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Study Guide

Field 121–124: Upper Elementary (3–6) Education
Subtest 2: Literacy
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Subarea 1—Literacy in Context

Objective 001—Literacy Learning Environments

1. An elementary teacher wants to set up the classroom environment to foster collaborative literacy experiences. Which of the following components would be most important for the teacher to include?

  1. a word wall for students to use as a reference
  2. a library that contains a variety of genres and media
  3. a designated area for small groups and literature circles
  4. a furniture arrangement that groups students by reading ability
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. The purpose of a word wall is to improve literacy in all curriculum areas by helping students build their vocabulary and improve their spelling; this does not mean students will work collaboratively.
  2. A library that contains a variety of genres and media supports reading engagement; this does not mean students will work collaboratively.
  3. Correct. A designated space fosters a sense of collaboration so that students can work together in small groups.
  4. In a collaborative literacy experience, students should have the opportunity to work in both heterogeneous and homogenous groupings.
Objective 002—Culturally Responsive Practices in Literacy

2. In social studies, sixth-grade students are learning about ancient civilizations, the artifacts that were left behind, and the significance of these artifacts. The teacher plans to have the students design a poster that explains the most important artifacts of their own lives to share with the class in an oral presentation. Which of the following modifications to this lesson would most effectively support the needs of entering-level (according to W I D A) English learners?

  1. providing bilingual dictionaries to help the students use English vocabulary
  2. giving the students access to computers to translate the challenging words
  3. encouraging the students to describe their creation in their home languages
  4. allowing the students to draw pictures to represent unfamiliar English words
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. A bilingual dictionary is most useful for English learners who have good literacy skills in their home languages and can decode English text.
  2. The use of a computer to translate challenging words would not provide students with entering-level English skills the necessary support to accomplish the task.
  3. Correct. Giving English learners the opportunity to interact with content using their home languages increases learning because students can focus on content instead of correct English usage.
  4. Drawing pictures is a good activity for English learners when they are learning new vocabulary, but the teacher's assignment is not focused on learning isolated vocabulary words.
Objective 003—Overall Literacy and Curriculum Design and Assessment

3. A third-grade teacher chooses a short text related to a science topic about which the class is learning. The text is at a high instructional reading level for most of the students in the class. To best support students' understanding of the text, the teacher should have the class engage in:

  1. guided reading.
  2. a partner read-aloud.
  3. independent reading.
  4. an interactive read-aloud.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
  1. Guided reading is designed to help small groups of students read a text independently; small-group instruction would not be effective in this situation since the reading level is too high for most of the class to understand.
  2. A partner read-aloud is a cooperative learning strategy in which two students work together to read a text; because the text is above the students' instructional level, both students would struggle to read and understand it.
  3. The text will be challenging for most students in the class to read and comprehend, so having them read independently would not promote their understanding of the text.
  4. Correct. An interactive read-aloud is a whole-group instruction that engages all students in conversations about the text as the teacher reads and discusses the text with the entire class.
Objective 004—Motivation and Engagement

4. A fourth-grade teacher identifies several reluctant readers within the class. While these students are fluent readers, the teacher is having difficulty engaging them in reading activities. To promote their engagement, which of the following instructional methods would be most appropriate for the teacher to use?

  1. independent projects based on the students' readiness
  2. interactive groups determined by the students' interests
  3. tiered assignments to build on the students' prior knowledge
  4. learning centers to encourage the students' skills development
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
  1. An independent project based on students' readiness will not necessarily engage the students.
  2. Correct. One effective way to support student engagement is to provide activities that interest the students.
  3. The use of tiered assignments to build on students’ prior knowledge is a strategy to support students with making connections and understanding the text; it does not necessarily foster student engagement.
  4. Learning centers help teachers differentiate work for students, but this does not mean the students will be engaged in the activities.

Subarea 2—Literacy Skills–Instruction and Practices

Objective 005—Print Concepts and Decoding: Phonological Awareness, Phonics

5. A fourth-grade teacher observes a new student who is an English learner attempting to read a picture book written in English. The teacher notices the student is looking confused and is tracking print from right to left. Which of the following steps would be most appropriate for the teacher to take to help the student read the book?

