Praxis PLT 7-12 Practice Questions

C. Summative Assessment

1. At the end of the unit on laws of motion, Mr. Condor wants to determine what the students have learned. He plans to give an assessment based on the class experience with lab activities and readings he provided. This type of assessment would be called which of the following? A. Authentic Assessment B. Standards-based Assessment C. Summative Assessment D. Norm-referenced Assessment

B. In order to create an effective lesson, a teacher needs to bear in mind the ultimate goals of the lesson. .

1. What should a teacher define before creating a lesson plan? A. the existing knowledge of the students B. the goals of the lesson C. behavioral boundaries D. the limitations of the school technology

C - Inquiry Learning. Inquiry or discovery learning, is a form of learning that allows students to ask their own questions and pursue the answers. A writing assignment can allow students the chance to explore thoughts amidst a wide range of topics.

10. Ms. Jenks has students keep meticulous notes in her English class on the books they are reading, and the discussions held in class. During class one day, she asks students to review their notes and highlight the ideas that are most interesting to them. She then instructs students to generate questions to tackle in an essay assignment. This assignment would be an example of which type of learning? A. Problem-based Learning B. Experiential Learning C. Inquiry Learning D. Vicarious Learning

C. A student's performance on a standardized test is compared to the scores of similar students.

10. Which of the following best describes standardized testing? A. Subject-referenced B. Criterion-referenced C. Norm-referenced D. Data-referenced

C - A concept map. A concept map would help students recognize the variety of underlying causes that created the Great Depression, or any other historical event. It would visualize and organize the information, and it serves the goal of the stated objective.

11. In a history class on the Great Depression, Mr. Andrews has an objective that students are able to recognize a variety of causes for the event. Which of the following would be an appropriate assessment of this goal? A. A multiple-choice test B. A lecture-approach C. A concept map D. Written response to primary source documents

D. Erick Erickson's eight stages of psychosocial development are widely accepted and have greatly influenced later theories of psychological development. Erickson believed each stage was crucial to healthy development. He believed great emotional harm would occur and hinder children's success throughout life if they were not allowed to move through the stages at their own pace and not be rushed or pushed. Erickson's eight stages of development shown with the major task of each one:

11. Which of the following is not one of Erick Erickson's stages of psychosocial development? A. Infancy B. Adolescence C. Middle Adulthood D. Senior Adulthood

B. Adolescents are developing a separate and unique identity. They are concerned with how they look and frequently obsess over being accepted by their peers. They want to be "part of the group" and as a result of this psychological need to belong, cliques develop. Adolescents experience an identity crisis, of sorts, because they are changing hormonally, emotionally and physically. Intellectually they don't always understand these changes and emotionally they may have difficulty coping with the consequences. Adolescents are trying to figure out who they are and where and how they fit into the world. They explore new ideas, test established limits and try to cope with and understand the changes they are experiencing. They try on different roles, personas and behaviors. It is a confusing time but a necessary and critical step in developing a positive sense of self. Parents, peers, teachers, authority figures and everyone with whom the adolescent interacts, has an effect, either positively or negatively.

12. Elements of Erickson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, Adolescence, include: A. Initiative vs. Guilt B. Obsess over peer approval C. Receiving care from maternal caregiver D. All of the above

D - I, II, III and IV. All of the above resources are available to use during instruction. A well-planned unit will call on a variety of resources to support the learning.

12. Which of the following resources can be used by a Social Studies teacher during instruction of a unit of study? I) Videos, DVDs, music II) Computers III) Artifacts IV) Guest speakers A. I, II and III B. II, III and IV C. I, III and IV D. I, II, III and IV

D - Raising questions during discussion about how genders are similar and different and/or Having individual conferences with her students and privately discuss participation issues. These two approaches would highlight the issue in the most inviting way. Option I does not employ modeling or reinforcements and may be ineffective. Option III also does not use any particular learning theory, just a general threat to accomplish the goal and will likely not be an effective motivation.

