Reading Specialist Praxis 150
By the end of third grade, a student should be able to read orally at a rate of at least A. 100 words per minute B. 200 words per minute C. 250 words per minute D. 300 words per minute
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. According to most accepted sources, by the end of third grade students should be reading at a rate of at least 100 words per minute. The reading rate should continue to increase over time.
Ms. Osborn teaches a variety of reading strategies to help her students become strategic readers. The strategies include predicting, previewing, monitoring comprehension while reading, generating questions, and summarizing. Which of the following best explains Ms. Osborn's purpose in teaching the strategies? A. Research has shown that reading comprehension improves when teachers provide explicit instruction. B. The school district mandates that students receive instruction in reading comprehension strategies. C. Research has shown that only these strategies have proven to be highly effective. D. The school literacy coach has given workshops in the use of the strategies.
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. According to research cited in Reutzel and Cooper (2008), evidence supports providing explicit instruction in comprehension strategies to improve student literacy development.
Ms. Simmons, the reading specialist in an elementary school, presents a workshop early in the school year to show teachers strategies about how to improve student's reading comprehension. Which of the following is the best way to evaluate the successful implementation of the strategies? A. Holding feedback sessions throughout the year so teachers can discuss their questions about the instructional strategies B. Reviewing each teacher's lesson plans to give feedback on implementation of the strategies C. Observing a teacher instructing and evaluating students' reading comprehension D. Presenting a workshop on a reading comprehension topic of the teachers' choosing the following month
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Allowing teachers the opportunity to discuss strategies in a collaborative group will improve implementation. The technique demonstrates to the teachers that the reading specialist is acting on an ongoing basis in a supportive, rather than evaluative, manner.
To introduce students to decoding multisyllabic words, a fourth-grade teacher plans a lesson that requires students to A. combine single-syllable words to form new words B. identify words with the CVC pattern C. practice spelling single-syllable words D. use Elkonin boxes to encode spoken single-syllable words
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Asking students to combine single-syllable words demonstrates the formation of compound words, which is an appropriate initial step for learning about multisyllabic vocabulary.
Phonemic awareness instruction with older struggling readers should begin with activities that focus on A. rhyme B. syllable units C. onset and rime D. phonemes
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Children, even older struggling readers, are better able to understand and gain control over larger units of sounds than over smaller units. Rhyme represents larger sound units than syllables, onset and rime, and phonemes.
A reading specialist administers an informal reading inventory (IRI) to a struggling third-grade student. During the oral reading of a grade-level passage, the student is able to read expressively with 100 percent correct word accuracy. However, when asked to retell the passage, the student has difficulty remembering many details. The best approach to improve the student's comprehension is A. modeling stopping while reading to summarize the text, then providing the student opportunities to practice the strategy B. asking the student to read the text and then record the most important information on a notepad C. having the student reread a passage several times until 100 percent comprehension is reached D. administering a teacher-created test following the reading of the text to assess the student's level of understanding
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Explicit instruction in comprehension requires teachers to first scaffold the process by modeling the application of a strategy. Strategic readers monitor their understanding of text as they read. Stopping at different places in the text to summarize and evaluate whether the text is making sense is an effective comprehension strategy.
A reading specialist conducts a workshop for teachers on use of the Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DR-TA) method of instruction. In the model, teachers ask students to first make predictions based on the title and cover of a book. At various points in the story, students stop reading and check the accuracy of their predictions. Predictions are then changed or clarified, and new predictions may be made based on the new information students learned while reading. The DR-TA method of instruction is most likely to promote which of the following? A. Applying metacognitive skills to increase comprehension B. Using text structures to summarize C. Reinforcing use of word-recognition skills in context D. Increasing motivation to read independently
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Good readers continually make, revise, or confirm predictions as they read. In this way, they are forming connections between prior knowledge and new information in the text. In making predictions, proficient readers are aware of their own thought processes. The reader is developing metacognition — the ability to think about one's own thinking.
Hilary is a fourth-grade student who experiences difficulties finding her voice in writing. Which of the following is most likely to increase Hilary's ability to understand voice in reading and writing? A. Having her parents read aloud to her and discussing books more at home B. Asking her to attend after-school tutoring sessions C. Discussing school events with the teacher on a daily basis D. Making her visit the public library once a week
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Hilary needs to not only increase the amount of reading she does, she also needs to listen to more books being read aloud and talk about the messages the authors are conveying. Asking parents to participate in those activities will help Hilary to understand the nuances in stories and learn how different authors write. The models provided by authors will serve as examples to help Hilary's writing development.
Which of the following is the single best predictor of academic success for second-language learners? A. Vocabulary knowledge B. Wide reading of different text genres C. Parental involvement in school activities D. Knowledge of word-learning strategies
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. In a research study conducted by Muriel Saville-Troike, a student's vocabulary knowledge in English was found to be the most important component of oral language proficiency relating to academic achievement.
