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Section 4: Sample Selected-Response Questions
English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 (331)

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This section presents some sample exam questions for you to review as part of your preparation for the exam. To demonstrate how each competency may be assessed, sample questions are accompanied by the competency that they measure. While studying, you may wish to read the competency before and after you consider each sample question. Please note that the competency statements do not appear on the actual exam.

The sample questions are included to illustrate the formats and types of questions you will see on the exam; however, your performance on the sample questions should not be viewed as a predictor of your performance on the actual exam.

Selected-Response Questions with Rationales

Each sample exam question here includes the correct answer and a rationale for each answer option.

Domain I—Reading Instruction and Assessment

Competency 001—(Foundations of Reading Instruction and Assessment): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to reading instruction and assessment.

1. An English II teacher designs a unit on Julius Caesar that is reflective of an integrated model of English language arts. Students read and discuss the play and complete writing assignments afterward. The unit's culminating activity is for students to write and give an argumentative speech about Caesar's assassination from the viewpoint of one of the play's characters, using experts' influential speeches that are currently featured in online videos as models. The teacher establishes the following "success criteria" to guide students in writing their speeches.

Success Criteria

When writing my argumentative speech, I will:

  1. take the point of view of a character from the play to make a claim either for or against Caesar's assassination.
  2. brainstorm possible arguments an audience might have against my claim so that I can refute them in my speech.
  3. identify points with which an audience might agree.
  4. use argumentative language and at least three different rhetorical devices designed to convince an audience that my claim is valid.

After the speeches are written, which of the following strategies would be the most effective next step for the teacher to take to prepare students to deliver their written speeches orally?

  1. providing students with a list of requirements and checklists for delivering their speeches
  2. having students watch and listen to similar speeches to learn the characteristics of influential speaking
  3. working with students to make sure that their speeches are properly organized and use well-founded arguments
  4. dividing students into groups to watch videos of speeches and then discuss the speeches' topics
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because after the students have written their speeches the next step would be showing the students several exemplary models of how they are expected to present their speeches. Option A is incorrect because the teacher has already given the students the requirements and expectations of the tasks. Checklists can support organization, but having speeches modeled for them provides the students with authentic structures to follow. Option C is incorrect because these organizational activities should be done while the students are in the process of writing their speeches, rather than after the speeches are completed. Option D is incorrect because the teacher's focus is for students to understand the characteristics of influential speaking and not specific topics. The students have already been given a topic to write about. Students should now be watching the videos to see how a speech should be given.

2. An English III teacher asks students who are emergent bilingual students to read aloud to determine their progress in English proficiency. According to the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Proficiency Level Descriptors for English language development, advanced-level emergent bilingual students should achieve which of the following levels of reading comprehension?

  1. reading comprehension of high-frequency English used in academic contexts
  2. comprehension of grade-level reading material that is nearly comparable to that of native English-speaking peers
  3. comprehension of some grade-level English reading material with language acquisition support for academic purposes
  4. English comprehension proficiency of high-frequency words used in social routines and contexts
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because emergent bilingual students that comprehend grade-level reading material comparable to a native English-speaking peer are at the advanced level. Emergent bilingual students at the advanced level should demonstrate an ability to understand words and phrases beyond their literal meaning and a variety of grade-appropriate English vocabulary used in social and academic contexts. Options A and D are incorrect because it is the intermediate emergent bilingual students who can read and understand simple, high-frequency English used in routine academic and social contexts. Option C is incorrect because it is the intermediate emergent bilingual students who can comprehend only some grade-level reading material.

Competency 002—(Vocabulary Development): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to vocabulary development, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level vocabulary knowledge and skills.

3. An eighth-grade teacher works with students to develop their vocabulary knowledge. The teacher's goal is for students to know and be able to use increasingly more complex vocabulary. Which of the following activities best helps students learn to use affixes to determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary?

  1. choosing an affix to study and having students use a dictionary to define words that use the affix
  2. creating a list of words containing affixes and having students sort them into categories based on like parts
  3. having students use flash cards to memorize the meaning of common affixes and take a quiz on their meanings
  4. having students examine a list of words that contain common affixes and write the meaning of each word part
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because affixes are added to root words to change the meaning of the words. Having students learn common affixes and apply their knowledge of affixes to determine the meaning of the word and the parts that make up the word is the most appropriate activity because when writing the answers students must apply their knowledge of the meaning of each word part to determine the meaning of the whole word. Option A is incorrect because simply choosing an affix and using the dictionary to define it does not support students' ability to use more complex vocabulary. Option B is incorrect because this activity does not have students determining the meaning of words by using their knowledge of affixes but rather has them only sorting like parts. Option C is incorrect because memorizing lists is not the best way for students to learn. When using memorization techniques, students answer without understanding the learning concepts. Students learn best when they actively apply their knowledge.

4. A high school teacher is working with a group of students who need additional support in vocabulary knowledge development. Over the course of the school year, the teacher employs multiple informal assessment tools to assess the students' vocabulary knowledge growth. Which of the following tools would most effectively measure the students' incremental vocabulary growth?

  1. a calculation of the percentage of mature words used in oral presentation performances
  2. a weekly vocabulary knowledge scale in which students self-report to demonstrate their word knowledge
  3. monthly timed oral readings in which students' word pronunciations are noted
  4. discussion opportunities in which the teacher monitors the time of each student's verbal exchange
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because a vocabulary knowledge scale is used to assess a student's knowledge of words that they need to know. Students are given a list of words and are asked to rate the words according to how well they know them. This assessment helps students recall words and provides an opportunity for the teacher to introduce and discuss words that the students may not yet know. Option A is incorrect because this assessment is only given when students complete oral presentations, and the mature words that the student uses may not be the vocabulary words that the teacher wants to assess. Option C is incorrect because conducting an oral reading with the pronunciations recorded and the reading timed does not measure a student's vocabulary knowledge. This practice measures a student's reading accuracy and reading rate. Option D is incorrect because monitoring the elapsed time of a verbal exchange does not determine students' vocabulary growth. This assessment is a measure of the amount of time the students talk rather than a measure of vocabulary growth.

5. An English I teacher administers a diagnostic vocabulary assessment at the beginning of the school year that includes words at and above grade level. A representative portion of the assessment is shown below.

Word Section One
Word Divided by Morpheme		 Section Two
Meaning of Each Morpheme		 Section Three
Meaning of the Whole Word
biology bi / ology bi = life, ology = study of the study of life
retribution

 blank blank blank
simultaneous blank blank blank
rhetorical blank blank blank

The teacher assigns a score of one point for each completed section of the assessment. The teacher calculates individual students' scores for each section and for the entire exam and then examines the overall averages for the whole class. The teacher notices that many students scored higher in sections one and three than in section two. Given these assessment results, which of the following instructional strategies should the teacher use to provide direct instruction to the students?