31. There is always a lot of class discussion in Mrs. Abel's English class. Mrs. Abel uses a Socratic approach in hopes that discussions flow naturally from her students. She bases a significant portion of the classroom participation grade on these discussions. However, she notices that the girls in her class are less willing to speak than the boys. What two approaches might work to remedy this situation? I) Telling the girls that they should participate more II) Raising questions during discussion about how genders are similar and different III) Reminding students of her grading system IV) Having individual conferences with her students and privately discuss participation issues A. I and II B. II and III C. III and IV D. II and IV

D - I, II and III. If a teacher is fortunate enough to have a gifted student, they should do what they can to offer opportunities for enrichment and achievement. If the other students in the class are naturally supportive, this makes the teacher's job easier. If they are not, the teacher will have to be sensitive to the social realities for the students.

32. Mr. Agudelo has a student in his class who is highly gifted. All the other students are aware of the academic talents of this student and are very supportive of him. Which of the following strategies might Mr. Agudelo employ with this student? I) Providing opportunities for enrichment to him II) Offering him opportunities to teach the class III) Offering him additional assignments to complete A. I B. II C. I and III D. I, II and III

C - I, II and III. Reminding Kevin that he is just one of many students is a form of negative reinforcement that will benefit no member of the educational community, especially in the instance of a student with an exceptional talent. If that student is well accepted by his peers for that talent, that indicates a beneficial situation for all students concerned.

33. Kevin Stanton is an excellent student who has a presence during oral presentations that impresses all his teachers and all his peers. He shows clear in enjoyment and exceptional skill at public speaking. Which of the following strategies should be employed to support Kevin? I) He should be offered chances to speak publicly at school events II) He should be offered opportunities for presenting material in class III) He should be given extra educational tools to enable his success IV) He should be reminded that he is just one of many students in the class A. I and IV B. I and II C. I, II, and III D. II, III and IV

D. Studies have shown that a student's culture has a direct impact on learning. Since most educational standards are based on white, middle class cultural identification, students who don't fall into that demographic face challenges. It's not that these students are incapable of learning; they just judge what's important and how they express that importance differently. Sometimes it is difficult for them to understand and relate to curriculum content, teaching methods and social skills required because their culture does things differently, emphasizes different choices and rewards different behavior. Children identify with their culture; they become what they know. If teachers ignore cultural differences, it causes communication issues, inhibits learning and increases the potential for behavior problems. As long as an adolescent has no physical or mental health issues, he is capable of learning. He just needs information presented and examples used that are relevant to his life experiences; that is the only way it makes sense to him.

13. Cultural influences impact students' ability and readiness to learn by: A. Recognizing different standards B. Emphasizing different choices C. Rewarding different behavior D. All of the above

B - A measurable outcome. Planning an assessment that assesses both student achievement and the overall effectiveness of instruction would be a tool to assess the future use of such an interdisciplinary approach.

13. Two teachers of 10th grade students at Bayview High School want to collaborate on a unit of study. This is not a practice commonly done at Bayview. The teachers teach science and history and want to combine their subjects to provide students with an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Which of the following should they prepare for to document the effectiveness of teaching and learning? A. Clear objectives B. A measurable outcome C. Interesting assignments D. Proof they followed state standards

A - Providing the student with a portion of the answer so he/she can determine the correct answer. All the answers except for the last one would be appropriate testing accommodations for a student with a disability. Providing student with answers on tests questions is of no benefit to a student and should not be done.

34. The American Disabilities Act protects students who have a variety of physical and learning disabilities. Many students with disabilities may require accommodations during assessments. Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable accommodation for a student with a disability? I) Providing the student with three times the amount of time required on a timed test II) Providing the student with a one-on-one setting in which to take the test III) Providing the student with a separate location to take the test IV) Providing the student with a portion of the answer so he/she can determine the correct answer A. IV B. I, II and IV C. I, III and IV D. I, II, III and IV

A - Assigning a Cliff Notes, or other study guide version. That would not be an acceptable strategy for the reason that it suggests that students cannot gain the ability to do increasingly complex work and simply provides an incomplete version of the material.

