TExES - ESL

Acquire vs. Learning

"Acquire" is what we like to see more than "learning" (Krashen)

ORTHOGRAPHY

- A writing system, an alphabet.

VIA LEARNING

- Explicit presentation of rules and grammar - Classroom Instruction - Formal (Krashen)

LEXICON

- Refers to one's vocabulary or dictionary.

Language is Functional We use it to...

- communicate. - interact. - transfer important messages. (adapted from TESOL, 1998)

First/Second Language Acquisition Theories

- Behaviorism - Skinner - Nativism/Innatism/Generativism - Chomsky - Cognitivism - Piaget - Interactionist/Dialectical Constructivism - Vygotsky

LANGUAGE VARIES -- According to:

- Person - Topic - Situation - Purpose - Social class - Ethnicity

Review

5% Native Language (L1) The teacher or students summarize key ideas and raise questions about the lesson in their first language.

Language Varies

More about the context we're in, where are we having this conversation?

Language Development - Babble

The combination of a consonant sound and a vowel sound that is repeated, example, "ga, ga, ga"

Sample Question: 5 15. A teacher provides students with comprehensible input in English and finds ways to lower their affective filters. These are both essential strategies for developing beginning ELLs: a) Cognitive-academic language proficiency b) Listening and speaking skills c) Conceptual development in the primary language d) Emergent literacy

The correct answer is B. CALP generally comes later, not typically for beginners and is more related to high level language and cognitive skills. Comprehensible input helps a understand what the teacher is saying - input and lower the effective filter helps a student feel comfortable to speak. The question did not address primary language at all...there is no indication that primary language development is a concern in this question. The question did not address literacy at all...there is no indication that literacy is a concern in this question.

Affective Support

The greatest motivation for any students to learn a second language is the desire to live in fellowship with those individuals that speak that language - Anxiety-free learning situation - Valued language and culture - Advocacy for rights - Opportunities for success

Semantics

The study of meaning of words in language; connotation and denotation of words. Differences in word usage: lift/ elevator; cinema/movies; (Sp) durazno melocotón (peach); frijoles/porotos (beans)

How do I meet the Linguistic Needs of my ELLs?

Understand the language learning process and design instruction/questioning techniques and acceptable student responses for their proficiency level. Expand and elaborate on what students are saying to provide a correct model for them. Increase interaction in your class by grouping ELLs heterogeneously and incorporating Think/Pair/Share (Kagan, 1996) and other group strategies. Correct errors by paraphrasing or re-wording rather than overt error correction which may lead to embarrassment.

Language Development - Holophrastic speech

Use of one-word utterance to convey meaning (12-18 months). "Juice" for "I want juice".

Language Development - Telegraphic speech

Use of two-word utterance to convey meaning (18-24 months), example, "Doggie all gone" for "The dog is gone".

Social & Academic Language Proficiency

slide 43 VISUAL

Language Acquisition

slide 44 VISUAL

ESL TExES Domains

~ Domain I - Understanding Language Concepts and Language Acquisition (2 competencies = approximately 25% of test) ~ Domain II - ESL Instruction and Assessment (5 competencies = approximately 45% of test) ~ Domain III - Foundations of ESL Education, Cultural Awareness, and Family and Community Involvement (3 competencies = approximately 30% of test)

LANGUAGE

~ Language is flexible, is responsive, and changes constantly to meet the communication needs of its speakers. ~ Language is systematic (has rules) and generative (changes, is flexible, accepts new words all the time). It's used for communication.

