ESL Study Prep

Mr. Davies has a diverse class with ELL students from China, Mexico, Germany, and France. He has noticed a pattern in which his ELL students from China struggle the most with decoding English words. What is the most likely cause of this? A Chinese languages are Latin based languages and differ quite a bit from English. B Chinese languages are not represented by an alphabetic script. C Chinese students learn to read at a later age and thus have less experience with decoding. D Chinese students have less exposure to English than students from other countries.

B Chinese languages are not represented by an alphabetic script. Reason Generally, ELLs whose first language is represented by an alphabetic script will have an advantage in learning to decode English words because they already understand the idea that the letters of the alphabet represent sounds.

An ESL teacher is explaining to students how language is used to express thoughts, feelings, and meaning. He explains how certain words reflect cultural meanings and emotions and can influence our concepts. Which of the following universal principles of language is the teacher likely to reference? A Language is reflexive. B Language is rule-governed. C Language is a social tool. D Language is generative.

C Language is a social tool. Reason Communication is an important and defining element of language. Language enables people to transmit ideas to one another. The teacher is clearly describing how language is a social tool.

How many phonemes are in the word "spit"? A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4

D 4 Reason A phoneme is the smallest unit of speech that can be used to make one word different from another word. The word "spit" has four phonemes because the word is composed of four distinct sounds: /s/, /p/, /i/, /t/.

Jose, an ELL from Mexico, says to his classmate, "I have 13 years." The ELL's statement is best characterized as: A an error in register. B a sociolinguistic error. C a phonological error. D a lexical error.

D a lexical error. Reason A lexical error involves inappropriate direct translation from the learner's language to English. In Spanish, one's age is expressed using the phrase "I have __ years." The ELL student is attempting to directly translate from Spanish.

An ESL teacher is discussing English discourse with her students. Which of the following questions would be appropriate for her to ask students if the goal was to focus on discourse? A "Are the grammatical patterns different when the employee is talking to his boss compared to when he is talking to his friend?" B "Can you identify any spelling errors in the passage?" C "In what ways can you pronounce the -ed ending of verbs in the past tense?" D "Why does the author use the present perfect tense in the third paragraph?"

A "Are the grammatical patterns different when the employee is talking to his boss compared to when he is talking to his friend?" Reason This is the most appropriate question of the answer choices, as it addresses the social context of the language by asking students to identify the different language used when speaking with different levels of formality.

A high school teacher has students read a play in the textbook, and then shows students the live action play version on film. Which of the following best describes the differences between a written and an oral work? A An oral work provides the audience with elements of speech that a written work does not, such as tone, intonation, and prosody. B The written work is easier to visualize when compared to the oral work, which has many distracting elements for the audience. C An oral work provides the audience with a mostly auditory experience, leaving out visual learners in the classroom. D The written work provides additional details that the oral work does not, such as additional points and characters.

A An oral work provides the audience with elements of speech that a written work does not, such as tone, intonation, and prosody. Reason This is the correct answer because it describes the unique aspects of an oral work: tone, intonation, and prosody.

Mrs. Summerville is teaching a unit on synonyms and antonyms. Her instructional activities would best cover what concept? A Semantics B Conventions of English C Syntax D Phonology

A Semantics Reason Synonyms, or words with the same meaning, and antonyms, or words with opposite meanings, are a part of semantics, or the study of word meanings in a language. This is the most specific answer choice.

In the word unreliableness, the underlined part is the: (UN is underlined) A prefix. B suffix. C root. D compound.

A prefix. Reason A prefix is an affix that is placed before the stem of a word. Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word. Un- is a common prefix.

Which of the following is a morpheme? A write B phoneme C happy D girlfriend

A write Reason A morpheme is a combination of sounds that has meaning in speech or writing and cannot be divided into smaller grammatical parts. "Write" cannot be divided into smaller parts/syllables.

What is the study of existing sounds in a particular language called? A Morphology B Phonology C Phonics D Phonetics

B Phonology Reason Phonology is the study of sounds in a specific language.

Which of the following words has a pronunciation in the Boston accent that is the most different from standard American English pronunciation? A pears B car C immunity D ice

B car Reason The word "car" is pronounced like the sound cah in the Boston accent.

The smallest individual sounds in a word are called: A morphemes. B phonemes. C pragmatics. D segments.

B phonemes. Reason Phonemes are the smallest individual sounds within a word.

Which of the following sentences is an example of a British dialect? A "Vegemite toast for brekky!" B "Get me a pop and a beaver tail from Timmies, eh?" C "Do you want a sarnie or bangers and mash?" D "Give me an order of pancakes with extra syrup."

C "Do you want a sarnie or bangers and mash?" Reason This sentence is written in a British dialect. " A "sarnie" is a thick bacon sandwich. "Bangers and mash" is a dish of sausages in mashed potatoes.

When children are beginning to write in their second language they must be careful with their vocabulary choice as well as the sentence structure so that their words are in the correct order. Which of the following literary terms does this instruction best identify? A The writing process B Semantics C Syntax D The transfer process

C Syntax Reason Syntax refers to the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences.

Which of the following is an example of code-switching? A an eccentric linguistics professor speaking a different language every day of the week B a prisoner using code to get a message out with a visitor without alerting the guards C a lawyer using difficult words to influence a jury D a boy speaking formal English in class and informal English with his friends after school

D a boy speaking formal English in class and informal English with his friends after school Reason This is code-switching because the boy is switching his manner of speech based on the situation and his audience.

A student is able to distinguish the structure and form of words. This level of language development is called A semantics B syntax C pragmatics D morphology

D morphology Reason Morphology refers to the ability to apply rules to the structure and form of words.