35. There are a number of students in Mr. Williams' English class with very low reading comprehension scores. During the teaching of a novel, which of the following would NOT be an appropriate strategy to help those students comprehend the novel? A. Assigning a Cliff Notes, or other study guide version B. Providing an audio-book version to read along with C. Providing the students with a quiet space and extra time to complete the reading D. Providing additional after class tutoring with those students

A - That students have basic needs that must be met in order for them to succeed. Maslow's theory of the "Hierarchy of Needs" suggests that in order for a person to reach their potential certain needs must be fulfilled, beginning with a person's psychological needs, followed by safety, love/belonging, esteem and finally, self-actualization.

36. Abraham Maslow's theory on the "Hierarchy of Needs" speaks to which of the following realities for students? A. That students have basic needs that must be met in order for them to succeed B. That students have a hierarchy of needs to feel included C. That students have a hierarchy of authority in their life D. That students have a variety of needs

B - Cognitive dissonance. People go through a period of cognitive dissonance in order to understand why something is a surprise, or not what it seems. This period is marked by non-understanding that has to be thought through to get to the point of understanding.

37. Ms. Connor has just completed a unit on short stories in her English class that have surprise endings. She assigns an essay in which students are asked to explore the point of the surprise at the end of each story. This assignment will create an opportunity to analyze which type of cognitive response from the students? A. Metacognition B. Cognitive dissonance C. Self-determination D. Self-actualization

B - Assigning it as in-class work. If the objective is crucial to Mrs. Jameson's teaching, then having students working towards that objective within her sight would help her to motivate students as needed. Other options provided create stress or limitations to reaching the objective.

38. At the beginning of the year in Mrs. Jameson's English class, one of her major objectives is to establish a regular routine of journal writing. Which of the following strategies would be most effective to create such a routine? A. Assigning it as the homework for the week B. Assigning it as in-class work C. Assigning it for only one sort of response D. Assigning it to be assessed for a grade

A - I, II and III. Self-motivation for some students can be hindered by an overemphasis on grades. In a competitive environment, students who are not doing as well as others can become discouraged if grades are used as a motivating factor to succeed.

39. Mr. Fischer who teaches math to 9th and 10th graders, has as an objective to help his students' develop their self-motivation. Which of the following strategies should he employ for this objective?I) Assigning meaningful workII) Offering positive reinforcementsIII) Offering discovery learning opportunitiesIV) Overemphasizing achievement A. I, II and III B. I, III and IV C. I, II and IV D. II, III and IV

B. The cognitive changes that occur in adolescence affect the way youngsters understand themselves and how they relate to parents, peers and authority figures. They are learning to think in the abstract, consider hypothetical situations and recognize multiple aspects of a problem. Their information processing is becoming more sophisticated. They are increasingly capable of dissecting complicated issues. They begin applying hard-learned experiences to new situations in unfamiliar circumstances and begin to develop a sense of independence and a feeling of competence. Since the primary tasks of adolescence are learning to understand abstract concepts, acquiring and honing problem-solving skills and developing critical thought processes, it is important to prepare lessons that not only teach facts but focus on helping students practice these new abilities.

14. The cognitive changes of adolescence include: A. Slower cognitive processing B. Applying experience to new situations C. Improved ability to communicate D. All of the above

B - A standardized test. Assessments are intended to be aligned to instruction. If a standards-based lecture style is employed, a test designed to assess achievement of those standards by the students would be most appropriate.

14. Which of the following would be the best assessment of the effectiveness of a standards-based lecture-style approach to instruction? A. A reflective essay B. A standardized test C. A lab experiment D. A conference

D - I, II, III and IV. All of the above study skills would be used by students following a detailed checklist. An organizational aid can show students a means by which to organize themselves for future projects. It is a non-verbal form of modeling organizational thought.