During a literacy block, a second-grade teacher works with individual students in a small group who have similar needs in writing. The teacher reteaches skills and provides continuous feedback to assist students' development of writing skills. Which of the following instructional practices is the teacher using? A. Guided writing B. Modeling C. Shared writing D. Interactive writing
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. In guided writing a teacher is meeting the specific needs of individuals or small groups. If a student or a group of students have difficulty developing a character in their writing, for instance, the teacher may conduct a guided writing lesson in which additional examples or models of how to learn this skill are provided.
Which of the following best indicates the difficulty of a text? A. Vocabulary, word length, sentence length, concept density B. Word count, word length, genre, sentence variety C. Illustrations, word count, grammatical complexity, voice D. Author's purpose, word length, sentence length, sentence variety
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Many variables within a text may contribute to readability, but factors such as vocabulary, word length, sentence complexity, and the density of concepts presented are frequently used to determine a reader's ease of comprehension.
First-grade students Porter and Henry are working together in a learning center, where they are listening to a series of words the teacher has recorded. Each student taps out the number of sounds he hears in the words and then checks with the other student to see if he agrees. The most likely benefit of the activity for the students is that it A. reinforces phonemic awareness B. provides practice in working cooperatively C. helps develop auditory discrimination D. helps develop rhyming skills
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Phonemic awareness refers to a student's basic knowledge that spoken language is composed of a series of individual speech sounds known as phonemes. In this activity, Porter and Henry are asked to segment each word and then count the number of phonemes that are represented. Phonemic awareness is a strong predictor of students who will experience early success in learning to read.
Which of the following phonological awareness skills uses oral manipulation to break spoken words into smaller units such as phonemes, syllables, or onsets and rimes? A. Segmentation B. Blending C. Deletion D. Rhyme
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Segmenting is the ability to break spoken words into individual units. The units can be distinguished in three ways, by phonemes, by syllabus, by onsets and rimes.
A sixth-grade teacher plans an activity to promote students' skills in locating specific information in expository text. The teacher distributes a set of questions and an expository text to the students in the class. The students are asked to find the answers to the questions in the text and to write them down. The teacher observes that several students have difficulty answering the questions in the allotted time. These students would benefit most from which of the following instructional strategies? A. Skimming and scanning to locate information B. Adjusting the rate of reading to complete the task C. Activating prior knowledge before reading the text D. Interpreting visual graphics in expository text
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Skimming is a technique used to quickly identify main ideas in text. Scanning is a technique in which the reader's eyes move quickly on a page to locate specific words or phrases. Both of these strategies are useful in finding specific information in expository text.
The most effective activity for developing students' concepts of print is A. listening to teachers read aloud B. previewing a book C. taking a quiz D. viewing an animated video about how to read a book
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Students learn best about concepts of print when teachers model the skills by reading aloud. Students then can imitate the teacher's behavior by recognizing the cover, turning the pages, and pretending to read
Which of the following instructional strategies best improves a student's prosodic reading? A. Modeling effective expressive reading B. Selecting reading materials at the student's instructional level C. Strengthening recognition of sight words and decoding skills D. Increasing the student's reading rate
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Students may not know what prosodic reading should be like. They need frequent opportunities to see and hear fluent reading, and the teacher should be the primary model in the classroom. An effective way to model fluent reading is to read good literature aloud to students each day.
According to current research, which of the following strategies best promotes student comprehension of expository texts? A. Providing scaffolded instruction about identifying and interpreting text features B. Teaching main concepts using literature that is below grade level C. Providing alternate literature at a lower readability level to teach the main concepts D. Encouraging students to memorize the key ideas in the texts
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. Students need to learn how to read expository texts. Using the particular features (textual and visual) of such text to locate information is an important skill. Teachers should scaffold instruction through instructional strategies such as minilessons and think-alouds to support student learning of the unique features of expository text. Although identifying text features is not a goal of instruction, students are better able to comprehend what they are reading if they understand how the text is organized.
A fourth-grade teacher has students read a fiction story and then asks the students to compare two of the characters from the story. Which of the following graphic organizers is best suited for the activity? A. Venn diagram B. Sequence chart C. Cluster diagram D. Flow chart
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The Venn diagram is a graphic organizer usually comprised of overlapping circles that show those features that are either common or unique to two or more elements in a text. Typically, Venn diagrams are used as visual representations to enhance a student's ability to understand and organize information presented in written material.
A fifth-grade teacher asks the reading specialist to recommend a before-reading strategy that will assist students with both vocabulary and writing. The reading specialist suggests that the teacher first create a list of five to twenty words from a selected story. The teacher should then ask students to use the words to compose a group story with a beginning, middle, and end. The students can edit, illustrate, or publish the story. The instructional strategy the reading specialist recommends is known as A. semantic impressions B. possible sentences C. predict-o-gram D. word experts
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The instructional strategy described is known as semantic impressions. The purpose of the before-reading technique is to provide students with an overall impression of a story's structure. The strategy has been shown to increase student comprehension of text.
A kindergarten teacher asks the reading specialist to evaluate a new student. Which of the following assessments is most appropriate to administer? A. Concepts About Print assessment B. Developmental Spelling assessment C. Miscue analysis assessment D. Fluency assessment
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The most developmentally appropriate test for the reading specialist to administer is the Concepts About Print assessment. This tool evaluates a student's knowledge about books, letters, words, directionality, punctuation, and other prereading skills that are essential for becoming a successful reader.
