TCR 716 - Texas Teachers Practice Exam 2

Title: Standard 2.5 A fifth-grade teacher uses the reciprocal teaching method to guide small group discussions around texts. This method of using student-led discussion groups a. Increases their word-attack strategies. b. Increases their oral reading fluency. c. Increases their reading comprehension. d. Increases their compositional-writing skills

The correct answer is increases their reading comprehension. This is the purpose of reciprocal teaching.

Title: Standard 2.5 Which of the following is an example of procedural writing? a. A student writes about their vacation to the Grand Canyon in chronological order. b. A student creates a graphic representation of their beliefs about a political topic. c. A student writes a blog post about their favorite You Tube video. d. A student writes step-by-step instructions about how to drive a car.

The correct answer is a student writes step-by-step instructions about how to drive a car. Procedural text is written step-by-step and is often a how-to essay.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher works with a group of struggling readers on metacognitive strategies. To most effectively help students monitor their comprehension, the teacher should choose a text that is a. Below the reading level of the student so it is not too hard for him to read. b. About a topic familiar to the student so that he can connect to the book's plot and characters. c. Difficult in order for the student to feel challenged. d. Teaching about personal responsibility.

The correct answer is about a topic familiar to the student so that he can connect to the situation in the book and understand how the character feels. The students' knowledge of the topic will help them monitor their comprehension of the reading material based on their prior knowledge.

Title: Standard 2.5 A teacher has students us a "Stop and Jot" method during their reading of a nonfiction text in order to write down any connections they may encounter as they read. This is an example of: a. Summarizing. b. Active reading c. Prediction questions d. Analyzing text.

The correct answer is active reading. Active reading requires actively participating in learning about the text as it is being read.

Title: Standard 1.2 Mr. Johnson, a history teacher, has designed a curriculum unit to help his students better understand the complexities of the Holocaust. To introduce the unit, he shows a five-minute introductory video. He has previewed the video and pauses at chosen places in order to stop for discussion. When he pauses, he asks any volunteers to "say something." He has used this strategy before, so students understand they are simply to say anything about what they have just watched and heard on the screen related to the Holocaust. Upon finishing the video, Mr. Johnson directs his students to read a chapter in the textbook related to the Holocaust. As they read, they are to pay close attention to the highlighted vocabulary in the text. After the lesson, Mr. Johnson has the students complete the following graphic organizer for each highlighted word. What is the purpose for Mr. Johnson asking students to "Say Something"? a. He is making sure the students are paying attention. b. He is showing students how to use technology to make oral presentations. c. He is giving students an opportunity to express themselves orally while also allowing himself a chance to assess any misconceptions or misunderstandings about the lesson. d. He is allowing students to analyze the content of their own speech

The correct answer he is giving students an opportunity to express themselves orally while also allowing himself a chance to assess any misconceptions or misunderstandings about the lesson.

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following is the best use of technology to enhance students' oral language skills? a. Watch a You Tube video of a speaker who discusses ways to improve public speaking skills. b. Create video blogs explaining the plot development in their latest novel. c. Read and analyze an article on speaking strategies. d. Listen to a digital recording of a famous speech while they list the speaker's strengths.

The correct answer is Create video blogs explaining the plot development of their latest novel. This requires students to speak while also using technology.

Title: Standard 2.6 Read the following excerpt from a student's writing and analyze using the question below. "It wood be grat to have a new playgrond at our scool. We shud have time to play just like the yunger kids. We need to run and play, too." Based on the spelling mistakes in this writing sample, what should the teacher address with this student? a. Blends b. Diagraphs c. Diphthongs d. Long vowel sounds

The correct answer is Diphthongs. Diphthongs are vowel blend sounds such as "ou" in the word "would" and "ea" in the word "great".

Title: Standard 2.9 A teacher uses the strategy, "Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then, Finally" as a method of teaching what concept? a. Drawing Conclusions. b. Author's purpose. c. Summarization. d. Using conjunctions.

The correct answer is SUMMARIZATION. This format helps ensure that students include all of the main points when summarizing a story.

Title: Standard 2.5 Students have read a historical fiction novel and want to compare and contrast events in the novel with actual historical events on which the novel was based. The teacher requires her students to use a content frame to record the information. Which content frame would be most useful? a. Plot Diagram b. Venn Diagram c. Content Outline d. Character Analysis Chart

The correct answer is Venn diagram. A Venn diagram is a strategy used to show likenesses and differences information.

Title: Standard 2.4 A class reads a section of the Giver, and then the teacher asks them to draw a picture of what they envisioned as they read. This is an example of a. Metacognition. b. Visualizing. c. Previewing. d. Analyzing.

The correct answer is Visualization. Visualization is a good strategy for improving comprehension.

Title: Standard 2.6 The following sentence from a fourth grade student's personal narrative contains what type of grammatical error? "My grandma took us shopping at the mall, we bought a lot of new school clothes." a. A subject-verb agreement error. b. A sentence fragment. c. A comma splice. d. A misplaced modifier.

The correct answer is a comma splice. A comma splice is using a comma incorrectly between two independent clauses.

Title: Standard 2.7 Which of the following examples is the best representation of the formal language register? a. A literary analysis of The Diary of Anne Frank. b. An instruction manual on a car. c. A parent-teacher conference. d. A personal letter to a friend.

The correct answer is a literary analysis of The Diary of Anne Frank. Students analyzing literature are using formal written language.

Title: Standard 1.3 Glenn is a fourth-grade student who can read high frequency words well and can decode most words. He can read with speed and accuracy, but he does not use intonation when he reads. What strategy would be most beneficial for Glenn? a. A small group lesson on how intonation can enhance oral reading and practice by reading orally with a group. b. A small group lesson on sight word flash cards. c. Listening to the teacher read aloud from a novel with intonation. d. Practice reading with a group and calling attention when he is not using intonation.

The correct answer is a small group lesson on how intonation can enhance oral reading and practice by reading orally with a group.