15. A 9th grade history teacher is giving students their first major project in her class. She offers her students a checklist of steps they should take to accomplish this task completely and on deadline. The study skills she is trying to encourage by doing this would be which of the following? I) Time management A. I, II and III II) Monitoring progress B. I, II and IV III) Setting goals C. I, III and IV IV) Measuring milestones D. I, II, III and IV

A. One of the developmental goals in adolescence is learning to behave in an appropriate manner in different situations. As a result, an adolescent tries on different personalities and experiments with various behaviors. He gradually learns to use his newly acquired decision-making skills to assess himself and his abilities. All adolescents engage in risky behavior; it's a normal part of development. But for some, risk-taking becomes problematic and goes beyond the norm. Red flags include regular instead of occasional incidents and involvement with peers who participate in the same dangerous activities. Parents and other responsible adults must explain the possible consequences of these actions, make rules and enforce them. Caring adults should channel his/her drive into more acceptable pursuits that challenge the mind, stretch the abilities and keep them out of potentially troublesome situations.

15. List ways to address adolescent behavior issues. A. Explain consequences B. Refuse to listen C. Take arbitrary actions D. All of the above

D - I, II, III and IV. All of the above questioning and discussion styles can promote critical thinking in students. These are not negative responses; rather they are responses that draw out further thinking on a topic.

16. During a discussion in Ms. Rose's senior English class, which of the following strategies can be employed to promote critical thinking in her students? I) Challenging her students assumptions II) Suggesting alternative points of view III) Challenging the relevancy of information offered IV) Draw conclusions A. I, II and III B. I, II and IV C. I, III and IV D. I, II, III and IV

B. Behavior management is an essential ingredient in creating a positive learning environment. If students are misbehaving, they are not paying attention and they can't learn. It is important to establish written expectations, review as needed and enforce when necessary. Explain the rules clearly, consider the circumstances before taking action and apply the rules fairly and consistently. Look at situations from the students' perspective and try to be objective rather than judgmental. Address problems and issues immediately so they don't escalate or reappear. A teacher should be willing to admit mistakes. This tells students it is okay to make a mistake as long as one admits it, learns from it and tries not to make it again. Collaborate with the students, ask for their opinions and offer choices. When students are active participants and believe they are heard, behavior issues are minimized.

16. Effective ways to manage behavior include: A. Asserting authority and power B. Explaining the rules C. Withdrawing approval D. All of the above

D. Most students respect rules if they are clear, the consequences are understood and explained ahead of time and they are consistently and fairly enforced. A discipline plan is a written description of acceptable behavior. It provides a framework in which to assess situations, address issues and make changes. It won't stop or prevent unacceptable behavior, but it does provide a means to identify and deal with it. The plan can be imposed by the teacher or developed with input from the students. It must be explained to and understood by students and parents. Critical elements include:

17. A discipline plan provides a framework in which to: A. Assess situations B. Address issues C. Make changes D. All of the above

D - All four of these tools - self-reflective journaling, incident analysis, peer observation, and student feedback - would be appropriate tools to support the goal of improving classroom management techniques.

17. Ms. Kelly and Ms. Baker have both been teaching for fewer than three years. They each feel that their classroom management techniques could use improvement and decide to work together to improve their skills. They decide to have a series of classroom visits to observe and provide feedback. Which of the following additional tools can they also employ? I) Self-reflective journaling A. I, II, and III II) Incident analysis B. I, II, and IV III) Peer observation C. I, III, and IV IV) Student feedback D. I, II, III, and IV

B - More scaffolded assignments. If an objective were tailored to fit an assessment objective due to low testing performance, then giving supports and tools to the students would be appropriate. Comprehension is one of the lower domain objectives in Bloom's Taxonomy and would require a more guided approach than later stage domains such as evaluation and synthesis.

18. Ms. DeMarco notices in her analysis of test scores for students in her socioeconomic bracket, that reading comprehension levels are low. Consequently, she plans to refine her objectives so that there is more emphasis on reading comprehension. Which of the following strategies should she put in place to accomplish this goal? A. More journaling time B. More scaffolded assignments C. More lecture-style teaching D. More meta-cognitive assignments

C - To provide teachers with grade-level equivalents for their students. This would be the most useful purpose for such a test. Teachers would be prepared to differentiate instruction as necessary without penalizing any student. It also would allow for lower-performing students to benefit from higher performing students, and vice versa. While such a test may have many uses, the most useful outcome is to create better teaching and learning.

