Practice Test

Abi, a fifth-grader, is reading aloud to his teacher during one-on-one reading time. His teacher uses this time to evaluate ongoing fluency and comprehension skills. Following today's reading, Abi's teacher determines that he needs practice with words that begin with digraphs. Which of the following sets of words would most likely be part of this assignment?

a. Chicken, Shells, That b. Were, Frame, Click c. Sponge, Think, Blank d. Packed, Blistered, Smoothed

Mr. James created a poster featuring this chart to accompany his class instruction for the day. He will be showing students how to organize information into text organizers to help themselves understand what they have read. What other skill might this kind of organizer build as well? Brady is unable to understand his brother's decision to go to college in another state. *Grew up in a rural town with a close-knit family *Wants to take over the family business *Loves his next-door neighbor, Ellie, who takes care of her elderly grandmother

a. Constructing a paragraph b. Answering literature-based multiple-choice questions c. Character analysis d. Writing conventions

What is the most likely purpose for the teacher to partner with a new student during each Daily Chat? a. She wants to make sure that the students get positive feedback on a regular basis during skill-building exercises. b. She has found that there are almost always absent students, creating a space for her to function as a partner during days where one student lacks a partner. c. She recognizes the value of building oral communication skills with adults as well as peers. d. She wants to demonstrate how to resolve conflicts or common problems that students often face when attempting to communicate effectively.

A middle school teacher consistently includes "the Daily Chat" in her lesson plans, several times a week. Students are placed into pairs, with the occasional group of three. The teacher chooses one student during each chat with whom she will partner. During these conversations, students can pick a topic and discuss it for five to ten minutes. They are asked to use the following log sheet: Date: Name: Partner's Name: ð My partner looked at me most of the time while we were speaking. ð My partner listened while I was speaking. ð My partner waited until I finished before taking his turn to speak. ð My partner enunciated while speaking (I understood the words he was saying). ð My partner explained himself well (I understood the ideas behind what he was saying).

Which skill is least likely to be improved by this activity? a. Active listening; students listen for the purpose of understanding and responding appropriately. b. Speaking clearly; students practice speaking in ways that can be easily heard and understood. c. Nonverbal communication skills; students communicate engagement in conversation through body language, etc. d. Oral conflict resolution; students can resolve disagreements using their verbal skills.

A middle school teacher consistently includes "the Daily Chat" in her lesson plans, several times a week. Students are placed into pairs, with the occasional group of three. The teacher chooses one student during each chat with whom she will partner. During these conversations, students can pick a topic and discuss it for five to ten minutes. They are asked to use the following log sheet: Date: Name: Partner's Name: ð My partner looked at me most of the time while we were speaking. ð My partner listened while I was speaking. ð My partner waited until I finished before taking his turn to speak. ð My partner enunciated while speaking (I understood the words he was saying). ð My partner explained himself well (I understood the ideas behind what he was saying).

What aspect of this program is most likely to increase all of the fourth-graders' oral language skills?

Mr. Gilbert teaches fourth graders whose reading skills range from emergent to advanced. He introduces an activity called "Book Buddies" in which his students are paired with emerging Kindergarten readers to practice reading beginner-level short books. He hopes they will gain confidence and increase their own reading skills through these visits. Mr. Gilbert's students pick their Book Buddies up once a week and read together for about half an hour. a. Finding opportunities to explain unfamiliar ideas or sound out new words with the younger students. b. Spending time with younger students and being reminded of how much they have learned in the past three years. c. Being exposed to different kinds of reading texts. d. Practicing their decoding skills and increasing their vocabulary.

What might be the best way to adapt the Book Buddy program for fourth grade students who are still learning English?

Mr. Gilbert teaches fourth graders whose reading skills range from emergent to advanced. He introduces an activity called "Book Buddies" in which his students are paired with emerging Kindergarten readers to practice reading beginner-level short books. He hopes they will gain confidence and increase their own reading skills through these visits. Mr. Gilbert's students pick their Book Buddies up once a week and read together for about half an hour. a. Exempt ESOL students from the program altogether so that they can practice reading with their primary teacher. b. Create some groups that have three Book Buddies: a skilled reader, an ESOL student, and a Kindergartener; this will allow the English language learner to listen, learn, and give guidance when he is able. c. Make no changes to the program and simply allow the younger students and the English language learner to help each other decode and compare ideas in their own way. d. Allow English language learners to listen to books on tape read by native English speakers with their Kindergarten partners.

Which of the following practices would assist students in constructing meaning from a fictional text written long before the students were born?

a. After the text is read for homework, students discuss any aspects of the story that they did not understand or that were unfamiliar to them. b. Students individually visualize scenery and events in the text as they read. c. The class makes a list of unfamiliar words in the text and looks them up in the dictionary as the text is read. d. Before the text is assigned, students learn about pertinent historical events or aspects of culture that informed the writing of the text.

Mr. Campbell begins each Language Arts lesson with the "Phrase of the Day." This phrase ranges from analogies to idioms to snippets of figurative language. His students use their journals to explain what they think the phrase means and to draw a picture, also. Mr. Campbell then reveals the phrase's true meaning, which the children record on the same page as their own interpretations. When he reviews these pages in the students' journals, Mr. Campbell is most likely to:

a. Check to ensure that each student is diligently recording both their own interpretations and the correct interpretations. b. Use the mechanics and spelling errors within to help him design test questions and worksheets. c. Grade the pages for originality and humor. d. Use them to informally assess students' oral language skills.

Mr. Waleran requires his students of all ability levels to write freely in their journals twice a week. While students are encouraged to use proper spelling and mechanics as much as possible, the purpose behind this activity is to encourage students to express themselves through writing without concern for grading parameters. How should he adapt this activity for Dimitri, who has several academic delays that keep him from reading and writing in legible or coherent ways?

a. Allow Dimitri to dictate his thoughts to another student or teacher who will then record them into his journal in writing. b. Encourage Dimitri to draw pictures in his journal that represent his thoughts, and encourage him to use the words he knows to label or describe the pictures. c. Tell Dimitri to keep an audio journal at home, using a personal tape recorder. d. Require Dimitri to attempt to write in complete sentences as much as he can, and then edit the journal together for spelling and mechanical errors.

Mr. Callas is introducing a unit on oral traditions from around the world. He wants his seventh-grade students to gain a better understanding of the relationship between written text and oral language, as well as increase their multi-cultural understanding. Which of the following assignments would be the most relevant?

a. "Read Chapter 12 on Oral Traditions and complete the end-of-chapter review." b. "Select a poem or song from a culture around the world and recite it for the class." c. "Conduct a poll of twenty fellow students, asking about their family's country of origin. Present a graph or diagram of your results in class." d. "Choose a country to research and write a first-person narrative about a typical day in the life of one of its citizens. The narratives will be read in class."

Which of the following vocabulary activities would best prepare students for a unit on imagery and figurative language?

a. A class discussion on the difference between literal and inferential comprehension. b. A worksheet on synonyms and antonyms. c. A set of word games (e.g., crosswords, word searches) involving adjectives and adverbs. d. A vocabulary quiz

In monitoring a group of elementary-age students' reading fluency, which of the following students may need extra or specialized instruction?

a. A student who reads an unfamiliar text more slowly than he reads a familiar text. b. A student reading an independent-level text, finding approximately 1 in 25 words difficult to read. c. A student reading an instructional-level text, finding approximately 1 in 5 words difficult to read. d. A student who scores a 70% on a comprehension test.