Title: Standard 2.4 Students in a 6th grade class are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Read the excerpt below to answer the questions information that follow. (1)Below them the town was laid out in harsh angular patterns. (2) The houses in the outskirts were all exactly alike, small square boxes painted gray. (3) Each had a small, rectangular plot of lawn in front, with a straight line of dull-looking flowers edging the path to the door. (4) Meg had a feeling that if she could count the flowers there would be exactly the same number for each house. To teach about making predictions, which sentence would be best for the teacher to highlight? Which of the following could be a text-to-self connection a student might make when reading sentence 4? a. A student remembers painting a picture of a beautiful field of flowers in art class. b. A student recalls being scared when walking into a strange neighborhood where every house looked eerily alike. c. A student thinks about a map that shows a very organized city. d. A student thinks about becoming a tour guide for visitors new to the city

The correct answer is a student recalls being scared when walking into a strange neighborhood where every house looked eerily alike. This statement accurately connects the situation and emotion of the event with what is portrayed in the text.

Title: Standard 2.6 Which of the following is an example of self-assessment? a. A student writes an essay and then edits and revises it. b. A student completes a test and then grades it. c. A student answers a question and then changes his mind. d. A student completes a questionnaire about the quality of his work.

The correct answer is a student writes an essay and the edits and revises it. This student monitors and corrects themselves.

Title: Standard 2.5 Which of the following would help promote a love for reading in your students? a. Allow time for students to discuss books with their peers. b. Require students to participate in an after-school book club. c. Have students take electronic multiple choice tests on the books they read. d. Allow time for students to make book jacket reports for their favorite novels.

The correct answer is allow time for students to discuss books with their peers. Giving students time to talk about their reading with their peers allows them to get excited about their reading and the reading of their peers. It makes the reading relevant and personal rather than a required assignment.

Title: Standard 2.5 Which of the following is an example of a persuasive text? a. A biography of John F. Kennedy. b. An article about how technology should be incorporated into every classroom. c. An internet article about the causes of diabetes. d. A book about the Texas Rangers.

The correct answer is an article about how technology should be incorporated into every classroom. This article attempts to persuade the reader to agree with their view.

Title: Standard 2.5 Which of the following texts is primarily considered a type of literary nonfiction? a. A medical journal entry comparing the chemistry of sugar with artificial sweeteners. b. A historical novel set in the Civil War era. c. An autobiographical account of Amelia Earhart. d. An internet article explaining the effects of global warming.

The correct answer is an autobiographical account of Amelia Earhart. Literary nonfiction is a creative factual account written in a literary or narrative form. Autobiography is an example of literary nonfiction because it is factual information told from the author's point of view.

Title: Standard 2.4 What type of assessment would normally be used to assess a student's ability to read orally? a. A formal state assessment such as STAAR. b. A vocabulary inventory assessment. c. A computer based test. d. An informal assessment administered in class and based on the curriculum.

The correct answer is an informal assessment administered in class and based on the curriculum. These tests are given regularly and often include oral reading portions in which a student reads aloud to the teacher and the teacher charts the student's progress.

Title: Standard 1.3 Which of the following would help a student decode the meaning of the word "constructed" in the sentence below? "Cisterns were also used for the storage of rain water, and aqueducts were CONSTRUCTED for the conveyance of water from a distance in ancient Rome. a. Use the syntax of the sentence. b. Analyze the roots and affixes. c. Use the semantics and context of the rest of the sentence. d. Clarify the pronunciation.

The correct answer is analyze the roots and affixes. The root "struct" means to build, the affix "con" means together, and the affix "ed" means past tense. Thus, the word "constructed" means to build together in the past.

Title: Standard 2.8 Students in Ms. Wood's history class have expressed interest in researching how various news outlets have covered a recent presidential trip to a foreign country. Ms. Wood presents several video clips from different news broadcasts about the presidential travels. She then has the students compare and contrast the representations of each news media. Which of the following are students primarily practicing in the discussion? a. Assessing how the media capitalizes on recent events. b. Interpreting propaganda techniques used by diverse groups. c. Evaluating the use of images by various media types. d. Analyzing how the media shapes public perception of current events

The correct answer is analyzing how the media shapes public perception of current events. In the comparison of multiple media outlets, students discovered inconsistencies and persuasive techniques used by the outlets to sway the viewer's opinion.

Title: Standard 1.3 Students in a 6th grade class are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Read the excerpt below to answer the questions information that follow. (1)Below them the town was laid out in harsh angular patterns. (2) The houses in the outskirts were all exactly alike, small square boxes painted gray. (3) Each had a small, rectangular plot of lawn in front, with a straight line of dull-looking flowers edging the path to the door. (4) Meg had a feeling that if she could count the flowers there would be exactly the same number for each house. Which of the following strategies would best help a student understand the word angular in sentence 1? a. Break the word into roots and affixes to analyze the meaning of each part. b. Examine the syntax of the sentence to determine the word's part of speech. c. Apply semantic clues to identify the word in context of the remainder of the sentence. d. Use the alphabet principle to understand the letter-sound relationships.

The correct answer is apply semantic clues to identify the word in context of the remainder of the sentence. The semantic context clues lead students to the phrase "exactly alike, small square boxes" which contributes to the mood of the story.

Title: Standard 2.7 After a lesson on plot summary, what is a good strategy for incorporating understanding of media and summarization of a storyline? a. Ask students to write a summary and then videotape themselves reading it. b. Ask students to create a video trailer for a book they have read. c. Ask students to write a comparative analysis of a TV show and a story they have read. d. Ask students to write a book review for a recent novel they have read.

The correct answer is ask students to create a video trailer for a book they have read. This incorporates persuasive techniques used in the movie trailer with the summarization of literature.

Title: Standard 1.3 What is a good strategy for helping students learn high-frequency words? a. Ask students to practice flash cards with the words at home every day. b. Ask students to practice building the words using letter tiles. c. Ask students to highlight the words in specifically chosen sentences to provide context. d. Ask students to analyze the origin of the words.