LEVELS OF LANGUAGE

~ PHONOLOGY - System of Sounds (phonemes—a unit of sound, i.e. "cat" has three phonemes, "c", "a" and "t" ~ How many phonemes are in meaning? allophones—letters or combination of letters that make the same sound, i.e. "k" and "c" make /k/ sound "Keep Cool")

Theory: Educator's Role

• Behaviorist: Arranges environment to elicit desired response • Innatist/Nativist: Provides language rich environment • Cognitivist: Structures content of learning activity • Interactionist and Dialectical Constructivist: Works to establish communities of practice in which conversation and participation can occur through the students' Zone of Proximal Development

Theory: Purpose of Education

• Behaviorist: Produce behavioroural change in desired direction • Innatist/Nativist: Allow students to "figure out" language and processes on their own • Cognitivist: Develop capacity and skills to learn better • Interactionist and Dialectical Constructivist: Full participation in communities of practice and utilization of resources

Defined: - Affective - Linguistic - Cognitive (Directly from Commissioner's Rules)

(1) Affective: ELLs shall be provided instruction in their home language to introduce basic concepts of the school environment, and instruction both in their home language and in English, which instills confidence, self-assurance, and a positive identity with their cultural heritages. The program shall address the history and cultural heritage associated with both the students' home language and the United States. (2) Linguistic: ELLs shall be provided instruction in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing both in their home language and in English. The instruction in both languages shall be structured to ensure that the students master the required essential knowledge and skills and higher-order thinking skills in all subjects. (3) Cognitive: ELLs shall be provided instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies both in their home language and in English. The content area instruction in both languages shall be structured to ensure that the students master the required essential knowledge and skills and higher-order thinking skills in all subjects.

CALP

- Academic Language - Language used to develop higher order thinking skills - Context-reduced language --> It takes approximately 5-7 years for the second language student to reach the same level of proficiency as a monolingual in context-reduced language proficiency. (Cummins)

Commissioner's Rules According to the Commissioner's Rules in Chapter 89, teachers must support students by addressing the following needs:

- Affective - Linguistic - Cognitive

BEHAVIORISM

- B. F. Skinner/Pavlov This theory states that language is learned by imitation and developed through a system of habits ; for every action there is a reaction, repetition and reinforcement, stimulus and response, observable responses.

ELL Proficiency Stages

- Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced - Advanced High These are also used for the TELPAS assessment of listening, speaking, reading & writing (Texas Specific)

ELL Proficiency Stages & key features

- Beginning: have little or no ability...(to understand English in academic & social settings) - Intermediate: have limited ability...(to understand simple, high-frequency spoken English used in routine academic and social settings) - Advanced: can handle grade-appropriate English (with second language acquisition support, grade-appropriate spoken English used in academic and social settings) (i.e. know) - Advanced high: can handle grade-appropriate English (with minimal second language acquisition support, grade-appropriate spoken English used in academic and social settings) (i.e. apply)

Theory: Educator's Role

- Behaviorist: Arranges environment to elicit desired response - Innatist/Nativist: Provides language rich environment - Cognitivist: Structures content of learning activity - Interactionist and Dialectical Constructivist: Works to establish communities of practice in which conversation and participation can occur through the students' Zone of Proximal Development

Theory: Purpose of Education

- Behaviorist: Produce behavioroural change in desired direction - Innatist/Nativist: Allow students to "figure out" language and processes on their own - Cognitivist: Develop capacity and skills to learn better - Interactionist and Dialectical Constructivist: Full participation in communities of practice and utilization of resources

Theory: Focus of Learning

- Behaviorist: Stimuli in external environment - Innatist/Nativist: Internal cognitive language learning device—we are biologically programmed to learn language - Cognitivist: Internal cognitive structuring - Interactionist and Dialectical Constructivist: Learning is in relationship btw people and environment

Development of Vocalization

- Crying: Birth - Cooing, crying: 1-2 months - Babbling, cooing, crying: 3-6 months - First words: 8-14 months - Holophrastic speech: 12-18 months - Telegraphic speech: 18-24 months - Simple syntactic structures: 3-4 years - Speech sounds well pronounced: 4-8 years - Most semantic distinctions understood: 9-11 years

How do I meet the Affective needs of my ELLs?

- Find out about what they already know and build on this (Funds of Knowledge, Moll and Greenberg, 1997) - Allow them to use their native language when necessary and even to teach others about their native language and culture. (Preview/View/Review approach, Freeman and Freeman, 2002) - Advocate for their rights by letting them & their parents know what options are available to them in our school system and culture.