  1. reviewing with students the rules of syllabication
  2. teaching students the meanings of roots and affixes
  3. reviewing with students the difference between free and base morphemes
  4. teaching students how to use morphemes to segment and manipulate words
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because the students scored the lowest in section two, which is the "Meaning of Each Morpheme." A morpheme is a word or a part of a word that has meaning. The students had difficulty writing the meanings of the word parts in the assessment. Option A is incorrect because in this assessment the students were asked to separate words into morphemes rather than syllables. A syllable is a unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or a part of a word. Option C is incorrect because students were not assessed on the knowledge of free and base morphemes. A free morpheme is a morpheme that can stand by itself as a single word and a base morpheme is the part of a word that has the principal meaning. Option D is incorrect because the teacher had students separate the morphemes, but the students were not assessed on how to segment and manipulate the words. In this assessment students were asked to separate words by morpheme and write the meaning of each morpheme and then write the meaning of the whole word.

Competency 003—(Reading Comprehension): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of reading comprehension, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of reading comprehension strategies in order to gain, clarify, and deepen understanding of increasingly complex texts.

6. Several students in an English III class demonstrate an advanced depth of reading comprehension during the reading of a novel set in the 1920s. The unit covering the novel includes analyzing the novel for motifs (i.e., recurring ideas that support the novel's theme) and writing an analysis essay about the dominant motifs found in the novel. Which of the following strategies for differentiating this assignment would be most appropriate for the teacher to use to support the needs of the advanced readers?

  1. encouraging students to analyze the novel for point of view in their analysis essay
  2. providing students with the opportunity to read literary analyses of the novel and to include this research in their essay
  3. requiring students to read a play written during the same time period
  4. directing students to reread the novel while listening to an audio version of the novel to enhance their understanding
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because having students read literary analyses of the novel will support their understanding of its motifs. Having the students include this research in their essays will show if the students can apply and synthesize the knowledge from the novel and the literary analyses in their writing. Option A is incorrect because having students analyze the novel for point of view in the analysis essay will not increase the students' understanding of motifs in this novel. Option C is incorrect because while this option might work to better contextualize the novel, having students read plays written during the same time period will not increase the students' understanding of motifs in the novel. Option D is incorrect because advanced students would not need to reread and listen to the book. These students should be provided with opportunities that will expand their existing knowledge of motifs.

7. An eighth-grade English language arts teacher assigns students to read a new text and wants to informally check individual students' understanding of what they are reading. Which of the following informal assessments should the teacher use for this purpose?

  1. written summary of the text as a journal entry
  2. discussion of the author's craft with a classmate
  3. multiple-choice quiz covering the text
  4. vocabulary analysis of the students' notes
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct because students' writing assignments are a good formative assessment to use to evaluate their understanding of a text. Summaries and journal entries require students to write the central ideas and supporting evidence found in a text, which shows how well they are understanding what they read. These activities present students with a low-risk writing environment in which they are more likely to respond authentically. These authentic responses help the teacher to better assess students' knowledge and understanding of the text they are reading. The writing process allows students to practice decision making and arranging ideas in a sequence. In addition, journal entries and summaries can be assessed while the student is still in the process of reading the text. Option B is incorrect because the author's craft is about how an author intentionally uses literary devices and narrative elements of a story, such as deliberate word choices. Having students discuss an author's craft does not indicate their comprehension of a text. Option C is incorrect because a quiz is not considered an informal assessment. A quiz would be considered a formal, summative assessment given at the end of a reading of a text. Option D is incorrect because analyzing the vocabulary in the students' notes will allow the teacher to see the vocabulary choices that students are making but will not provide enough information about how the students comprehend the text.

Domain II—Text Comprehension and Analysis

Competency 004—(Reading Literary Texts): Understand the genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes of diverse literary texts, including works of fiction, poetry, and drama representing diverse time periods and perspectives in American, British, and world literature, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of a range of complex literary texts.

8. Students in an English II class review the definition of metaphor and then identify examples of metaphor in song lyrics selected by the teacher. Students then listen to songs of their choice and identify metaphors in the lyrics. The teacher asks students to combine the process of drawing with analytical thinking to explore the significance of metaphor in the song lyrics they have chosen. This activity will primarily develop students' ability to:

  1. describe personal connections to self-selected texts.
  2. use acquired academic vocabulary in appropriate ways.
  3. write about the explicit and implicit meanings of texts.
  4. interact with various types of texts in meaningful ways.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because asking students to identify metaphors in song lyrics allows them to demonstrate their understanding of metaphor in a variety of texts. Allowing students to choose song lyrics provides them with a greater sense of ownership, making the activity potentially more meaningful, relatable, and engaging. Option A is incorrect because the teacher is asking students to analyze figurative language in the songs, not describe a personal connection to the songs. Option B is incorrect because students are being asked to use specific academic vocabulary when identifying and exploring the significance of their metaphor. Option C is incorrect because while analyzing metaphors can help students identify the explicit and implicit meanings of texts, they are not being asked to write about the meaning of the texts.

9. After a brief introduction to the transcendentalist movement of the 1800s, English IV students develop a working definition of transcendentalism by answering and discussing a series of questions about their own individualism and relationships to nature. Over the next several class sessions, students read and discuss excerpts from texts by transcendentalist authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Which of the following student activities would be most effective for deepening students' understanding of transcendental thought?

  1. drafting an essay about transcendentalism using textual evidence from the texts they have read
  2. writing and illustrating a children's story based on one of the texts by Emerson or Thoreau
  3. examining contemporary podcasts and editorial cartoons for evidence of transcendental thought
  4. designing a graphic organizer that summarizes and categorizes Emerson's and Thoreau's ideas
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because this activity would allow students to encounter elements of transcendental thought in new, culturally relevant contexts, thus deepening their understanding. Option A is incorrect because writing an essay about transcendentalism would be most appropriate after students have deepened their understanding. Option B is incorrect because writing stories would more effectively support students' understanding of narrative than of the ideas of transcendentalism. Option D is incorrect because this activity would support students' understanding of specific texts as they read but would not provide new information about transcendentalism.

Domain III—Oral and Written Communication

Competency 006—(Composition): Understand the characteristics of various genres of written text and apply knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to develop well-organized, engaging, written texts that achieve specific purposes for specific audiences.

10. Read the paragraph below from the first draft of a student's informational essay; then answer the question that follows.

Like phones, cars, and home appliances, buildings are getting "smart." In a smart building, systems "talk" to each other—everything is connected—giving people more control over what happens in and around the building. Smart-building technology allows people to monitor and control the amount of electricity used, noise levels, functionality of equipment, and conditions that promote disease transmission. For example, a smart building may have sensors that adjust cooling and heating depending on indoor and outdoor temperatures. Sensors can also monitor air quality inside the building and bring more or less fresh air in from outdoors. Future smart-home dwellers will wonder how people ever survived without smart technology.

A teacher reads the student's draft and wants to help the student develop the central idea of the paragraph by including more specific details. Which of the following suggestions would be most appropriate for the teacher to make?