4. At the beginning of the school year, Middle Vale High School gives a standardized test to all 9th graders. The purpose of this test is to determine the grade-level equivalencies for each student. The school makes the test a "No-Stakes Test," meaning it has no impact on the students' grades, and just asks the students to do their best. What would be the most useful purpose of such a test? A. To report the scores to the state B. To instill test-taking norms C. To provide teachers with grade-level equivalents for their students D. To group the student according to ability

C. A comprehensive needs analysis will outline specific steps to eliminate discrepancies.

4. The part of a needs analysis that defines the difference between ideal and current conditions is known as the _______. A. equivocation analysis B. differential summary C. discrepancy analysis D. stress test

B - The standards are aligned to the statewide mandatory assessment. One of the primary purposes of statewide instructional standards, or frameworks, is that the material covered in the standards will be material covered on the statewide assessment. Most frequently, state assessments determine whether a student can advance to the next grade. The scores of state assessments are also often a statement as to the success of the school.

40. Which of the following is a reason that school districts use statewide standards for instruction? A. The standards are easy to access B. The standards are aligned to the statewide mandatory assessment C. The standards provide varying opportunities for students of varying abilities D. The standards offer teachers a chance to collaborate on curriculum development

D - Raw Score. A raw score represents the number of questions answered correctly by the test taker. A collection of raw scores can be used to determine percentile rankings.

5. Middle Vale High School works hard to prepare their students for standardized tests like the PSAT and SAT. In the 9th grade year, all students are given a standardized test to determine their current abilities. Once the students have taken the test, the tests are first graded to see the original data that each student has generated. The score associated with this grading system would be which of the following? A. Standard score B. Scaled Score C. Percentile Score D. Raw Score

C. Most teachers find that true-false tests are too simplistic for all but the most straightforward material.

5. What is the main criticism of true-false tests? A. They are too easy to produce. B. They can be completed too quickly. C. They prevent the teacher from addressing complex or ambiguous subjects. D. They allow too much extraneous information.

B. It is important to foster an environment that encourages class participation and ensures no one is inhibited or prevented from participating because of teaching methods. Participation is predicated on teacher and student expectations, instructional strategies and classroom atmosphere. It is important to develop class rules for discussions, provide frequent feedback and ask for student input to ensure teaching practices are in line with student perceptions of reasonable opportunities to actively engage. When a question is asked, a problem posed or a solution required students need time to think about the information and formulate a response. Encourage questions. Require different students to summarize the lesson, pose a prepared question from assigned material or describe something they learned. Acknowledging every contribution encourages additional participation.

18. To encourage class participation, it is important to: A. Place rules visibly B. Provide feedback and ask for input C. Refuse to explain guidelines D. All of the above

C - Teachers. Because teachers can apply this information for instructional purposes, it would be most to useful to them. Teachers can understand the proficiencies and deficiencies of their students through this information and teach accordingly.

19. Assessments that rank the achievement and ability in a subject of each child in a grade, provides data that is most useful to which of the following groups of people? A. Curriculum committees B. Principals C. Teachers D. District offices

B - Discussing with Amy's parents why her grades are slipping. This would be the least appropriate of the above choices because it circumvents the student in question. A dramatic shift in performance is indicative of a problem, and bringing her parents in to speculate may not be the best solution. There could be problems at home, and Amy should have a chance to explain the issues with her teachers, counselors and parents. In any event, Amy should be consulted.