The correct answer is ask students to highlight the words in specifically chosen sentences to provide context. Students learn words better in context because it gives the word meaning.

Title: Standard 2.5 Mr. Cordon, an eighth grade teacher, is beginning a unit on mythology. A primary element of mythology that distinguishes it from other genres is that it a. Teaches a moral or lesson. b. Attempts to explain natural phenomena. c. Tells stories of famous people. d. Exaggerates the events of normal people.

The correct answer is attempts to explain natural phenomena. Myths are typically ancient stories that serve to explain the world view of a people by explaining aspects of the natural world.

Title: Standard 2.7 A teacher reviews the following transitional words and phrases with students: "if...then," "as a result," and "therefore." With that choice of transitions, the teacher is best preparing students to write a composition using a a. Cause and an effect pattern. b. Descriptive or specific example. c. Chronological list of steps. d. Sequence of events.

The correct answer is cause and an effect pattern. The transitional phrases listed show a cause and effect relationship.

Title: Standard 2.9 After a unit, a teacher asks students to create a concept map to review the concepts about which they have learned throughout the unit. Why is this a good strategy? a. Concept maps help a student understand validity of content. b. Concept maps help students with their persuasive writing skills. c. Concept maps require students to do outside research. d. Concept maps help students evaluate relationships between various pieces of information.

The correct answer is concept maps help students evaluate relationships between various pieces of information. Concept maps visually show the relationships among content.

Title: Standard 2.8 Which of the following activities would require a student to convey opinions in an interactive, visual format? a. Creating a short documentary-style video. b. Creating an advertisement for a magazine. c. Writing an essay. d. Writing a blog post

The correct answer is creating a short documentary-style video. A video is visually appealing. It is a great way for students to express their opinions because it is a medium with which they are very familiar.

Title: Standard 2.8 Students in a seventh grade English class are working in groups on a project in which they must create a computer-based slide presentation and present it to the class. Before the students begin creating their presentations, the teacher shows them examples of slides that have too much text and discusses ways to improve the slides. The activity will best help students' understanding of how to a. Incorporate appropriate graphics to support the text. b. Appropriately match what is said in the presentation to the slides. c. Ensure that the presentation is the appropriate length. d. Design the presentation slides appropriately.

The correct answer is design the presentation slides appropriately. The teacher's discussion helps students learn ways to design their slides to be more effective.

Title: Standard 2.7 What is the first step a student must do when composing a writing piece? a. Determining a topic about which to write. b. Writing the perfect copy to be published. c. Quick-writing to get all ideas on paper. d. Planning out the points that need to be made.

The correct answer is determining a topic about which to write. Once a topic is decided upon, a plan can be made.

Title: Standard 1.2 A middle school language arts teacher implemented learning clubs in the classroom. Students work in groups to research a topic and reflect on the information they learn. They add what they have learned to a blog. This design of learning clubs best shows that the teacher understands the importance of which of the following? a. Developing students' literacy skills through multiple language-arts contexts. b. Giving explicit instructions to build their oral-language proficiency. c. Giving students choice to research topics that are of interest to them. d. Grouping students based on their individual language-arts abilities.

The correct answer is developing students' literacy skills through multiple language-arts contexts. Because learning clubs allow students to meet in groups to discuss, reflect on and write about research topics, all of which help to develop students' literacy skills.

Title: Standard 2.7 The students in Mr. Hernandez's class have written personal narratives. Read the following excerpt from one student's narrative. Then decide which of the following questions that Mr. Hernandez should ask to best help his student revise the paragraph. "As I trudged through the door, I could smell the aroma of my grandma's homemade pie floating out to me from the kitchen. The warm smell of chocolate wrapped around me like a warm, cozy blanket. When I was little, I always wrapped myself in this blanket my grandma made for me whenever I was sad. That blanket always made me feel better. Being at home made me forget about the day's troubles. I felt comforted by the love that I knew was waiting for me in that kitchen." a. Have you used enough vivid words? b. Is the word tone appropriate for the piece? c. Do you maintain the same verb tense? d. Does the paragraph focus on only one idea?

The correct answer is does the paragraph focus on only one idea? This question leads the student to focus on the main idea of the paragraph and eliminate the distracting information in the third and fourth sentences.

Title: Standard 2.9 Mr. Wallace plans to have his eighth graders research a topic related to a unit on American history using on-line sources. He provides students with the following worksheet that they will use while searching Web-based resources. ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NO WORKSHEET!! A primary purpose of the worksheet is to teach students how to a. Document the source of information. b. Evaluate the reliability of the information in a source. c. Gather information from a source. d. Locate a source with complete information.

The correct answer is evaluate the reliability of the information in a source. The questions are designed to help the student determine whether the source can be trusted to provide reliable information.

Title: Standard 2.5 Students in a 6th grade class are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Read the excerpt below to answer the questions information that follow. (1)Below them the town was laid out in harsh angular patterns. (2) The houses in the outskirts were all exactly alike, small square boxes painted gray. (3) Each had a small, rectangular plot of lawn in front, with a straight line of dull-looking flowers edging the path to the door. (4) Meg had a feeling that if she could count the flowers there would be exactly the same number for each house. To teach about making predictions, which sentence would be best for the teacher to highlight? Which of the following comprehension skills is portrayed by Meg? a. Academic comprehension b. Literal comprehension c. Inferential comprehension d. Evaluative comprehension

The correct answer is evaluative comprehension. The student recalled his previous experience in a similar situation, connected the story to how they felt, and then evaluated how the character must have felt in the same situation.

Title: Standard 2.8 When analyzing a piece of media, a student must first a. Understand the message being conveyed. b. Analyze the authenticity of the item. c. Find the author and the purpose of the piece. d. Understand the response to the piece by the audience.

The correct answer is find the author and the purpose of the piece. The audience and purpose is necessary information to determine who wrote the piece and why in order to view the article through that lens.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher wants students to use the metacognitive strategy of questioning to enhance their comprehension as they read. Which of the following is the most effective instructional activity to help students meet the goal? a. Previewing comprehension questions prior to reading. b. Answering a series of questions provided by the teacher. c. Choosing from a bank of questions written by their classmates. d. Generating their own questions regarding a selection of text.