  1. "Find statistics on smart technology's effect on energy consumption."
  2. "Survey your peers about their experiences with smart technology."
  3. "Research the ways in which smart technology simplifies daily tasks."
  4. "Identify additional features of buildings that use smart technology."
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because the paragraph focuses on how the use of smart technology gives people more control. Researching the ways in which smart technology simplifies daily tasks would provide additional information about how it benefits people. Options A and B are incorrect because information about smart technology's effect on energy consumption and peers' experiences with smart technology is not relevant to how smart technology benefits people. Option D is incorrect because identifying additional features of buildings that use smart technology would not necessarily provide more information about how smart technology benefits people.

11. An English I teacher is presenting a lesson on the appropriate use of active and passive voice. First, the teacher defines active and passive voice and provides examples of each. The teacher then explains how passive voice can allow a writer to avoid identifying the performer of an action. Which of the following approaches would be most effective in helping students strengthen their next essay by using active and passive voice purposefully?

  1. marking each use of passive voice in students' essays and having students rewrite the sentences using active voice
  2. asking students to read their essays aloud to a classmate and then discuss the effectiveness of their use of active and passive voice
  3. having students highlight examples of active and passive voice in their essays and explain why they chose active or passive voice
  4. modeling changing sample sentences from passive to active voice and then asking students to make similar changes in their essays
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because this activity would help students reflect on their reasons for using active or passive voice while presenting an opportunity for the teacher to provide targeted and specific feedback on students' purposeful use of active and passive voice. Options A and D are incorrect because while these activities would help students distinguish between active and passive voice, they would not deepen students' understanding of effects achieved by using active or passive voice. Option B is incorrect because asking students to discuss the effectiveness of their use of active and passive voice would not necessarily help students make purposeful choices.

Competency 007—(Inquiry and Research): Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to conduct focused inquiry and research and to present the results in an appropriate, responsible, and ethical manner across the curriculum.

12. While teaching several novels set during the Great Depression, an English I teacher displays selected primary sources from the Library of Congress Web site, including newspaper articles, oral histories, and photographs. Students then discuss how these sources relate to the novels they have read. Next, the teacher models completing the following primary source analysis tool for one source.

Primary Source Analysis Tool

A worksheet entitled primary source analysis tool is shown. In the upper right corner is a field for entering the one’s name. Below that are three columns with headers reading from left to right observe, reflect, and question. Under each header are 10 blank lines. Below that section are two shaded boxes that extend across the three columns. Above the first box it says further investigation and above the second box is says additional notes.

The teacher then asks students to select a different primary source and complete the tool for that source. The teacher wants students to use the "Reflect" column to generate and test hypotheses about the source. Which of the following sets of questions would most effectively guide students in achieving this goal?

  1. What interesting or surprising details do you notice in the source? Why are these details interesting or surprising to you?
  2. What do you notice first when you examine this source? What else do you notice when you examine it more closely?
  3. What do you think was happening when this source was created? Who do you think was the audience for this source?
  4. What does this source teach you that you did not know before? Is there anything in the source that you cannot explain?
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because this set of questions requires students to make inferences about the text, which they can then try to verify. Options A and B are incorrect because these sets of questions require students to make observations rather than form hypotheses. Option D is incorrect because this set of questions requires students to identify information they learned from or would still like to learn about the text rather than to form a hypothesis based on what they learned.

13. After reading several informational texts about how individuals' daily routines affect the environment, a group of English IV students engages in a debate on the topic. During the discussion, one student states that a second student's position on the topic is invalid because it is inconsistent with that student's behavior. Which of the following responses by another group member would most effectively address this logical fallacy?

  1. speculating about the first student's motivation for making unfounded accusations
  2. explaining why the second student's actions are irrelevant to that student's position
  3. providing a counterargument supported by evidence of the first student's hypocrisy
  4. noting that students' character flaws do not necessarily invalidate their arguments
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because this response by another group member effectively dismisses the other student's ad hominem fallacy. Option A is incorrect because it does not address the first student's logical fallacy but rather responds with another ad hominem fallacy. Option C is incorrect because a counterargument using evidence of the first student's hypocrisy would accept and build on the second student's logical fallacy rather than addressing it. Option D is incorrect because, while it dismisses the second student's logical fallacy, it is disrespectful in claiming that the first student has "character flaws" and thus not conducive to a productive discussion.

14. An English I teacher observes that several students struggle to synthesize information from multiple texts on the same topic. Which of the following graphic organizers would be most appropriate for the teacher to provide as a scaffold to help the students synthesize information in a way that deepens their understanding of the topic?

  1. diagram with circlesA large gray circle is surrounded by six smaller circles that are connected to the large circle by straight lines. The smaller circles are dark gray.
  2. diagram of three squaresThree gray squares are shown. A plus sign appears between the first two squares. An equal sign appears between the second and third squares.
  3. diagram of squares in a horizontal lineFour gray rectangles are shown in a horizontal line. An arrow points from the first rectangle on the left to the second rectangle, an arrow points from the second rectangle to the third rectangle, and another arrow points from the third rectangle to the fourth rectangle.
  4. diagram concentric circlesThree concentric circles are shown. The circles are shades of gray and are numbered. The innermost circle is light gray and is numbered 1. The middle circle is dark gray and is numbered 2. The outermost circle is gray and is numbered 3.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because students can place information from one text in circle 3 and information from another text in circle 2 and then synthesize information from the two outer circles in circle 1. Option A is incorrect because this graphic organizer would be more appropriate for showing examples of the topic. Option B is incorrect because this graphic organizer would be more appropriate for illustrating cause and effect. Option C is incorrect because this graphic organizer would be more appropriate for displaying information sequentially.

Competency 008—(Listening and Speaking): Apply knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' skills in critical listening and collaborative speaking.

15. English II students practice their opening argument for an upcoming debate as the teacher listens and annotates a copy of the text. The teacher's annotations are based on success criteria previously shared with students. An annotated copy of one student's opening statement appears below.

Annotated copy of a student's opening statement

The student’s opening statement reads The use of plastic bags should be banned nation wide and here in town. In today’s debate, you will hear arguments for and against plastic bags. Listen carefully to the content of the arguments. It’s a decision between convenience and the environment between saving animals and protecting some jobs. At the end of the debate, I hope and trust you will be with me . . . let’s ban plastic bags, okay?! Annotations appear in text boxes in the margins of the text. Above the first word of the opening statement the annotation reads take a breath at slashes. The phrase banned nation-wide and here in town is underlined. The corresponding annotation reads phrasing a little rushed. In the second sentence a slash is drawn after the phrase in today's debate. A slash is drawn between the third and fourth sentences. In the fourth sentence a comma is drawn after environment and the corresponding annotation reads add pause. A line is drawn over and around the phrase saving animals and then under and around the phrase protecting some jobs. The corresponding annotation reads switch order to be parallel. In the final sentence the phrase lets ban plastic bags, okay?! is underlined and the corresponding annotation reads nice use of volume for emphasis. An annotation after the last sentence reads good gesture to go with last word.

Based on the teacher's annotations, the student could benefit from additional scaffolds supporting which of the following concepts related to effective oral communication?