Mr. Omelan includes instructional activities in his teaching that require students to use multiple senses and act out words, ideas, and concepts. Which of the following best describes the impact of Mr. Omelan's instructional strategies on bilingual and ELL students? A Students will better remember the meanings of words, ideas, and concepts. B Students are better able to spell words used during the instructional activities. C The teacher ensures that students understand the meanings of words, ideas, and concepts. D Students will increase their reading rates.

A Students will better remember the meanings of words, ideas, and concepts. Reason As students are required to involve multiple senses and physical action to communicate the meanings of words, ideas, and concepts, they are better able to reinforce the definitions. Because of this, students are better able to remember words, ideas, and concepts taught during the instructional activities.

Which of the following words changes its meaning and pronunciation depending on whether it is used as a noun or an adjective? A invalid B drink C contrast D perfect

A invalid Reason The word "invalid" is pronounced IN-valid when it is used as a noun to mean "a person disabled by illness or injury." The word "invalid" is pronounced in-VALID when used as an adjective to mean "being without foundation in fact, truth, or law."

Evaluate the statement below. Language learned through rote memorization without reference to a specific context or content is an efficient way to expand one's vocabulary. A True, this is the shortest path to success B False, language learned in context is retained more readily C True, this method has proven effective for most students D True, memory studies urge us to keep memorizing throughout our lives

B False, language learned in context is retained more readily Reason Learning vocabulary in context is more effective, because the mind seems to need reference points or hooks on which to hang the vocabulary label.

Which of the following skills is not part of phonological awareness? A sound awareness B letter awareness C syllable awareness D rhyme awareness

B letter awareness Reason An understanding of the names and shapes of letters does not fall under the umbrella of phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is specifically focused on sounds.

How many phonemes are in the word "thought"? A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4

C 3 Reason A phoneme is the smallest unit of speech that can be used to make one word different from another word. When two or more letters combine to create a sound, that sound is a single phoneme. The word "thought" has three phonemes because the word is composed of three distinct sounds: /th/ , /ough/, /t/.

Strategies that help ELLs internalize new vocabulary are: A visual organizers. B making associations with their L1 language. C finding patterns in language. D All of the above.

D All of the above. Reason All three of these strategies help students learn new vocabulary.

A student needs to be able to fluently read a text in order to refocus their attention on which of the following tasks? A decoding unfamiliar words B reading with appropriate inflection C increasing their reading speed D determining the main idea

D determining the main idea Reason A student must be able to fluently read a text before they will be able to begin analysis of the text, such as determining the main idea.

A student who understands how to create a word by adding a prefix to another word has learned about: A pragmatics. B phonology. C phonetics. D morphology.

D morphology. Reason Morphology refers to the patterns of word formation. This would include adding a prefix as adding a prefix requires following the rules and patterns of world formation.

Which of the following is NOT a goal of teaching phonics and word recognition skills? A an understanding of the relationship between letters and sounds B the ability to acquire meaning from what is read by rapidly and correctly recognizing words C an understanding that the sounds of words in speech are made up of letter patterns D the ability to use metacognition to self-monitor reading comprehension

D the ability to use metacognition to self-monitor reading comprehension Reason Metacognition is important to reading comprehension, but it is not a goal of phonics instruction.

Students in a fourth-grade classroom are having difficulty with their oral language skills. The teacher provides the students with many opportunities to speak aloud in order to develop these skills. The teacher does this for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: A to help students practice making good/appropriate word choices. B to provide opportunities for students to practice using clear pronunciations. C to allow students to convey information to each other orally. D to create situations where students can develop schema.

D to create situations where students can develop schema. Reason Schema development is determining a structure of knowledge about anything. It is a comprehension skill and not specifically related to oral language development.

Which of the following would be the best activity for students struggling with phonemic awareness? A Have struggling students practice phonemic activities specific to the area in which they are behind. B Provide students with a list of phonemic awareness concepts to help them build their understanding of phonemic awareness. C Have students work through phonemic awareness activities independently under the teacher's supervision. D Have students work through phonemic awareness building exercises at home by themselves.

A Have struggling students practice phonemic activities specific to the area in which they are behind. Reason This is the best answer. Providing specific activities to promote specific phonemic struggles is the best method to scaffold students' phonemic awareness.

Mr. Long begins the day by asking students to discuss what happened over the weekend. While Ethan is sharing with the class, Mr. Long hears him say, "I ain't gonna go to the beach no more." It is common in the area for adults to use "ain't" and "gonna" in their speech patterns. How should Mr. Long correct Ethan's speech and promote the use of Standard English in the future? A Review the expectations of speaking formally to the class and that they include the use of Standard English. B Give a mini-lesson on Standard English vs. Dialect/Slang to the whole class, specifically targeting "ain't" and "gonna." C Have Ethan rewrite his speech using Standard English. D Stop Ethan mid-presentation and make him say the sentence again in Standard English.

A Review the expectations of speaking formally to the class and that they include the use of Standard English. Reason Because these words are a regional norm, teaching students the appropriate times to use Standard versus Non-Standard English will be the most beneficial.

Mrs. Lewis is a bilingual teacher and frequently encourages her students' parents to talk a lot with their children at home whether during chores, daily tasks, or shopping to help build their children's vocabulary. A parent contacts Mrs. Lewis wondering how increased conversation will help their child read. Which of the following would be the most appropriate response by Mrs. Lewis? A The development of a student's language skills are intertwined, and increasing the student's vocabulary will allow students to recognize more words while reading B The student's reading skills will not be benefited by the parent's increased conversation with the student C As students are able to become more fluent and increase their vocabulary, they will naturally be inclined to read to use and exercise their knowledge D It is the responsibility of the parent to incorporate reading skills with everyday activities

A The development of a student's language skills are intertwined, and increasing the student's vocabulary will allow students to recognize more words while reading Reason Language skills are intertwined, and students will be more aware of vocabulary words and experiences if they are able to speak with their family often. This will enhance their reading abilities.