Some acronyms/terms to know...

- For the learner: ELL—English Language Learner LEP—Limited English Proficient - For the programs: ESL—English as a Second Language ESOL—English to Speakers of Other Languages SI—Sheltered Instruction or SIOP- Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

*** Some general tips for the test...

- If choices include discrete language arts skills such as phonics or allude to watering down the curriculum—don't choose these—they are usually wrong! - Know key words as included in the glossary—often the answer comes down to vocabulary—if you don't know what they are talking about, you can't answer the question correctly! - There is an emphasis on the test of being proactive as a teacher of ELLs—not to wait for things to happen but to seek out help and information.

Children progressively "learn how to mean things" M. Halliday, 1975, p.7 Through interactions with others, children learn how to convey meaning. They use functions of language to mean the purposive nature of communication:

- Instrumental: Children use language to satisfy personal needs and to get things done. - Representational: Children use language to make statements, convey knowledge, and explain. - Regulatory: Children use language to control the behavior of others. - Personal: Children use language to tell about themselves - Interactional: Children use language to get along with others. - Heuristic: Children use language to find out about things, to learn. - Imaginative: Children use language to pretend, to make believe. - Informative: Children use language to communicate information to others.

COGNITIVSM

- Jean Piaget Language acquisition is a progression of abilities: Sensorimotor Stage: 0-2 - shows ideas using the body Preoperational Stage: 2-7 - symbolic thought Concrete Operational Stage: 7-11 - logical operations Formal Operational Stage: 11-beyond - abstract thinking skillls

* Some general tips for the test...

- Know yourself—study areas where you have less background knowledge &/or experience. - Eliminate answers—carefully read the question and underline/circle key words - Usually absolutes are the wrong answer - Referring a student to SPED is usually not the answer - Trends/popular methods and points of view are often the correct answer

MORPHOLOGY

- Level of Words (Morphemes—parts of words that have meaning—tree=1 morpheme, trees=2 morphemes of "tree" + "s" which signifies plural)

SEMANTICS

- Meaning (can refer to simple understanding of what a word means, its synonyms and antonyms and even metaphorical and nuanced meanings of words)

NATIVISM

- N. Chomsky Language is innately determined from within rather than by external factors. Human beings have an innate cognitive capacity for language. Human beings have a language acquisition device (LAD that enables them to generate

SYNTAX

- Sentence Structure, Grammar (how a word functions in a sentence—blessed can be a verb or an adjective— "The priest blessed the couple." "It is a blessed event.")

VIA ACQUISITION

- Similar to the way children acquire their native language - Subconscious Process - Informal + (positive) + Naturally or unintentionally learning a language. How you learn a language more naturally from experience-learning. (Krashen)

BICS

- Social/Conversational Language - Language used to communicate in everyday situations - Context-embedded language --> It takes approximately 1-2 years for the second language student to reach the same level of proficiency as a monolingual in context-embedded language proficiency. (Cummins)

What is the TExES?

- The TExES measurement has been designed to measure the requisite knowledge and skills that entry level educator in this field in Texas schools must possess. - The TExES is a criterion-referenced test, that measures the teacher's knowledge in relation to an established standard of competence, rather than in relation to the performance of other test takers (norm referenced tests do that).

Language Acquisition: An Interdependent Process

- The language skills that newcomer students need can be divided into two categories: receptive skills and production skills. - The two receptive skills are listening and reading. Students use receptive skills when they are receiving language input. - The two production skills are speaking and writing. Students use production skills when they use language to express themselves and their thinking. - All four language skills are needed for success. - Listening, speaking, reading, and writing develop simultaneously. - Students need opportunities to develop all of their language abilities through different modalities and technologies. - SPOKEN FLUENCY CANNOT BE TAUGHT DIRECTLY. IT EMERGES NATURALLY. During first stages of second language acquisition/learning, speaking is difficult. Students need lots of confidence in the target language to produce verbal speech. There is a "silent period" that varies according to each individual. ESL students should not be forced to communicate. They should be allowed to build up linguistic competence by active listening via the comprehensive input. The focus in the classroom should be on listening and reading: speaking should be allowed to "emerge"