Which of the following reading assignments would be most appropriate as a context for teaching students how to preview information to improve comprehension?

a. A written version of a popular movie that most of the students have seen outside of class. b. A reading assignment from the students' science class that they will be tested on next month. c. A novel the students read in English class last year. d. A set of poems that will be studied next month during Poetry Week.

What is the first point at which the teacher should meet individually to talk with the student? A middle school class is working through the process of creating a research project. Since this kind of assignment is completely new, their teacher provides direct instruction and practice assignments to help the students approach the large project.

a. After the student first chooses a topic b. After the student turns in research note cards c. After the student completes the initial outline d. After the rough draft has been turned in

Mr. Garson's sixth-grade class is working on a creative writing assignment in which they imagine themselves living a "day in the life" of a person from another country. This project is intended to help his students understand different points of view. Mr. Garson is surprised that Kim, who moved to Houston from China last year, is struggling to complete the assignment. She is composing very slowly compared to her classmates. How should he help Kim?

a. Allow Kim to write freely in her first language and then ask her English as a Second Language teacher help her translate the assignment into English. b. Suggest that Kim simply write about a day in her own life, since she probably understands the lives of those different from her. c. Allow Kim to choose another topic that she is more comfortable with to write creatively about. d. Pair Kim with another English-language learner to assist her with completing the assignment.

Which of the following strategies would not be helpful in building the word- identification skills of emergent readers?

a. Allowing for invented spelling in written assignments or in class work. b. Reinforcing phonemic awareness while reading aloud. c. Using dictionaries to look up unfamiliar words. d. Studying and reviewing commonly-used sight words at the students' ability level.

Which of the following would be most useful in assessing and documenting students' language progress throughout a school year?

a. An audio/video recording of each student reading the same text at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the year b. A portfolio including pre-tests, post-tests, vocabulary work, journal entries, writing assignments, group projects and other relevant work from throughout the year c. Score composites and details from state- and national-referenced exams or other standardized tests. d. A detailed narrative composed by the student's teacher, detailing strengths, weaknesses, and descriptions of the student's work.

A teacher is fortunate to have many parent volunteers for the current school year, giving him parental help at least three times a week. He wants to utilize these volunteers in a way that will not only take into account their limited training, but will most benefit students. Which option should he choose?

a. Ask each parent to speak to the class about what kinds of literacy skills they use each day in their careers. b. Enlist parents to help grade papers and presentations using a rubric. c. Ask parents to listen to his students read challenging but manageable texts, one at a time, helping students identify and sound out unfamiliar words. d. Primarily utilize parents' for non-instructional tasks, such as making copies, organizing the class library, monitoring the classroom during test time, etc.

Every year, students prepare with excitement for Historical Characters Day. Each student is expected to choose a character who was influential in years past and compose a report on why he was important. The students are permitted to dress up as their respective characters on the day on which the reports are turned in. This year, the teachers want to incorporate an aspect of this anticipated event that will more directly increase their students' oral communication skills. Of the options they have brainstormed, which of the following would be most helpful?

a. Ask the students to read their reports aloud to the class. b. Require that the reports be memorized so that students can make better use of voice modulation and eye contact while presenting. c. Require the students to write why they chose their character and three interesting things they learned on a set note cards, and present what they have written to the class. d. Hold an election for the student with the most realistic costume and require students to give supporting evidence for their votes.

A seventh-grade teacher wants to encourage her students to read more for pleasure. She knows that the students' comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills will also be improved by reading more frequently. What is the best way to increase the amount of time students spend reading for pleasure?

a. Assign "extra-credit" in which students can write a book report on a favorite book they read as a child. b. Increase the number of books and poems included in each unit of study. c. Ask the students to read a text of their choosing (e.g., a magazine, comic book, internet source, novel) each week and present to the class what they enjoyed about it. d. Have each student make a list of books they would like to read someday and then create a timeline for when they want to complete each one.

Which of the following approaches would increase a middle-school student's preliminary research skills? A middle school class is working through the process of creating a research project. Since this kind of assignment is completely new, their teacher provides direct instruction and practice assignments to help the students approach the large project.

a. Assign and analyze a research paper on a topic of the student's choosing. b. Require students to submit a separate outline before completing a research paper. c. Require students to turn in note cards containing relevant information on each source they will use in an upcoming research project. d. Pre-test on several subjects to determine which area or discipline to explore.

Students in Mr. Carmen's class receive a list of words each month that make up their spelling and vocabulary work. They are expected to write the words in original sentences to help them remember spellings and meanings of each one. Mr. Carmen also, however, wants to build the students' vocabulary using indirect learning styles. Which of the following would not contribute to learning vocabulary indirectly?

a. Assigning more complex "bonus words" each month that can be written and defined for extra credit. b. Expecting students to read a weekly newspaper. c. Watching an instructional-level video in class and discussing any unknown words. d. Asking students to complete a series of short interviews with adults in their lives.

Ms. Trent plans to create a rubric that will help her grade her middle-schoolers' writing samples. She wants to make sure that she is consistent across time and between various students who write with different styles. Which of the following would be most important for her to do in order to help build her students' writing skills?

a. Be sure to include every possible aspect of the writing process so that no detail is left out, as different students have different strengths. b. Share the rubric with students so that they can monitor their own understanding of the writing process as they complete their assignments. c. Use clear, simple language so that there is no confusion at a later date about what was intended. d. Divide each segment of the rubric into its own category and assign equal point values—the purpose of which will be to help students understand that each aspect of the writing process is of equal value.

How could a teacher help this student develop his persuasive writing skills, based on this initial attempt? "Why Peace is Important" Peace is important to our lives. We have to have peace because we can't be fighting all the time. When people fight, they can't do anything else. It also makes everybody else feel upset and angry because they have to listen to the fighting. If you want to have peace you can talk to the person and try to get them to agree with you and say you are sorry if you do something wrong.

a. Continue to give positive reinforcement; this student has a good understanding of the persuasive structure. b. Introduce the use of a graphic organizer or flow chart to help the student organize his main idea and supporting evidence in a logical way. c. Encourage the student to include more details in his writing to make it more interesting and more personal. d. Focus primarily on the editing and revising processes to correct writing conventions, usage, and grammar.

What might be the best method for informally assessing students' writing development and skills?

a. Create a rule that mistakes on class work can always be corrected for extra credit. b. Make time for journaling in class during which students can write freely without being graded on mechanics, spelling, or structure. c. Create a class website upon which students can write content and post comments to one another. d. Occasionally ask the students' other teachers how they are doing with writing assignments.

Ana Velasquez's eighth-grade class at Jones Middle School is beginning a unit in which they will be expected to complete a research project. They will choose from a list of topics and then write a report. Each student is required to have a bibliography that includes at least one entry each from the following sources: the internet, library books, newspaper articles, and magazine articles. Which of the following topics would be the best choice for Ana?

a. Day in the Life of the Velasquez family b. Hurricane Katrina c. The History of Jones High School d. How to get your homework done faster!

