Psych 21A Ch. 6 Review Questions

Which of the following statements about classroom environment is true? A. Moderate, rather than strict, control in the classroom promotes positive student behavior. B. Classroom climate has little effect on achievement. C. Teachers who focus on discipline promote the most positive climate. D. Classrooms that are very task oriented tend to make students feel more comfortable and secure

A. Moderate, rather than strict, control in the classroom promotes positive student behavior.

Which of the following statements about tracking is false? A. Teaching quality is more or less the same in different tracks. B. Students who are tracked tend to socialize mainly with peers from the same academic group. C. Tracking can cause hostility between students in different tracks. D. Tracking procedures often discriminate against minority and poor students.

A. Teaching quality is more or less the same in different tracks.

Specific learning disabilities are _____ and examples are _____ (impaired ability in reading or spelling), _____ (impaired ability in handwriting), and _____ (impaired ability in arithmetic). A. common; dyslexia; dysgraphia; dyscalculia B. common; dysgraphia; dyslexia; dyscalculia C. rare; dyslexia; dysgraphia; dyscalculia D. rare; dysgraphia; dyslexia; dyscalculia

A. common; dyslexia; dysgraphia; dyscalculia

During the 1920s, the _____ was designed to meet the needs of a diverse and growing population of young people. A. comprehensive high school B. middle school C. vocational school D. parochial school

A. comprehensive high school

Which of the following is not a factor that moved children out of the workplace? A. discrimination against young workers B. a need for workers who are more skilled and more reliable than children C. the strength needed to perform unskilled labor D. child labor laws

A. discrimination against young workers

Michelle has been placed in a school program for gifted children. She was probably selected because she: A. has a high IQ. B. is a creative thinker. C. developed language skills early. D. earns good grades.

A. has a high IQ.

Under current federal law, children with learning disabilities must be: A. mainstreamed whenever possible. B. educated by tutors at home. C. enrolled in special schools. D. placed in after-school "catch-up" programs

A. mainstreamed whenever possible.

Although Chris is significantly delayed developmentally he goes to a regular grade school; takes classes in social studies, music, and physical education with the non-handicapped students; and goes to special classes to learn about reading and arithmetic. This situation is an example of: A. mainstreaming. B. functional education. C. higher-order learning. D. education compensation.

A. mainstreaming.

Compared with their counterparts from previous decades, today's American adolescents: A. spend more days per year in school. B. spend fewer days per year in school. C. are absent from school more often. D. are less likely to continue their schooling beyond the 12th grade

A. spend more days per year in school.

Common treatments for ADHD include: A. stimulant medication. B. antidepressants. C. psychological therapies. D. All of these are treatment options.

A. stimulant medication.

What is a realistic concern with regard to requiring all high school seniors to pass a graduation test in order to earn a diploma? A. It is likely that virtually all students would be qualified to pass such an exam. B. The financial costs associated with failing students would create a huge incentive for states to develop exams with very low requirements for passing. C. The economic, social, and political costs of holding back such large numbers of students because they could not pass the "exit exams" would be worth the risk of graduating students who did not deserve a diploma. D. All of these statements are false.

B. The financial costs associated with failing students would create a huge incentive for states to develop exams with very low requirements for passing.

What kind of family environment most closely resembles the optimal classroom environment? A. authoritarian B. authoritative C. indifferent D. autocratic

B. authoritative

What would Stephanie, a high school student, say is the best part about going to school? A. learning new information B. being with friends C. interacting with the teachers D. participating in extracurricular activities

B. being with friends

During the school year, the rate of academic progress was equal between students with higher-socioeconomic status and disadvantaged students. During the summer months: A. higher-socioeconomic students' scores declined. B. disadvantaged students' scores declined. C. Both high- and low-income students' scores declined. D. Both high- and low-income students' scores remained the same.

B. disadvantaged students' scores declined.

What two dominant characteristics distinguish the development of postsecondary education in contemporary America from that in other parts of the world? A. diversity and accommodation B. diversity and accessibility C. diplomacy and accessibility D. democracy and accommodation

B. diversity and accessibility

Prior to the early twentieth century, high schools were designed: A. to keep delinquent children out of trouble. B. for elite youngsters. C. to offer vocational instruction. D. to provide general education.