  1. consulting a specialist about setting up an intervention for the student
  2. telling the student to remember to read the text in the opposite direction
  3. modeling for the student how the book should be read correctly in English
  4. comparing differences between text directionality in English and the student's home language
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. The teacher should begin by instructing the new student on directionality before consulting with a specialist.
  2. Verbal reminders can help students after a teacher models the behaviors and provides instruction, but this would not be the first step to take.
  3. Correct. Modeling behavior is a clear, explicit way to show a student how to perform a skill, and the teacher can model directionality for the English learner by using hand signals and limited language.
  4. The student may not have strong enough English skills to understand what the teacher is trying to teach.
Objective 006—Spelling

6. As part of a spelling inventory, a third-grade teacher reads a list of words (e.g., tick, tech, patch, poach, fudge, huge) and asks a student to write the words correctly. In this activity, the teacher is most directly promoting the student's knowledge in which of the following areas?

  1. decoding
  2. word families
  3. invented spelling
  4. complex consonant patterns
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
  1. Decoding is the process of using sound-letter relationships to determine what an unknown word is within text, but these students are writing the target words.
  2. Word families are groups of words that have the same letter pattern (e.g., cat, fat, hat), but each of the teacher-provided target words belongs to a different word family.
  3. Invented spelling is the process of using letter-sound knowledge to write a word students do not know how to spell conventionally, but the teacher has provided a list of target words and wants the students to spell them correctly.
  4. Correct. Each of the target words contains a complex consonant pattern, such as triple letter blends; soft c and g; and spelling variations of final /k/, /ch/, and /j/.
Objective 007—Syntax

7. Which of the following actions taken by a fifth-grade teacher demonstrates an understanding that students' development of syntactic knowledge is an ongoing process?

  1. encouraging students to use new vocabulary in a variety of contexts
  2. providing opportunities for students to engage in partner reading
  3. engaging students in reading increasingly more complex texts
  4. giving students explicit instruction in spelling and grammar
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. Students' use of new vocabulary supports their understanding of the text, but it does not directly correlate with increasing their syntactic knowledge.
  2. Partner reading supports students' fluency and comprehension as well as their reading engagement, but this activity would not necessarily develop students' syntactic knowledge.
  3. Correct. Syntax is the study of the set of rules that defines the order of words, clauses, and phrases to form a proper sentence; by having students read more complex text with increasingly difficult syntaxes, the students' syntactic knowledge should increase.
  4. Giving students spelling and grammar instruction will develop only the targeted skills, rather than ongoing skills.
Objective 008—Vocabulary

8. A sixth-grade teacher would like to develop students' vocabulary knowledge. The teacher presents each target vocabulary word on the board and discusses the words' meanings with the students. Which of the following activities would likely best help the students develop a deeper knowledge of the target vocabulary words?

  1. looking up the vocabulary words in a dictionary
  2. using the vocabulary words correctly in spoken sentences
  3. matching vocabulary word cards to their appropriate definitions
  4. working together to create a word web of the vocabulary words
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
  1. Since the class has already discussed the meaning of the words on the board, using a dictionary would be repetitive and would not deepen students' vocabulary knowledge.
  2. The ability to use words in a sentence signifies a basic understanding of the words, but this ability does not lead to students gaining a deeper understanding of the words.
  3. Matching vocabulary words with their definitions does not deepen students' understanding or knowledge of the words and is a lower-level skill.
  4. Correct. Word webs are mind maps that promote active learning and help students develop higher-order thinking skills by using academic and domain-specific words.

Subarea 3—Literacy Processes–Instruction and Practices

Objective 009—Reading Fluency

9. While leading a small reading group, a third-grade teacher notices that several students are struggling with proper intonation and appropriate phrasing while reading a text. Which of the following activities would likely strengthen these students' fluency skills?