A small group of ELL students is struggling with recognizing how printed words and spoken language are related. Which activity below would best help the students develop this skill? A The teacher reading aloud a familiar story to the group and pointing out the text and punctuation marks as she reads. B Having the students read aloud to each other while the teacher listens and corrects. C Asking students comprehension questions during reading. D In turns, one student will say a word and the rest of the group will write it on paper.

A The teacher reading aloud a familiar story to the group and pointing out the text and punctuation marks as she reads. Reason By choosing a familiar story to read, the students will be able to focus on how the words they hear match the words they see on the page, rather than focus on the content of the story. This enables the group to focus on the connection between speech and text.

Precise language usage is generally more important for written communication than verbal communication. Which of the following is not a reason why? A Visual cues are available to help the reader determine meaning with written text. B The author's tone is implied in written text, which could confuse a reader's interpretation of meaning. C The reader can't ask clarifying questions in written text. D The listener can use the visual context of a situation to determine meaning of a speaker.

A Visual cues are available to help the reader determine meaning with written text. Reason In spoken communication, there is usually a visual context and nonverbal communication for what the speaker is trying to convey. Writing that is lacking precise description or language leaves the reader to fill in the blanks, which can lead to a misunderstanding of the text.

Mrs. Holland breaks her ELL/ESL class into small groups and provides each group a list of words about animals at the zoo. She instructs each group to discuss the words and decide what each word has or does not have in common with the other words. Which of the following is this activity most likely to promote? A Vocabulary about animals B Understanding of various cultural backgrounds C Understanding of classroom procedures D Vocabulary about classroom items

A Vocabulary about animals Reason Students will be discussing various animals and the characteristics of the vocabulary words.

When an English language learner is learning how to write words he knows how to say in English, what is the most important aspect of the English writing system he should remember? A Written English is not based on phonetics of the spoken English. B Spoken English is more redundant than written English. C Spoken English is exactly like written English. D Written English is more rule-based than Spanish.

A Written English is not based on phonetics of the spoken English. Reason Many written English words are spelled different than they spoken English. Words like "phone," "high," and "through," sound like they should be spelled "fon," "hi," and "thru."

Pragmatics is the branch of linguistics concerned with the study of language in practical situations. Which of the following would be a pragmatic meaning of the sentence "Can you pass the ketchup?" A a request for the listener to give the questioner the ketchup B a question composed of 17 phonemes C a question asking if the listener is physically able to pass the ketchup D a question asking the meaning of the word "ketchup"

A a request for the listener to give the questioner the ketchup Reason This is the pragmatic meaning of the sentence even though it is not literally what the question asks. The words literally ask if the listener is physically able to pass the ketchup, but the question is a pragmatic request to hand over the ketchup.

An ELL student wrote the following in her journal for class: "My parents grew up in the small town in Mexico. They moved to United States when I was one year old." The student makes a mistake in her use of: A articles. B prepositions. C tense. D pronouns.

A articles. Reason Articles are the words a, an, and the. Articles are used with nouns to define the specificity of the noun. The student incorrectly states, "the small town," rather than "a small town" and doesn't include "the" before United States. These are article mistakes.

An ELL student who is new to the United States might be surprised to learn that people use different words to describe the same thing, such as yard sale vs. garage sale, tennis shoes vs. sneakers, and garbage can vs. trash can, across the country. These differences in word choice can be attributed to variations in: A dialect. B semantics. C discourse. D phonology.

A dialect. Reason Dialect refers to the form of language specific to a region of community. The varying dialects across America are cause for the same thing to be referred to in different ways.

An English learner states the following in his informal presentation to the class: "Today I'm gonna talk about the culture and traditions of Italians. First, I'll discuss a little about the history of the country, and on the other hand, I'll describe how history affected the current culture." What element of discourse is the learner struggling with? A discourse markers B fillers C elision D contractions

A discourse markers Reason This student uses a discourse marker, "on the other hand," inappropriately.

Mr. Levitt notices that one of his English language learner students speaks differently to him than when he's talking with other students. The student best demonstrates an awareness of: A language register. B language function. C morphology. D phonology.

A language register. Reason A language register is the adaptation of one's speech to fit certain social situations.

Which of the following descriptions best describes the linguistic term language acquisition? A learning a first or second language as a process, either piece by piece, or through a total immersive experience B learning about how languages gain meaning by studying grammar and the history behind certain words and phrases C studying the rules of a language, such as the way words combine to make sentences and longer phrases D studying the construction of human sounds, such as those made through speech articulation, or those heard auditorily

A learning a first or second language as a process, either piece by piece, or through a total immersive experience Reason This is the correct definition for the linguistic process of language acquisition.

A high school English teacher is working with a group of English Language Learners (ELLs) to expand their vocabulary knowledge and English word usage. She is conducting a lesson in which she shows her ELLs that many words in Spanish and English have nearly identical spellings and meanings. Which of the following instructional strategies is the teacher utilizing in this scenario? A matching cognates B creating a word bank C making a t-chart D differentiating homophones

A matching cognates Reason The teacher in this scenario is helping students match cognates. Many words in English (bicycle) and Spanish (bicicleta) have similar spellings and meanings. Knowledge of these cognates can assist students with gaining English vocabulary in a more efficient manner.