PRAGMATICS

- Use of language in social context (real-world use of a word—the contexts in which it is appropriate to use a word, manners and what is socially acceptable)

** Some general tips for the test...

- Use your background knowledge—you have a lot of it!! Think of your classroom experiences through the test's "perfect world" lens. - Think of trends in education as well as "best practices" (i.e. multiple intelligences, balanced literacy, brain research, cooperative learning, multi-sensory activities, and differentiated instruction). - When you approach the test, think of the ELL who is not only from a Spanish speaking background but from other language backgrounds as well (Vietnamese is 2nd largest group in TX).

ON TEST: when they're asking about Emotions

- [lower] anxiety - Value native language and culture (of course, bc that's the language you're loved in at home!) - Signs, books that are in both languages - Be sure that you say their name correctly - Know your students interests, and what motivates them - Bring in their background knowledge - Be very careful, gentle about your error correction (never want to shame your students)

Cognates

-- Cognates are words in different languages related through the same origin -- Latin roots for English-Spanish. So the closer the language, the more likely there will be cognates. Cognates should be used as a vocabulary resource—to help with meaning and to acquire academic language... but there can be semantic interference with false cognates. (exit in English does not mean the same thing as éxito in Spanish but education in English does mean the same thing educación in Spanish)

Preview

5% Native Language (L1) Teacher gives an overview of the lesson or activity in the students' first language. Can include a focus activity, oral summary, book reading, film, asking a key question, etc).

View

90% Second or target language- English (L2) The teacher teaches the lesson or mini-lesson or directs the activity in English. Guided practice or independent practice is conducted in English. Students work together or in groups/pairs in English.

What Might a Beginning Listener Understand?

<Good morning>, class. <Today> we are going to study something brand new in <math class>. It's difficult, so I'm going to need everyone's undivided attention. <Open your books to page one> hundred seventy-two. At the <top> of the <page> is the word "net." <Today's> lesson is about net. As it says in the definition in your <book>, in <math>, net is a <two>-dimensional model. The net of a cylinder is shown in your text<book>. Does everyone see the <rectangle> and <two circles>? That is the net of the cylinder. (slide 71) Beginners tend to understand mostly common, everyday words (BICS) and words that are repeated often in a particular setting (like a classroom)...

Anxiety

A lower level of anxiety is desired. In order to lower the affective filter, students work should center on meaningful communication rather than on form

Language Acquisition Environment

Acquisition is the subconscious process of attaining the subtleties of language and culture. Similar to the way children acquire their native language Learning refers to the process by which students become aware of the "rules" of the target language; explicit presentation of rules and grammar through classroom Instruction According to Krashen (1985), there is a distinction between acquiring a language and learning a language. Acquisition is a subconscious, natural process such as when children learn their first language. Ideally, instruction should provide language acquisition activities in a low-anxiety setting which motivates the student and gives him/her confidence. SLLs need a rich language acquisition environment and exposure to language, so that subconsciously they learn the grammatical structure.

Dialects

All speakers of any given language speak a dialect of that language Can be regional, social or both "Variations in language marked by certain ways of pronouncing words, particular vocabulary choices and variations in syntax." (Freeman & Freeman) * How the English language is spoken in diff. parts of the US (y'all, you guys, you all, you-ins)

Good Self-Image

Avoid corrections and embarrassing situations for the student

Cummins-- BICS & CALP (TEST still asks about this, even though Cummins has moved away from BICS & CALP some)

BICS - According to Cummins (1981), students develop Basic-Interpersonal-Communication-Skills approximately within three years after initial exposure to the new language. CALP - According to Cummins, students develop Cognitive-Academic-Language-Proficiency within 5-7 years, without ESL methods. This process can be accelerated with the use of appropriate ESL teaching methodology.