  1. memorizing poetry independently
  2. reading simpler texts with a partner
  3. following along while listening to an audiobook
  4. skimming and analyzing the text prior to reading
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. Memorizing poetry does not necessarily mean that when the poem is recited it will be with proper intonation and appropriate phrasing, particularly if the poem is memorized silently.
  2. Reading simpler texts with a partner can help students practice phrasing but does not necessarily promote proper intonation without instructional support.
  3. Correct. Listening to and following along with an audiobook supports both phrasing and intonation, as the audiobook models proper intonation and appropriate phrasing.
  4. Skimming and analyzing a text prior to reading can help students access background knowledge, but this does not indicate the students will read the text with proper intonation.
Objective 010—Comprehension

10. Which of the following reading comprehension strategies would most effectively support a third-grade student who is having difficulty answering textually explicit questions?

  1. summarizing the text during the reading process to enhance understanding
  2. building background knowledge through concrete and vicarious experiences
  3. looking back to find text-based evidence as a reference to support the answers
  4. making inferences based on knowledge of literary genres when providing answers
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. While summarizing a text during reading does support students' comprehension, it does not promote the student's ability to answer textually explicit questions.
  2. Background knowledge does support comprehension of the overall text; however, building background knowledge is not a strategy used to help students answer textually explicit questions.
  3. Correct. Going back into the text and finding evidence to support their answers is a strategy that helps students answer textually explicit questions.
  4. Inferencing is the process of drawing a conclusion based on the available evidence and previous experience; since this is an implicit task, using literary genres to make inferences will not support a student's ability to answer explicit, text-based questions.
Objective 011—Composition

11. A teacher has students compose letters to the school principal arguing for a different school schedule. The teacher emphasizes the strategy of using facts and reasons to support students' arguments. Which of the following student-written paragraphs would be most effective for a student to include in the letter?

  1. Research has proven that if school started just one hour later, students would be able to sleep a little bit later, which would make them less tired and more alert in class. If they are more alert in class, they will understand and learn more effectively. The evidence strongly supports this position, so hopefully a change in school times will be considered.
  2. When comparing students from schools that are in session all year-round to students who attend school from September to June, there are differences and similarities regarding their school days. In schools that run all year, the hours are shorter, which probably helps students pay attention and learn better.
  3. What kind of hours did your school have when you were younger? Did you enjoy getting up so early in the morning? You should really change the hours of our school if you are serious about wanting us to learn better. If you make these changes to our school schedule, you will likely have happier students.
  4. I am not a morning person. I do not like to get up in the morning. I like to stay up late. My parents always have trouble waking me. It's difficult for me to get to school on time, and my brain doesn't wake up until lunchtime. I would enjoy school so much more if I could go later.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
  1. Correct. This paragraph has a claim, facts supporting why school should start later, and evidence to support each fact.
  2. This paragraph compares the two different schedules, but the student does not state their claim about year-round schooling.
  3. This paragraph catches the reader's attention by asking questions; however, there is no evidence to support the reasons given for why school should start later.
  4. This paragraph explains why the student wants the schedule change, but there are no facts supporting the reasons given.
Objective 012—Speaking and Listening

12. A student gives the following oral book review presentation.

After reading the book One Crazy Summer I felt kind of sad, and if you like books that make you cry, read this one. The three main characters are sisters in New York, but they don't know their mom. The author's name is Rita Williams-Garcia. The girls' names are Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern. This book won some awards I think. Their dad sends them to California to stay with their mother who they didn't know. The mom is too busy for the girls and takes the money their dad gave them. The mom's name is Cecille. She won't let them in the kitchen and makes them go to a day camp while she works. They find out about the "Black Panther Party" there. Their mom gets arrested and says she has no kids. Someone from the day camp takes care of them. The girls perform one of their mom's poems at a rally and see her there. She tries to explain why she left them. I recommend this book—it was interesting from beginning to end—and the ending was unexpected.

Given the book review presented, the teacher should provide the student with instructional support in which of the following oral presentation skills?

  1. engaging the audience
  2. using precise language
  3. sequencing ideas logically
  4. expressing opinions clearly
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
  1. The student engaged the audience by saying how sad the book is and how it will make them cry.
  2. The student used precise language, and characters' names and events were explained clearly.
  3. Correct. The student included many important events and had an understanding of the story, but the order was confusing (e.g., gave the title and then gave another detail before naming the author).
  4. The student clearly expresses their opinion (e.g., how sad the book made them, that the story was interesting from beginning to end).