Susannah wrote the following journal entry on her happiest memory during journal time: I lov going on picnics with my mom and dad. We et sandwitches and lemanad and somtyms mom and dad drink coffee. we play gams and haf fun. Which of the following reading skills might be most helpful for Susannah?

a. Decoding work focusing on silent ending phonemes. b. Sight word drills and practice. c. Reading aloud to a partner who gives constructive feedback. d. More spelling practice using original sentences.

An eighth-grade teacher notices that her students perform very well on scheduled tests in class, but struggle with pop quizzes or other in-class assignments that involve recalling information. In discussing this issue with other teachers on her team, she finds that this is a pattern across all disciplines. What would be the best way to help students retain information on a daily or weekly basis in the absence of the motivation of an upcoming test?

a. Devote the first few minutes of class on previewing information and tasks and the last few minutes of each class summarizing highlights from class work and homework reading. b. Increase the frequency of pop quizzes in hopes that the students will begin to study at home more often. c. Give the students a study guide before each quiz so they know what will be tested. d. Allow the students to work on the quizzes in groups so that they can help each other with memory and recall.

1. Which lesson would not be helpful in addressing the primary issues in the students' writing? Dear Grandma, Hello, how are you doing? How are grandpa and Daisy? Daisy is such a cute Dog she is growing up really fast. I just started Middle School last month, I stay late on Tusdays and Thursdays so I can practice with the Team and go to meetings. I wasn't too sure how it would work out for me when I started. there is a lot more homework and lots of new, older kids. but I am starting to get used to the homework and have met some cool, new friends. I am really looking forward to visting you and grandpa during Thanksgiving. I also joined the soccer team and the drama club. thank you so much for the art set you sent me for my birthday. I have already used it to do some skeches and some sculpting! Please make the Pumpkin Pie that I like so much! Okay, that's about all I have to say right now. Write me back if you can I'll see you soon! Love, Chris

a. Direct instruction on organizing ideas. b. Practice with peer-editing for punctuation and capitalization errors. c. Correcting sentences that incorrectly use passive voice. d. Review of commonly-made spelling and capitalization mistakes.

A sixth-grade teacher is preparing to begin a unit in which students will be reading a novel in class. She plans to use the novel to teach her students specific strategies to improve and monitor their reading comprehension. Which of the following techniques would likely be taught during class?

a. Discuss story elements such as exposition, climax and resolution. b. Demonstrate the practice of stopping at the end of chapters to summarize and review the content. c. Ask students to complete a review sheet before taking the unit test. d. Practice decoding unfamiliar words throughout the book by using knowledge of frequently-used root words.

Which of the following exercises would be the most appropriate tool for helping students evaluate the effectiveness of their own spoken messages?

a. Discuss written and oral assignments in class before completing them. Once the assignments are completed, the teacher meets individually with each student to discuss the content and effectiveness of each student's work. b. Instruct students to present oral reports in class, which are then "graded" by classmates. A score of 1-10 is assigned based on students' perception of the reports' clarity. The student's average score determines his report's effectiveness. c. Ask each student to prepare an oral report and a content quiz that highlights the report's main idea. The student then uses classmates' scores on the reviews to determine his report's effectiveness. d. Put students into groups of three. Two students complete a role-playing assignment based on prompts provided by the teacher. The third student gives constructive feedback on how the other two can refine and clarify their speech.

All of the following are standard expectations of a child upon entering sixth grade (middle school), except for one. Which one is not a standard expectation of a child entering sixth grade?

a. Identify and correctly spell words that are known as "commonly misspelled words," such as their/they're/there. b. Identify various points of view in a text, including first-person, third-person, etc. c. Compose poetry employing techniques such as figurative language, alliteration, onomatopoeia, etc. d. Understands the meanings and uses of various parts of speech in reading and writing: verbs, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, conjunctions, adverbs, prepositions, etc.

After reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in class, students watch the most recent Hollywood film version, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Their teacher leads a class discussion after the film. Which of the following essay topics would be most helpful in challenging students to analyze how visual media affects their perceptions of a piece of literature?

a. Discuss your favorite character in the film version of Romeo and Juliet, and give at least three reasons to back up your opinion. b. Which version of Romeo and Juliet did you like better, and why? c. Compare the film with the play and point out at least four instances in which portions of the play were left out of the film version. d. Describe the setting of the film and discuss why you think the film's director chose to portray the play in modern times.

All of the following approaches are important for building students' writing skills in conjunction with one another, except:

a. Discussing the various purposes for writing, including self-expression, narration, story-telling, persuasion and explanation. b. Exercises and activities that isolate and build students' writing skills, including grammar, spelling, mechanics, etc. c. Creating multiple and various opportunities for students to feel more at ease with the process, diminishing fear or discomfort with it. d. Maintaining a sequential approach to teaching writing, allowing all students to excel at one level or in one context before moving on to another.

What particular skill does this set of questions address? 1. Victor spends about an hour every day helping his grandmother around the house. 2. Stella is always quick to smile and talk with new students at school. 3. Jorge did not read the directions that came with his brand new telescope. 4. Faye has been enjoying the weekend art classes she just began. _____a. He does not see or learn as much as he could. _____b. They have grown much closer and have a stronger relationship. _____c. She has begun to teach her little sister some of the things she has learned. _____d. She is well-respected among all the students.

a. Distinguishing fact from opinion b. Relationship of main and supporting ideas c. Understanding cause and effect d. Sequencing in a story

A teacher notices that her new student, Carl, has a hard time answering questions related to comprehension during class and has scored low on comprehension quizzes and worksheets. What would be the most logical first step in determining how to help Carl?

a. Encourage Carl to read all assigned texts at least twice before class to help him understand what he has read. b. Provide Carl with story maps of what he will be reading to assist his comprehension visually. c. Ask Carl to read aloud with his teacher individually so that she can ensure that he is reading with expected accuracy and speed (i.e., fluently). d. Modify Carl's class work so that he is able to work on easier comprehension material until his skills are brought up to speed.

Mrs. Costanza's eighth-grade students bring up some concerns during class time. They complain that their teachers are assigning too much reading for homework and that they are worried that they will never be able to retain the information for tests. Some students say that they don't know how to predict what information is important and what is not. What can Mrs. Costanza do to help them?

a. Encourage students to allow enough time when studying to effectively memorize all the necessary information in the texts and assigned readings. b. Teach the students the SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite/Write, and Review) method. c. Ask other eighth-grade teachers to provide study guides that will outline exactly what will be on each test. d. Discuss the importance of taking detailed notes in class and asking relevant questions during class discussions.

Mrs. Matson would like to not only give students a chance to voice their feelings about the changing communications with their parents, but also help them find a way to channel those feelings into something positive. Which project would be best for allowing students a positive way to communicate with their parents about what is happening in school? Mrs. Matson's 6th graders are chatting during snack time and she overhears the following conversation: Ellie: I hate how my mom always asks me how my day was, every single day! And then she gets mad when I say it's fine. But it really IS fine almost every day! Brynn: Oh, I know! My dad always wants to know what my reading is about, but sometimes I just don't feel like talking about it. It takes long enough to read it without talking about it. Jon: You have it easy. My mom AND dad help me with my homework every night, and then they give me extra work to do!

a. Encourage the students to talk to their parents about everything that is happening in school; after all, their parents only want to help them. b. After talking about this issue, ask the students to write short pieces about their schoolwork and experiences during the day and compile them into a newsletter to be sent home every two weeks. c. Help the students write letters to their parents, telling them how they feel about the issue d. Tell students to keep a log of their activities in the classroom and throughout the day to be shown to parents on a daily or weekly basis.