The correct answer is generating their own questions regarding a selection of text. Generating their own questions requires readers to engage with the text and monitor their understanding as they are reading. This is the most effective strategy to promote metacognition because readers are thinking about their own thinking in regards to the text.

Title: Standard 2.7 Read the following writing sample from a student, Jerry (1) A 6th grade survival guide for the new comers next year, this would be so helpful because we can tech them what to do and how to survive in middle school. (2) Like an example, one how to get around the school, and not get lost, and two tech them to stay out of peples way, so they don't get picked on during your first year. How should Jerry's teacher encourage him to build on the second sentence in the essay? a. Give the paper structure by using organizational words. b. Write a central idea for the paper. c. Change the statement to include the title of the paper. d. Present another point of view on the topic.

The correct answer is give the paper structure by using organizational words. Jerry numbers his ideas for what to discuss in the paper, and that numbering can be used to create an organization pattern for the essay.

Title: Standard 1.1 A seventh-grade teacher has a class with a high percentage of early stage language acquisition English-language learners (ELLs). Which of the following is an effective strategy for promoting oral language development in reluctant speakers? a. Have ELLs read assigned material aloud in front of class. b. Allow other students to give an oral presentation for ELLs on a project. c. Repeatedly call on ELLs to give their answers aloud in front of the class. d. Have ELLS share their responses first with a partner before calling on them to answer in class.

The correct answer is have ELLs share their responses first with a partner before calling on them to answer in class. This provides ELL students time to think through a response and practice in a low risk environment which encourages them to practice their speaking skills.

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following is the most effective informal assessment tool for a teacher to use to assess a student's oral language skills? a. Have the student read a passage from a book aloud. b. Have a student write and deliver a speech to the class. c. Have a conversation about an academic topic with the student. d. Assess language skills through his writing.

The correct answer is have a conversation about an academic topic with the student. A written text is a good assessment, however, to determine what the student can produce orally and independently, you must engage in an impromptu discussion with them.

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following projects would be advisable for encouraging oral language development at the beginning of the year? a. Require students to give a two-minute presentation about themselves to the class. b. Have students read aloud from a novel. c. Assign students to write a paragraph about themselves, and then gallery walk to learn more about each other. d. Have students get acquainted with each other through a Think-Pair-Share activity.

The correct answer is have students Think-Pair-Share about themselves in groups. This allows them to process and practice their responses orally before sharing them with a larger group.

Title: Standard 2.4 Mrs. Bell, a sixth grade teacher, wants to help her students comprehend difficult, content-specific reading material by having them activate their background knowledge. Which of the following is the most effective instructional activity to help them meet their goal? a. Have students sketch mental images in a reading response notebook during reading. b. Have students use a dictionary to define unknown words in the text and create a glossary. c. Have students stop during selected points while reading the text to make predictions. d. Have students create a KWL chart before reading the text, and have them fill in what they already know, and what they want to know about the subject.

The correct answer is have students create a KWL chart before reading the text, and have them fill in what they already know, and what they want to know about the subject. KWL charts are a helpful way to activate background knowledge prior to learning new content.

Title: Standard 2.8 Which of the following is a good strategy for teaching how forms of media use visual representations to convey their message? a. Have students read an article and create a visual to match it. b. Have the students create an infomercial about a product they like. c. Have the students watch two newscasts with different viewpoints to analyze bias among the media. d. Have the students look at only the visuals from several articles. Based on these visuals, ask them to analyze what they think the article might address.

The correct answer is have the students look at only the visuals from several articles. Based on these visuals, ask them to analyze what they think the article might address. Allowing students to analyze the visuals without text allows them to see the valuable information provided by the visuals.

Title: Standard 2.6 A teacher is reading a student's writing and notices this sentence: "My dad and I went to the baseball game and had a blast. We bought hot dogs cokes peanuts and pizza." What mini-lesson should the teacher use based on this writing? a. All of the ways to use a comma. b. How to use commas to separate a compound sentence. c. How to use a comma to separate items in a list. d. How to use correct punctuation throughout a sentence.

The correct answer is how to use a comma to separate items in a list. This is a listing sequence, and the student did not use any commas.

Title: Standard 2.7 What is the most important way a teacher can help her students write a strong introduction to a persuasive writing piece? She should tell the students to a. Include a clear thesis statement followed by several supporting ideas to set up the paper. b. Provide several supportive quotes from leading experts in their research studies. c. Choose a stronger topic. d. Start the paper with a personal flashback narrative.

The correct answer is include a clear thesis statement followed by several supporting ideas to set up the paper. A well-formatted introduction to a persuasive writing must contain a thesis statement.

Title: Standard 2.6 Read the following writing sample from a student, Jerry. (1) A 6th grade survival guide for the new comers next year, this would be so helpful because we can tech them what to do and how to survive in middle school. (2) Like an example, one how to get around the school, and not get lost, and two tech them to stay out of peples way, so they don't get picked on during your first year. Based on the spelling mistakes in the passage, Jerry's teacher should primarily focus instruction on a. Silent letter graphemes. b. Consonant digraphs. c. Adding suffixes. d. Long vowels.

The correct answer is long vowels. The misspelled words in the passage ("teach" and "people") both include long vowel sounds that are not made when the words are misspelled.

Title: Standard 1.3 When completing a running record, a teacher must: a. Assign point value to each type of miscue. b. Correct any mistakes a student may make. c. Discourage self-correction. d. Make note of the reading strategies the student uses.

The correct answer is make note of the reading strategies the student uses. This is a good opportunity to see how the student reads on his own.

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following characteristics best indicates a student is in need of further intervention in oral language development? a. Struggling to write effective responses when asked. b. Making syntax and phonology errors when speaking. c. Hesitating to work with others in a cooperative group. d. Refusing to retell parts or all of a story read aloud.

The correct answer is making syntax and phonology errors when speaking. Errors in syntax and phonology indicate signs of delay in oral language development.