  1. appropriate volume and articulation
  2. effective speaking rate and pauses
  3. standard language conventions
  4. appropriate eye contact and hand gestures
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because the teacher's annotations indicate that the student's phrasing is rushed, and that the student should consider when to pause to take a breath and to make the phrasing more effective. Option A is incorrect because the teacher notes the student's "nice use of volume for emphasis" in the final paragraph. Option C is incorrect because, while the teacher's annotations recommend one edit to make phrasing parallel, the student effectively uses standard language conventions in the speech. Option D is incorrect because the teacher notes the student's use of a "good gesture" at the end of the paragraph.

16. English II students collaborate in groups of four to prepare presentations designed to persuade their classmates to explore volunteer opportunities offered by a local community organization selected by the group. Each group member researches one of the following four topics.

  • name, location, and history of the community organization
  • community needs addressed by the organization
  • available volunteer opportunities at the organization
  • the organization's impact on the community

After students conduct research, the teacher presents a lesson on effective presentation strategies and shows examples of attention-grabbing introductions, methods for connecting anecdotes and illustrations to overall points, and calls to action. The teacher's approach best demonstrates an awareness of which of the following concepts?

  1. Audiences may oppose an argument for various reasons.
  2. Organization is key to an argument's overall effectiveness.
  3. Suggesting specific actions strengthens an argument's conclusion.
  4. Research is essential to developing and supporting an argument.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because the teacher uses four research topics and different introduction strategies to help students synthesize information in a way that achieves the overall goal of the assignment. Structuring the lesson this way emphasizes the idea that organization is essential to the overall effectiveness of an argument. Option A is incorrect because the teacher does not emphasize the importance of addressing a specific audience's concerns. Option C is incorrect because the teacher presents calls to action as only one possible strategy for introducing a presentation. Option D is incorrect because, while each group member conducts research about their topic, the lesson on effective presentation strategies emphasizes the importance of effective organization after the research has been completed.

17. After English III students read several articles about the use of the pesticide DDT to prevent the spread of malaria, the teacher directs students to discuss their ideas on the topic in small groups, supporting their opinions with information from the articles. The teacher hears the following exchange among students in one small group.

Student 1: The first article says there is evidence that DDT can reduce malaria transmission, but I don't care because it can still harm animals and humans.

Student 2: I think DDT could be used in some places, but we need some way to study whether it is the best way to reduce malaria transmission.

Student 3: Do you think that it might be better for scientists to study alternatives to DDT?

Student 4: I've wondered about that. Maybe we're just overreacting to bird eggs breaking. Is that really such a big deal? Not all birds are affected in the same way.

Student 1: It's true that some bird species are not as affected, but others are facing extinction.

Student 3: So looking into alternatives to DDT would be a good idea!

Student 5: I think so. One article mentioned research into at least one alternative.

After listening to this exchange, the teacher decides to plan a mini-lesson that will enhance students' ability to engage in meaningful academic discussions in the future. Which of the following topics would be the most appropriate focus for the mini-lesson?

  1. disagreeing respectfully
  2. building on others' ideas
  3. using wait time before responding
  4. incorporating text evidence
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because the students' exchange paraphrases some ideas from the articles, but students do not support claims with any specific textual evidence. Option A is incorrect because while there is disagreement between students, it is not expressed disrespectfully. Option B is incorrect because the students build on one another's ideas by asking questions and presenting opposing points. Option C is incorrect because using wait time would be a more appropriate strategy for the teacher when asking questions of the class. Students in the group respond to one another and share their thoughts; there is no evidence that using more wait time would improve the conversation.

Domain IV—Educating All Learners and Professional Practice

Competency 009—(Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice): Understand how to identify and implement developmentally appropriate strategies and data-driven practices to effectively teach and engage all learners.

18. An English language arts teacher would like to build on students' interests when planning instruction and begins by promoting students' independent reading. Which of the following strategies is likely to be most effective for promoting student interest in reading?

  1. having and documenting conversations with students about books they have recently read for pleasure
  2. providing students with extra credit points for the number of pages read and sharing with the class the top earners each week
  3. building a classroom library of books designated as appropriate for the grade level and allowing students to bring books from home to donate
  4. giving students daily class time to independently read an assigned novel and providing an activity menu to help them track their reading
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct because authentic conversations with individual students, in which the teacher discusses what the student likes to read and why, promote student interest through relationship building. These conversations allow the teacher to show genuine care and interest in each student, which motivates students to engage in independent reading. Since the teacher is interested in what students say and think, taking notes will help the teacher remember and reflect upon the conversations later. Option B is incorrect because having students read extra pages does not mean they enjoy or are interested in the text. Additionally, this strategy provides extrinsic motivation rather than the intrinsic motivation required for promoting students' genuine interest. Option C is incorrect because having a library with grade-level text and book donations does not indicate students are interested in reading. This strategy will support building a classroom library, but it does not necessarily mean the students will be interested in the texts in the library. Option D is incorrect because students are reading a required text. This strategy does not show that they are necessarily interested in the text they are reading. The activity menu gives students a choice in how to respond to the text, but it does not demonstrate that they are interested in the text.

Competency 010—(Culturally Responsive Practices): Understand how to identify and implement culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate practices to effectively teach and engage all learners.

19. In an effort to reduce negative effects of unconscious bias in the classroom, a high school conducts an in-service for faculty. At the beginning of the session, the presenter defines the term unconscious bias and provides several real-world examples of unconscious bias. The primary purpose of this introductory activity is most likely to develop the teachers' ability to:

  1. disclose personal unconscious biases in a safe space.
  2. reduce effects of unconscious bias on instructional practices.
  3. recognize that unconscious bias is a part of human cognition.
  4. facilitate discussions with colleagues about unconscious bias.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because defining and providing examples of unconscious bias would help teachers be more aware of and recognize unconscious biases while also humanizing the concept. Option A is incorrect because teachers are not being asked to provide examples of their own unconscious biases. Option B is incorrect because while the aim of the in-service may be to reduce the effects of unconscious bias on instructional practices, the introductory activity is limited to recognizing unconscious biases. Option D is incorrect because the presenter is using direct instruction, and teachers are not being asked to engage in a discussion with colleagues.

20. Four students in a seventh-grade English language arts class are emergent bilingual students. The teacher wants to establish a strong relationship with the students' parents/guardians before providing them with information about ways to support their children's English literacy skills at home while valuing the students' home languages. In addition to sending home a letter written in English and the students' home languages, which of the following communication approaches would best help the teacher achieve this goal?

  1. encouraging the parents/guardians to speak English with their children
  2. explaining the importance of having books in the home and providing a list of recommended books available at the local public library
  3. asking the parents/guardians to describe their hopes and dreams for their children
  4. offering the parents/guardians suggestions about activities and resources that will help their children practice their English skills at home
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because asking the parents/guardians to describe their hopes and dreams for their children would help to establish a collaborative relationship in which the teacher and parents/guardians can work together to support the student while working toward a common goal. Option A is incorrect because research shows that developing home language skills will improve second language acquisition. Options B and D are incorrect because, while they may support the students' language acquisition, they are one-sided communication approaches that would not help the teacher establish a relationship with the parents/guardians.