1. Which of the following practices is the best use of technology to increase reading comprehension and literacy skills?

a. Encourage the use of tape recorders in class, by which students can record classroom conversations and lessons to be reviewed during homework and study time. b. Accessing a specific website online that shows children how to use graphic organizers for the stories and texts which they are reading in class. c. Allowing students who have completed their class work to play games or spend monitored time online. d. Asking students to read articles on various comprehension skills and provide a post- test to measure how well they can apply specific skills.

Which of the following generally would not be expected of an eighth-grader?

a. Identify grade-level vocabulary words and be able to decode their roots, prefixes, and suffixes, as well as non-English words that are commonly used in English writing (e.g. phenomenon, charisma, etc.). b. Analyze literary works and identify common themes in various pieces of literature. c. Understand different points of view in literature (e.g. omniscient, subjective) d. Explain how media messages are reflective of the literature in cultures from which they originate.

Some of the students in Mr. Smith's fourth-grade class cannot decode words well enough to read fluently in class. He knows they are well behind grade level and that he needs to provide them with activities that will allow them to be successful, building skills and confidence at the same time. Which activity would be best for this purpose?

a. Enlist the parents' help by sending home a weekly list of sight words that the students can practice and memorize, decreasing the need to decode when they read. b. Show the students how to create words out of movable alphabet tiles or magnetic letters, building (encoding) words as they sound them out. c. Provide the children with early childhood readers that contain only very simple words so that the children will not feel badly as they read. d. Allow those children having trouble to stop each time they reach a challenging word and sound it out carefully, recording it to a list that will be studied for homework.

Ms. Burns' fourth-graders are working very hard at building writing skills on many levels. They have come a long way with their knowledge of the six traits of writing, as well as their confidence in their own abilities. Some of the students have trouble finding their own unique "voices" when writing, probably because they are working so hard to maintain accurate grammar, spelling, organization, and continuity of ideas. How can Ms. Burns help the students inject their own personalities and voices into their writing without sacrificing correctness?

a. Explain that they should always be sure to include personal opinions and insights to make the writing interesting. b. Project overhead examples of good writing that appropriately utilizes personal voice and lead a discussion about them in class. c. Guide students to select only topics with which they are very knowledgeable and explain that it is never a good idea to write about something that is unfamiliar to them. d. Teach students to imagine themselves as a new character every time they write--they should write from the point of view of that individual, phrasing things the way that person or character would if they were speaking.

A Language teacher is introducing a new writing topic to her class. She asks them to pretend that the person they are writing to or for is "an alien from outer space." What type of writing is she probably introducing?

a. Fantasy/fiction b. Poetry c. Persuasive essay d. How-to article

What would be the best way for Mrs. Blaine to help Alex build his skills in this area? The following conversation took place after class as a sixth-grade teacher handed Alex his most recent book report. Mrs. Blaine: "Alex, I think you did an excellent job on the first part of your book report. You really picked up on a lot of the details in the plot—what a great memory you have! But what about the second part of the assignment? I didn't see anything about whether or not you liked the book with reasons for your opinion?" Alex: "Yea...I just wasn't really sure what to write on that part, so I left it blank." Mrs. Blaine: "Can you tell me now how you felt about the book?" Alex: "It was alright, I guess. It was pretty good. It was boring at first, but I liked the way it ended." Mrs. Blaine: "And why is that?" Alex: "It was cool how the burglar was someone you knew all along; the author gave you clues and stuff throughout the story and you could try to solve the mystery while you were reading it." Mrs. Blaine: "I understand. I liked that part of the story, too. Getting started on work like this can be challenging at first. But it is important that you begin to learn this skill because you will use it over and over again in school and in your eventual career. Let's talk about some ways to help you get going." Alex: "Okay...sounds good."

a. Have Alex write his opinions and each supporting idea on paper plates or pieces of cardstock and show him how to move them around and arrange them in logical order on a large table or the floor. b. Have Alex explain his opinions and supporting ideas to her while she writes them down for him; he can then re-write them into the body of his report. c. Have Alex participate in extra lessons that let him explore his feelings about or reactions to various media, including books. d. Have Alex review each assignment with her before he turns it in to ensure that he has not left anything out.

Mr. Talbot's class has an opportunity to begin writing letters to students in France who are learning English, just as Mr. Talbot's class is learning French. He knows that this will be an excellent opportunity for the students to work on letter-writing as well as build their language skills. What other writing skill can he use this opportunity to strengthen in his students?

a. He can help them work through the five-step writing process and the six traits of writing; letter-writing is an excellent exercise for bringing all of those traits and steps together. b. He can teach them the proper formatting of letters and the etiquette of writing a good letter. c. He can teach them to consider their audience when writing by talking about what they know of their pen pals' lives, what they would find interesting, and how to communicate effectively with others who are not like themselves. d. He can teach his students about the importance of proper writing conventions like punctuation, grammar, and spelling, because their pen pals are still learning English.

1. Students in an eighth grade class examine this vocabulary list on Monday. Which literary genre is likely to be introduced this week? Vocabulary: Narrative Heroism Ancient Martyr Duality Supernatural Deity Culture

a. Historical Fiction b. Poetry c. Mythology d. Drama

Which question below applies most closely to data analysis skills for Mrs. Layton's fifth- graders? Our Hobbies Reading. 8 Soccer. 4 Dance. 3 Art. 10 Music. 9 Video Games 2

a. How many students in all reported their hobbies in this chart? b. Which of these hobbies is the best use of time for students? c. What kind of activities do the students enjoy most: physical or artistic? d. What is the numeric difference between the most popular and least popular hobby?

What should she add to this list for students who are struggling with writing? A teacher provides some guidelines for her students who are having trouble with the Revision step of the writing process: Take your time Read very carefully, line by line Use the proper symbols for specific revisions

a. If you find a mistake, re-write the whole sentence again. b. Ask a family member or friend to read your writing and suggest any revisions you ought to make. c. Read the paper once to correct only one convention at a time; re-reading multiple times helps eliminate mistakes. d. Write your paper carefully the first time around so that you do not have to spend much time in revision.

A teacher notices that one of her students is inconsistent with recalling his letter- sounds. He may remember a particular sound or blend one day and read it correctly; however, the next day, he may not be able to produce the same sound. What should she do?

a. Immediately refer the student to the appropriate professional for educational testing since it is likely that he is exhibiting early signs of a learning difference or disability. b. Recognize that children all learn at different rates and that learning and producing letter-sounds involve multiple mental processes. Give the student as much time as he needs to internalize the sounds and produce them correctly. c. Provide the student with targeted instruction in letter-sound correspondence, using a schema such as Alphabet Action, in which letter-sounds are associated with physical actions (e.g., C is for Catch). Set a time frame after which, if the student does not improve, to begin the procedure for special-needs testing. d. Hold a conference with the child's parents and encourage them to seek outside tutoring or professional assistance with his reading skills.