6. Amy Grant is generally a good student. Her grades usually fall into the B range. In the third quarter of her sophomore year, her grades drop to a level just above failing. Her teacher recognizes that she is trying not to fail, however her efforts are not where they had been. Which of the following would be the least appropriate response to this change in grades? A. Discussing with Amy why her grades are slipping B. Discussing with Amy's parents why her grades are slipping C. Discussing with Amy's guidance counselor the observation that the grades are slipping D. Discussing with Amy and her parents why her grades are slipping

B. In other words, homework should only be assigned to the extent that it improves learning outcomes.

6. What is the primary factor that a teacher should consider before issuing a homework assignment? A. The difficulty of the subject B. The assignment's effect on learning C. The length of the school day D. The age of the student

A. According to gestalt theory, crucial concepts cannot be broken down into smaller parts without sacrificing meaning.

7. According to which theory of education is it necessary for a student to grasp the entirety of a concept? A. Gestalt theory B. Social learning theory C. Structural learning theory D. Constructivism

B - Norm-referenced Assessment. IQ tests are generally the most well known form of norm-referenced assessments. The "norm" is a comparative measure. An IQ test ranks intelligence of the test-taker to the intelligence of other test takers, and is therefore "referenced" to the "norm."

7. An IQ, or Intelligence Quotient test assesses one person's intelligence in comparison to others. This type of assessment would be which of the following? A. Standardized Assessment B. Norm-referenced Assessment C. Summative Assessment D. Formative Assessment

C - Align the test to her day to day teaching objectives. A valid test is one that tests exactly the material taught. The concept of validity is critical to proper assessment creation and will stand up to the scrutiny of students/parents/ teachers/administrators who may question the fairness of an assessment.

8. Ms. Newcomb is a first year teacher. She wants to develop her own assessments and is concerned with the validity of the tests she gives. Which of the following steps must she take in order to do this? A. Provide examples of tests that earned students an A B. Give students an option of test taking modes C. Align the test to her day to day teaching objectives D. Offer students a portfolio based assessment system

B. Informal assessment enables teachers to adjust their methods depending on the progress made by the class.

8. Which of the following is NOT an example of informal assessment? A. An observation checklist B. A chapter test C. Anecdotal observations D. A teacher/student conference

C - Developing conceptual thinking. Thinking through the ideas a writer plans to present in a piece of writing requires the development of concepts. Aiding students in this process by providing visual and organizational aids can make the process more supportive.

9. Mrs. Raj is teaching a unit on development writing. She asks students to brainstorm ideas using two different visual aids. She asks student to develop a traditional outline on their topic and a spider web-style outline on their topic. Which of the following instructional techniques is Mrs. Raj employing? A. Developing motor skills B. Developing writing habits C. Developing conceptual thinking D. Developing cognitive dissonance

D. Skinner asserted that the only way to accurately measure behavior is by observing overt phenomena.

9. Who promoted the idea that behavior is based on rewards and reinforcement? A. Freud B. Erikson C. Darwin D. Skinner

C. Teachers in every discipline have a responsibility to teach not only the facts but also how to think about and approach a task and complete the assignment. Instead of focusing on memorizing the data, creative teachers give students ways to discover the answer through research and reasoning. They incorporate relevant commentary and detailed explanations into the instructions for all assignments. Students learn better, retain data longer, recall it easier and integrate it more effectively when they understand the how and the why, not just the what. Providing guidelines that explain how to approach a task (such as breaking it into smaller, more manageable parts and allowing adequate time to properly complete the project) and supplying written prompts and reminder sheets give students valuable tools they can use in all classes. These reasoning tools can also be used to make choices in areas outside of the academic environment. This is a prime example of making learning relevant to their life.

19. Ways of teaching students how to approach an assignment might include: A. Set firm deadlines B. Requiring memorization of facts C. Giving detailed instructions D. All of the above

A. Asking students to write her a letter explaining how they approach a writing assignmentThis would be most appropriate because it would involve all the students. It would ask them to describe how they perform a task in order to provide the teacher with information about how all her students are performing in the area on which she will focus her teaching.