21. An English I student who has difficulty generalizing instructions has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) goal of following group instructions to complete writing assignments. To support this IEP goal, which of the following scaffolding strategies would be most appropriate for the teacher to use during a writing assignment that includes several stages and multiple tasks?

  1. planning peer check-ins at several points during the assignment
  2. providing step-by-step instructions with visual cues for the student to use to complete the assignment
  3. providing annotated graphic organizers that students can use at each stage of the assignment
  4. reviewing an exemplar text that meets expectations for the final product for the assignment
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct because this scaffolding strategy would most effectively address the student's difficulty with generalizing instructions by clearly describing each specific task in the order in which it will be performed. Visual cues reinforce the written instructions by providing even greater clarity and specificity. Option A is incorrect because peer check-ins would not proactively support the student's ability to follow instructions. Option C is incorrect because this strategy would help the student organize ideas but does not support their goal of following group instructions. Option D is incorrect because, while providing exemplar texts as models does support student writing, this strategy would not address the student's goal of following group directions.

Competency 011—(Data-Driven Practice and Formal/Informal Assessment): Understand the types, selection, and uses of data-driven, developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support program improvement and all students' learning.

22. A high school teacher is considering various types of assessments to use to evaluate students' writing. Which of the following statements provides the best reason for the teacher to use portfolios for assessing students' writing competencies?

  1. A portfolio offers the teacher and students an informal, criterion-referenced method of assessment.
  2. A portfolio provides a formal approach because it is characterized by a one-time look at students' writing.
  3. This approach allows a teacher to easily compare similarities and differences between students' work.
  4. Students are able to reflect on their own progress by making comparisons to their previous work and abilities.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because portfolio assessments contain samples of students' work, along with their teachers' ongoing feedback, and show students' growth. Portfolio assessments can help teachers monitor and evaluate students' learning over time and determine whether students can apply what they have learned. Students can make observations and compare and reflect on their collection of writing pieces. Having students reflect on and compare pieces of their own work allows students to see their progress in writing and what skills they may need to continue to work on to strengthen their writing. Option A is incorrect because criterion-referenced assessments are considered formal rather than informal assessments. Option B is incorrect because portfolio assessments are ongoing. Students are expected to reflect on the artifacts in the portfolio and receive feedback on progress from the teacher. This type of assessment requires more than a one-time look. Option C is incorrect because portfolio assessments are used to look at individual students' work and measure the growth of the students on a continuum and not to compare their work to other students in the class.

Clustered Questions

Read the excerpt below from Romeo and Juliet, a play by William Shakespeare; then answer the two questions that follow.

 

  (Enter CAPULET, his wife, JULIET, TYBALT, NURSE, and all the Guests

  and Gentlewomen to the Maskers)

CAPULET. Welcome, gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes

  Unplagued with corns will walk a bout with you.

  Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all

  Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty,

  She I'll swear hath corns. Am I come near ye now?

  Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day

  That I have worn a visor and could tell

  A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear,

  Such as would please. 'Tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone!

  You are welcome, gentlemen! Come, musicians, play.

  (Music plays, and they dance.)

  A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.

  More light, you knaves! and turn the tables up,

  And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.

  Ah, sirrah, this unlooked-for sport comes well.

  Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,

  For you and I are past our dancing days.

  How long is't now since last yourself and I

  Were in a mask?

SECOND CAPULET.		By'r lady, thirty years.

CAPULET. What, man? 'Tis not so much, 'tis not so much;

  'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,

  Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,

  Some five-and-twenty years, and then we masked.

SECOND CAPULET. 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;

  His son is thirty.

CAPULET.			Will you tell me that? 

  His son was but a ward two years ago.

ROMEO. (to a Servingman) What lady's that, which doth enrich the hand

  Of yonder knight?

SERVINGMAN. I know not, sir.

ROMEO. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

  It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

  Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear—

  Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

  So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows

  As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.

  The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand

  And, touching hers, make blesséd my rude hand.

  Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!

  For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

TYBALT. This, by his voice, should be a Montague.

  Fetch me my rapier, boy. What, dares the slave

  Come hither, covered with an antic face,

  To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?

  Now, by the stock and honor of my kin,

  To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.

CAPULET. Why, how now, kinsman? Wherefore storm you so?

TYBALT. Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe;

  A villain, that is hither come in spite

  To scorn at our solemnity this night.

CAPULET. Young Romeo is it?

TYBALT.				'Tis he, that villain Romeo.

Competency 004—(Reading Literary Texts): Understand the genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes of diverse literary texts, including works of fiction, poetry, and drama representing diverse time periods and perspectives in American, British, and world literature, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of a range of complex literary texts.

23. After English I students read the excerpt, they engage in a small-group discussion in response to the following prompt.

What does Shakespeare want the audience to learn about Romeo in this scene? Support your ideas with evidence from the excerpt.

A transcript of one group's discussion appears below.

Student 1: Okay, so what does the author want us to know about Romeo?

Student 2: Romeo thinks Juliet is gorgeous.

Student 1: How do you know?

Student 3: In his soliloquy, he says she "teaches torches to burn bright."

Student 2: He goes on and on about her beauty.

Student 1: What else does the author want us to know?

Student 3: He's in love for the first time. At the end of the soliloquy, he says, "Did my heart love till now?"

Student 2: I'm not sure he's in love yet. I know they do fall in love, but is it love at first sight?

Student 3: Infatuated then. He talks about just her touch "blessing him."

Which of the following instructional strategies would likely be most effective in scaffolding the students' participation in similar small-group analysis?

  1. posting discussion questions before students read the excerpt to provide an opportunity for students to formulate ideas while reading
  2. providing a visual organizer for students to complete as they respond to the prompt and identify evidence
  3. reviewing effective group work ground rules and asking students to evaluate fellow group members' contributions to the discussion
  4. having a student group model a small-group analysis in which each member has an assigned role and pointing out the responsibilities and contributions of each
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct because students would most likely relate to a group of their peers and would feel comfortable leaning in and asking questions about the modeled roles and responsibilities before assigning them within their own groups. In addition, this strategy would provide students with clear objectives for participating in their small-group discussions. Options A and B are incorrect because neither of these strategies would directly address or support students' participation in a discussion. Option C is incorrect because reviewing ground rules would be most effective prior to a discussion, while evaluating group members' contributions would occur after the discussion and would not support students' participation during the discussion.

24. An English I teacher presents a lesson on dramatic devices used by playwrights. First, the teacher defines monologue, dialogue, aside, and soliloquy for students. Next, the teacher asks students to annotate the excerpt, identifying the devices used. Which of the following additional activities would best promote the students' understanding of dramatic devices?