Which of the following approaches would be best for scaffolding students' peer interactions regarding classroom and independent reading?

a. Incorporating debates into class time in which students are assigned an argument and must debate its merits with another student. b. Encourage students to form book groups outside of the classroom in which they select and discuss books of interest. c. Free discussion across the entire classroom in which students raise their hands to share thoughts and are called upon by the teacher. d. Dividing students into small groups of three or four and discussing comprehension/opinion questions, monitored by the teacher.

Which of the following students is not performing "at grade level" and may warrant academic support or testing?

a. Karishma, seventh grade, looks panicked and becomes very quiet when asked to state her opinion about a particular subject in class discussions and rarely raises her hand when a question about text comprehension is posed. b. Lynne, fifth grade, is able to comprehend most of what she reads in plays and in fiction, but sometimes has trouble understanding poetry. c. Barron, sixth grade, can read fluently aloud and often recall concrete facts, but is rarely able to draw conclusions, make inferences, or understand figurative language. d. Sebastien, eighth grade, lacks motivation to read much of what is assigned in class and frequently fails to complete his homework; he often contributes intelligently to class discussions.

Mrs. Bundy has three groups of students in her fifth-grade English class: those who want to answer every question, those who only speak when spoken to, and those who never speak at all. She is making plans for upcoming lessons and thinks about the last group of children who never speak up in class. What is important for Mrs. Bundy to know and do with respect to these students?

a. Know that some students are simply quiet and do not feel comfortable speaking up in class. As long as the children are completing their work accurately, do not be concerned about them. b. Speak with those students after or before class. Let them know how important it is to express themselves in class, because that is part of what building literacy is all about. c. Make a point to speak directly to those students who talk less in class. Limit the amount of time the more verbal students can speak in class and require the quieter students to answer more direct questions and prompts. d. Place students who don't speak up in class together for group work. Make a point to spend time with those groups to give guidance and encouragement as they express their ideas verbally.

Which activity would benefit this student's writing skills the most? I like sweets. Cookies, cake and ice cream are very sweet and good. I like to eat these things after school or after I eat. Sweet tastes are the best for me and I do not like salty food. When I eat dessert, I feel so good and happy. My mom says that I should not eat too many sweets or I will get cavities, so I have to brush my teeth after eating them.

a. Make "word bulletin boards" with the student to help her build vocabulary to make her writing more interesting. b. Practice with editing other students' writing to familiarize her with writing conventions. c. Grammar exercises, specifically subject-verb agreement. d. Encouraging her to select a more challenging writing topic to stretch her skill level.

An eighth-grade teacher plans to deliver a test on a book recently read and discussed in class. He plans to include some short answers, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blanks, and 2-3 essay questions. The students are familiar with multiple-choice and fill-ins, but are not accustomed to short answers and essays. He wants to scaffold their attempts to study the large amount of material. What should he do?

a. Make the test "open-notes." b. Provide a copy of the questions ahead of time so that the students can formulate their answers. c. Provide several sessions of written practice and instruction with similar short-answer and essay questions, and discuss the students' answers afterward. d. Allow the students to re-take the test if they struggle the first time around.

An eighth-grade class will be watching a mystery film in English class over the next two days. Throughout the story, the camera will often focus on objects or clothing that are colored bright red. These objects are always related to clues that lead the character toward solving the mystery. What literary device is the students' teacher planning to introduce in this context?

a. Media deconstruction b. Color imagery c. Alliteration d. Symbolism

What step should be included at #3 to supplement her instruction? A teacher is talking with her students about the best way to retain information learned during a unit or course of study. She wants them to be prepared for high school and college, during which they will rely primarily on their class notes to study for tests and prepare papers. She describes these steps: 1. Read all assigned material before class. Make notes on any new vocabulary, questions or ideas you have as you read. 2. Take notes in class based on discussions and lectures. 3. Before the test, review your notes and assigned readings, spending more time on those segments which you remember the least.

a. Meet with a partner for any information you failed to write down during class. b. Take an audio recorder with you in order to record everything discussed in lectures and class. c. Review your notes periodically; at least once a week. d. Read all assigned material at least once more in its entirety.

Which of these sets of factors would most greatly affect a student's reading comprehension in class and on tests?

a. Oral language development, written language development and eating a healthy breakfast. b. Word analysis skills, sight word knowledge and ability to monitor understanding. c. Vocabulary development, sight word knowledge and reference skills. d. Prior knowledge, good classroom participation and academic performance in other subjects.

A sixth-grade class is instructed to write letters to family members describing daily life that will be sent out via the post office. The teacher notices several writing errors that are common across the writing samples. If this letter is a primary example of these writing errors, which set is most salient? Dear Grandma, Hello, how are you doing? How are grandpa and Daisy? Daisy is such a cute Dog she is growing up really fast. I just started Middle School last month, I stay late on Tusdays and Thursdays so I can practice with the Team and go to meetings. I wasn't too sure how it would work out for me when I started. there is a lot more homework and lots of new, older kids. but I am starting to get used to the homework and have met some cool, new friends. I am really looking forward to visting you and grandpa during Thanksgiving. I also joined the soccer team and the drama club. thank you so much for the art set you sent me for my birthday. I have already used it to do some skeches and some sculpting! Please make the Pumpkin Pie that I like so much! Okay, that's about all I have to say right now. Write me back if you can I'll see you soon! Love, Chris

a. Organization of ideas, capitalization and punctuation b. Contractions, punctuation, and writing style c. Capitalization, spelling and use of passive voice d. Writing style, organization of ideas, and use of active voice

1. Which of the following choices shows the correct type of text matched with an appropriate strategy for increasing reading comprehension?

a. Popular magazine: critical analysis/deconstruction b. Literary novel: key concept synthesis c. Persuasive essay: journaling over time, recording personal thoughts about the reading d. Chapter from science textbook: text outlining with vocabulary and main ideas A class considers the paragraph below: Sarah and Kelly grinned at one another conspiratorially as they approached Dad, who was quietly reading his paper in the living room. "Dad, we'd like to ride our bikes down to Emil's house today," giggled Kelly. She glanced at her sister and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Dad appeared to think this over for a moment and replied, "Sure, that's fine with me!" The girls scampered to get their bikes and were soon on their way. With the children gone, Dad noticed how peaceful and quiet the house sounded. His reverie was quickly interrupted as he heard Mom calling from upstairs, "okay, everybody, I told you at breakfast that I need as much help as I can get to help me give the dog a bath, clean the house and finish the laundry today!" Dad groaned, knowing that he had been conned!

A teacher wants to work on her students' listening comprehension in addition to their reading comprehension, since she understands that the skills are interrelated. She has a series of short stories that she thinks the students will enjoy. Which of the following would be the best supplement to typical written comprehension exercises?

a. Preview content and then read the stories aloud to the students. Assess listening comprehension through verbal and written questions. b. Ask the students to choose one story each to read aloud to a small group. Encourage the students to discuss what they have learned afterward. c. Assign each student a story to read and require them to write a report on it. Each student should then present his report based on what he has learned to the class. d. Have the students read stories aloud to the class, and create mock tests based upon the main ideas which they identify.

Which of the following strategies would be most appropriate for increasing comprehension before reading a chapter book without pictures?

a. Previewing the chapter titles and identifying questions that would be answered by reading. b. Predicting the ending of the story after reading the introduction and first chapter of the book. c. Discussing what the students have heard from other individuals about the story. d. Researching and reading book reviews to get an idea of what experts have said about the story.