A student and a teacher are reading aloud together in unison. The teacher, sitting slightly behind the student, leads the oral reading. The teacher speaks into the student's ear and moves a finger under the words as they read. The teacher is using which of the following fluency-building strategies? A. Neurological impress B. Reader's theater C. Paired reading D. Repeated reading
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The scenario describes the neurological impress method, which is intended to be a multisensory approach to building a student's reading-fluency skills. The method provides a model (the teacher reading) of accurate and fluent reading.
During literature study in Ms. Mills' fourth-grade class, one group of students is independently reading the book Matilda and then discussing it as a group. In another group, Ms. Mills asks students to listen as she reads Matilda aloud and asks guiding questions after reading sections of the text. The process best describes which of the following? A. Differentiated instruction B. Reading workshop C. QAR model D. SSR
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The theory of differentiated instruction is based on the premise that students have different needs and abilities, and therefore instructional approaches should vary. The model requires that teachers be flexible in their teaching methods and in adjusting the curriculum to meet the specific needs of students. Keeping the content the same for both groups, Ms. Mills is adjusting her instruction by supporting struggling readers while students with higher reading skills work independently.
Ali, a fourth-grade student, wrote the following. My birthday party was fun. A lot of people came and brought me presents. We played miniature golf and I won! Then we had cake and played some games. It was a great time. Which of the following strategies is most likely to help Ali add description to his writing? A. Modeling how to ask questions that generate specific details B. Modeling how to ask guiding questions to establish and maintain a single focus C. Modeling how to use transition words that signal spatial relationships D. Modeling how to organize thoughts to ensure completeness of ideas in a text
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The writing piece lacks specific details. Asking questions such as "What kind of games did you play?" or "Who were the people who came to the party?" would help the student elaborate on the writing. Conferencing is at the heart of helping students develop support and elaboration in their writing. Students can learn to revise by asking questions about their writing and the writing of others during conferences with the teacher and with peers. Once students have learned to ask questions and add information, they can learn to delete irrelevant details that weaken the writing and to make details more specific and concrete.
A second-grade student wrote the following. (We have a hamster. His name is Murphy.) Which of the following strategies would be most beneficial to help the student develop spelling skills? A. Providing direct instruction in word families, spelling patterns, and word structure B. Instructing the students in affixes, root words, and homophones C. Conducting minilessons on revision skills D. Teaching letter names and correct letter formation
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The writing sample shows that the second-grade student is at the phonetic stage of spelling development and would benefit most from instruction in word families, common spelling patterns, and word structure.
new reading specialist is assigned to an elementary school. One of the first tasks the reading specialist undertakes is to conduct an evaluation of the school's reading program. Based on a review of test scores, the reading specialist determines that changes need to be made in the instructional approach to teaching word study. Which of the following is the best first step the reading specialist should take to promote the necessary changes? A. Provide classroom teachers with literature instruction, discuss collaboratively how to implement the strategies, and model the instruction in classrooms. B. Share the results of the reading program evaluation with the principal and ask that changes be mandated immediately. C. Design a schedule that outlines a plan for classroom teachers to implement the new instructional strategies daily. D. Send a letter to parents that describes the new instructional approaches and explains why the changes are necessary.
Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. When implementing a new program within a school, it is important for reading specialists to gain the support of classroom teachers by involving them in the decision-making process. Providing research-based literature to teachers further supports the principle that a change in an instructional approach is necessary to promote student success.
A first-grade teacher wants to increase parental involvement in students' literacy development. Which of the following strategies would be most effective in achieving the teacher's goal? A. Encouraging parents to supervise student Internet activity B. Sending books home each week to promote story sharing C. Giving parents a list of books to borrow from the local library D. Asking parents to volunteer in the classroom on a weekly basis
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. A wide body of research supports the critical role that parents play in student's reading development. To be most effective, the involvement should be focused on enlisting families to help students develop specific knowledge and skills. A teacher who sends books home to be shared by parents and students reading together shows a positive concern about the influence an ongoing partnership can have on student achievement.
Which of the following best describes the instructional model that differentiates content to meet the needs of all learners? A. Providing students with a series of organized materials that include sequenced skill instruction in vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency B. Providing specific interventions based on needs identified through preassessment and ongoing progress monitoring C. Providing reading-skills instruction to students through self-directed learning experiences that use a variety of resources, including leveled readers D. Providing instruction to students on phonics and sight-word recognition through use of authentic reading and writing activities
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. An effective differentiated instruction classroom will have screening and ongoing progress monitoring to determine specific student needs, as well as instructional planning and intervention to meet the identified needs of all students.
Which of the following assessments uses a series of graded word lists and passages to place students at an appropriate level for reading instruction? A. Norm-referenced test B. Informal reading inventory C. Criterion-referenced test D. Cloze procedure
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. An informal reading inventory is an assessment that uses a series of graded word lists and passages to determine a student's strengths and weaknesses in word recognition and comprehension. The technique is also used to identify a student's independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels. In addition, if the passages are read to the student, an informal reading inventory gives some indication of a student's level of listening comprehension — or ability to comprehend information without the burden of decoding — should decoding be problematic.