Which of the following activities best promotes students' understanding of how oral language relates to literacy? A modeling the writing of words or phrases B practicing the development of a schema before stories are read C utilizing ongoing assessments of vocabulary lists D listening to a CD or a person reading orally

A modeling the writing of words or phrases Reason This is an excellent way to relate oral language to literacy. Students need to repeatedly see and hear words in both their printed and spoken form; in this way, they will get the connection between oral language and literacy.

A middle school ESL teacher gives students the following worksheet Instructions: Choose the correct form of the word. If you are having trouble, Mary is very _______ (help). Science is the most _______ (interest) subject. You need to use your _______ (imagine). The primary purpose of the worksheet is to provide instruction on: A morphology. B stress. C intonation. D syntax.

A morphology. Reason Morphology is the study of word structure. Morphemes are the smallest unit of meaning in language. Adding prefixes and suffixes to words to change the form is part of morphology.

A third-grade ESL teacher is starting a new science unit on the physical properties of matter. Students will be expected to determine how to classify different objects. She will give students brown paper bags with 5 objects inside each one. The students must write down the properties and figure out what each object is without looking. In order for the children to be successful, the teacher must do which of the following prior to this activity? A preview and discuss texture vocabulary and allow students to provide examples B hand out a list of texture words C watch a video on physical properties of matter D read a story involving physical properties of matter

A preview and discuss texture vocabulary and allow students to provide examples Reason This is correct because if the teacher previews different types of texture vocabulary, it will activate students' schema. ESL students benefit from this because they can use their native language and prepare to associate it with their new language.

Which is an appropriate activity for ELLs who are lacking in vocabulary development? A teaching them how to identify context clues and use them effectively to interpret meanings B giving them vocabulary word lists to memorize C asking them to highlight every unfamiliar word and write the definition in English D having them translate texts into their native language

A teaching them how to identify context clues and use them effectively to interpret meanings Reason It is important for ELL students to know how to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words by using context clues.

Which of the following is an example of code-switching? A Students texting to each other in code so that only they can understand the meaning of their messages. B A student speaking an informal dialect with friends and a more formal dialect with the teacher. C Teachers replacing impolite or obscene words with alternate expressions that are more acceptable for classroom discourse. D A teacher having the ability to speak English and Chinese.

B A student speaking an informal dialect with friends and a more formal dialect with the teacher. Reason This is an example of code-switching because the student is alternating between two different varieties of language depending on the situation.

When is it acceptable for a student to use sentence fragments? Select all answers that apply. A When giving an oral report B During a brainstorming session on a topic C During spontaneous verbal exchanges D During formal speeches

B During a brainstorming session on a topic Reason Sometimes we are too concerned about having students use complete sentences. During informal instruction, using sentence fragments can help develop language skills and concept understanding. Requiring students to always use complete sentences can cause anxiety and animosity, which work against the students' learning. C During spontaneous verbal exchanges Reason Sometimes we are too concerned about having students use complete sentences. During informal instruction, using sentence fragments can help develop language skills and concept understanding. Requiring students to always use complete sentences can cause anxiety and animosity, which work against the students' learning.

In preparation for the mayor's visit to the classroom, the teacher is practicing proper ways to speak with authority figures. The teacher asks Marta, a bilingual student, to practice greeting the mayor. Marta begins the greeting by saying, "Hey Mayor, how are you doing?" The teacher tells Marta that this particular greeting would not be appropriate for greeting the mayor because it is a casual greeting. Which of the following best describes the concept the teacher is explaining to Marta? A Translation B Language register C Cultural assimilation D Cultural sensitivity

B Language register Reason The teacher is helping Marta become aware of language register. Language registers are different ways of communicating with people, depending on the situation (who, what, why, and where).

An author who has strong skills in clarity of writing will be able to do which of the following? Select all answers that apply. A Correctly cite sources when necessary. B Organize information and use transitional words. C Use precise language specific to his audience. D Vary his sentence structure.

B Organize information and use transitional words. Reason Clear writing presents information in an organized manner, so this is a correct answer. C Use precise language specific to his audience. Reason Clear writing uses vocabulary that his intended audience can understand, so this is a correct answer.

Which of the following statements accurately represents an aspect of phonological awareness related to literacy development? A Developing an understanding of graphic elements, like the purpose of spaces that occur between words, is key to literacy development. B Reading new words requires a student to be able to sound out words by breaking them into simple forms. C Literacy depends not only on correctly pronouncing words, but understanding their meaning in context. D Early literacy is demonstrated by an awareness that letters represent sounds.

B Reading new words requires a student to be able to sound out words by breaking them into simple forms. Reason Phonological awareness is the understanding and ability to identify the individual sounds in a word. When students break down a word to sound it out, they are demonstrating their phonological awareness.

A middle school teacher teaches a group of intermediate-level English learners about prefixes and suffixes. How is this activity most likely to promote students' English language development? A This activity will increase their reading and listening comprehension skills. B This activity will increase vocabulary and syntactic understanding. C This activity will improve their ability to pronounce words with multiple syllables. D This activity will increase their understanding of semantics.

B This activity will increase vocabulary and syntactic understanding. Reason Teaching the meanings of prefixes and suffixes helps students to understand new words and change the tense and/or part of speech.

An English learner writes the following: "I went to the store to buy some cheese. Cheese is a popular food in France. France is the world's most popular tourist destination. I can't decide what destination to travel to next year." Which component of written discourse is the learner struggling with? A sentence syntax B coherence C cohesion D punctuation

B coherence Reason These sentences don't have a strong main idea. There is cohesion, as each sentence is connected to the next, but no coherence, as it's unclear what the writer is trying to convey.