B. for elite youngsters.

One study described in the textbook indicated that, among Black and Latino students, transitioning to a school where the proportion of students from the same ethnic background is lower than it had been at their previous school is associated with all of the following except: A. greater disengagement from school. B. greater engagement in school. C. lower grades. D. more frequent absences.

B. greater engagement in school.

By the 1960s, after Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, schools were called on to: A. offer more courses in math and science. B. implement desegregation programs C. provide opportunities for work-study programs. D. become more academically demanding

B. implement desegregation programs

Mrs. Denny wants to provide the best educational opportunities for all of the students in her high school. As school principal, she should: A. make sure that no class has more than 25 students. B. keep remedial classes small, but not worry if other classes have as many as 40 students. C. keep class size between 35 and 40 students. D. merge with the neighboring high school so together they offer students more resources.

B. keep remedial classes small, but not worry if other classes have as many as 40 students.

A learning disability: A. is related to emotional problems such as divorce. B. may be caused by a neurological problem. C. is usually related to hearing impairments. D. can be corrected with special tutoring

B. may be caused by a neurological problem.

Secondary education refers to: A. second grade. B. middle school, junior high school, and high school. C. college. D. graduate school.

B. middle school, junior high school, and high school.

Taisha was discouraged from taking math classes throughout her high school years. Although she is intelligent, a likely long-term implication of this biased tracking is that Taisha will: A. not pursue a college education. B. miss the opportunity to pursue certain careers for which she may be well qualified. C. attempt to take these classes on her own. D. bring a lawsuit against her school for discrimination.

B. miss the opportunity to pursue certain careers for which she may be well qualified.

The gaps in achievement between Black and Hispanic students, on the one hand, and White and Asian students, on the other hand, _____. A. has decreased and is almost nonexistent B. remains very wide C. is all based on stereotypes D. exists in math but not in reading proficiency

B. remains very wide

The practice of moving students from one grade to the next regardless of their academic performance is known as what? A. affirmative promotion B. social promotion C. standardized promotion D. equality promotion

B. social promotion

What is a policy that focuses on policies designed to improve achievement by holding schools and students to a predetermined set of standards measured by achievement tests? A. tracking B. standards-based reform C. zero tolerance D. school vouchers

B. standards-based reform

The extent to which students are psychologically committed to learning and mastering the material rather than simply completing the assigned work is called: A. self-fulfilling prophecy. B. student engagement. C. tracking. D. desegregation

B. student engagement.

Jacquelynne Eccles describes all of the following changes in school environment when moving from elementary school to middle school or junior high school, except that: A. middle and junior high schools are larger and more impersonal. B. teachers in middle and junior high schools feel more confident in their teaching abilities. C. teachers in middle and junior high schools are less likely to trust their students. D. teachers in middle and junior high schools are more likely to believe that students' abilities are not easily modified through instruction.

B. teachers in middle and junior high schools feel more confident in their teaching abilities.

Kerry and Kristie's teacher accidentally got their test scores mixed up and mistakenly thought that Kerry was the more intelligent of the two girls. At the end of the year, her records demonstrated that, indeed, Kerry had gained more and performed at a higher level than Kristie. This is best thought of as an example of: A. goodness-of-fit. B. the self-fulfilling prophecy. C. mainstreaming. D. higher-order thinking

B. the self-fulfilling prophecy.

According to evidence cited in the textbook, the ideal size of a school for adolescents is between: A. 100 and 500 students. B. 200 and 600 students. C. 600 and 900 students. D. 2,000 and 4,000 students.

C. 600 and 900 students.

According to the textbook, why do private school students academically outperform students at public schools? A. Private school teachers are better trained and are generally better teachers than public school teachers. B. Teachers at private schools are more committed to the students than the teachers at private schools. C. Because of the characteristics of the students who attend private schools. D. Private schools have more rigorous lesson plans and are in school more days a year than public schools.