Anna, a first-grade student, is learning a set of words that end in /-ight/. She reads the word "night" to her teacher. The teacher then asks Anna to remove /n/, replace it with /m/, and say the new word. The activity is an example of which of the following approaches to phonics instruction? A. Embedded B. Analogy-based C. Analytic D. Phonics through spelling
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Analogy-based phonics instruction is a variation of onset and rime instruction. In analogy-based phonics, students use their knowledge of word families (-ight, -at, -op) to identify new words that contain the same word part. For example, a student reads the word hat by using prior knowledge of /-at/ from three words already known: cat, sat, and mat.
A kindergarten teacher reads to the class every afternoon for approximately ten minutes. The activity is most effective in helping students to A. relax before going home B. develop oral language skills C. build sight word vocabulary D. understand elements of various genres
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. By listening to stories, students learn about language, syntax, and phonological awareness. Reading aloud to students increases their vocabulary, and students learn to speak in longer sentences. All of these factors support a student's literacy development.
A third-grade teacher gives the following checklist to the students. Is my opening strong? Do I support my ideas with details? Are there any places where I can expand my ideas with examples? Do I group all similar details together? Is my writing organized into paragraphs? At which of the following stages in the writing process is the checklist most helpful to students? A. Editing B. Revising C. Prewriting D. Drafting
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. During the revision stage in the writing process, students improve the content of their writing. The checklist focuses students by asking them to clarify and refine their ideas by adding, deleting, substituting, and rearranging material.
A third-grade student wrote the following. Baseball is a very difficult game with lots of rules. One rule is that a batter has three strikes. If he gets three strikes, he is out and the next person gets to bat. There are many ways a batter can get a strike. If the batter swings and misses the ball, it is a strike. Another way he can get a strike is if the umpire calls the pitch a strike. Which of the following genres best characterizes the student's writing? A. Fiction B. Expository C. Persuasive D. Narrative
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Expository writing is a genre that explains, describes, or defines the author's topic to the reade
Mr. Henson provides his sixth-grade students with class photo albums. He instructs the students to browse through the albums for a few minutes and tells them that when he says stop, students should put a finger on one picture. Students will then do a quick write to describe how the picture makes them feel. The activity is most likely planned to help students A. develop organizational writing skills B. generate ideas for writing C. develop the ability to find their
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Helping students find ideas to encourage writing can be difficult. By sharing personal photographs, the teacher motivates students to write and provides a model of one way (sharing a meaningful personal experience) to get ideas.
Mr. Smith will have a diverse fourth-grade class next year. During the summer, he attempts to create a classroom library that best meets the needs of the students. It is most important he selects books that A. are written in a variety of languages B. portray a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds C. only contain content that is new to the students D. include many organizational text structures and graphics
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Integrating multicultural literature into the curriculum through a classroom library has many benefits. Such literature heightens respect for individuals and makes students aware of differences among people. Reading literature that portrays other cultures helps students to become more connected with the world and introduces them to new ideas.
In a fifth-grade reading class, the teacher asks students to write a list of words associated with the American Revolution. Next, the teacher draws three columns on the board and labels them "Great Britain," "America," and "Both." The teacher then asks students to come to the board and write their words in the most appropriate column. The class discusses why each word belongs in the particular column. This vocabulary development activity is known as which of the following? A. Semantic feature analysis B. List-Group-Label C. Using context clues D. OPIN
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. List-Group-Label is a vocabulary-building activity that encourages students to activate prior knowledge, share what they know about content-specific concepts, and make connections between them.
Which of the following describes the understanding that spoken words consist of a sequence of individual sounds? A. Phonological awareness B. Phonemic awareness C. Alphabetic principle D. Onset and rime
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Phonemic awareness is the awareness of the smallest units of sound (phonemes) that make up spoken words. Awareness of individual sounds and the sequence of these sounds to form a word is an important skill in learning to read.
Mr. McBride completes weekly running records on all of his second-grade students. He groups the students with weak fluency skills in a guided reading group. Mr. McBride uses the diagnostic data collected from the running records to best achieve which of the following goals? A. Planning for literacy centers B. Differentiating instruction C. Grading for report cards D. Placing students in heterogeneous groups
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Placing students with similar reading needs in guided reading groups is one of the foundations of a guided reading program. Groups are fluid, and students move in and out based on their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, differentiated instruction provides opportunities for students to work in varied instructional formats, where the specific interests and learning preferences of all learners can be addressed.
Which of the following instructional strategies best supports the spelling development of beginning writers? A. Having students read and copy sentences directly from the board B. Providing multiple opportunities to use new words in authentic reading and writing activities C. Having students write the correct spelling of each misspelled words five times D. Providing explicit instruction on how to use a thesaurus to find antonyms and synonyms
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Research shows that skills that are taught and reinforced in isolation are not applied by students as consistently or effectively as when learners are instructed within the context of actual, authentic reading and writing activities.