Title: Standard 1.3 The most appropriate assessment for measuring the growth in a student's reading rate is a a. Miscue analysis. b. Qualitative rubric. c. One-minute timed reading. d. Rapid automatized naming

The correct answer is one-minute timed reading. Timed readings measure reading rate and when conducted regularly, timed readings provide data to measure growth.

Title: Standard 2.8 A teacher is using media messages to teach Author's Purpose. Which of the following is the main focus when teaching Author's Purpose through media? a. Persuasion b. Entertainment c. Information d. Encouragement

The correct answer is persuasion. Media messages are often used as a form of persuasion.

Title: Standard 2.6 A student writes the following sentence during a writing assignment: "Mi muthr sed to go tu de stor. I wint tu the stor and got sum kandi. The kandi wuz choklit and it wuz gud." a. Phonetic b. Pictorial c. Pre-communicative d. Conventional

The correct answer is phonetic. The student writes by using the sounds he hears as he speaks. This is the phonetic stage.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher hands out a set of books and discusses the front cover with the students. They analyze the picture and make predictions about what they think the book will be about. What is this an example of? a. Previewing. b. Visualization. c. Analyzing. d. Metacognition.

The correct answer is previewing. The teacher is asking the students to preview the title, features, and organization of the text. This is a good pre-reading strategy.

Title: Standard 2.9 Mr. Johnson, a history teacher, has designed a curriculum unit to help his students better understand the complexities of the Holocaust. To introduce the unit, he shows a five-minute introductory video. He has previewed the video and pauses at chosen places in order to stop for discussion. When he pauses, he asks any volunteers to "say something." He has used this strategy before, so students understand they are simply to say anything about what they have just watched and heard on the screen related to the Holocaust. Upon finishing the video, Mr. Johnson directs his students to read a chapter in the textbook related to the Holocaust. As they read, they are to pay close attention to the highlighted vocabulary in the text. After the lesson, Mr. Johnson has the students complete the following graphic organizer for each highlighted word. Mr. Johnson wants to implement a more inquiry-based approach to instruction. Which of the following activities could he add to this unit to help him achieve this goal? a. Assign students a cumulative assessment to complete on the Holocaust. b. Provide students more time to set a purpose for their reading prior to the Holocaust lesson. c. Give students more time to memorize key words about the Holocaust. d. Ask students to take notes as he lectures.

The correct answer is provide students more time to set a purpose for their reading prior to the Holocaust lesson.

Title: Standard 1.1 Ms. Hayes teaches social studies to a diverse group of students, including several English-language learners (ELLs). She divides the class into groups of four to five students. Each student reads and presents the information in a different excerpt from the textbook to the other group members. Which of the following is a primary rationale for using the activity? a. Discussing expository selections improves ELLs' navigation of nonfiction text structures. b. Using prior knowledge helps ELLs make connections to unfamiliar vocabulary words. c. Providing a meaningful context increases ELLs' comprehension of academic language. d. Requiring the use of multiple registers develops ELLs' application of the appropriate register choice.

The correct answer is providing a meaningful context increases ELLs' comprehension of academic language. Structured small group conversations allow students to practice using new vocabulary through engaging in authentic interactions with other students.

Title: Standard 2.8 Which of the following is most important to consider when teaching a unit on media literacy? a. Providing a safe environment in which beliefs about media can be expressed. b. Avoiding controversial or debatable advertisements and media examples. c. Explaining about correct interpretations of various media presentations. d. Implementing a rigid lesson timeline to ensure all coverage of media concepts.

The correct answer is providing a safe environment for expressions of ideas and exploration of different types of media. Establishing a safe place for students to learn and explore the world of media is essential. They can take risks and learn the benefits and disadvantages of media.

Title: Standard 2.6 The following sentences are from a student's personal narrative essay. I asked my mom Can we go to the movies? She replied Not today because you have a doctor appointment. I responded What about tomorrow? She said We can go after your sister gets home from school tomorrow. THERE'S NO QUESTION FOR THIS ONE! Investigate the actual exam to track it down. a. Punctuation b. Active voice c. Indefinite pronouns d. Capitalization

The correct answer is punctuation. These sentences require punctuation marks and the accompanying commas to correctly punctuate the dialogue.

Title: Standard 2.5 Which of the following would best help a student develop comprehension through different genres of writing? a. Create a class library of nonfiction texts and establish time for extended silent reading of the texts. b. Read excerpts from each genre with students and have students identify and paraphrase the main idea of each text. c. Create a power-point on the features of each genre and have students take notes. d. Highlight thematic connections between fiction and non-fiction texts.

The correct answer is read excerpts from each genre with students and have students paraphrase the main idea of each text.

Title: Standard 1.1 A fourth grade class is reading a short story with several new vocabulary words. The teacher lists the new vocabulary words on the board. Which of the following is an oral language activity that will best help the students internalize the meaning of the new words? a. Look up the meaning of the words and then recite the words and definitions aloud. b. Make predictions about the meaning of the words and then read the story aloud. c. Read the story and then work in small groups to determine the meaning of the words. d. Guess the meaning of the words and then work in pairs to write a paragraph using the words.

The correct answer is read the story and then meet in small groups to determine the meaning of the words. This allows the student to discuss the context in which the words are used. Discussing the meaning will help them internalize the understanding of the new words.

Title: Standard 1.3 Repeatedly reading a variety of texts at various reading levels chorally as a whole class promotes a. Word identification. b. Reading fluency. c. Word identification. d. Oral comprehension.

The correct answer is reading fluency. Choral reading allows the teacher to model fluent reading while the students practice along.

Title: Standard 1.2 A fourth-grade teacher notices that a student has difficulty with sight words when reading aloud. Which of the following is the best way for the student to master the words? a. Reading sight words in context in a specifically chosen text. b. Practicing with sight word flash cards in class once a week. c. Bringing home a list of sight words to be memorized. d. Working with a peer to read a sight word list as fast as possible.