  1. asking students to look at the entire excerpt and determine if an additional device could be added effectively and if so, for what purpose
  2. having students discuss the purpose of each device typically and specifically in this excerpt
  3. asking students to identify devices that provide plot revelations and categorize them as thoughts or judgments
  4. having students explain how each device moves the plot forward in this scene
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct because this activity provides scaffolding to help students analyze how the devices they have identified contribute to the play. Identifying and categorizing plot revelations in each device would promote deeper understanding of how the devices contribute to the plot. Option A is incorrect because this activity would require students to understand the purpose of each device in the play. Option B is incorrect because it would require students to have background knowledge about how each device is typically used. Option D is incorrect because students would need scaffolding to perform this level of analysis.

Additional Selected-Response Questions

This section includes additional sample selected-response questions for you to review in preparation for the exam. The correct answer is provided for each question below.

Domain I—Reading Instruction and Assessment

Competency 001—(Foundations of Reading Instruction and Assessment): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to reading instruction and assessment.

25. A teacher instructs students to read a short story independently during the literature block and keep track of the story's events and key details by noting them on a graphic organizer. The next day, the teacher asks the students to use their notes to write a summary of the story. The primary benefit of this activity is that it helps students:

  1. retain and build on their comprehension of literature they have read.
  2. make personal connections between the literature and their own lives.
  3. write creatively when they are responding to literature.
  4. develop analytical-thinking skills about literature they read.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

26. When giving a seventh-grade class a cross-curricular informational text to read, a teacher wants to ensure that an emergent bilingual student in the class who is reading at the intermediate English-language proficiency level is able to comprehend the technical and content-based language used in the text. Which of the following activities or supports would best promote the student's comprehension while reading?

  1. providing the student with illustrations of relevant academic vocabulary
  2. giving the student a list of commonly used sentence stems used in informative articles
  3. having the student record events that are most important to remember in a graphic organizer
  4. asking the student to illustrate parts of the article that the student finds interesting
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

27. An English II teacher asks a student to read their argumentative essay draft aloud and notices that the student routinely loses their place in the text and reverses sounds. The student also struggles with remembering sequence and leaves out many details. Before referring the student for an intervention, the teacher should make which of the following temporary accommodations for the student?

  1. having the student use their finger or a small ruler to keep their place while they read their argumentative essay aloud
  2. offering the student an opportunity to dictate and submit their argumentative essay in a recorded form instead of rewriting it
  3. providing the student with a model argumentative essay that is annotated and having the student practice reading it aloud
  4. reviewing the argumentative essay with the student during a conference and asking the student to summarize it orally
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

28. An English II teacher plans a unit in which students will use prior knowledge and personal experience to comprehend poetry. The first poem in the unit is "Daughter's Metro Map to City Identity" by Amanda Gorman. The poem's narrator is the city personified and describes its streets by name with details about the people, sounds, activities, and things found there. Which of the following activities should the teacher have students do first to build their background knowledge before reading the poem?

  1. writing observations about the streets they live on in their journals
  2. viewing a picture of the street that the author grew up on
  3. defining words in the poem that may cause difficulty
  4. reading biographical information about the author
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

Competency 002—(Vocabulary Development): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to vocabulary development, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level vocabulary knowledge and skills.

29. An English I teacher prepares a lesson in which a group of students will read a brief on changes to the federal government's fiscal policy and its projected economic implications. The primary goal of pre-teaching the terms incongruous, fiscal, and aggregate to the students is so that:

  1. reluctant readers will be exposed to Tier Two academic words appearing in the brief that may have multiple meanings.
  2. students with varying levels of background knowledge review a mix of Tiered words appearing in the brief.
  3. emergent bilingual students will be exposed to Tier Two words that share cognates with their primary language.
  4. students will be explicitly taught Tier Three words prior to reading the brief.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

Competency 003—(Reading Comprehension): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of reading comprehension, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of reading comprehension strategies in order to gain, clarify, and deepen understanding of increasingly complex texts.

30. A teacher notices that students in the class who read fluently are not always able to answer questions about informational texts they read. To best help students comprehend what they are reading in informational texts, a teacher should provide students with instruction in which of the following skills?

  1. making and confirming predictions
  2. identifying a purpose for reading
  3. outlining the narrative structure of texts
  4. creating and reviewing annotations in the texts
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

31. Students are reading a chapter in a history textbook about the Industrial Revolution to better understand the context of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Which of the following techniques would be most effective for the students to use to support their comprehension of the chapter's content?

  1. studying the characteristics of the sequencing within the chapter
  2. examining the various points of view in the chapter
  3. skimming text and scanning for significant text features in the chapter
  4. comparing and contrasting the ideas to other chapters in the book
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct.

32. English II students prepare to read the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. The students will read an article of literary criticism about the novel's allegorical representation of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and other informational texts to deepen their understanding of the novel's purpose (i.e., exploring the complications of power in governments). Which of the following strategies would be most appropriate for the teacher to use next to assist students with their acquisition of necessary background knowledge as they begin to read the novel?

  1. requiring students to write summaries of each chapter of the novel
  2. assigning students to research the author's biographical information
  3. directing students to read several literary analyses about the book
  4. having students read informational articles about Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

33. An English I teacher examines the reading test results from the incoming ninth-grade students' eighth-grade State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The results show that, while the majority of the students met expectations, many students scored lower in the areas of making inferences and using evidence to support understanding. Which of the following approaches would best support these students?

  1. The teacher shows slides of an article and an accompanying image, then has students work in pairs to guess what the article is about and discuss how the image was a clue. Next, the teacher shows small snippets of the article and has students use the clues to guess the article's meaning. Finally, the teacher displays the entire article and has students make broader inferences.
  2. The teacher asks students to think about a game in which they must use clues to solve a problem. The teacher tells students to assume that the game is a metaphor for "inference based on textual evidence" and to work in pairs to write a short paragraph explaining which part of the game represents the inference and which part of the game represents the textual evidence.
  3. Students silently read a short story that has no title. Then, the teacher asks students to create a title for the short story using specific evidence from the text and write it in their journal, followed by two to three sentences explaining why this title reflects the meaning of the short story.
  4. Students complete a graphic organizer with three columns called an "inference/evidence slip." The first column contains small sections of text. The next column is empty and titled "What is happening here?" The last column is empty and titled "How do you know?"
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

Domain II—Text Comprehension and Analysis

Competency 004—(Reading Literary Texts): Understand the genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes of diverse literary texts, including works of fiction, poetry, and drama representing diverse time periods and perspectives in American, British, and world literature, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of a range of complex literary texts.

34. During a lesson on rhyme in poetry, an English II teacher defines end, internal, slant, and eye rhyme and shows students examples of each in poems that students have read. Which of the following activities would be the most appropriate next step in the lesson sequence?

  1. explaining that poets use rhyme for various purposes and facilitating a discussion of how slant rhyme signals a shift in narrative in a poem that students have read
  2. providing mentor texts for end, internal, slant, and eye rhyme and assigning students to write an original poem using one or more types of rhyme
  3. having students search for additional examples of end, internal, slant, and eye rhyme in poems they have read and then share the results in small groups
  4. modeling how to analyze the effect of rhyme on tone and then having students write an analysis of the effect of rhyme on tone in a poem they have read
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct.