Sarah, a second-grade student, recognizes all letters of the alphabet and the corresponding sounds for each. When writing, Sarah consistently encodes initial and final consonant sounds but does not include vowel sounds. Sarah's writing is most likely at which of the following stages of development? A. Scribbling B. Phonetic C. Prephonetic D. Drafting
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Students at the phonetic stage begin to write words with beginning and ending sounds. They may write some high-frequency words correctly, but if vowels are included in other words, writers at the phonetic stage do not typically write the correct vowel.
Which of the following strategies uses organizational textbook features to aid students in setting a purpose for reading? A. Using a glossary to define unfamiliar vocabulary B. Turning headings into questions C. Utilizing the index to locate information D. Previewing graphics in the text
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. The benefit of turning headings into questions while reading text with these organizational features is that the strategy gives students a purpose for reading. Students need direction while reading in order to comprehend the text—formulating questions provides a connection between author and reader and helps the student to monitor comprehension throughout that section of text.
Which of the following is the best time for a student to edit a piece of personal writing? A. Immediately after completing the first-draft revision B. Several days after writing a revised draft C. After peer editors have made correction
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. The fourth step in the writing process is editing. After a revised draft has been completed, the process of editing is most appropriately done a few days later, when the writer can view the piece with a new perspective or a fresh pair of eyes.
The best way to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students with reading difficulties is to A. limit the number of reading and writing assignments B. use tiered activities that vary in complexity C. place students in a different class for reading instruction D. partner higher-performing students with struggling readers
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. Tiered activities support the same content for all students but vary in complexity depending on student need. Research has shown that students benefit from the systematically provided and research-based intervention in reading that tiered instruction provides.
Following a meeting with fourth-grade teachers, Mr. McBride, the reading specialist, realizes that some of the problems students experience with writing are the result of the inconsistency of writing instruction throughout the school. To begin to solve the problem, Mr. McBride should first take which of the following actions? A. Advising the fourth-grade teachers to spend the next six weeks of instruction reteaching students B. Meeting with all teachers to form a writing committee to explore ways to improve student writing C. Conferencing with the third-grade teachers to inform them of the problem and ask for recommendations for change D. Selecting a new writing program used successfully in other schools and requiring its implementation
Correct Answer: B Option (B) is correct. To best make change in a school, ideas for reform should come from within, and teachers should have ownership. Collaboration between all stakeholders in the school will most likely result in the most effective change.
An eighth-grade social studies teacher administers a cloze procedure to the students before they read a chapter on the Amazon rain forest. The measure is most likely used to assess students' A. understanding of the climate in the region B. knowledge of the purpose of SQ3R C. ability to apply syntax and semantics to activate prior knowledge D. proficiency in reading fluency
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. A cloze procedure can be used as a diagnostic reading assessment to measure students' vocabulary and prior knowledge of a topic. Based on the information gathered from the cloze procedure, the teacher can make appropriate instructional decisions in planning the unit.
Ms. Mills is a new third-grade teacher. She wants to provide differentiated instruction for all learners by using data obtained through student assessment. Ms. Mills can best meet her goal by using which of the following types of assessments? A. Anecdotal records and checklists B. Teacher-made multiple-choice tests C. Formal and informal assessments D. Running records
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. A combination of formal and informal assessments gives the teacher a broad picture of students' performance. While some students may perform well with pencil and paper assessments, others may perform better with authentic assessments, such as presentations or projects. All of this information is important to have to plan for differentiated instruction.
George is a new student in Ms. Jones's second-grade class. Ms. Jones asks George to orally read a 100-word passage from a book the class is currently reading. As George reads, Ms. Jones records the words he reads correctly and makes notes of his errors. Ms. Jones is administering which of the following? A. A cloze procedure B. An informal reading inventory C. A running record D. A phonics screening
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. A running record is an informal assessment tool in which the teacher makes notes on reading behaviors as the student reads orally. A running record is used to monitor and analyze how a reader processes text.
As part of a reading center activity, a group of first-grade students is searching for words in picture books that match words on the classroom word wall. The activity best promotes which of the following? A. Phonemic awareness B. Concepts about print C. Sight-word recognition D. Reading comprehension
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. A word wall is a collection of words, usually arranged in alphabetical order, displayed on a classroom wall. The collections can be organized by unit of study, spelling patterns, or high-frequency (sight) words, for example. The activity of searching for words in various sources encourages students to practice reading sight words. Students begin to discover the subtle differences in the words that will lead to automatic recognition.
A reading specialist considers strategies to promote reading comprehension of expository materials by middle school students. Which of the following is most effective in improving the ability of students to determine the main idea of a passage? A. Reading a passage and identifying the topic B. Selecting the most important idea in a selection that has multiple main ideas C. Analyzing common elements in detail sentences in order to determine the main idea D. Locating the topic sentence in order to identify the main idea
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. An effective strategy to find the main idea in an expository passage is to look across several paragraphs of a text, analyze the details the author includes, and use the information provided in connection with prior knowledge to predict the underlying main idea.
A reading specialist and a special education teacher meet to plan a new unit of instruction. Which of the following is the best first step in the planning process? A. Creating an assessment to measure the students' mastery of the unit objectives B. Developing a schedule of instructional activities and assessments C. Identifying a set of common goals and objectives for the unit D. Selecting instructional and collaborative learning strategies
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. As an initial step in collaborative planning, the reading specialist and special education teacher should meet to establish the goals and objectives for the unit.
