriously affect individual student performance.
A science teacher has a classroom that includes English Language Learners and students who are receiving special education services. When introducing a unit of study on photosynthesis, the teacher uses plants in the classroom to demonstrate the effects of photosynthesis. As an extension to this activity, students are encouraged to observe plants on their own and discuss what they have learned about photosynthesis at the beginning of the next class. Which of the following strategies would be most beneficial to all of the diverse learners in the class?
the teacher using concrete examples to teach and reinforce an abstract concept
Ms. Green has a new student join her third-grade class mid-year from a homeschool environment. She notices the student does not participate in discussions or ask questions during the lessons. Which of the following should Ms. Green first consider when approaching this classroom issue?
The student could be adjusting to the new environment and not be aware of the cultural norms of a public school setting.
Which of the following situations may prompt a teacher to consider whether a student may be exhibiting signs of a specific learning disability?
The student has been identified as having average intelligence on a standardized assessment but consistently receives low scores on assignments and assessments.
A sixth-grade ELL student, Marta, routinely approaches the teacher's desk to ask questions and maintains proximity to the teacher while asking the questions. The teacher becomes uncomfortable with such proximity. What is the best explanation for the student's behavior?
The student's native culture uses proximity in personal conversation.
A new teacher is preparing to begin a unit of study in which students will read a novel whose main character has a disability. The teacher's class includes several students with IEPs and Section 504 plans. The teacher would like to introduce the topic in a way that is sensitive to all students in the class. Which of the following describes is the best way to approach this situation?
The teacher can introduce important topics and concepts from the novel which may include a discussion of the character's disability. Offer to have all students ask questions or share their knowledge about these topics.
Mr. Jones has a diverse class of English language learners. He thinks that it would be a great idea to have each student prepare a 5-minute oral presentation about his/her hobbies. The students are all encouraged to use visuals to aid their presentation. What would be the main benefit of this activity?
The teacher will learn more about the personality, strengths, and needs of the students.
Which of the following characteristics would an advanced reader demonstrate?
They focus on obtaining meaning from the text
During and after science instruction, the fifth-grade teacher wants to assess his English language learners' science skills and knowledge. What is the best way to accurately assess their learning?
Use various assessment measures (demonstration, oral, performance) to allow students multiple ways to demonstrate their learning.
Mr. Keogh, a high-school chemistry teacher, notices that his ELLs are having trouble understanding what to do in an experiment. Which of the following strategies would be an effective way to help the students?
showing the students a diagram depicting the steps they need to perform
Mr. Brown is teaching his kindergarten students the difference between a solid, a liquid, and a gas. He finds that two English Language Learners don't seem to understand. Mr. Brown has four ideas to try. Which of the following is the least effective component of a lesson to help students learn the terminology and concepts?
Make up a worksheet in the students' native language and have them work solely in their language.
Mr. Daubert is doing his best to create a culturally responsive classroom. In order to do this, which of the following facts should he be aware of? Select all answers that apply.
Cultures are heterogeneous; Cultures are dynamic; Individuals within cultures differ.
Which of the following activities could a kindergarten teacher do with her students to best promote the students' language comprehension and production?
Discuss the students' interpretation and thoughts about various picture books.
A content-based ESL teacher is writing a lesson about natural resources. While developing her lesson for the English language learners in her class, she knows certain things cannot be compromised. What does she need to keep in mind when creating the lesson?
ELLs must be exposed to grade-level content.
A teacher uses simple sentences and familiar vocabulary to instruct the class. Which type of students would particularly benefit from this style of instruction?
English language learners (ELL)
Which of the following descriptions is characteristic of a culturally responsive teacher?
Ms. Jones recognizes that in some cultures, children avert eye contact from adults out of respect for authority.
Mr. Johnson has prepared a presentation for his 10th grade social studies class about World War II. He is concerned some of the presentation might be difficult for his English language learner students. Which of the following would be the best strategy to promote understanding among English language learners during the presentation?
Pause after complete thoughts while using visual images to represent the content of the presentation.
A tenth-grade English teacher wants her class to use a wide variety of resources and technology in their end-of-year project. She asks each student to use three online sources and two written sources and incorporate a multimedia presentation to show the class. After class, four students who have limited opportunities and technological resources outside of school approach her and express their concern that they may not be able to fulfill all the project requirements because of their limited means. The teacher can best respond and meet the needs of the students using which of the following strategies?
Place students into small groups that consist of students of varying means and abilities while also structuring class time so all students have equal access to the school's equipment. It will be important to let each student know the after-school hours available to access the school resources.
Haruka is an ELL student from Japan. Mr. Laserna, her English literature teacher, was very impressed by her essay and read a portion to the class, pointing out all the things that she had done well. While he was reading, Haruka became visibly uncomfortable and looked down toward the floor. What could be the reason for this?
Haruka is used to a collectivistic culture, where modesty is valued.
Halfway through the school year, Mr. Hernandez's fourth-grade class has a new student join the class. The student is from Argentina and, although he can speak English, does not appear to be making friends with his classmates. Which of the following classroom activities would be the most likely to promote an understanding and appreciation of different cultures among the students?
Have students research their own backgrounds and give a class presentation about their ancestors' cultures.
Xiao, an ELL student from China, has recently joined Mr. Bernstein's history class. Whenever Mr. Bernstein calls on Xiao, Xiao stands up to answer the question. What characteristic of Chinese culture is the likely cause of this behavior?
In China, students treat teachers with much authority and respect.
Mr. Newton, an elementary teacher, is organizing his classroom resources for the upcoming school year. One of his goals for the year is to help students appreciate and understand cultural diversity. Which of the following strategies would be most effective for meeting this goal?
Incorporate books and other resources that represent a variety of cultural perspectives into classroom learning lessons.
Mr. Germaine has some English-language learners in his 8th-grade history class. When responding to a prompt about western expansion, Maria, an English-learner from Mexico, writes the following: "In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase made the US twice more big than before. The American people was interesting in new land. Everyone want land to farm, you know? So, many people moved west." Her writing style is characteristic of a student at which of the following levels of writing proficiency?
Intermediate
Mr. Samson, a sixth-grade science teacher, is trying to determine the speaking proficiency level of Roberto, an English-language learner from Mexico. Last week in a small group discussion, Roberto was able to express himself using academic vocabulary in short phrases to explain the food chain and then to talk about animals in Mexico. He had some long pauses and some pronunciation errors, which made it hard for his classmates to understand him. When asked to elaborate, he made some errors as he tried to use less familiar vocabulary. Later in the class, Roberto participated in some small talk with his group about his weekend plans using simple, original statements. What speaking proficiency level is Roberto demonstrating characteristics of?
Intermediate
Mr. Martin is planning an instructional unit and wants to adjust the lesson to meet the needs of the English language learners in his class. Each student has a varying level of English proficiency. What is the best strategy to adjust the instructional unit to meet the students' needs?
Make dictionaries accessible to the students and allow for additional time to complete the assignments while other students work independently.