Domain III—Oral and Written Communication

Competency 006—(Composition): Understand the characteristics of various genres of written text and apply knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to develop well-organized, engaging, written texts that achieve specific purposes for specific audiences.

35. An English I teacher is giving a mini-lesson on the appropriate use of punctuation for introductory subordinate clauses in sentences. The teacher reads a short essay that uses introductory subordinate clauses, highlights those sentences, and circles the commas to show students correct comma placement. The teacher also displays a list of subordinate conjunctions on an easy-to-see chart. One student writes the following paragraph as the conclusion of an expository essay about the value of working together.

If you do not have someone to help it will take forever to get things done. You may be one of those people who likes to do everything yourself but it will take days instead of hours. If you have a deadline you really need to ask someone to help. You will not get it done in time if you do not ask for help. It really makes a big difference to have someone help you and it is more fun to do things with other people anyway.

Which of the following approaches would be most effective in helping the student correctly punctuate introductory subordinate clauses in the paragraph?

  1. marking places in the paragraph where commas are needed and having the student add commas accordingly
  2. providing a list of subordinate conjunctions and asking the student to find these conjunctions in the paragraph and then add commas
  3. having the student read aloud the paragraph and then add commas wherever the student identified natural pauses while reading aloud
  4. modeling correct punctuation of introductory subordinate clauses and then asking the student to add commas to the paragraph
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

36. An English II teacher assigns students to write an argumentative essay to convince classmates to participate in a community service project. The teacher meets with a student who has a topic idea but is struggling to develop a clear controlling thesis statement. Which of the following sets of questions should the teacher ask to guide the student in developing a thesis statement?

  1. Why is this community service project important to you? What makes you an authority on this subject? Why should classmates listen to your opinion?
  2. Do your classmates have the skills needed to participate in this community service project? What objections will classmates have to participating? How can you respond to these objections?
  3. Which other community service projects are you familiar with? How is this project similar to or different from those projects? How can you apply knowledge of other projects to this one?
  4. How does this community service project address a specific need? Why should your classmates care about that need? How will their participation in this project benefit the community?
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

Competency 007—(Inquiry and Research): Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to conduct focused inquiry and research and to present the results in an appropriate, responsible, and ethical manner across the curriculum.

37. A seventh-grade teacher begins a novel unit by guiding students to answer the following questions.

  1. What question do you have about the setting of this novel?
  2. What else do you want/need to know about the setting of this novel?
  3. Where is a good place to find this type of information in the library?
  4. Where is the best place to find information about this setting on the Internet?
  5. What is a third way to learn more about this setting?
  6. Now that you have looked for this information, would you like to adjust your first question?
  7. How can you narrow the focus of your question so that you can learn more about the setting of this novel?

This activity would be most appropriate to use as part of an introductory lesson focused on which of the following topics?

  1. developing an inquiry question
  2. creating and adjusting a research plan
  3. researching the setting of a novel
  4. identifying credible and reliable sources
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct.

38. A group of English I students is researching the health benefits and risks of adhering to a strict plant-based diet. Given this topic, which of the following questions should students ask first when evaluating a potential source?

  1. When was the source published?
  2. How objective is the author's perspective?
  3. Where can I find sources that corroborate this one?
  4. What is the author's area of professional expertise?
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option A is correct.

Competency 008—(Listening and Speaking): Apply knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' skills in critical listening and collaborative speaking.

39. In preparation for reading The Giver by Lois Lowry, a seventh-grade teacher asks students to respond to the following question in their writing journals.

What are an individual's obligations to society?

After students respond to the question in writing, they discuss their responses in small groups. A transcript of one small-group discussion appears below.

Student 1: I think people have a great responsibility to society because if one person in the society is not taken care of, then the whole society suffers.

Student 2: I disagree. I think people just need to take care of themselves.

Student 1: You're wrong. We have to depend on each other for society to work.

Student 3: I don't think so. If a person can't take care of themselves, they shouldn't be part of society.

Student 2: Yeah, I agree.

Student 1: That's ridiculous! How can you think that?

Which of the following instructional strategies would likely be the most effective in scaffolding students' ability to respond appropriately to other students' comments in future small-group discussions?

  1. assigning a moderator to intervene when group members disagree
  2. providing students with opportunities to practice using sentence stems
  3. having students view a video of an exemplar small-group discussion
  4. asking pairs of students to brainstorm reasons for various positions on a topic
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option B is correct.

40. An English I teacher plans a two-day discussion of readings students have completed. The teacher explains to students that they will participate in the discussion in the inner circle on one day, and on the other day they will record observations about the discussion from the outer circle. The teacher also informs students that their participation in the discussion will be evaluated based on the quality of their contributions, including how well they connect their comments to specific details from the texts they have read. Finally, the teacher reminds students of previously agreed-upon classroom expectations for respectful conversation. Which of the following instructional approaches would best support students' successful participation in the discussion activity?

  1. assigning a student in the outer circle as a facilitator who chooses who will speak next in the inner circle
  2. requiring students to raise their hands and wait to be called on by the teacher before speaking
  3. limiting the number of times each student in the inner circle can speak during the discussion
  4. providing sentence stems for agreeing or disagreeing with, clarifying, and building on the ideas of others
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

41. To prepare students for presenting an oral argument about why a novel should or should not be included in the high school curriculum, an English IV teacher shows a video of a persuasive talk and asks students to answer the following questions.

  • How does the speaker use humor?
  • How does the speaker use a personal story to support the main point?
  • What are two examples the speaker gives of the main point?
  • How does the speaker conclude the talk?

These questions demonstrate the teacher's awareness of which of the following English IV expectations related to oral communication as described in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading?

  1. engaging in respectful discourse
  2. asking relevant and insightful questions
  3. evaluating the clarity of a speaker's message
  4. critiquing the impact of a speaker's use of rhetorical strategies
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

Domain IV—Educating All Learners and Professional Practice

Competency 009—(Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice): Understand how to identify and implement developmentally appropriate strategies and data-driven practices to effectively teach and engage all learners.

42. An English II teacher is planning a cross-curricular unit in partnership with the tenth-grade math teacher. To prepare students for the unit, the teacher provides instruction on composing meaningful explanatory essays that use appropriate genre characteristics and craft. Which of the following writing assignments would be most appropriate for this purpose?

  1. an argumentative paper that takes a stance on including basic computation in the math curriculum
  2. a research paper about the important contributions of a particular early mathematician
  3. a procedural essay explaining the steps involved in solving a particular math equation
  4. a reflective essay that describes the students' memories of learning math concepts at an early age
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option C is correct.

Competency 011—(Data-Driven Practice and Formal/Informal Assessment): Understand the types, selection, and uses of data-driven, developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support program improvement and all students' learning.

43. A teacher is teaching a class that includes several emergent bilingual students. The teacher would like to determine how well the emergent bilingual students are able to read and understand texts prior to planning instruction. Which of the following activities would most effectively help the teacher informally assess the reading abilities of these students?