While observing a student during an oral reading activity, the teacher notices that the student does not match letters with the correct sounds. The student is most likely having difficulty with A. reading fluency B. syntax C. graphophonic cues D. comprehension
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Cueing systems are ways of figuring out the meaning of an unknown word. When using the graphophonic cueing system, the reader looks at the sounds of letters to help decode the unfamiliar.
A sixth-grade teacher asks the reading specialist to attend a conference with the parents of a student who has reading difficulties. The reading specialist notes that during the meeting the teacher uses such terms as "semantics" and "metacognition" while describing the student's achievement. Following the conference, the teacher asks the reading specialist for feedback. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the reading specialist? A. Recommending that the teacher continue to assess the student and arrange a follow-up conference in a month to report progress B. Suggesting that the teacher refer the student to the school's child-study team for further evaluation C. Recommending that the teacher refrain from using terminology with which parents may not be familiar D. Asking the teacher to share more examples of student work in parent conferences
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. In communicating with parents, it is important not to use educational jargon that may not be understood. It is best to show parents what areas of literacy development may be challenging to the student through use of clear, appropriate language and examples of student work.
A fourth-grade teacher asks students to search the Internet to find information to help answer a science question. Which of the following strategies should the teacher use to aid students in locating the material they need to answer the question? A. Find the authorship and copyright information for a Web site. B. Compare and contrast different search engines. C. Identify key words to use in the search. D. Skim the information on various Web sites.
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Key words in a question can be used as search terms in a search engine. Focusing the search for information in this way gives students direction and strategy to use in answering specific questions.
A fourth-grade teacher asks students to search the Internet to find information to help answer a science question. Which of the following strategies should the teacher use to aid students in locating the material they need to answer the question? A. Find the authorship and copyright information for a Web site. B. Compare and contrast different search engines. C. Identify key words to use in the search. D. Skim the information on various Web sites.
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Key words in a question can be used as search terms in a search engine. Focusing the search for information in this way gives students direction and strategy to use in answering specific questions. er. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are taught using the transcribed story.
Which of the following describes the most important purpose of using a norm-referenced test? A. The test will measure how well a student learned content-specific knowledge and skills. B. The teacher can use the results to interpret student's performance using set criteria. C. The test will indicate where a student performs in comparison to a group of similar students. D. The teacher can use the results to evaluate a student's performance against a standard.
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Norm-referenced tests allow a student's skills to be compared with the skills of other students in a similar age group. These tests are developed by administering a set of test items to a group of students; the performance of those in the norming group is used as a basis for comparison.
Ms. Hanson, a kindergarten teacher, engages her students in a rhyming activity in which she says, "Hickory, dickory, dock, / The mouse ran up the ______." Ms. Hanson asks the students to fill in the rhyming word. The activity is an example of which of the following? A. Semantics B. Phonics rules C. Phonological awareness D. Whole language
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Phonological awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken language. The sounds can be distinguished in three ways: by syllables, by onsets and rimes, and by phonemes.
To most effectively promote family involvement in literacy activities, teachers should encourage parents to A. buy a variety of books at different reading levels B. get each child in the family a library card C. read and discuss stories and experiences at home D. volunteer to read to students in the school's media center
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Research has shown that reading aloud to children is one of the most effective activities parents can do to promote literacy. Reading aloud and discussing good literature helps children develop vocabulary, phonological awareness, oral language skills, fluency, and a positive attitude toward learning.
A third-grade student has an excellent basic sight vocabulary and is proficient in decoding skills. The student experiences difficulty in comprehending grade-level text. The teacher approaches the school's reading specialist to request recommendations on how to best meet the student's reading needs. Which of the following is the most effective recommendation the reading specialist could make? A. Placing the student in a first-grade reading group B. Having the student attend an after-school tutoring program C. Teaching the student to use fix-it-up strategies while reading D. Notifying the student's parents of the teacher's concerns
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Since the student's problem is with comprehension, an appropriate first step is to provide instruction in comprehension strategies. Teaching specific ways to gain meaning from text and then providing the student with opportunities to use those skills is good instructional practice.
Ashley, a third-grade student, has written a well-developed, multiparagraph paper about the history of Jamestown. Which of the following stages of writing development has Ashley reached? A. Emergent B. Transitional C. Fluent D. Inferential
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Students have reached the fluent stage of writing when they write in paragraphs and can vary their writing according to different genres. Generally, students at this stage use correct spelling and writing conventions, such as punctuation and capitalization.
A fourth-grade student writes answers to comprehension questions after reading a chapter in a novel. For each of the questions, the student has to explain the strategic reading process necessary to determine the answer. Which of the following best matches the comprehension strategy described? A. DR-TA B. KWL C. QAR
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. T. Raphael created Question-Answer-Relationships (QAR) to help students become strategic readers by understanding that answers to questions are related to the type of question that is being asked. Raphael describes four QARs: Right There refers to the answer that is in the text. Think and Search refers to the answer that is in the text but may be broken, and the reader needs to look in different sections to locate it. Author and You means that the answer may not be in the text, but the reader needs to use information the author has given, combined with what the reader already knows, to answer the question. On My Own means the answer is not in the text, and the reader does not need to read the text to correctly answer the question.