1. For students who have access to word processors in class, which phase of the writing process would be most appropriate to require the use of pencil and paper?

a. Prewriting b. Drafting c. Publishing d. Presenting

What activity would be most helpful to the students in the Revision step of the writing process?

a. Provide extra direct instruction or lectures in the specific areas with which the students are struggling. b. Correct the students' writing and then require them to re-write their original pieces using proper grammar, spelling, etc. c. Place the students into pairs and have them correct each other's essays or papers to vary instruction and alleviate aversion to revision. d. Pull sentences from older students' writing and project it on the overhead. Use these samples to guide students in correcting them as a group.

Ms. Walters wants to help her brand-new group of still-emergent fourth-grade students build comprehension skills. Which of the following exercises would be the best way to quickly gauge the students' current comprehension levels during the first week of class?

a. Provide the students with instruction-level text to be read independently. Hold an in- class discussion about what happened in the story. b. Read a story aloud to the class and then ask each student to draw three pictures representing the beginning, middle and end of the story. c. Put students into group or pairs to read the story aloud. Each group then collaborates to answer the story review questions. d. Have each student re-tell the story to the class in his own words.

Which of the following would be the best strategy for helping eighth-grade students choose books that they will read independently and use to write book reports?

a. Provide two choices from which the students can pick that you know everybody can understand. b. Allow students to freely pick their books, but require that they read a few pages aloud to you in order to ensure that the reading level is neither too easy nor too difficult based on their abilities. c. Encourage the students to read a book that contains unfamiliar words and idioms so that they will be challenged to use context clues, dictionaries and other sources to build comprehension. d. Establish no parameters on book selection to encourage free choice and promote students' excitement about the project.

Mrs. Harris is pleased that her fifth-graders are showing progress in their reading comprehension and writing skills. The students are performing very well on their written tests, evaluations, and homework. After the holiday break, she wants to design lessons that increase the students' literacy skills by incorporating multiple contexts. Which of the following might be the best way to do this?

a. Read their next book aloud and discuss it in class. b. Have the students quiz one another in small groups on the content of their textbooks and other reading assignments. c. Read a play in class and allow the students to act it out for their peers following their unit test. d. Administer spelling and vocabulary tests orally to determine students' verbal skills.

Which of the following statements is true regarding the relationship of reading fluency to reading comprehension?

a. Reading fluency and reading comprehension should be considered separate, equally valuable skills that can be taught independently of one another. b. Reading comprehension is an important component of achieving a level of overall reading fluency. c. Reading fluency refers to a set of skills that should be continually improved upon, so that students can consistently comprehend that which they read. d. Reading comprehension and reading fluency are so intertwined that a child struggling in one area is often incapable of making progress in the other.

A teacher plans to use the drawing above to explain story elements. Each point on the line represents an element of the story. Which choice matches the point on the chart with the smiling face above it?

a. Rising Action b. Exposition c. Resolution d. Climax

Which of the following students may need extra instruction and evaluation with respect to oral language skills?

a. Rosa: whose first language is Spanish. Rosa speaks with a distinct accent and can be difficult to understand when speaking about a new or unfamiliar topic. b. Greer: who avoids oral assignments when possible. He avoids speaking up in class and only responds when called upon. c. Ashley: who often has trouble answering questions in class. Her responses are often off-topic. She also struggles with oral presentations, seeming to present a string of unrelated facts. d. Brett: who frequently becomes loud and disruptive whenever group work is assigned. He often becomes involved in heated discussions with classmates when discussing ideas.

Mr. Benton is in the process of grading the first writing assignments of the year for his eighth-grade students. He is a bit overwhelmed at the volume of errors in grammar, usage and overall composition he finds in almost every student's writing. Mr. Benton wants to use a systematic approach to building his students' writing skills, beginning by giving the students a clear and simple method to apply to their work. His goal is that the students can take part in analyzing and monitoring their own progress. What should he do?

a. Show his students an outline of the six common writing traits and ask the students to evaluate their own skills within each trait. Teacher and student can use this evaluation to establish a plan for working on the skills that need the most help. b. Assign each student a writing buddy. The students can meet during writing assignments to edit one another's work. They can then separate to make the suggested revisions. c. Encourage the students to grade their own work using a rubric provided to them. Meet with the student to determine where they believe they need the most help and focus class work around those areas. d. Teach the students that most writing assignments can be composed using the five- paragraph essay model. Invest class time and homework in perfecting the model that includes thesis, evidence, and conclusions.

Which of the following activities is widely used in building students' reading fluency?

a. Sole focus on phonetic instruction. b. Repeated oral readings combined with feedback. c. Participation in vocabulary-building activities. d. Utilizing speed-reading techniques often used in adult literacy courses.

Based on the above diagram, what concept do you think Mr. Katz plans to teach? Mr. Katz draws these diagrams on the board at the beginning of English class. Janie and Katherine are the two main characters in the book which his class is currently reading.

a. Structural Text Analysis b. Compare/Contrast c. Inferential Comprehension d. Use of Graphic/Text Organizers

Each week, a teacher asks one student to bring in a recording of his favorite song and a written version of the lyrics. The students listen to the song and receive a copy of the lyrics. They discuss these words as either one large group or in small groups. What are these students probably learning from this exercise?

a. Students are learning about the lives of their peers indirectly by listening to each student's favorite song; they can begin to understand each other by the meaning behind the song lyrics. b. Students are learning that they are very diverse in many ways: they have different musical tastes and prefer many different styles of music and expression. c. Students are learning that it is very difficult to communicate freely when bound by various musical traits such as rhyming, rhythm, and phrasing. d. Students are learning that literacy skills do not just pertain to schoolwork. These skills allow students to understand and communicate meanings through a variety of ways, including music and lyrics.

Which of the following computer activities/games would be most beneficial during media time for students who are working on reading fluency?

a. Students can select from a variety of high-interest texts and read aloud what they see on the screen. b. Students hear high-frequency sight and vocabulary words in their headphones and get points for "zapping" (clicking) the correct matching word on their screen. c. Students practice typing in a keyboarding program to build their speed and accuracy in writing reports and papers. d. Students can surf a limited and pre-approved number of internet sites to read on subjects of their choosing.

Which of the following activities would incorporate the best use of technology to increase students' oral language skills?

a. Students visit the school computer lab to work on math and science activities with software that utilizes voice-recognition technology in an interactive process. b. Students use an internet program and computer camera to converse with English- speaking students in other countries. c. Students can visit the classroom's Language Lab, in which there are tape recorders and CD players. Students can use these players to listen to novels, poetry, and other literary works on tape. d. A teacher videotapes a class discussion about a story and replays it for the students to watch and discuss.

Mrs. Canas has had a parent offer to visit her fifth-grade class and provide a sign language seminar. The parent is fluent in American Sign Language and would like to offer her skills to benefit the students. Mrs. Canas thinks the seminar will be very interesting and provide a unique way to hone her students' listening and expressive skills. Which choice identifies another language skill set that would indirectly benefit from this seminar?

a. Students' understanding of how visual messages, including body language, facial expression, and signs inform verbal communication and ideas. b. Students' fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. c. Students' respect for other cultures, specifically the non-hearing community. d. Students' ability to communicate with other peers and adults in their community.