  1. administering a reading comprehension checkpoint to the students
  2. reviewing the students' scores on standardized reading tests from previous years
  3. giving a lecture to the students about a reading passage the class has read
  4. observing the students as they read aloud together in pairs
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Option D is correct.

44. A seventh-grade teacher has accessed the Texas Formative Assessment Resource (TFAR), an online tool containing items aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and is using it to create various assessment instruments to use throughout the year. To develop an evaluation that identifies the depth of students' standards knowledge, which of the following issues is most important to consider?

  1. when the assessment is administered in relation to when the standards were introduced
  2. the number of items per standard that are included on the assessment
  3. whether the assessment covers the entire standards blueprint
  4. the types of items that are included for each standard in the assessment tool
Answer
Option D is correct.

Clustered Questions

Read the speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth I to troops assembled to defend the country against an invasion by Spain in 1588; then answer the two questions that follow.

My loving people,

We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust.

I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm: to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.

I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.

Competency 005—(Reading Informational and Argumentative Texts): Understand the elements and characteristics of informational and argumentative texts, analyze how authors use these elements and characteristics to achieve specific purposes, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of complex informational and argumentative texts.

45. The teacher plans to use the speech to promote students' ability to analyze the development of a strong argument. First, the teacher discusses the historical context of the speech. Next, the teacher draws students' attention to contrasting ideas in the speech, such as safety and fear; strength and weakness; and treachery and loyalty. The teacher then asks students to reread the first sentence of the speech. Focusing students' attention on this sentence will best help students:

  1. identify the primary claim Queen Elizabeth makes in the speech.
  2. consider how Queen Elizabeth counters objections to her claim.
  3. recognize how Queen Elizabeth displays leadership in the speech.
  4. identify a rhetorical device used to make a persuasive appeal.
Answer
Option A is correct.

46. During a post-reading discussion of the speech, the teacher asks students the following set of questions.

  • How does Queen Elizabeth open the speech?
  • How do we know the Queen trusts those listening?
  • Why does the Queen express outrage?

Which of the following strategies would most effectively support students in responding to these questions?

  1. analyzing the sender/receiver relationship to understand the argument
  2. paraphrasing the speaker's message to determine the speaker's purpose
  3. identifying rhetorical appeals to evaluate the overall strength of the argument
  4. analyzing the speaker's word choice to determine the speaker's intent
Answer
Option D is correct because this strategy would support students' ability to make inferences by engaging with Queen Elizabeth's strategic use of words in the speech. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because the questions do not require the students to analyze the speaker and audience relationship, determine the speaker's purpose, or analyze the speaker's use of rhetorical devices.

Use the information below to answer the two questions that follow.

An English II teacher assigns students to read the following excerpt from The Promised Land, a memoir by Mary Antin.

In Polotzk we had been trained and watched, our days had been regulated, our conduct prescribed. In America, suddenly, we were let loose on the street. Why? Because my father's having renounced his faith, and my mother being uncertain of hers, they had no particular creed to hold us to. The conception of a system of ethics independent of religion could not at once enter as an active principle in their life; so that they could give a child no reason why to be truthful or kind. And as with religion, so it fared with other branches of our domestic education. Chaos took the place of system; uncertainty, inconsistency undermined discipline. My parents knew only that they desired us to be like American children; and seeing how their neighbors gave their children boundless liberty, they turned us also loose, never doubting but that the American way was the best way. In public deportment, in etiquette, in all matters of social intercourse, they had no standards to go by, seeing that America was not Polotzk. In their bewilderment and uncertainty they needs must trust us children to learn from such models as the tenements afforded. More than this, they must step down from their throne of parental authority, and take the law from their children's mouths; for they had no other means of finding out what was good American form. The result was that laxity of domestic organization, that inversion of normal relations which makes for friction, and which sometimes ends in breaking up a family that was formerly united and happy.

Competency 005—(Reading Informational and Argumentative Texts): Understand the elements and characteristics of informational and argumentative texts, analyze how authors use these elements and characteristics to achieve specific purposes, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of complex informational and argumentative texts.

47. After students read the excerpt, the teacher plans to engage them in a discussion of the author's craft. Which of the following topics would be the most appropriate focus for the discussion?

  1. how text structure helps achieve the author's purpose
  2. how order of events helps achieve a desired effect
  3. how diction and syntax contribute to voice in the excerpt
  4. how irony conveys the author's message in the excerpt
Answer
Option D is correct.

48. Based on the continuum of development in the comprehension and analysis of informational and argumentative texts as described in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading, which of the following skills would be most appropriate for the teacher to introduce as students discuss the excerpt?

  1. explaining the purpose of the author's use of overstatement
  2. critiquing how the author's language shapes readers' perceptions
  3. evaluating the author's use of paradox to achieve a particular effect
  4. paraphrasing the excerpt in a way that maintains its meaning
Answer
Option B is correct.

Use the information below to answer the two questions that follow.

An English IV teacher assigns students to read the excerpt below from Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, an informational text by Jon Krakauer.

Straddling the top of the world, one foot in China and the other in Nepal, I cleared the ice from my oxygen mask, hunched a shoulder against the wind, and stared absently down at the vastness of Tibet. I understood on some dim, detached level that the sweep of earth beneath my feet was a spectacular sight. I'd been fantasizing about this moment, and the release of emotion that would accompany it, for many months. But now that I was finally here, actually standing on the summit of Mount Everest, I just couldn't summon the energy to care.

It was early in the afternoon of May 10, 1996. I hadn't slept in fifty-seven hours. The only food I'd been able to force down over the preceding three days was a bowl of ramen soup and a handful of peanut M&Ms. Weeks of violent coughing had left me with two separated ribs that made ordinary breathing an excruciating trial. … Under the circumstances, I was incapable of feeling much of anything except cold and tired.

Competency 005—(Reading Informational and Argumentative Texts): Understand the elements and characteristics of informational and argumentative texts, analyze how authors use these elements and characteristics to achieve specific purposes, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of complex informational and argumentative texts.

49. After students read the excerpt, the teacher wants to engage them in an analysis of how the author's use of language shapes the perception of readers. Which of the following student activities would best prepare students to complete this analysis?

  1. describing personal experiences where they have felt cold and tired
  2. brainstorming possible reasons for climbing a dangerous mountain
  3. writing about how they would feel on the summit of Mount Everest
  4. comparing previous knowledge of Mount Everest with details in the text
Answer
Option D is correct.

50. During a class discussion of the excerpt, the teacher realizes that some students have little to no background knowledge of Mount Everest. Which of the following strategies would most effectively build students' background knowledge to support their comprehension of the excerpt?

  1. having students research mountain climbing equipment
  2. showing video clips of climbers ascending Mount Everest
  3. displaying a chart listing symptoms of high-altitude sickness
  4. asking students to locate Mount Everest on a world map
Answer
Option B is correct.

Acknowledgments

Excerpt(s) from INTO THIN AIR: A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE MOUNT EVEREST DISASTER by Jon Krakauer, copyright © 1997 by Jon Krakauer. Used by permission of Villard Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.