Which of the following is a strategy in which students' oral compositions are written down and used as materials for instruction in reading, writing, speaking, and listening? A. Guided reading B. Reciprocal teaching C. Language experience approach D. Directed reading activity
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. The language experience approach is used to develop oral language vocabulary. In this approach, students share an experience with the teacher, who writes the students' words on pap
A first-grade teacher wants to assess student progress in reading. The teacher creates the following chart to show one student's growth. Student Name Date Title of Book Words per Minute Matthew Scott 9/6/11 Tumble Bumble 48 10/7/11 Oh, Cats! 57 11/19/11 Biscuit 73 Which of the following aspects of Matthew's reading development is the teacher most likely assessing? A. Phonemic awareness B. Vocabulary C. Fluency D. Comprehension skills
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. The teacher is recording Matthew's reading progress through timed reading of texts. One measure of fluent reading is the number of words read accurately in a set period of time.
To best assess reading fluency, a teacher uses a checklist to note students' oral reading progress in which of the following areas? A. Automaticity, prosody, and listening comprehension B. Rate, prosody, and spelling C. Automaticity, rate, and prosody D. Rate, spelling, and automaticity
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. The three components of fluency are automaticity (the ability to read words quickly), rate (the speed at which text is read), and prosody (the ability to read with natural expression, phrasing, and intonation).
Third-grade readers are struggling to decode words that contain blends. The classroom teacher asks the reading specialist if instruction should first be focused on words with b, g, s, or t blends. Which of the following should the reading specialist recommend to best meet the needs of the students? A. Words with b blends B. Words with g blends C. Words with s blends D. Words with t blends
Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. Words that contain s blends (st as in stay, sp as in speed, sm as in small) are more distinctive than the others.
Which of the following is a form of authentic assessment? A. A reading diagnostic test B. A phonics screener C. An end-of-unit reading test D. Anecdotal records
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Authentic assessments test how well a student performs in real-world contexts. In terms of literacy skills, a teacher examines the processes and the products that students use as they speak, listen, read, and write. In addition to anecdotal records, other examples of authentic assessments include group or individual projects, oral presentations, performances, reading logs, teacher-student conferences, and observations.
Ms. Grubbs introduces her kindergarten students to an activity from Stones by Marie Clay. She turns to a page on which the words are written upside down and asks students to identify what is wrong. The activity is most effective in assessing the students' A. phonemic awareness B. visual acuity C. ability to follow directions D. concepts of print
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. By viewing a page in a book on which the words are set incorrectly, students can demonstrate their awareness of concepts of print even though they are unable to read the words.
Two unique consonants that appear together in a word and represent one sound are known as A. a diphthong B. a consonant blend C. double consonants D. a consonant digraph
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Consonant digraphs are letter combinations that represent one sound not associated with either consonant individually. Examples include /th/ as in thought, /ph/ as in phone, and /ch/ as in chimney.
Students in a kindergarten class draw pictures and label them using invented spelling. Which of the following is the best rationale for engaging students in the activity described? A. The activity gives students an opportunity to practice proper letter formation. B. The activity gives students an opportunity to express personal feelings. C. The activity helps students develop gross motor skills. D. The activity helps students understand that print carries meaning
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Drawing pictures and writing explanations to accompany the pictures are two ways of promoting student self-expression. When children use invented spelling, they learn the purpose of writing: to communicate.
Which of the following strategies would be most effective for students to use to improve reading comprehension? A. Activating prior knowledge, looking up unfamiliar words in a dictionary, and participating in choral-reading activities B. Looking up unfamiliar words in a dictionary, reading independently for fifteen minutes per day, and participating in choral-reading activities C. Creating questions while reading, underlining unknown words, and answering comprehension questions D. Activating prior knowledge, creating questions while reading, and connecting to past experiences
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. In order to comprehend, students must think cognitively and metacognitively about what they are reading. These strategies are the most effective in increasing comprehension. In the other options not all three strategies are specifically geared toward improving reading comprehension.
During a science unit on weather, students fill out the following chart for each of the content-related vocabulary words. Unit Vocabulary I have no idea what it means I have heard/seen it before I could easily teach it to the group Weather Humidity Precipitation Fog Dew point The graphic organizer is an example of which of the following? A. The Frayer model B. List-Group-Label C. Semantic feature analysis D. Knowledge rating
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. In the knowledge-rating graphic organizer, students rate their knowledge of the meaning of vocabulary the teacher has selected from a text. After reading the text, students then discuss and define the meaning of the terms.
A first-grade teacher conducts a lesson on initial consonants, consonant blends, and consonant digraphs that come before a vowel in words. The instruction best addresses which of the following? A. Rime B. Syllabication C. Rhyme D. Onset
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Onset is an approach to teaching beginning reading skills in which students break single-syllable words into their onsets (the initial consonant sound or sounds before a vowel) and rimes (the vowel and remaining sounds in a syllable). Students then blend the two parts to say the whole word.
