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Question Types

You may see the following types of selected-response questions on the exam:

  • Single Questions
  • Questions Based on Instructional Practice
  • Questions with Stimulus Material

Below you will find descriptions of these commonly used question formats, along with suggested approaches for responding to each type.

Single Questions

Many questions on this exam are simply discrete questions that do not involve referencing any material other than that presented as part of the question itself. Within the Interpretive Reading and Cultural Knowledge and Foreign Language Pedagogy: Instructional Practice sections of the exam, you will see some single questions. Be sure to consider each question in terms of only the information provided in the question—not in terms of specific situations or individuals you may have encountered.

Questions Based on Instructional Practice

In this section of the exam there will be questions that measure pedagogical knowledge and competence in the theories, methods, and techniques associated with teaching a foreign language. The questions are related to instructional practice, understanding linguistic theories, integration of the national standards into curriculum and instruction as well as assessment of languages and cultures.

Example 1

As part of a class activity, a foreign-language teacher asks students about their plans for the upcoming spring break. One student replies in the target language with the equivalent of "Tomorrow, by car." Apparently, the student has only partially understood the question.

Which of the following strategies would be most effective in getting the student to provide a more complete response?

  1. Repeating the question "What are you planning to do on vacation?" and giving the student another opportunity to respond
  2. Conducting a quick review on the interrogative words in the target language in order to take advantage of this teaching opportunity
  3. Echoing the answer quietly, as if contemplating it, and then asking, "Where are you going and for how long?"
  4. Translating the question into English, translating the student's answer into English and then asking the question a second time in the target language
Example 2

Which of the following activities is most appropriate to assess students' skills in the interpersonal mode at the end of a unit?

  1. Spontaneous role-play with partners
  2. Staged skits performed in groups
  3. Formal oral presentations
  4. Recited poem or song
Suggested Approach

Example 1 measures knowledge of instructional practices in order to create a supportive classroom where students use the target language and participate actively during class discussions.

Option A is a repetition of the same question that the teacher had already asked when the student gave the partial response and, consequently, the teacher may not get a more complete response from the student. Therefore, option A may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Option B includes a review of the interrogative words and does not emphasize productive language skills. Explicit grammar instruction may not necessarily improve the student's linguistic output. Therefore, option B may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Option C is an effective strategy because the teacher is providing meaningful feedback while encouraging the student to clarify the answer given previously. The teacher is negotiating meaning with the student and providing the opportunity for the student to expand the original response. Therefore, option C is the best response to this question.

Option D includes a translation into English of the question and the student's answer, but it does not use the target language to help the student with a correct answer. The student may lack the linguistic resources in the target language to give an appropriate answer and the English translation of the question may not lead into a more complete response in the target language. Therefore, option D may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Example 2 measures knowledge of assessment models and their appropriate use. It requires selecting an assessment practice appropriate to an interpersonal task.

Option A includes an activity that will require students to use the language while having a conversation with one another, which will require active negotiation of meaning among the partners. Since it is a spontaneous role-play, the two people participating in the conversation will need to introduce adjustments and clarifications when needed. Therefore, option A is the best response to this question.

Option B indicates that the skits will be performed in groups, which may not allow participants to change what they want to say in order to clarify what they mean. Since the skits are staged, there will be an opportunity for participants to rehearse the conversations based on a previously agreed upon script. Therefore, option B may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Option C consists of an activity that will demonstrate a student's skills in the presentational mode, where one student will present to an audience. In the oral presentation, the student will be directing the message to the members of the audience and there will be no opportunity for interaction. Therefore, option C may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Option D involves presentational communication where the speaker will be reciting a poem or singing a song to others, requiring the audience to interpret the meaning of the poem or song. This is an example of "one-way" speaking, with no direct opportunity for the audience to interact with the speaker to get a clarification of the message. Therefore, option D may be eliminated as the best answer to this question.