2. Ms. Vazques teaches a Language Arts class using a workshop model. Her students spend a lot of time working on the writing process. At the beginning of the year, she wants to gauge what her students' individual processes for writing are like. Which of the following would be the most appropriate assessment to gain this information? A. Asking students to write her a letter explaining how they approach a writing assignment B. Assigning students an essay and having them explain how the author wrote it C. Modeling her own writing process and asking her students to write a compare and contrast essay on the differences between her style and theirs D. Having an informal discussion with her student about how they write

A. Educators use whole-to-part sequencing to give students a general idea of the subject matter before introducing specific details.

2. What kind of sequencing features a transition from complex theory to specific detail? A. whole-to-part sequencing B. external constraint C. chronological sequencing D. thematic topic sequencing

D. Some parents are eager to participate, some do so only when required and others avoid involvement of any kind. All three can be a challenge. Eager parents may bombard the teacher with notes, phone calls and emails. Setting reasonable, well-defined limits may be necessary. Parents who only show up when specifically requested may be incapable of or don't really care to address underlying issues; they show up because they have to. Parents who are never available and impossible to contact provide no help or insight and offer no support. Some communication methods may be more effective than others depending upon the age of the students, the educational level and time limitations of the parents, the administration's support and other resources available. No matter what communication method is used, teachers should convey expected behavior, explain classroom rules and present a general picture of material to be covered, project assignments and homework requirements.

20. Influences that affect communication with parents include: A. Age of students B. Educational level of the parents C. Administration support D. All of the above

B - To understand what students know and can do. An assessment like this would provide a benchmark of ability. This data can be used to plan for curricular objectives and standards. This data can also be analyzed in a variety of ways to look at other educational indicators.

20. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is an assessment administered to a sampling of 4th, 8th and 12th grade students. It has no bearing on the grades or scores of a student. Individual results are not calculated or returned. The information assesses an entire state and reports findings on a statewide basis, not a student- by -student or district- by -district basis. Which of the following is the purpose of a no-stakes assessment like the National Assessment of Educational Progress? A. To see how students learn B. To understand what students know and can do C. To determine best instructional practices D. To offer students test taking skills

A - Teacher-centered instructional methods. An essentialist approach tends to be subject-focused and teacher-directed. It teaches the essentials in the most direct possible manner.

21. A school modeled in an essentialist tradition would employ which of the following strategies during instruction? A. Teacher-centered instructional methods B. Inquiry-based instructional methods C. Thematic-based instructional methods D. Cognitively-based instructional methods

C - Completing independent projects. Of the above options, this would be the most appropriate activity for an in-school enrichment program. The other options provide inappropriate rewards for student's ability and achievement.

22. Washington High School has developed an enrichment program for their highest achieving students. Which of the following would be an appropriate component for an in-school enrichment program? A. Additional free time for homework B. Having access to resources otherwise limited to the student body C. Completing independent projects D. Fostering a spirit of being higher achievers

A - Speak to the parents of the students in the after school program. At a point, all the tailoring of objectives and programs will not achieve a teachable environment and parents need to be brought in. Education is a community-based activity and parents are a part of that community.

23. Meadow Hill High School is located in an urban district that has underperforming students, a very high dropout rate, and a very low attendance rate at post-secondary schools. A community- based organization has begun to develop after-school programs and are now locating those at the school. The program is a mess. The kids do not participate, they run out of the classroom, they disrupt teaching efforts and the staff turnover is alarmingly high. What measures might the administrators take to remedy the situation? A. Speak to the parents of the students in the after school program. B. Plan to give detention to students who misbehave so they miss the after school program C. Add more activities D. Take away some of the activities

B - The principal during a private meeting. If a teacher has an idea that would foster learning, but that idea is not one utilized at the school and requires an interdepartmental effort, the school leadership should be involved in any planning and decision-making.

24. Ms. Chatterjee is a science teacher at a school that follows a standards-based approach to teaching and learning. She would like to see her students use a form of authentic assessment that would allow them to design a science project. She has sought the approval of her department and next hopes to generate interest in cross-disciplinary teaching. Which of the following parties should Ms. Chatterjee direct this line of inquiry to? A. Teachers at a faculty meting B. The principal during a private meeting C. Students during class brainstorming time D. Community members who may be interested

A - Freedom of the press is a right that can be curtailed in some school situations. If students are using school funds to produce and distribute a newspaper or some other literature, the school administration has a right to play a censoring role, and a result could be the curtailing of students' perceived freedom of press. If the school administration is not involved in the publication, they do not have the right to intervene with freedom of the press issues.