The correct answer is reading sight words in context in a specifically chosen text. Research has shown that students absorb new words better when they are learned in context.

Title: Standard 2.9 A middle school teacher wants to help students develop study skills for his science class. Which of the following activities will most effectively help students retain information from a daily reading assignment? a. Highlight the first and last sentence of each paragraph. b. Read the passage multiple times to make sure no information is missed. c. Create an outline as a pre-reading activity. d. Record the main ideas on a graphic organizer.

The correct answer is record the main ideas on a graphic organizer. Summarizing main ideas and organizing them will help students think about what they have read and which will help them retain information. Furthermore, the organizer will be a useful tool to use for reviewing before an assessment.

Title: Standard 2.6 An eighth-grade English teacher writes the following sentence on the board. I talked yesterday to the girl which lives next-door to my grandmother. The teacher discusses with the class ways to improve the sentence. Together, they come up with the following revision. Yesterday, I talked to the girl who lives next-door to my grandmother. The revised sentence best demonstrates the students' ability to make corrections regarding a. Active voice. b. Relative pronouns. c. Adjective placement. d. Verb agreement.

The correct answer is relative pronouns. The correction involves changing "which" to "who" which are relative pronouns.

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following activities best promotes oral language development in a culturally responsive way? a. Have students research their cultural backgrounds and write reports about them. b. Have a guest speaker visit the class to talk about her own cultural background. c. Have students to interview family members and then share speeches about their cultures to the class. d. Have students read a culturally diverse book and write a summary about it.

The correct answer is require students to interview family members and then share speeches about their cultures to the class. The interview allows the student to practice oral language skills at home while the speech allows the teacher to evaluate oral language skills.

Title: Standard 2.9 Which study strategy would be most beneficial when teaching students how to take notes on a lecture? a. Have students write as much as they can during the lecture. b. Ask students to answer questions throughout the lecture to ensure participation. c. Provide students with a fill-in-the-blank worksheet related to the lecture. d. Require students to use a graphic organizer with partial text to guide students to key points in the lecture.

The correct answer is require students to use a graphic organizer with partial text to guide students to key points in the lecture. The graphic organizer helps students stay organized and focused while taking and reviewing notes, guides them to important information, and helps them avoid superfluous note-taking.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher observes a student's oral reading of a text. After reading a complicated sentence incorrectly, the student pauses to study a related diagram. He then rereads the sentence without error. Such behavior shows evidence of a. Self-monitoring. b. Weak fluency. c. Visualizing. d. Poor concentration.

The correct answer is self-monitoring. Pausing and rereading shows that the student is thinking while reading. This shows evidence of self-monitoring strategies that good readers use when they are trying to make sense of what they are reading.

Title: Standard 2.5 Students in a 6th grade class are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Read the excerpt below to answer the questions information that follow. (1)Below them the town was laid out in harsh angular patterns. (2) The houses in the outskirts were all exactly alike, small square boxes painted gray. (3) Each had a small, rectangular plot of lawn in front, with a straight line of dull-looking flowers edging the path to the door. (4) Meg had a feeling that if she could count the flowers there would be exactly the same number for each house. To teach about making predictions, which sentence would be best for the teacher to highlight? a. Sentence (1) b. Sentence (2) c. Sentence (3) d. Sentence (4)

The correct answer is sentence (4). Sentence (4) establishes an uneasy mood of the neighborhood and reveals Meg's sense of foreboding of this strangely perfect neighborhood.

Title: Standard 2.5 Students in a 6th grade class are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. Read the excerpt below to answer the questions information that follow. (1)Below them the town was laid out in harsh angular patterns. (2) The houses in the outskirts were all exactly alike, small square boxes painted gray. (3) Each had a small, rectangular plot of lawn in front, with a straight line of dull-looking flowers edging the path to the door. (4) Meg had a feeling that if she could count the flowers there would be exactly the same number for each house. Which of the following story elements is best portrayed in sentence (2)? a. Setting b. Conflict c. Characters d. Irony

The correct answer is setting. This sentence gives a visual of a perfect cookie-cutter neighborhood on the outskirts of town.

Title: Standard 1.2 Some students are beginning to make the transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn". What type of books should a teacher use to support this skill? a. Books that support phonological awareness. b. High-interest picture books. c. Short and simple realistic fiction chapter books in a series. d. Complex non-fiction books.

The correct answer is short and simple realistic fiction chapter books in a series. These types of texts are most appealing to students in the transitional level of development because of the repetitive elements in series books.

Title: Standard 2.7 To help students move beyond formulaic writing (such as five-paragraph essay, thesis, three reasons), a teacher should a. Do nothing. Formulaic writing is acceptable.. b. Give students a new structure besides the five-paragraph essay. c. Talk about writing for different audiences. d. Show examples of authentic writing and have students practice real-world writing.

The correct answer is show examples of authentic writing and have students practice real-world writing. This allows students to understand they need more variety in their writing style.

Title: Standard 2.6 During a writing workshop, Ms. Cummings, a fourth-grade teacher, has a conference with a student, Kelly, about her personal narrative. INSERT KELLY'S NARRATIVE!!! Based on her writing piece, which of the following will best help Kelly improve her spelling? a. Memorizing the spelling of high-frequency words. b. Sorting words that contain irregular spelling patterns. c. Having a peer editor circle the misspelled words in the piece. d. Applying knowledge of phonics to her spelling.

The correct answer is sorting words that contain irregular spelling patterns. Word sorting will help the student identify common spelling patterns (such as the prefix "ex" and the suffix "tion") that can be applied in her current and future writing.

Title: Standard 1.3 A teacher provides students with a list of prefixes, suffixes and their meanings along with a list of five words, including "predetermined" and "indivisible." The teacher then asks the students to work with partners to use the two lists to try to discover the meaning of the words without using a dictionary. The activity will primarily help students determine the meanings of words through which of the following? a. Contextual clues. b. Visualization strategies. c. Syntactical clues. d. Structural analysis.

The correct answer is structural analysis. The students are using structural clues to determine the meaning of the words.