Questions with Stimulus Material

Many questions on this exam are preceded by stimulus material that relates to the question or questions. Types of stimulus material will include reading comprehension passages, photographs, and listening comprehension selections. You will be asked to read, view, or listen to the stimulus material and identify important characteristics or draw conclusions based on the stimulus material. To listen to the stimulus material in this preparation manual, click the play button on the audio player to listen to the selection. For the reading section of the exam, you will see a reading stimulus and then be asked to respond to six selected-response questions related to that stimulus. You will be able to refer to the stimulus as you answer the questions. For the listening section of the exam, you will be asked to listen to a selection and then respond to six selected-response questions related to that selection. You will hear each selection once and then will have time to preview the questions before you listen to the selection a second time. You will then have a short period of time to think about and select your response. For both the reading and listening sections of the exam, the last two selected-response questions in each set are a culture question and a linguistics question more or less closely tied to the stimulus. You may need information not directly provided in the stimulus to answer these questions.

You can use several different approaches to respond to these types of questions. Some commonly used approaches for reading and listening comprehension are listed below.

Strategy 1 For reading comprehension, skim the stimulus material to understand its purpose, its arrangement, and/or its content. Then read the question and refer again to the stimulus material to verify the correct answer. For listening comprehension, listen to the stimulus the first time to get a general sense of its purpose, its arrangement, and/or its content. Listen to the stimulus the second time more carefully and critically.
Strategy 2 For reading comprehension, skim the question before considering the stimulus material. The content of the question will help you identify the purpose of the stimulus material and locate the information you need to respond to the question.
Strategy 3 For reading comprehension, use a combination of both strategies; apply the "read the stimulus first" strategy with shorter, more familiar stimuli and the "skim the question first" strategy with longer, more complex or less familiar stimuli. You can experiment with the sample questions in this manual and then use the strategy with which you are most comfortable when you take the actual exam.

Whether you read the stimulus before or after you read the questions, you should read it carefully and critically. You may want to note its important points to help you answer the questions.

For the first four questions in each listening and reading set, be sure to consider the questions in terms of only the information provided in the stimulus—not in terms of specific situations or individuals you may have encountered. For questions 5 and 6, you may need to consider other factors.

Example 1 — Listening

Set #1: Annik Rubens

Transcript:

Bis heute spielt die Automobilindustrie in Deutschland eine sehr große Rolle. 2011 wurden 6 Millionen Autos in Deutschland gebaut. Nur China und die USA bauen mehr Autos als Deutschland.

Kommen wir zu den wichtigsten deutschen Automarken. Fangen wir bei A an wie Audi. Die Firma wurde 1909 gegründet und befindet sich heute in Ingolstadt, also in Bayern. Seit zehn Jahren gehört Audi zum Volkswagen-Konzern.

Ebenfalls in Bayern, genauer gesagt in München, befindet sich die bekannte Automarke BMW. Es gibt sie seit 1916. Zu Beginn produzierte die Firma Flugmotoren, später Motorräder, dann Autos. Heute gehören auch Rolls Royce und Mini zu BMW.

Weiter geht's mit Daimler. 1891 wurde die Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft gegründet. Ab 1899 tauchte auch der Name Mercedes auf. Später dann Mercedes-Benz.

Audi, Mercedes, BMW – das sind vor allem große Autos. Und sie werden derzeit leider immer größer. Den Deutschen gefällt der amerikanische Trend der SUVs. Auch wenn unsere Innenstädte klein und eng sind und es wenig Parkplätze gibt – die Autos werden immer größer. Mich persönlich ärgert das sehr. Mich ärgert auch, dass nach wie vor kaum auf alternative Energien gesetzt wird. Natürlich forschen alle großen Konzerne in diesem Bereich – sie versuchen das Rätsel zu lösen, wie wir auch ohne Benzin existieren können. Aber erst jetzt kam beispielsweise der e-smart auf den Markt – und er ist noch sehr, sehr teuer.

Jetzt fragt Ihr Euch vielleicht, was für ein Auto ich selber fahre – ich fahre einen Ford. Einen winzig kleinen Ford namens Ford Ka. Damit bekomme ich auch in der Stadt meistens einen Parkplatz, und ich muss nicht viel Geld für Benzin ausgeben.