Transitional words and phrases are helpful in both spoken and written communication because they: Select all answers that apply. A state the author's purpose clearly. B indicate the flow of time and events. C join two sentences together. D link ideas to each other.

B indicate the flow of time and events. Reason Transitions in a narrative piece help move the audience through time and from one event to another, so this is a correct answer. D link ideas to each other. Reason Transitions link ideas together from sentence to sentence or paragraph to paragraph, so this is a correct answer.

A teacher wrote the following sentences on the board: The new student is Texan. Most Texans like the rodeos. The new student likes the rodeo. What style of discourse was used? A direct B inductive C inferential D deductive

B inductive Reason Inductive discourse uses patterns to arrive at a conclusion. The conclusion has the possibility to be false, even if all of the other premises are true. In this scenario, the first two premises are true, but it does not mean all Texans like rodeos.

When teaching English to ELLs, Mr. Thompson introduced a series of vocabulary terms for the new science unit. He had the students write down the definitions while he spoke and noticed some were understanding the information but had many errors on their page. Afterward he decided to pair the ELL students with non-ELLs to read their partner's work, discuss what they had written, and relate it to a personal experience. Which explains Mr. Thompson's thought process? A it's best to focus on academic language B language is best developed by integrating all skills C encourage students to speak D prioritize oral language over written language

B language is best developed by integrating all skills Reason Research has shown that language is best acquired by integrating all productive and receptive skills to help students reach the next stage of second language acquisition. Here the students are writing, listening, speaking, and reading their vocabulary words.

Although there are many different ways to write in English, most English learners are taught that English discourse can be described as: A nonlinear. B linear. C indirect. D circular.

B linear. Reason American English discourse is very linear, meaning a thought tends to be developed by following a pattern similar to that of an outline. For example, in most essays that students are likely to encounter, paragraphs begin with a topic sentence, followed by several supporting details and examples that illustrate and develop the main topic.

A sixth-grade teacher allows her students to choose a persuasive text from a few preselected options. Regardless of the article they choose, each student will receive the following post-reading questions: 1. What is the topic of the article? 2. What is the author's opinion or perspective on this topic? 3. What reasons does the author present to support his perspective? 4. Does the author provide any evidence? If so, where did the author find the evidence? 5. Do you find the author's perspective, reasons, and evidence persuasive? Why or why not? When viewed collectively, what is the instructional purpose of the post-reading questions? A prompting student evaluation of the author's position B promoting close reading of expository texts C identifying the difference between an informative text and a persuasive text D supporting student identification of the text's main idea

B promoting close reading of expository texts Reason The series of questions prompts the reader to look at various aspects of a persuasive piece and closely read, understand, identify, and evaluate the different parts of the text.

An ELL named Fabien stated, "Man, I want one of those!" to his peer when a parent volunteer began passing out cookies at the holiday party. When the parent approached his desk he said, "May I please have a cookie?" The difference between how Fabien spoke to his peer and how he spoke to the volunteer demonstrates competence in the area of: A syntax. B register. C semantics. D morphology.

B register. Reason Register refers to the degree of formality with which one speaks. Since the student shifted from using informal language with his peer to formal language with the parent volunteer, he demonstrates competence in the area of register.

A science class was assigned a project of creating an instrument using recycled items as part of their unit on sound energy. When presenting her project to the class, an ELL named Teresa said, "So I put beads inside this bottle and then my baby brother tried to take them! I ran after him and he yelled like, 'Eeeeee!' Then I put plastic over the top and put a rubber band around it. Now I can shake it and it makes noise. It's kinda cool." Teresa's presentation needs improvement in the area of: A dialect. B register. C jargon. D code switching.

B register. Reason Register refers to the degree of formality with which one speaks. Since the student was presenting a project in an educational situation, she should have used formal, academic language instead of informal, social language throughout her presentation.

Which of the following are the productive language skills? A listening and writing B speaking and writing C listening and speaking D listening and reading

B speaking and writing Reason In both instances of speaking and writing the person is creating language for someone else. Therefore, they are productive skills.

Which of these abilities is the weakest connection between strong oral language skills and strong writing abilities? A the ability to use grammatical structures correctly B the ability to decode new words in a text C the ability to understand organization and text structure D the ability to write longer paragraphs about a topic

B the ability to decode new words in a text Reason While decoding new words is an oral language skill, it is not as immediately connected to strong writing skills as the other three.

Which of the following best describes the impact of decoding skills on reading comprehension? A If a student is able to accurately decode the words in a text, they will also be able to comprehend the meaning of the text. B Decoding skills have less of an impact on reading comprehension than sight word proficiency. C A student's ability to accurately and quickly decode words improves fluency and student comprehension. D A student's decoding skills can diminish a student's reading fluency, but does not directly impact their comprehension.

C A student's ability to accurately and quickly decode words improves fluency and student comprehension. Reason Reading fluency directly impacts student comprehension, and students cannot read fluently if they do not have strong decoding skills.

Every day, midmorning, the teacher gives her class an opportunity to walk around the room and visit with friends for 3-4 minutes, often telling them to "get it out of their system." After hearing the phrase a few times, a student comes up to ask what she means by that sentence. What should the teacher do to best support her student's understanding of this idiom? A Ask her to think about the sentence in context and think about it for homework to discuss in the morning. B Provide various other examples of idioms that are used in other contexts. C Explain the meaning in a more literal way. D Explain how a "system" can be used to metaphorically represent impulses.

C Explain the meaning in a more literal way. Reason Idioms often do not make logical sense and can be confusing if you haven't heard them over time and inferred their meaning based on their usage. Since the teacher has been using it regularly, it would be best for her to explain the concept of both idioms and this particular idiom's meaning to the student.