Sully is struggling to write his eighth-grade research report. His writing is full of great ideas and generalizations, but few supporting details and little evidence. When his teacher suggests that he needs to provide more supporting information, he looks blankly at her. How can she help him understand this concept and improve his paper?

a. Tell Sully that his writing topic is too broad, and ask him some guiding questions to narrow it down. These questions could include: "what is most important to you about this subject?" and "what do you most want your readers to learn about?" b. As much as it will be frustrating for Sully, explain to him that sometimes it is easiest to start from scratch when a paper does not fit the appropriate format. Instruct him to use his previous paper to make a new outline for a new paper. Help him make the outline in great detail and then encourage him to simply use his previous paper as a source for details when writing the newer version. c. Use a graphic organizer that contains two columns: "ideas" and "details/evidence." Guide Sully to pick his top three or four main ideas and fill in the right hand side with appropriate details and information. Encourage him to use this exercise to revise his paper by adding in his evidence and eliminating any information that is not listed on his graphic organizer. d. Help him brainstorm a list of facts about his topic from memory and his research. Show Sully how to take his ideas one by one, adding at least two facts or details after each idea. Instruct him to make sure that each idea has supporting evidence and details.

A teacher assigns a project in which students must compare excerpts from the Charles Dickens novel they are reading in class and an article from the week's newspaper. The teacher has chosen a specific passage from the novel. The students can choose the newspaper excerpts, as long as they are of similar lengths. The students must then write a short essay comparing the two. What is this teacher hoping to show her students?

a. That Dickens' writing style is journalistic and that he informed much of what is considered to be current journalistic philosophy. b. That there are links between the students' lives and what they read in class; the relationships are there if they make an effort to see them. c. That you can compare even two unlike things. d. That there are distinct differences between the way meaning is constructed in daily life and in literature; different processes must be applied.

A sixth-grade teacher begins class by showing a series of inkblot images, one by one, on pieces of cardstock. She asks her students to number their papers from 1-20 and write down what they think each image depicts. After the exercise, she asks for a few volunteers to explain what they saw in each inkblot. What do you think this teacher is attempting to convey?

a. That visual images can be interpreted differently, depending on the individual viewer. b. That cultural symbols are typically universal and are inherent in our cultural mindset. c. That psychological differences are often misconstrued as mental illness. d. That it is important not to confirm understandings of visual images with peers before determining their meaning.

A teacher writes four sentences on the board and instructs his students to copy the sentences from the board into their notebooks. They must capitalize words with suffixes. Which sentence is correct?

a. The PRINCE declared his undying love for the PRINCESS. b. Television is a form of MULTIMEDIA. c. This loud, loud noise is very DISPLEASING. d. The BOOKKEEPER examined every page of the rare play.

Mrs. Gilbert, an English teacher, and Ms. Dudley, an Art teacher, are working together to create an integrated unit of study for their common students. The students will be studying King Tut, reading various accounts of his life, both fiction and non-fiction. Ms. Dudley will be guiding the students through various art projects related to the time period in which King Tut lived (e.g., making papyrus). Which choice provides an example of an additional project or lesson that will address visual interpretation and decoding skills?

a. The students participate in Ancient Egypt Day and can dress up as characters or historical figures from the appropriate time period. b. The students visit a local museum exhibit on Ancient Egypt and keep a log of visual images and representations they see. The class discusses those images and their meanings during both classes. c. The students write stories about the lives of Ancient Egyptians and draw illustrations to go along with their writing. d. The students watch a movie about King Tut and create free-writing pieces based on what they have seen.

An eighth-grade teacher assigns an end-of-the-year project for her English students. The students are placed into groups and instructed to make an "ad campaign" that includes a print ad, a television/radio commercial, and a persuasive essay. What is the teacher's most likely primary objective?

a. To equip students with practical, real-life job experience in a competitive world. b. To allow students to apply concepts they have learned about audience, point of view, media messages, etc. c. To incorporate the use of technology into a unit of study. d. To encourage students to work cooperatively in groups.

A teacher reads to her students at least once a week. This month, she plans to read poetry to her class. The students will then discuss what they have heard for the rest of each class period. What is this teacher's most likely purpose in designing these lessons?

a. To give students a break from extensive reading requirements. b. To build phonological awareness, specifically of rhyming words. c. To teach students that there is more to literature than prose. d. To increase students' listening skills while exposing them to new kinds of literature.

In step #2, the teacher shows her students how to divide their note pages in half, using one side of the paper for main ideas or questions, and the other side for details relating to those larger concepts. What is the likely purpose of her demonstration? A teacher is talking with her students about the best way to retain information learned during a unit or course of study. She wants them to be prepared for high school and college, during which they will rely primarily on their class notes to study for tests and prepare papers. She describes these steps: 1. Read all assigned material before class. Make notes on any new vocabulary, questions or ideas you have as you read. 2. Take notes in class based on discussions and lectures. 3. Before the test, review your notes and assigned readings, spending more time on those segments which you remember the least.

a. To help students understand cause and effect relationships, which will assist them in other disciplines such as History and Science. b. To emphasize the difference between main ideas and details. This emphasis will support an upcoming lesson on constructing a five-paragraph essay with a main idea and supporting evidence. c. To help students be more orderly and write neatly when it comes to taking notes, which will in turn make studying for tests and papers much easier. d. To show students how they can begin to organize their information and understanding about a subject as they take notes, constructing meaning from a large amount of information.

Mr. Ank has a game he plans to play with his middle school English students today. He has recorded several commercials from television and will play them without sound for the students. After each silent commercial, the students will share their ideas about what product the commercial is advertising. Following this game, the class will participate in a follow-up discussion and exercise. What is the likely purpose of Mr. Ank's game?

a. To turn his students into savvy consumers. b. To help students understand how visual images affect meaning and understanding. c. To demonstrate how students can use visual images in their own schoolwork. d. To introduce variation into his instruction and give the kids a fun activity.

Blaine referring to in the underlined sentence? The following conversation took place after class as a sixth-grade teacher handed Alex his most recent book report. Mrs. Blaine: "Alex, I think you did an excellent job on the first part of your book report. You really picked up on a lot of the details in the plot—what a great memory you have! But what about the second part of the assignment? I didn't see anything about whether or not you liked the book with reasons for your opinion?" Alex: "Yea...I just wasn't really sure what to write on that part, so I left it blank." Mrs. Blaine: "Can you tell me now how you felt about the book?" Alex: "It was alright, I guess. It was pretty good. It was boring at first, but I liked the way it ended." Mrs. Blaine: "And why is that?" Alex: "It was cool how the burglar was someone you knew all along; the author gave you clues and stuff throughout the story and you could try to solve the mystery while you were reading it." Mrs. Blaine: "I understand. I liked that part of the story, too. Getting started on work like this can be challenging at first. But it is important that you begin to learn this skill because you will use it over and over again in school and in your eventual career. Let's talk about some ways to help you get going." Alex: "Okay...sounds good."

a. Understanding his feelings. b. Completing assignments thoroughly without leaving any information out. c. Stating an opinion or thesis and supplying supporting evidence. d. Writing even when you are unsure about the topic or instructions.