1. Welche persönliche Meinung zur deutschen Autoindustrie gibt die Sprecherin ab?

  1. Sie ist enttäuscht darüber, dass deutsche Autos im Allgemeinen so teuer sind.
  2. Sie lobt die Firma Ford dafür, dass ihre Autos ohne Benzin fahren.
  3. Sie bewundert an den deutschen Autobauern, dass sie so traditionsbewusst sind.
  4. Sie kritisiert an den deutschen Autos, dass sie nicht sehr umweltfreundlich sind.

2. Auf Ihre kulturellen Kenntnisse bezogen, was ist wohl ein wichtiger Grund dafür, dass viele deutsche Innenstädte „klein und eng" sind?

  1. Sie wurden vor allem auf den Verkehr mit Fahrrädern zugeschnitten.
  2. Sie wurden meist nach Plänen gebaut, die von den wirtschaftlichen Schwierigkeiten der Nachkriegzeit gezeichnet waren.
  3. Sie basieren teilweise auf Straßennetzen, die schon im Mittelalter entstanden sind.
  4. Sie haben meist wenig Platz wegen ihrer typischen Lage an einem Fluss oder einem Berg.

3. Im Beitrag sagt die Sprecherin, „Den Deutschen gefällt der amerikanische Trend der SUVs." Wie kann man am besten die Funktion des Wortes „Deutschen" in diesem Satz erklären?

  1. „Deutschen" bedeutet hier „deutschen Menschen" und ist das indirekte Objekt des Verbes
  2. „Deutschen" steht hier parallel zum Adjektiv „amerikanische" und modifiziert das Substantiv „Trend"
  3. „Deutschen" bedeutet hier „deutscher Sprache" und ist Teil einer Adverbial-Phrase
  4. „Deutschen" bezieht sich hier auf „eine deutsche Person" und ist das direkte Objekt des Verbes
Suggested Approach — Listening

Listen to the stimulus carefully and critically. Then read each question and think about what it is asking and the situation it is describing. Eliminate any obviously wrong answers, determine the correct option, and select it on the computer.

Question 1. The speaker does not praise Ford for developing a non-fossil-fueled car, thus Option B is incorrect. Further, although she outlines the history of several German automakers, she does not express admiration for any particular adherence to tradition on their part, which means that option C is also incorrect. Finally, the speaker does not explicitly criticize German cars in general for being too expensive. The speaker does note that one particular environmentally friendly car model is very expensive, but this is not the same thing as saying that all German cars have overly high prices – thus option A is incorrect. The correct answer is option D. The speaker says she is angered („Mich ärgert das sehr") that German cars are following the American trend toward SUVs and are getting bigger and bigger; she is also angry that there is hardly any focus on alternative energy, and that the one recently developed electric car is extremely expensive. All of these developments can be summarized as reflecting a lack of concern for environmental priorities on the part of car manufacturers.

Question 2. Probably no German city can claim that it has been built around the requirements of bicycle transportation, therefore option A is incorrect. Option B is incorrect because, although the German economy was undeniably weak in the immediate post-World War Two period, this economic uncertainty did not go hand in hand with narrow streets. On the contrary, the overwhelming tendency of postwar city planning was toward more, wider, and straighter streets in order to facilitate automobile circulation. Finally, option D is incorrect because, although many German cities are located by rivers, and a few are bounded by mountains, these geographic factors cannot be seen as the cause of their basic street layout, which has proven over the years to be changeable in much greater accordance with social and economic factors. The correct answer is option C because the old centers of many German cities can trace their origins back many hundreds of years, and often to the Middle Ages. Their relatively narrow and often winding streets are a reflection of the transportation systems of that era and also of the technical limitations that existed in construction.