In which region of the United States do residents pronounce the English word "fog" as "fahg"? A Appalachian region B Western region C Northern region D Southern region

C Northern region Reason The northern region's residents would pronounce "fog" as "fahg."

How does oral language development affect reading comprehension? A Development of phonological awareness does not impact reading comprehension. B Reading comprehension must be developed prior to fluency in oral language being achieved. C Reading comprehension is enhanced by promoting oral language. D A large oral vocabulary has no impact on reading comprehension.

C Reading comprehension is enhanced by promoting oral language. Reason The better an individual understands oral language skills, the better they understand reading comprehension skills.

Which of the following is the primary benefit of requiring students to give oral book reports? A They require students to analyze every book they read. B They provide students with an opportunity to practice making formal presentations in front of a group. C They encourage students to share reading experiences and model how the book was enjoyable. D They show that students have read the books and understand the plots.

C They encourage students to share reading experiences and model how the book was enjoyable. Reason This is the best answer as it allows students to share their reading with others. This can increase the students' willingness to discuss their reading with others and increase the curiosity about the reading among the other students in the class.

Mr. Ramsey wants to promote vocabulary expansion among his English language learners. Which of the following would be the best engaging strategy to promote this goal? A Write out each definition of a new word three times B Memorize words in alphabetical order for ease of recall C Use activities to internalize language D Work with a bilingual dictionary one hour a day to define commonly used words in both languages

C Use activities to internalize language Reason Activities that are engaging and give students the opportunity to internalize language are the most beneficial in the classroom.

Mr. Kirkpatrick is beginning a unit on morphology with his third-grade class. In order for his students to be most successful in using and manipulating morphemes, he should begin his unit with which activity? A a lesson on using prefixes and suffixes B a review of phonemes and phonics C a review of basic morphemes like /ing/, /s/, or /ed/ D a lesson on Latin root words

C a review of basic morphemes like /ing/, /s/, or /ed/ Reason By third grade, students should have a decent understanding of morphemes. Mr. Kirkpatrick would want to review class knowledge before beginning his lessons to assess what needs review and what students already know.

It is important for ESL teachers to teach English learners when it is appropriate to respond to questions, ask questions, stay silent, and follow politeness rules. These are all elements of which of the following? A phonetics B syntax C discourse D semantics

C discourse Reason Discourse refers to the use of spoken or written language in a social context.

A second-grade teacher conducting a phonics lesson reads the words "kite," "bike," and "recite" aloud and has students write and discuss the use of these words. The greatest benefit to this strategy is it: A allows students to practice phonemes and morphemes. B introduces new vocabulary while reinforcing phonemic understanding. C discusses vowel rules in a realistic context familiar to students. D allows students to work together to identify individual phonemes.

C discusses vowel rules in a realistic context familiar to students. Reason The strategy could promote language development on realistic topics which is integral to student interest and learning. At the same time, the teacher could discuss the vowel rule for words with a silent e at the end.

Which of the following words is a free morpheme? A awhile B exposition C dog D kites

C dog Reason "Dog" is a free morpheme because it can stand on its own and cannot be broken into a smaller part.

Sometimes reading difficulties are known not to be the outcome of lack of opportunities in education or limited intellect. Recent educational research has found that these difficulties are most often the result of what instead? A lack of being motivated B not being read to as a young child C lack of skills in phonological processing D background in another language

C lack of skills in phonological processing Reason Research has shown that reading difficulties most often occur due to the lack of skills in phonological processing after other factors have been ruled out including limited intellect or poor educational opportunities.

The most effective strategy to enhance a first-grade student's ability in following oral directions would be: A playing a competitive sporting game. B completing a phonics worksheet. C listing the order of learning center activities and instructions before the class begins the activities. D utilizing technology such as a computer game.

C listing the order of learning center activities and instructions before the class begins the activities. Reason Learning centers are usually very motivational for young students and they want to be enabled to correctly carry out the tasks

A student in a third-grade class is attempting to determine the meaning of the word "scrawny" in the following sentence. There was Sam, ten years old with long, skinny legs and equally scrawny arms, but he had a smile that lit up any room he walked into. Which of the following would best support the student in an attempt to infer the word's meaning? A orthography B segmentation C syntactic analysis D structural analysis

C syntactic analysis Reason Analyzing the syntax in this sentence would help the student infer the word meaning because they would recognize the word as an adjective describing the character's arms.

A high school teacher is teaching her students how to use contextual clues to help determine the meaning of words. She provides the following example to her students:"We know that sentences are made of subjects and predicates. The subject contains a noun or pronoun and the predicate contains the verb. Look at the sentence: John went to the ____. The structure of the sentence lets us know that the blank must be filled with a noun. Putting a verb in the blank would not make sense." This is an example of a: A contrast clue. B restatement clue. C syntactic clue. D semantic clue.

C syntactic clue. Reason A syntactic clue involves implicit knowledge of word order and the function of words.

Mr. Rogers class is studying a unit on law, and they watch a video with the following dialogue: Lawyer 1: "I object." Judge: "Your objection is overruled. Please proceed."Lawyer 2: "Thank you. Witness, can you please resume the stand?" The ELLs might have trouble understanding the dialogue due to: A the code-switching. B the dialect variation. C the jargon. D the language register.

C the jargon. Reason Jargon refers to the special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand. In this dialogue, there are expressions specific to law.

Which of the following areas of language development are most likely to be influenced by the sociocultural background of a child? A the ability to write stories B the length of time necessary to master public speaking C the manner in which the child presents and organizes oral narratives D the ease of learning new vocabulary words

C the manner in which the child presents and organizes oral narratives Reason This is the area influenced by sociocultural factors. Children from some backgrounds naturally organize oral narratives around association or analogy while children from other background organize oral narratives around a central topic.