A kindergarten teacher uses picture cards that reinforce the sounds of /a/, /m/, /t/, /i/, and /s/ to play a game of sound bingo with students. The teacher holds up a picture and instructs students to place a bingo chip on the first letter of the word that names the picture. Which of the following is most likely the instructional goal of the activity? A. Teaching basic phonics rules B. Assessing rhyming skills C. Fostering competition D. Developing phonological awareness
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Phonological awareness refers to recognizing the constituent sounds in words while learning to read and spell. The constituents of words can be distinguished by syllables, onsets and rimes, and phonemes.
Which of the following terms best describes the way language is used in social contexts? A. Morphology B. Orthography C. Phonetics D. Pragmatics
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Pragmatics refers to the system of language (written and spoken) that varies according to cultural and social uses. People use language in many different ways for different purposes and to address different audiences.
During a writing class, the teacher asks students to identify the purpose of their writing, select an audience, consider the form of the writing, and generate and organize ideas for the writing topic. The students are most likely at which stage of the writing process? A. Publishing B. Editing C. Drafting D. Prewriting
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Prewriting is the preparing-to-write stage. All of these steps are taken at the beginning of the writing process, before students begin to draft.
A student who reads with expression, appropriate phrasing, and good inflection is best described as reading with A. emotion B. tone C. intensity D. prosody
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Prosody is a component of reading fluency, an important part of a student's literacy development. A fluent reader must be able to read with accuracy, automaticity, and meaningful expression (prosody).
In which of the following activities is it most appropriate for a student to use structural analysis as a word-recognition skill? A. Identifying a word's beginning, middle, and ending sounds B. Blending individual sounds to decode a word C. Counting the number of syllables in a spoken word D. Identifying the word-meaning parts of the word
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Structural analysis refers to identifying word-meaning elements, such as dis and like in dislike, to help in understanding a word's meaning. Structural analysis generally involves recognizing affixes, roots, contractions, compounds, and inflected forms of words.
A fifth-grade teacher gives an informal reading inventory (IRI) to the entire class to determine reading levels. To most effectively meet the varied needs of the students, the teacher should use the data from the IRI to A. divide students into high-, middle-, and low-ability reading groups B. suggest appropriate reading materials from which students can choose C. create a list of more varied reading materials to propose to the principal D. select appropriate instructional materials and implement literacy centers
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. The data from the IRI is best used to place students into appropriate flexible groups based on instructional need would inform the appropriateness of materials and help when designing groups for centers.
A first-grade class returns from a field trip to the zoo. The teacher wants to engage the students in a writing activity that will also help develop reading skills. Which of the following strategies will best support the teacher's goal? A. Guided writing B. Quick-write activities C. Written retellings D. Language experience approach
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. The language experience approach is an instructional strategy in which writing is used to help build reading skills. Students dictate ideas to the teacher, who records the information. The teacher reads the dictated information aloud while writing so that students see their spoken words being recorded. The text can be used to teach comprehension, word recognition, phonics, and fluency skills.
An eleventh-grade history teacher plans a unit on the Great Depression. One goal the teacher has is to provide students with access to multiple sources of information on the topic. The most likely benefit of the teacher's plan is that it allows students to A. become familiar with the resources of the school library B. use a variety of reading comprehension strategies to read expository texts C. develop more advanced informational writing skills D. gather more information and process opposing points of view
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Using multiple sources to learn new information allows students to read a variety of perspectives on a specific topic. Students can also read different explanations of events and consider varying opinions.
According to L.S. Vygotsky, exemplary instruction in literacy is characterized by a teacher who A. uses a combination of multiple reading programs to meet student needs B. implements a variety of grouping practices based on students' strengths and weaknesses C. develops a strong partnership with families and the community in furthering literacy goals D. provides appropriate scaffolded support as students read texts slightly more difficult than those chosen for independent reading
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. Vygotsky created the theory of the zone of proximal development, the gap between what a learner has mastered and what he or she can learn when provided instructional support. In the classroom, the theory translates to the idea of developing instruction in small steps, based first on what the student can do independently, and then, with scaffolding, moving the learner toward independence when performing more complex tasks.
A first-grade teacher shows students a book cover that includes the title but does not allow them to preview the illustrations in the book. Which of the following strategies does the activity support? A. Activating students' prior knowledge of the content B. Encouraging students to make personal connections to the text C. Generating questions for students to answer while reading D. Expanding the depth and quality of students' predictions
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. When students preview text illustrations to make predictions, the predictions tend to rely heavily on the pictures. Asking students to predict based only on the cover and title of the book does not limit the predictions.
One view of the act of reading involves the belief that each reader brings individual, unique background knowledge and beliefs to text, and therefore the meaning of the same material is different for each reader. According to this theory, which of the following best describes the reader's stance during the act of understanding text? A. Efferent B. Aesthetic C. Transmissible D. Transactional
Correct Answer: D Option (D) is correct. When the reader takes a transactional stance during reading, a relationship exists between the reader and the text. Meaning is created by the reader as the text is read. The reader brings personal experiences to the reading. Personal response and interpretation result from the interaction between the author and the reader.