Question 3. The correct answer is option A. The verb in the sentence, "gefallen" ("to be pleasing to"), requires both a subject in the nominative case and an object in the dative case. The subject in this sentence can be only "the American trend," since that is the only noun phrase in the nominative case. "Den Deutschen" reveals to whom the American trend is pleasing. The capitalized form of the adjective "deutsch" indicates that it is being used as a noun, and the form of the article is consistent with a dative plural noun being used as an indirect object: the American trend is pleasing to the Germans. None of the other options conveys a grammatically possible reading of the sentence.

Example 2 — Reading

Elektrisch angetreten

Ich bin auf dem Weg zum Invalidenpark, wo ich Niko Klansek aus New York treffe. Er will mir seine Erfindung zeigen, das „Smart Ped". Im Prinzip ein elektrischer Tretroller mit Straßenzulassung. Er nennt es anders: „Es ist das erste legale Kick-Assist-E-Bike der Welt", hat er mir am Telefon erklärt. Ich bin gespannt auf die Probefahrt.

Wie fing alles an mit dem „Smart Ped", dem Tretroller, der elektrisch mittritt? Ganz einfach: Am Anfang war das Rad. Genauer gesagt: das „Smart Wheel". Ein Fahrrad-Laufrad mit integriertem elektrischem Antrieb. Die Idee ist nicht ganz neu, Hersteller wie Velorapida bieten Pedelecs nach ähnlichem Prinzip an. Aber Klansek hat ein einzelnes Elektro-Rad entwickelt, das jeder in sein ganz normales Fahrrad einbauen kann, egal ob Mountain-, City- oder Hollandrad. In vier verschiedenen Größen ist das „Smart Wheel" zu haben.

Vielen Radfahrern gefiel die Idee offensichtlich. Denn bis November 2013 kamen bei Kickstarter 700.000 Dollar für das Start-up zusammen. „FlyKly" hat der Zweirad-Enthusiast seine Firma genannt. „FlyKly will für urbane Menschen immer schlauere Tools für den Weg durch die Stadt entwickeln", sagt der Tüftler. Und dazu passt auch Klanseks nächste Idee: Für normale Wegstrecken sei ein Fahrrad oder E-Bike sinnvoll, so der Ansatz. Aber was ist mit Pendlern, die per Auto oder Zug anreisen und dann das letzte Wegstück vom Bahnhof oder Parkplatz aus irgendwie anders zurücklegen müssen? Dafür bräuchte es ein leichtes, transportables und möglichst simples Gefährt. Deshalb verkleinerte Klansek kurzerhand sein „Smart Wheel" auf 16 Zoll und baute es in einen klappbaren Tretroller ein. 25 Stundenkilometer Höchstgeschwindigkeit leistet das Gefährt, nach Angaben seines Erfinders darf es legal auf der Straße und auf dem Radweg fahren.

Auf den ersten Blick unterscheidet sich der „Smart Ped"-Roller kaum von einem normalen Tretroller. Gebaut wird er dann, wenn Klansek via Crowdfunding bis Ende November 100.000 Euro zusammenbekommt, bei gut 95.000 ist er aber nach nur zwei Wochen schon. Vor der Probefahrt erklärt er mir das Prinzip: Je schneller ich antrete, desto mehr an Unterstützung kommt noch einmal elektrisch dazu. Trete ich nicht mehr, dann hält der Roller seine Geschwindigkeit für exakt 500 Sekunden konstant.

Ich cruise vorbei an Passanten, Autos und Hunden. Recht lässig fühlt sich das an. Ich bin richtig angetan von dem kleinen Roller, denn die Handhabung ist in jeder Hinsicht kinderleicht und das mühelose Dahingleiten könnte süchtig machen. Mir gefallen auch das schlichte Design und die robuste Bauweise – ein passendes Großstadtgefährt für den modernen Pendler. Empfehlenswert ist vor allem die „Premium"-Version. Die kostet zwar 100 Euro mehr, dafür wird der Scooter dann aber mit Schutzblechen, Klappständer und LED-Leuchten geliefert. Außerdem lässt sie sich im Gegensatz zur „Regular"-Version gleich zweifach zusammenfalten und misst dann nur noch 62 mal 78 mal 35 Zentimeter. So lässt sie sich gut im Kofferraum, dem Fahrstuhl oder der U-Bahn transportieren. 