A student with strong phonics knowledge is able to: A rapidly name grade-level sight words. B read text with accuracy, speed, and inflection. C use relationships between symbols and sounds to read and write words. D correctly define and use new terminology.

C use relationships between symbols and sounds to read and write words. Reason Phonics is the study of symbol/sound relationships. Students use phonics knowledge to read and write words.

A standard language is the language: A labeled as the country's official language by the government. B most often occuring in pop culture and the media. C utilized and accepted by formal institutions, like governments. D spoken informally by the majority of the population in a country.

C utilized and accepted by formal institutions, like governments. Reason A standard language is taught in schools and used in government documents and proceedings.

There are many aspects of oral language that extend beyond an individual's word choice or sentence structure, such as the tone of voice or speed at which a person speaks. Which of the following would students need to learn to best adapt their speech to multiple situations? A Students need to learn when it is not appropriate to be informal. B Students need to learn phrases such as "please consider." C Students need to learn academic vocabulary. D All of the above.

D All of the above. Reason All options need to be learned for students to best adapt their speech to multiple situations. Knowing when a formal tone and a specific word choice is necessary, using phrases such as "please" and "thank you," and learning the correct use of academic vocabulary are all necessary for adapting speech.

Which of the following is one reasonable way for a teacher to assess a student's phonological awareness? A Listen to the student as he/she retells a familiar story. B Ask the student to compare the way a poem sounds to the way a story sounds. C Test the student's recognition of sight words. D Ask the student to count the number of syllables in a word.

D Ask the student to count the number of syllables in a word. Reason Being able to hear the individual sound segments that make up a word is a component of phonological awareness.

Ms. Normans has prepared a content-based lesson for her ELL students. Before the lesson begins, she conducts a few exercises to familiarize the students with the new vocabulary. She presents the new vocabulary then has each student think of similar words in the primary language. This activity is likely to facilitate the student's acquisition of the English language primarily because the activity does which of the following? A Provides opportunities to receive feedback on misconceptions they have about the English language B Promotes meaningful interaction between students of various backgrounds C Promotes the cognitive processes necessary to internalize and memorize language rules D Builds upon the student's current language knowledge and relates already known words to new words

D Builds upon the student's current language knowledge and relates already known words to new words Reason The activities use student's already known vocabulary of their first language to relate to the new, second language vocabulary.

Follow-up activities are crucial to enhancing elementary students' listening skills. Which one of the following activities would be most appropriate for students who are new to the country and have limited reading/writing skills in English? A Asking a partner questions about the story and recording his/her answers. B Writing questions and/or answering the written questions. C Acting out parts of the story after writing about the main points. D Conducting a class discussion about the key points of the story and then having the students perform a dramatic play about these events.

D Conducting a class discussion about the key points of the story and then having the students perform a dramatic play about these events. Reason Acting out a story or parts of a story is an excellent follow-up activity for ELL and other students in that the teacher can check for listening comprehension.

While reviewing her notes, Mrs. Welsh notices that Fred has never volunteered to read aloud to his peers. She suspects he may be avoiding reading because he struggles to pronounce unfamiliar words. What strategy is best for Mrs. Welsh use to help Fred become more confident and improve his oral language and reading relationship? A Review difficult terminology before having students read the passage. B Create vocabulary lists with the unfamiliar words. C Only ask Fred to read when she knows he won't struggle. D Model using phonemes to sound out new words while she reads to the group.

D Model using phonemes to sound out new words while she reads to the group. Reason Modeling the correct way to use phonemes to decode words will show Fred what he needs to do in the same situation, and demonstrate that even his teacher struggles occasionally.

Which is an accurate statement about effective reading instruction? A Students who do not ask for individualized reading instruction should not be provided individualized reading instruction. B It is best to assess students' reading comprehension through formal assessments. C Reading should be taught to students by addressing each concept separately. D Reading comprehension is increased when reading fluency is increased.

D Reading comprehension is increased when reading fluency is increased. Reason This is a correct correlation.

Ms. Sanders is frustrated by students consistently using "u" instead of "you" and other shorthand in their writing. Which of the following would be the most effective way to encourage change in her classroom? A Take off points for each occurance of the error. B Call parents individually to discuss the frequency of this mistake. C Accept that language changes over time and the use of "u" will likely become more and more common. D Teach a lesson about formal and informal writing, comparing academic writing to text message writing.

D Teach a lesson about formal and informal writing, comparing academic writing to text message writing. Reason Taking the time to provide instruction regarding the value of code switching--the ability to change the way you communicate depending on what is appropriate for the situation--is important. It helps students understand the value of adjusting their writing to fit the audience.

Mr. MacMillan has a new ELL student in his English class. The new student knows very little English. When should Mr. MacMillan should begin implementing writing assignments for the student? A After the student has a 100-word oral vocabulary. B After listening and speaking is mastered. C After reading comprehension is mastered. D The students first day.

D The students first day. Reason All language skills are integrated and should be learned together

Mrs. Glass, a new teacher, notices the literature the English language learners are required to read has many difficult words. She discusses the situation with her mentor teacher, who has been teaching English language learners for many years and is experienced with the laws and requirements for English language learner education. Of the following, what is the most appropriate response by the mentor teacher? A The students should highlight the words they do not know and later look them up in a dictionary. B The teacher should provide supplemental literature that contains words that are familiar to the students. C The teacher should rewrite the text to shorten the difficult words to make the literature more understandable for the students. D The teacher should work with the students to help explain the meaning of the words.

D The teacher should work with the students to help explain the meaning of the words. Reason It is the role of the teacher to work with the students to build the students' vocabulary.