Title: Standard 2.7 Which of the following strategies is best to use when teaching emerging writers? a. Discussing peer samples of writing. b. Editing exemplar models of writing. c. Studying exemplar models of writing. d. Rewriting peer samples of writing.

The correct answer is studying exemplar models of writing. Research shows that by reading, analyzing, and emulating, the emerging writer sees, takes apart, rebuilds, and practices re-creating quality writing samples.

Title: Standard 1.2 While administering a running record, a teacher notices a student frequently using words that are similar to the words written but not the correct words for the context of the sentence. What type of miscue is this? a. Omission b. Substitution c. Correction d. Insertion

The correct answer is substitution. The student needs reminders to check for meaning. The student needs further instruction on attending to semantic cues, such as the context of the story or pictures, when reading.

Title: Standard 1.1 A primary advantage to having students use a slide show during an oral presentation in which speaking skills are the focus of the assignment is that the visual aid a. Replaces the need for the spoken content of the presentation. b. Helps take a nervous student's mind off the oral presentation. c. Supplements the speaker's information in the presentation. d. Better communicates the difficult content of the presentation.

The correct answer is supplements the speaker's information in the presentation. It is secondary to practicing good speaking skills during the presentation.

Title: Standard 1.3 During a miscue analysis, a pattern of errors is noted in which the reader uses the wrong word that does not use the correct part of speech. (Example: replacing the word hit with hate) What type of miscue is this? a. Syntax error. b. Semantics error. c. Phonemic error. d. Comprehension error.

The correct answer is syntax error. Students who make syntactical errors without self-correcting often do not recognize that their reading does not sound like standard spoken English.

Title: Standard 2.8 Mr. Reed plans to have his seventh-grade students research a topic related to a unit on the Civil War using online sources. He provides students with the following requirement sheet that they will use while searching Web-based resources. As an extension of this activity, which of the following can students also evaluate about the websites based on their findings for questions 2? MISSING THE REQUIREMENT SHEET a. Targeted audience. b. Thematic links. c. Historical context. d. Figurative language.

The correct answer is targeted audience. If a website has advertisements, students can determine the targeted audience by looking at the types of advertisements.

Title: Standard 1.2 Shown below are some components of a successful early literacy program. 1. Phonemic awareness 2. Phonics and decoding 3. Fluency 4. Vocabulary development 5. Written expression 6. Spelling and handwriting 7. Consistent assessment 8. Motivation to read Which of the following components is most important to include in the list above? a. Word manipulation b. Text comprehension c. Grammar skills d. Sentence diagramming

The correct answer is text comprehension. Comprehension is an integral part of every literacy program.

Title: Standard 1.2 In a running record, a teacher noticed the following miscues: Instead of "Jenny", the student read, "Jessie". Instead of, "mail", he read "nail". Instead of, "rainy", he said "runny'. Which of the following describes the miscues made by this student? a. The student uses context and meaning to decode words. b. The student uses phonemic hints to decode words. c. The student makes syntactical errors. d. The student uses semantics to decode.

The correct answer is the student is using phonemic hints to decode words The student uses some of the letters in the words to decode which is why the words look similar to the words he chose, but they do not make sense in the story.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher has just finished reading aloud the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham and then has students read Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech. Which of the following would promote higher level comprehension skills? a. The students write a summary of each text. b. The students make a personal connection to each story. c. The students compare themes and related ideas across texts. d. The students watch a video about Civil Rights in the 1960's.

The correct answer is the students compare themes and related ideas across texts. This activity allows students to connect one author's civil rights experiences compared to another's and have a better understanding of both texts as a result.

Title: Standard 2.4 A teacher observes that a student has difficulty reading 10 out of 100 words in a text. Which of the following is the most appropriate determination for the teacher to make? a. The text is at the student's instructional reading level because it exposes the student to new vocabulary. b. The text is at the student's instructional reading level because it maximizes development of the student's fluency. c. The text is at the student's frustration reading level because it does not sufficiently challenge the student's vocabulary development. d. The text is at the student's frustration reading level because it is too difficult for the student to comprehend.

The correct answer is the text is at the student's frustration reading level because it is too difficult for the student to comprehend. As a result, the student is likely to have difficulty comprehending the text.

Title: Standard 2.8 Why are commercials useful when teaching about media? a. They are fun and energetic. b. They are not usually controversial. c. They show visual imagery and the art of persuasion in a concise way. d. They are catchy and use popular music to attract consumers.

The correct answer is they show visual imagery and the art of persuasion in a concise way. They are short; they depict the art of persuasion; they lead to a strong teaching point.

Title: Standard 2.7 In the writing process, what is the importance of the drafting step? a. To get something written in case they don't finish their writing on time. b. To teach grammar and conventions. c. To allow students to get their story told without worrying about perfect grammar and conventions. d. To give the teacher something to edit and to make sure their final writing is perfect.

The correct answer is to allow students to get their story told without having to worry about perfect grammar and conventions. Often students will become so worried about grammar and conventions that they cannot clearly draft their story.

Title: Standard 2.8 A teacher shows students clips of a television commercial, a situational comedy, and a news piece. Then students will identify the purpose, point of view, and target audience of each type of media presented. Which of the following is a primary purpose of this activity? a. To develop students' interest in media. b. To show many forms of media. c. To strengthen students' higher level analytical skills. d. To accommodate students' various learning styles.

The correct answer is to strengthen students' higher level analytical skills. Learning how to analyze media by asking critical questions helps students become critical viewers of media.

Title: Standard 1.3 A primary purpose for using a miscue analysis as as reading assessment is to determine the a. Types of errors a student makes while reading. b. Number of errors a student makes while reading. c. Level of text appropriate for the student's instructional reading. d. Level of text appropriate for the student's independent reading.

The correct answer is types of errors a student makes while reading. A miscue is concerned with the types of miscues readers make as they are reading the text.