1. Welche Beziehung besteht zwischen dem „Smart Wheel" und dem „Smart Ped"?

  1. Das Smart Wheel und das Smart Ped sind ähnliche Produkte von unterschiedlichen Herstellern.
  2. Das Smart Wheel und das Smart Ped sind beide in Deutschland erfunden worden.
  3. Das Smart Ped entstand aus der Kombination von einem Smart Wheel mit einem Roller.
  4. Das Smart Ped ist eine vereinfachte und besonders preiswerte Version des Smart Wheel.

2. In welcher grammatikalischen Form steht das Verb im folgenden Satz: „Für normale Wegstrecken sei ein Fahrrad oder E-Bike sinnvoll."

  1. Im Konjunktiv
  2. In einer Modalkonstruktion
  3. Im Indikativ
  4. Im Infinitiv

3. Auf Ihre Kulturkenntnisse bezogen, warum wäre das Smart Ped in Deutschland wohl von besonderem Interesse?

  1. Weil viele Deutsche sich in ihrer Freizeit gerne an der frischen Luft bewegen.
  2. Weil immer mehr Deutsche täglich mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit fahren wollen.
  3. Weil immer mehr Deutsche gesundheitliche Probleme mit dem Laufen haben.
  4. Weil viele Deutsche den Weg zur Arbeit teilweise zu Fuß zurücklegen.
Suggested Approach — Reading

Read the article and carefully consider the information presented.

Question 1. Option A is incorrect because the Smart Ped and the Smart Wheel are made by the same company; option B is incorrect because neither was invented in Germany; option D is incorrect because the Smart Ped is a self-contained vehicle that can't be put into the same category as the Smart Wheel, which is a part that only becomes useful when installed on a bike. The Smart Ped was developed by combining a conventional scooter with the Smart Wheel, a previous invention by the same developer who built the Smart Ped. The second and third paragraphs of the article describe how the Smart Ped — a scooter that is propelled by a combination of manual and electrical power — was developed. First inventor Niko Klansek developed the Smart Wheel, which operates under the same principle, and which consumers could add to a regular bicycle in order to get a bike with added electrical support. Later he combined a smaller version of the original Smart Wheel with a fold-up scooter, which he called "Smart Ped"; therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Question 2. The correct answer is option A. The verb in this sentence is „sei", which is the third person subjunctive (I) form of the word "sein." None of the other options are accurate designations of this verb form.

Question 3. Option A is incorrect because the Smart Ped is a commuting option that is meant to reduce exertion on the way to or from work; it would thus not be suited to people whose main goal is to get some exercise outdoors. Option B is incorrect because the Smart Ped cannot be considered a good substitute for a bicycle, especially if bike-mounted commuters were interested in the exercise that a bike would afford. Option C is incorrect because there is nothing in the article that supports the claim that Germans are increasingly unable to walk, nor does it support the implied claim that the Smart Ped would be better for such people. The question asks why the Smart Ped would be of particular interest to German consumers. The article states that the Smart Ped was developed with a particular group of commuters in mind, people who spend part of their commute traveling by car or train but have to walk the rest of the way. This is a reality for many German employees, since many jobs are in urban areas where parking is scarce, and in general walking and using public transportation is usually a part of daily routine of most citizens. Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Example 3 — Cultural Knowledge

The image is a photograph of a mountainous landscape.

In the foreground is a lake with a grassy meadow, a forest, and high-peaked, snowcapped mountains in the background. The lake reflects clear sky and the snowcapped mountains.

© iStock.com/Smith

1. Auf Ihre kulturellen Kenntnisse bezogen, in welcher deutschsprachigen Region würde man solch eine Landschaft wohl sehen können?

  1. An der Ostseeküste
  2. An der Mecklenburgischen Seenplatte
  3. Im sächischen Elbsandsteingebirge
  4. In den österreichischen Alpen

The image is a photograph of boots on a porch in front of a door.