In a cookbook, there are many instances of command forms of verbs. This is true because the purpose of the recipes is to instruct how to prepare various food items. This is an example of: A a lexical expansion. vocabulary. B a language proficiency level. C a language register. D a language function.

D a language function. Reason A language function refers to the different uses of a particular language. Providing instructions is one of the functions of language. The purpose of the language used in a cookbook is to guide the reader to make the specific food items correctly.

Which of the following activities could be expected in a multi-level ESOL classroom? A an activity aimed at the lower-level students, during which the more advanced students work on a homework task B an activity that has been designed for a student at the average level C an activity aimed at the upper-level students, translated into the language of each lower-level student D an activity in which each student has a separate role customized for his or her ability level

D an activity in which each student has a separate role customized for his or her ability level Reason In multilevel ESOL classes, it is important to ensure that each student is challenged and interested, so activities should be tailored to each student, or students should be given different tasks to accomplish a similar goal.

Millie and Johana are both sisters from New York visiting a small town in Texas with their grandmother. The girls are leaving a restaurant and the waiter says, "Y'all have yourselves a good day ya her." Millie turns to Johana and asks "What did he say?" As they walk down the street, a woman looks up, says "howdy," and smiles at them. In this scenario, the sisters interact with which of the following language types? A jargon B Spanglish C vernacular D dialect

D dialect Reason A dialect is a unique form of a language that belongs to a specific group of people or region. In this case, the sisters experience a southern English dialect unique to Texas.

Samar is a student who recently moved from India to the Gulf Coast of Alabama in the United States. His native language is Hindi, but he also learned English in school and considers himself proficient in both languages. He is surprised to find that he does not always fully understand what his teachers and classmates are saying. Samar's gaps in understanding are likely due to variation in: A register. B pragmatics. C syntax. D dialect.

D dialect. Reason Dialect refers to the form of language specific to a region of community. Although Samar is proficient in English, the Gulf Southern dialect spoken in his new home of Alabama likely has significant differences to the English he learned as a student in India.

The following is an excerpt from Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. I set down again, a-shaking all over, and got out my pipe for a smoke; for the house was all as still as death now, and so the widow wouldn't know. Well, after a long time I heard the clock away off in the town go boom—boom—boom—twelve licks; and all still again—stiller than ever. Pretty soon I heard a twig snap down in the dark amongst the trees—something was a-stirring. I set still and listened. Directly I could just barely hear a "me-yow! me-yow!" down there. That was good! Says I, "me-yow! me-yow!" as soft as I could, and then I put out the light and scrambled out of the window on to the shed. Then I slipped down to the ground and crawled in among the trees, and, sure enough, there was Tom Sawyer waiting for me. They author's use of "set down" instead of "sat down" is an example of: A incorrect word tense. B standard English. C formal language. D dialect.

D dialect. Reason The speaker's use of the word "set" instead of "sat" is due to the character's dialect.

Research has analyzed many predictors of students' success in learning to read in early grades. This research has found that which of the following abilities are the best predictors of good readers? A ability to infer information from a written text B ability to utilize alliteration skills C knowledge of segmentation skills D knowledge of letters and phonemic awareness skills

D knowledge of letters and phonemic awareness skills Reason Research has found that the knowledge of letters and acquisition of phonemic awareness skills are the best predictors of students' success in learning to read.

Mrs. Johnson has been working with an English Language Learner to develop his English language skills. The student has shown frustration in his progress because he feels many words are easier to say than to spell. She encourages the students to continue trying to pronounce words and write them correctly. Mrs. Johnson's encouragement most accurately reflects the knowledge that: A if a student cannot say a word, they will not be able to spell it. B the phonetics of some words are reflected in their spelling. C a student must have a positive attitude to learn a new language. D language skills are interrelated and do not develop sequentially.

D language skills are interrelated and do not develop sequentially. Reason Language skills are interrelated and the development in one area may prompt development in another. Mrs. Johnson is aware if one area of English proficiency is neglected, the remainder of the areas will suffer as well.

Which of the following are the receptive language skills? A listening and speaking B speaking and writing C listening and writing D listening and reading

D listening and reading Reason In both instances of listening and reading the person is decoding someone else's information and is not engaged in creating language for someone else. Therefore, they are receptive skills.

Mr. Jameson notices that one of his English learners almost always adds the suffix "ion" when he wants to change a word to a noun, often resulting in made-up words. This student could use some extra practice with: A language register. B language function. C phonology. D morphology.

D morphology. Reason Morphology is the study of words, how they are formed, and their relationship to other words in the same language. It analyzes the structure of words and parts of words, such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

Which of the following concepts involves understanding that spoken words consist of a sequence of individual sounds? A morphology B syntax C graphophonic knowledge D phonemic awareness

D phonemic awareness Reason Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.

When a teacher is working with students on their intonation pattern, the teacher is dealing with which level of language? A semantics B morphology C syntax D pragmatics

D pragmatics Reason Intonation patterns of a language are part of the broader pragmatics level.

Which of the following is an effective method of learning an unfamiliar word in a text? A determining the part of speech of the word B copying the word repeatedly in writing C skipping the unfamiliar word D sounding out the word using phonics and syllabication skills

D sounding out the word using phonics and syllabication skills Reason A reader who has only heard a word spoken, but has never seen the word in print, will be better able to learn the word after sounding it out.

Which of these is NOT a key component in oral language development? A phonemic awareness B vocabulary C accuracy D reading comprehension E All of these are components.

E All of these are components. Reason In order to effectively increase a student's oral language abilities and thus literacy development, teachers must focus their instruction on all five parts of language development: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.