Code-Switching

Bilingual people do this. They don't usually make mistakes in either language they're using. You have to be bilingual to code-switch.

Bigotzsky

Biolectual theorist: dialectical - learning based off of real-life experiences Through observing and interacting through my environment

Possible Question: Which program is the most effective research based method for using native language in the ESL classroom? A. Direct or Simultaneous Instruction B. Peer Translators C. Preview/View/Review D. Bilingual Dictionaries

C. Preview/View/Review

ON TEST: when they're asking about Content/Knowledge

COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT -visuals- pictures, gestures, modeling nonlinguistic representation -rate of speech (we need to slow down our rate of speech), need to pay attention to our clarity and pronunciation -use technical vocab/ academic --> scaffold

More about language

Code-Switching "I will go a la casa de mi tía." Language Borrowing "I want a taco." Linguistic Interference from native language (Phonological/syntactical/semantic) If a sound/letter/structure does not exist in your native language, it is the hardest thing to hear/learn.

The Input Hypothesis

Comprehensible Input = Acquisition ESL students acquire language by comprehending what is being communicated (Krashen)

Cognitive Support

Comprehensible input Learning and metacognitive strategies TEKS in English and in the content areas Higher-level thinking skills

ELLs in Texas

ELLs represent about 18% of the total students in Texas Overall number of ELLs = 800,671 Bilingual - 440,540 ESL - 307,827 ELL Parental Denials - 49,308 Over 120 languages represented in Texas schools 92% Spanish speakers Prominent languages other than Spanish: 14,094 Vietnamese 3,627 Urdu 3,594 Arabic 3,195 Korean

Domain II

ESL Instruction and Assessment (45%)

Domain II Standards Assessed:

ESL Standard I: The ESL Teacher understands fundamental language concepts and knows the structure and conventions of English. ESL Standard III: The ESL Teacher understands processes of first and second language acquisition and uses this knowledge to promote language development in English. (Repeated from Domain I)

Domain I Standards Assessed:

ESL Standard I: The ESL Teacher understands fundamental language concepts and knows the structure and conventions of English. ESL Standard III: The ESL Teacher understands processes of first and second language acquisition and uses this knowledge to promote students' language development in English.

What does the test look like?

ESL Supplemental (153) has 70 questions—60 scorable and 10 non-scorable or pilot questions -- 3 Domains -- - Understanding Language Concepts and - Language Acquisition ESL Instruction and Assessment - Foundations of ESL, Culture & Community

How do I meet the Cognitive needs of my ELLs?

Have high expectations! Speak slowly, enunciate clearly and don't use idioms (an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head) without explaining them. Make connections between concepts and vocabulary words. Modify lessons and texts as needed.

Types of Motivation in SLA

INSTRUMENTAL MOTIVATION - Survival within the dominant group - Making a living - Often results in: Subtractive Bilingualism > Subtractive bilingualism is learning a second language at the cost of losing the first one. Since first language is one's emotional language, this type of bilingualism may be detrimental to one's whole being. INTEGRATIVE MOTIVATION - Integration with the dominant group - Meeting new people and new cultures - Often results in: Additive Bilingualism > Additive bilingualism is learning a second language while maintaining the first one.

Language: Systematic and Generative

Language is systematic and generative; it's a set of arbitrary vocal or visual symbols that have conventionalized meaning; it's used for communication; it operates in a speech community or culture; it's essentially human and has universal characteristics (Adapted from Douglas Brown, 1987). Teacher's understanding of language characteristics and use will determine to a large extent the teaching of a second language. Recent and old approaches in teaching a second language are applications of theoretical backgrounds.

Registers

Language variety which is determined neither horizontally nor vertically but according to its communicative functions. Includes oral and written mediums. i.e. social vs. academic language Most speakers of any given language speak more than one register of a language * How diff. English language is spoken amongst diff. social groups (or you send text diff. then how write a formal paper)

What is Language Proficiency?