Title: Standard 2.6 Which of the following is the most appropriate strategy to help students reflect on and correct the spelling in their writing? a. Choose the most commonly misspelled words and have students correctly write them five times each. b. Use authentic examples from student writing for editing practice through a mini-lesson on spelling. c. Provide students a list of the most commonly misspelled words to use as a resource. d. Assign students practice worksheets to complete as a group, such as word searches and fill-in-the-blank sentences

The correct answer is use authentic examples from student writing for editing practice through a mini-lesson on spelling. By using examples from the students' writing and having students identify the errors and make suggestions about how to correct them, the students are learning to become critical editors of the work. In addition, the lesson helps them figure out ways to address spelling in their own writing.

Title: Standard 2.6 During a writing lesson, a teacher noticed her students were struggling with effective sentence-combining in their writing. Which of the following would be the most effective strategy to reinforce this skill? a. Give numerous homework assignments for student practice on combining sentences. b. Present a lecture on sentence-combining and then look for examples in their novels. c. Create an intensive reteach lesson before the next assignment. d. Use mentor sentences that show sentence-combining and design lessons to scaffold this skill throughout the school year.

The correct answer is use mentor sentences that show sentence-combining and design lessons to scaffold this skill throughout the school year. By doing this, the teacher can build on what the students know and correct the areas in which the students have difficulty. This also provides opportunity for the teacher to use various samples of the students' authentic writing.

Title: Standard 1.3 Zoe, a fifth grade student, is struggling to decode unfamiliar multisyllabic words. The difficulty is affecting her fluency and comprehension. Which of the following is the most effective instructional strategy to improve Zoe's reading skills? a. Engaging in repeated readings of independent reading level passages. b. Participating in peer tutoring to develop sight word recognition. c. Using cards containing common morphemes to build and segment words. d. Practicing and presenting an oral reading performance to a class.

The correct answer is using cards containing common morphemes to build and segment words. Zoe's reading skills will improve as she understands common morphemes or word parts. This understanding will help increase Zoe's rapid word recognition and fluency and lead to improved comprehension.

Title: Standard 1.2 In a running record, a teacher noticed the following miscues: Instead of "Jenny", the student read, "Jessie". Instead of, "mail", he read "nail". Instead of, "rainy", he said "runny'. Which of the following strategies would you work on with this student? a. Using syntactic clues. b. Using phonemic cues in decoding. c. Using visual cues in decoding. d. Using context to make sense of the words being decoded.

The correct answer is using context to make sense of the words being decoded. The student needs to pay attention to the fact that the words he is speaking do not make sense in the story.

Title: Standard 2.9 In an inquiry-based approach to learning there is a focus on a. Direct teaching as the primary method of instruction. b. Using more open-ended questions and student-generated questions. c. Mastering skills in isolation of their context. d. Matching closed questions with their answers.

The correct answer is using more open-ended questions and student-generated questions. Inquiry-based learning allows students to learn through questioning.

Title: Standard 2.6 Use the student writing sample to answer the questions that follows. Yesterday I went fishing with Joey and my brother. Joey likes to fish, and my brother likes to play in the water. There was a lot of people at our fishing hole yesterday. It was fun. This writing sample most strongly indicates that the student would benefit from additional instruction in which of the following areas? a. Using correct verb tense. b. Identifying sentence fragments. c. Creating compound sentences. d. Referencing pronouns clearly.

The correct answer is using the correct verb tense. In the third sentence, the student uses incorrect subject-verb agreement. The sentence should have "there were" not "there was."

Title: Standard 1.1 Which of the following activities best develops students' academic vocabulary? a. Writing the definitions of course-related vocabulary words. b. Showing the class one other context in which the vocabulary words may be used. c. Reciting the vocabulary words in unison at the beginning of class each day. d. Using the vocabulary words in multiple communication contexts.

The correct answer is using the vocabulary words in multiple communication contexts. By utilizing all four components of literacy—reading, writing, listening and speaking— students are internalizing their learning.

Title: Standard 1.3 Ms. Barnes, a fifth-grade teacher, has students manipulate word parts on index cards to build new multisyllabic words. In addition to decoding practice, the activity is primarily increasing students' a. Phonemic awareness. b. Grammatical understanding. c. Vocabulary understanding. d. High-frequency word knowledge.

The correct answer is vocabulary understanding. Students are participating in structural analysis of words.

Title: Standard 2.7 A 5th grade Language Arts teacher wants her students to have an opportunity to write for an authentic audience and purpose. The assignment that best achieves the teacher's goal is a. Pretending to be a movie critic and write a review about an imaginary movie. b. Writing an expository essay about steps to cooking the best spaghetti. c. Writing a persuasive letter to the principal stating a personal opinion about wearing school uniforms. d. Pretending to be a newspaper journalist and writing a front-page news story about a major current event.

The correct answer is writing a persuasive letter to the principal stating a personal opinion about wearing school uniforms. This is authentic because the audience is real, and the students are writing in their own voice about a subject of personal importance.

Title: Standard 1.2 Which of the following skills best indicates that a student is moving from the emergent to the conventional writing stage? a. Writing beginning letters for words. b. Writing messages through drawings. c. Using letter-like forms when writing. d. Using a writing implement correctly.

The correct answer is writing beginning letters for words. When a child begins to associate letters with the correct sounds and to use the first letters of words in his or her writing, the child is beginning to write conventionally.

Title: Standard 2.4 Which of the following instructional activities most effectively demonstrates students' active reading of a text? a. Constructing a diorama in response to the text. b. Completing a written summary of the text. c. Writing comments and questions in the margin of the text. d. Answering short-answer and multiple-choice questions about the text.

The correct answer is writing comments and questions in the margin of a text. By reading a student's notes and questions about a text, a teacher is able to track his/her thinking while reading. This is the most effective strategy for determining students' level of engagement with the text.

Title: Standard 1.2 A student writes the following: "I wnt tu dans and sta up al nit lng." At what stage of literacy development is this student? a. Phonemic awareness b. Vocabulary development c. Spelling convention d. Written awareness

The correct answer is written expression. The student uses their phonological awareness to create written expression.