25. Which of the following rights is limited for a high school teenager? A. Freedom of the press B. Freedom of speech C. Right of due process D. Right to a free education

D - Performances of scenes in small groups because this will allow a kinesthetic learner to actively participate and interact with the text. A kinesthetic learner needs opportunities to be active during the process of learning.

26. Mr. Sinnott is teaching Romeo and Juliet to his class of 9th graders. He wants to incorporate as many learning styles into his instruction as possible. Which strategy would work best for the kinesthetic learners in his classroom? A. Read-aloud of a handful of scenes B. Showing a film version of the play C. Silent re-reading after a full class reading of a scene D. Performances of scenes in small groups

C - Pairing up low-performing students with high-performing students on certain assignments. Doing this would be most in line with Vygotsky's "Zone of Proximal Development" that suggests that achievement is compelled by an individual working with an individual who has mastered the information.

27. During her teacher preparation, Ms. Agis learned about a variety of major educational theorists. In her freshman social studies class she wants to use the ideas of Lev Vygotsky because she is concerned about her under-performing students. Which of the following ideas might she employ? A. Relying on group work for the end of unit final project B. Offering up an extrinsic motivation so that all students complete all assignments C. Pairing up low-performing students with high-performing students on certain assignments D. Asking students to come up with ideas about why historical events occurred

A - Reliance on prior knowledge. This is the most correct answer because at the heart of a constructivist classroom is the idea that knowledge is built on prior knowledge. While the other strategies may be useful and effective, the teacher must know that the students have the requisite knowledge to approach increasingly difficult material.

28. A teacher using a constructivist approach based on the theories of Jerome Bruner requires which of the following strategies during instruction? A. Reliance on prior knowledge B. Socratic questioning C. Informal assessments D. Group work

B - Negative reinforcement. Self-efficacy is a part of social learning theory that suggests that modeling positive behaviors, speech patterns, and ways of thinking will teach students how to succeed. Negative reinforcement is likely to teach students how to respond in negative ways that will not promote success.

29. Self-efficacy is the belief in one's ability to succeed in a given situation. There are many ways a student can learn this ability; which of the following is least likely to bring about the outcome of self-efficacy? A. Positive reinforcement B. Negative reinforcement C. Modeling thought patterns D. Discussing academic performance

B - Review of departmental objectives and assessment standards. If the department reviewed the course objectives, lesson objectives and assessment standards, the department could plan on instruction and assessment that is standardized throughout all the sections. The daily learning and teaching would build to the common assessment performed to gauge achievement.

3. Washington High School is a very large school. There are six sections of senior English and the department faculty wants to make sure that all students are succeeding to the standards set as a department rather than the standards of any one teacher. Which of the following actions would be best suited for the department to undertake? A. Review of departmental objectives B. Review of departmental objectives and assessment standards C. Review of department assessment standards and assessment instruments D. Review of assessments that students have had the most success with

D. The four successive stages in Marzano's model of cognition are retrieval, comprehension, analysis, and utilization.

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the components of Marzano's cognitive taxonomy? A. retrieval B. analysis C. comprehension D. metacognition

A - Extrinsic motivations. Of the above choices, the option most suitable to provide is extrinsic motivations to succeed. There are a variety of ways to employ reward systems for achieving goals.

30. Ms. Hayden is a 9th grade math teacher. She thinks that some of the students in her class are failing because they think math is "un-cool." She understands that the social environment of her students has shifted between middle school and high school, and recognizes her responsibility to bring about an authentic interest and academic achievement in her subject. Which of the following strategies might the teacher use to promote her students desire to achieve? A. Extrinsic motivations B. More group work C. Easier tests D. More projects