Level of skill student demonstrates in a language Ability to understand messages Ability to express meaning effectively Ability to use language fluently across a variety of contexts Ability to self-correct

Preview/ View/ Review

Preview- 5% Native Language (L1) Teacher gives an overview of the lesson or activity in the students' first language. Can include a focus activity, oral summary, book reading, film, asking a key question, etc). View- 90% Second or target language- English (L2) The teacher teaches the lesson or mini-lesson or directs the activity in English. Guided practice or independent practice is conducted in English. Students work together or in groups/pairs in English. Review- 5% Native Language (L1) The teacher or students summarize key ideas and raise questions about the lesson in their first language.

Interest and Motivation

Provide meaningful activities based on the students motivation and cultural background. Input should be interesting and should contribute to a relaxed classroom atmosphere.

Linguistic Support

Research-based language instruction --> Meaningful interactions with more proficient English speakers Instruction designed for level of proficiency Explicit vocabulary instruction

Domain II Standards Assessed continued:

Standard IV: The ESL Teacher understands ESL teaching methods and uses this knowledge to plan and implement effective, developmentally appropriate ESL instruction. Standard V: The ESL teacher has knowledge of the factors that effect students' learning of academic content, language and culture. Standard VI: The ESL teacher understands formal and informal assessment procedures and instruments (language proficiency and academic achievement) and uses results to plan and adapt instruction.

Two Main Theorists in Second Language Acquisition

Stephen Krashen & Jim Cummins

The Silent Period

Students should not be forced to communicate Students should be allowed to build up linguistic competence by active listening via the comprehensive input - People who are new to a language are not ready to produce it yet, but they are busy being active listeners of the new language first. (Krashen)

Phonology

The sound structure of speech and in particular the perception, representation, and production of speech sounds. The phonemes are the smallest unit of sound; Examples: English: /b/ /d/ /k/ /g/ /h/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /z/ /s/ /u/ /ø/ /æ/ /∂/ Examples of words: ship/chip; day/they; sheep/cheap; sin/sing Spanish: /ß/ /ñ/ /r/ Examples of words: enterado/enterrado; pero /perro; cana/caña; pera/perra

Morphology

The study of the structure and form of words in language or a language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds. The morphemes are the smallest unit of meaning. Examples : Sing + ing = singing, play + ed = played; Prefixes: Those that precede the stem: un + common = uncommon Suffixes: Those that follow the stem: eventual + ly = eventually

The Affective Filter Hypothesis

There are affective elements that seem to affect the acquisition of language: - Anxiety: A lower level of anxiety is desired - Good Self-Image: Avoid corrections and embarrassing situations for the student - Interest and Motivation: Provide meaningful activities based on the student's motivation and cultural background As much comprehensible input as possible must be presented in the classroom and outside the classroom. Whatever helps comprehension is important Kids have to feel safe to affectively learn a new language! (Krashen)

Acquisition vs. Learning Hypothesis

These are 2 separate processes for developing proficiency in another language. (Krashen)

The Monitor Hypothesis

Those who are acquiring language begin a process of monitoring their language through conscious corrections. Errors and error correction are both signs of developmental processes (growth) (Krashen)

Language Borrowing

With borrowing, you don't have to be bilingual. You're borrowing English or language words, usually not using them in a gramatically correct fashion.

Sample Question: 9. Before having her students read an English passage about transportation in social studies, a teacher initiates a discussion about vehicles and other craft in which students have traveled. In this activity, the discussion is most likely intended to promote the students' ESL development by helping them: a) Apply their vocabulary knowledge to new contexts b) Practice different communication strategies c) Lower their affective filters d) Identify specific differences between oral and written English

a) Apply their vocabulary knowledge to new contexts. - Relating words and concepts to personal experiences is one of many effective strategies used to promote the development of second language learners.