C. Because of the characteristics of the students who attend private schools.

Ms. Willingham sets high standards for her students but is very responsive to their needs. What type of teaching style is this characteristic of? A. autocratic B. authoritarian C. authoritative D. permissive

C. authoritative

As discussed in your textbook, the major characteristics of good schools include all but which of the following? A. being integrated into the community (e.g., with local colleges or businesses) B. an emphasis on intellectual activities C. emphasizing rote memorization and passive listening in classrooms D. employing committed teachers and giving them the freedom to plan their curricula

C. emphasizing rote memorization and passive listening in classrooms

Of the students who enter college, what percent complete their degrees within six years? A. a little more than 20% B. fewer than 40% C. fewer than 60% D. just about 75%

C. fewer than 60%

Which of the following is not a benefit that small schools offer? A. more participation in extracurricular activities by all students B. more students can take leadership positions and responsibility C. more varied instruction D. students feel more connected

C. more varied instruction

The average American school year is _____days long. A. 100 B. 150 C. 180 D. 220

D. 220

Not only are schools the chief educational arena for adolescents, but they also play an extremely important role in: A. defining the young person's social world and social network. B. shaping psychosocial development. C. the development of motivations, aspirations, and expectations. D. All of the above

D. All of the above

Which of the following was not an effect of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)? A. Schools were "gaming the system." B. Teachers were "teaching to the test." C. School districts were reporting school averages without revealing the huge gaps between the low-achieving and the high-achieving students. D. All of these are unintended consequences of NCLB

D. All of these are unintended consequences of NCLB

Achievement is lower when: A. schools are overcrowded. B. teachers have low expectations for their students' abilities. C. students experience transitions. D. All of these statements are true.

D. All of these statements are true.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was a policy designed to ensure that all students, regardless of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic background, receive a high-quality public education. Which of the following statements is false? A. Most reasonable people would not disagree with the basic idea of NCLB. B. One of the most important factors of NCLB is that students learn how to engage in critical thinking. C. To prevent losing millions of dollars, some schools actually helped students cheat on standardized tests. D. NCLB is one example of the movement toward performance-based accountability, which has been the most important change in the world of American education in the past 20 years.

D. NCLB is one example of the movement toward performance-based accountability, which has been the most important change in the world of American education in the past 20 years.

Adolescents who have academic difficulties that can be traced to persistent and impairing symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity may have: A. dyscalculia. B. dysgraphia. C. dyslexia. D. attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

D. attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

All of the following are factors associated with higher performance of students as a result of the social capital in Catholic schools relative to other schools, except: A. close links between the schools and the students' families. B. more discipline. C. more homework. D. better use of academic tracking.

D. better use of academic tracking.

Sarah was placed in an advanced track at school. Which of the following is Sarah not likely to experience? A. more challenging instruction B. better teaching C. classroom activities that emphasize critical thinking D. classroom activities that emphasize rote memorization

D. classroom activities that emphasize rote memorization

As discussed in the textbook, during the 1950s, how did the United States respond when politicians felt the United States had lost its scientific edge to the former Soviet Union? A. increased attention was paid to religious and moral education B. requirements for classes in European history were intensified C. students were obligated to take more foreign language courses D. increased emphasis was placed on math and science education

D. increased emphasis was placed on math and science education

. Today, _____ of high school graduates enroll in college immediately after graduation. A. more than three-fourth B. approximately one-third C. approximately one-half D. more than two-thirds

D. more than two-thirds

Comparisons of large and small schools reveal that: A. small schools actually offer more varied curricula. B. students in large schools are more likely to participate in school activities. C. small schools have more material resources. D. students in small schools are more likely to participate in school activities.

D. students in small schools are more likely to participate in school activities.

Experts are likely to express all of the following reasons for the failure of school reform, except: A. concentration of poverty in many inner-city communities has produced a population of students with an array of personal and situational problems. B. many urban school districts are burdened by the huge administrative bureaucracies that often impede reform and hinder educational innovation. C. students in urban school report less of a sense of "belonging" to their school. D. the explosion of job opportunities in inner-city communities has left many students leaving school to pursue careers.

D. the explosion of job opportunities in inner-city communities has left many students leaving school to pursue careers.

The process of separating students into different levels of classes within the same school is called: A. mainstreaming. B. desegregation. C. acceleration. D. tracking.

D. tracking.

In America today, what percentage of individuals between the ages of 14 and 17 are in school? A. 25 B. 50 C. 75 D. virtually all individuals

D. virtually all individuals