Mrs. Taylor is working with a diverse group of fifth-graders. She introduces a lesson and project that students can work on once they have finished their regular class work. Students may visit a section of the classroom where they can listen to a lesson via headphones on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and look at various library books on the subject. Students are then expected to create their own hieroglyphics that they can use to tell a short story. Which of the following skills is not built with this project?

a. Understanding of various kinds of written expression, including non-alphabetic languages. b. Building multi-cultural awareness that will increase understanding between students of different backgrounds. c. Reading for purposes of information or new knowledge (i.e. 'reading to learn'). d. Exposure to various media to build literacy skills across all levels of reading ability.

Which method would be best for helping students determine the meaning of the word "reverie" in the next to last sentence?

a. Using context clues b. Making an educated guess c. Decoding the prefix, root, and suffix of the word d. Previewing and reviewing A class considers the paragraph below: Sarah and Kelly grinned at one another conspiratorially as they approached Dad, who was quietly reading his paper in the living room. "Dad, we'd like to ride our bikes down to Emil's house today," giggled Kelly. She glanced at her sister and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Dad appeared to think this over for a moment and replied, "Sure, that's fine with me!" The girls scampered to get their bikes and were soon on their way. With the children gone, Dad noticed how peaceful and quiet the house sounded. His reverie was quickly interrupted as he heard Mom calling from upstairs, "okay, everybody, I told you at breakfast that I need as much help as I can get to help me give the dog a bath, clean the house and finish the laundry today!" Dad groaned, knowing that he had been conned!

Valeria is a bright sixth-grader who struggles with reading fluency. She comes from a predominantly Spanish-speaking home and has only lived in the United States for two years. Her teacher plans to use the guided oral reading strategy to help increase Valeria's reading skills. Which of the following would not be a part of this strategy?

a. Valeria is partnered with another student who is also struggling with language fluency in class. b. Valeria's partner reads a given text aloud and then gives her a chance to read the text silently several times. c. Valeria reads the text aloud three to four times. d. Valeria's partner gives encouragement and feedback.

The passage above is an example of what kind of reading comprehension assessment?

a. Vocabulary Memorization Test b. Cloze Individual Assessment c. Student Response Form d. Figurative Language Assessment Autumn must be the most enchanting season of all. The wind takes on a chill that, when inhaled,________ with the scent of _____ wood to lightly and singe your throat! Statuesque ________ seem to erupt into blooms of colors seen_________ no other time, except inside boxes of children's______. For many people, the ________ of camping, cookouts, sports, ______ school creates warm, tingling _______ of security as the slowly turns from Summer ______ Fall. There is no other day in the year like the first day of Autumn.

Which of the following aspects of oral reading is the most important accompaniment to speed and accuracy?

a. Vocal expression based on punctuation and content. b. Volume of the reader's/speaker's voice. c. Interest level of the text to be read aloud. d. Consistently increasing the number of words read aloud per minute.

The eighth-grade class will be holding class elections in the fall as part of an integrated Social Studies and English unit. The students will be studying government elections and modeling their process based on their studies. The candidates for Vice President and President will debate pre-determined issues in front of their class using modified rules found in formal debates (i.e. they are timed and will use a moderator). Which of the following exercises would be most beneficial to introduce in English class to help prepare each student for the debates?

a. Watch recordings of Presidential and Vice Presidential debates from years past and model their speech from what they have heard. b. Create multiple opportunities for students to discuss the pre-determined issues in class, allowing for free-flowing dialogue and differing opinions. c. Students write their thoughts in short-essay format so that each section can be read aloud during the appropriate part of the debate. d. Students determine a position on each selected issue and assign it to a note card or small piece of paper. On each card, they record two to three reasons or supporting ideas for the opinion.

Which of the following questions, when assigned as an in-class writing topic, would allow the teacher to monitor the children's inferential comprehension?

a. What do you think the girls plan to do at Emil's once they arrive? b. What does it mean to say that Dad had been "conned?" c. Why is it important for everyone to help Mom with the chores? d. What did Dad enjoy so much while he was reading?

Ms. Carroll teaches Social Studies to sixth- and seventh-grade students. She recently assigned a written report for homework. Many of the students turned in reports that were difficult to read due to phonetic and incorrect spelling. When Ms. Carroll speaks with the Language Arts teachers on her team, they tell her that the same students typically achieve very high scores on their spelling tests. Students are given a word list at the beginning of each week to be studied, and then tested on some of the words each week (the teacher reads words aloud to be recorded on an answer sheet). Which of the following is most likely to be the reason for discrepancy in spelling skills between tests and assignments?

a. When they must concentrate on other grammar and writing skills, the students forget what they have learned for their spelling tests. b. The students' handwriting skills are poor, leading to unclear words and inadvertent spelling mistakes. c. The students have determined a way to cheat on spelling tests, knowing exactly which words to study beforehand, and do not learn the entire list. d. The students memorize only specific words for the week; they have not had the opportunity to develop their spelling skills within the context of writing assignments.

Middle school students at Ms. Kelso's school are expected to complete a large independent study project to be presented at the end of the second term. The project is the culmination of reading research, writing a paper, and the final element of publishing, or presentation. The students can choose how they present their work and are instructed to use visual aids. Which of the following would be a helpful guideline for Ms. Kelso to offer her students?

a. Whenever possible, use pictures, video, music, charts and graphs to supplement your presentation for the purpose of keeping your audience's interest. b. Think about any parts of your paper that might be hard to explain. Choose a visual aid to help you show your audience the concept, and then use your words to explain it. c. Select the most interesting photographs from your research, create color photocopies, and pass them throughout the class during your presentation. d. Use your main ideas and supporting evidence to create a Power-point slideshow, making note-taking and organization simple and clear.

Which of the following visual images would be most appropriate for teaching students about how media images influence their perceptions and attitudes?

a. a photograph found in a journalistic magazine, such as Time b. an illustration or diagram found in the students' own Social Studies textbook c. a political cartoon found in the newspaper d. a non-political cartoon found in another section of the newspaper

In determining his students' reading comprehension levels, a teacher uses the above passage. He finds that about half of Anne's answers make sense in the blanks. Which answer choice describes the level at which Anne is reading the text?

a. instructional level b. independent level c. frustration level d. novice level Autumn must be the most enchanting season of all. The wind takes on a chill that, when inhaled,________ with the scent of _____ wood to lightly and singe your throat! Statuesque ________ seem to erupt into blooms of colors seen_________ no other time, except inside boxes of children's______. For many people, the ________ of camping, cookouts, sports, ______ school creates warm, tingling _______ of security as the slowly turns from Summer ______ Fall. There is no other day in the year like the first day of Autumn.

1. What is the primary grammatical problem with this student's paragraph? Each of the kids in our class love to play games. Our favorite game, Hide and Go Seek, are fun and easy to play anywhere you go. The people in our class really enjoys getting to spend time with friends.

a. punctuation b. subject-verb agreement c. word choice d. split infinitives

Judging by the questions above, which writing trait is this teacher encouraging her students to work on today? A middle-school teacher has written several questions on the chalk board to assist students in revising their most recent essays. Do you know the meanings of all the vocabulary in your essay? Did you use any major words (besides articles like a, an, and, the) more than three times? Do you like the way your writing sounds when you read it aloud? Does all the language used make sense?

a. sentence fluency b. ideas and development c. writing conventions d. word choice