Possible test question: When determining the appropriate register to use, what does a speaker take into account? a) Understanding the formality of the situation b) Understanding the topic of the situation c) Understanding the appropriate grammar rules used in the situation d) Understanding the cultural heritage of the speakers

a) Understanding the formality of the situation

Sample Question: 7. In an optimal second-language learning environment, most students take an average of five to seven years to develop a) Functional literacy b) Academic-language proficiency c) Syntactic and lexical accuracy d) Social-communicative competence.

b) Academic-language proficiency

Sample Question: 4 11. A student begins a sentence in English, inserts a Spanish phrase, and then finishes the sentence in English. The student is demonstrating which of the following language phenomena? a) Bidialectism b) Code-switching c) Language dominance d) Additive bilingualism

b) Code-switching Bi-dialectism is when someone speaks two dialects. Code-switching is when people go in and out of two languages or codes. Language dominance refers to which language is a person's dominant language. Additive bilingualism is the process and philosophy of adding an additional language to one's repertoire—that it is not necessary to lose one language in order to gain another.

Possible test question: A kindergarten classroom contains a center with a "clerk" and "customer" area with toy groceries, carts, and a cash register where students can simulate a grocery store. This most likely facilitates a) Learning appropriate formal and informal language registers b) Gaining academic language about shopping c) Acquiring shopping related vocabulary in an unstructured context d) Practicing past, present, and future verb tenses

c) Acquiring shopping related vocabulary in an unstructured context

Possible test question... The following demonstrates what linguistic phenomenon? A Spanish speaker says "animales." An English speaker says "animals." a) Codeswitching b) Language borrowing c) Cognates d) Interlanguage

c) Cognates

Possible test question... A student has difficulty with activities separating initial sounds from the rest of words, particularly sounds that are similar in his/her native language of Spanish (/b/ and /v/ for example). This student needs extra help in what area of language? a) Syntax b) Morphology c) Phonology d) Semantics

c) Phonology

Sample Question: 8. A student says, "I like to play floor." The problem with this sentence can best be described using which of the following areas of linguistics? a) Morphology b) Phonology c) Semantics d) Pragmatics

c) Semantics is another word for meaning. It deals with the meaning of words, phrases and sentences. Semantics is the area of linguistic that can explain the problem with the sentence in this question.

Sample Question: 14. Spanish, Vietnamese and English all share the same alphabet. However, the corresponding sounds and symbols of Spanish are close to those of English, while those of Vietnamese are closer to French. How would this situation likely affect the English language development of Vietnamese and Spanish speakers? a) Vietnamese speakers will be more likely than Spanish speakers to experience problems with false cognates b) Spanish speakers will acquire written English skills more rapidly than Vietnamese speakers c) Spanish speakers will have less difficulty than Vietnamese speakers in transferring their graphophonic knowledge and skills to English d) Literate Vietnamese speakers will develop English literacy at a rate similar to Spanish speakers who are not literate in their first language

c) Spanish speakers will have less difficulty than Vietnamese speakers in transferring their graphophonic knowledge and skills to English ? or ? a) Vietnamese speakers will be more likely than Spanish speakers to experience problems with false cognates

Sample Question: 10. An ELL is experiencing difficulty with an aspect of English phonology. In order to address a difficulty in this area, the students' teacher should initially focus instruction on the associated: a) Letter of the alphabet b) Phonics/spelling rule c) Vocabulary word d) Target sound

d) Target sound ?

Test Taking Strategies

•Study the ExCET Study Guide •Familiarize with the test items •Review the knowledge base materials; check manual provided, additional information, etc. Review educational terminology and references. •Determine answers based on your experience and subject knowledge. Avoid selecting answers based on your isolated personal experiences. •Focus on conceptualization of each decision set. Do not assume information that is not provided. •Look for key words: first step, initial strategy, individual, etc.) •Read for meaning •Read for conceptualization •Review test competencies, themes and main concepts a day or so prior to the exam •The test may include 100/120 items designed to be completed in 2-1/2 hours •Do not leave items blank. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. •You don't need to have all 100 items correct to pass the test. You will need a scale score of 70 to pass. However, it is recommendable to answer all items, since some are weighted more heavily than others for a given domain. •Get plenty of rest the night before