There are a pair of boots on a porch. The boots are filled with pinecones and shiny foil-wrapped objects, including a small sphere and a Santa Claus like figure.

© Fotolia/Stefan Körber

2. Auf Ihre Kulturkenntnisse bezogen, an welchem traditionellen deutschen Feiertag stellen Kinder ihre Schuhe abends vor die Tür, um sie am nächsten Morgen mit Süßigkeiten gefüllt vorzufinden?

  1. Am Neujahrstag
  2. Zu Weihnachten
  3. Am Nikolaustag
  4. Zu Ostern
Suggested Approach — Cultural Knowledge

These types of questions test your cultural knowledge. We recommend that you use a combination of the strategies above. Take a look at the picture first and make sure you understand its content. Then read the question and refer again to the stimulus material to verify the correct answer.

Question 1. The correct answer is option D. The image shows a summertime alpine landscape with high snowcapped mountains, which, in the context of German-speaking regions in Europe, can only be found in the Alps. All of the other options involve landscapes where one would see either water or mountains to some degree, but not the specifically the Alpine combination of the two.

Question 2. The correct answer is Option C. One of the highlights of St. Nicholas Day (December 6) is the tradition in many European countries of children putting shoes in front of the door the night before. Upon waking they find that their shoes have been filled with sweets and small gifts. This is a tradition connected only to Nikolaustag and not to any of the holidays mentioned in the other options.

Understanding Constructed-Response Questions

Interpersonal and Presentational Writing Assignments

The LOTE German exam will include three assignments that require a constructed response written in German. The writing constructed-response scores will be combined with the other constructed-response scores and the selected-response scores to produce a total exam score.

For the Interpersonal and Presentational Writing assignments, you will be asked to write in the target language in ways outlined in the exam. There will be three assignments in this section. The total testing time for the Interpersonal and Presentational Writing assignments section is 50 minutes; therefore, you should manage your time so that you have enough time to answer the three assignments within the allotted time. You will type your response to each question. Your response must be written in the target language. In preparing your responses to the assignments, you may choose to prepare and organize your thoughts on the erasable notebooklet provided. However, you will only be scored on the response that you type on the computer. You may not use any reference materials during the exam.

Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking Assignments

The LOTE German exam includes three assignments that require a constructed response spoken in German. The speaking constructed-response scores will be combined with the other constructed-response scores and the selected-response scores to produce a total exam score.

For the Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking assignments, you will be asked to speak in the target language in ways outlined in the exam. There will be three assignments requiring different types of responses in this section. For each assignment, you will be given specific directions, including the amount of time allowed for preparation and speaking. Answer each question according to the directions. You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to write notes or organize your response; however, you will be scored only on your recorded oral response.

Be sure to speak naturally and appropriately in the target language when responding to the speaking assignments. The exam is designed to measure your proficiency in the target language. There are no prescribed answers to these assignments; however, each response needs to follow all the assignment directions to be appropriate. Say as much as you can until the response time is over or until you feel you have provided a thorough response.

Foreign Language Pedagogy: Instructional Practice Assignments

The LOTE German exam will include two assignments that that measure how well you can integrate and/or apply your knowledge of foreign-language pedagogy and theories when designing instructional units. The instructional practice constructed-response scores will be combined with the other constructed-response scores and the selected-response scores to produce a total exam score.

There will be two assignments in this section. The total testing time for the instructional practice constructed-response section is 35 minutes; therefore, you should manage your time so that you have enough time to answer the two assignments within the allotted time. You will type your response to each question. Your responses to the instructional practice assignments should be written in English. In preparing your responses to the assignments, you may choose to prepare and organize your thoughts on the erasable notebooklet provided. However, you will only be scored on the response that you type on the computer. You may not use any reference materials during the exam.

Understand How Constructed-Response Questions Will be Scored

Information about the scoring of constructed-response exam questions can be found on the  Understanding Your Exam Results page on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. Familiarize yourself with the scoring information provided on this page, and be sure your responses take this information into account.

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