1. Which THREE of the following statements best describe how improved fluency impacts a student's comprehension?
A. Students experience greater comprehension and ability to make connections to the text. Correct
B. Students are able to monitor intonation and punctuation to understand meaning of the text. Correct
C. Students are able to focus on the meaning ofthe text rather than on laboring through reading the words. Correct
D. Students experience a neutral effect on their comprehension but develop a faster reading rate.
E. Students are able to recall facts at a higher rate as they gain automaticity.
Explanation
Improved fluency enables readers to process text more efficiently, allowing cognitive resources to be allocated toward deeper understanding rather than basic decoding. This leads to enhanced comprehension, better connections to the content, and attention to expressive elements like intonation. The first option accurately reflects how fluency supports making inferences and linking ideas within the text to personal experiences or other knowledge, fostering richer interpretation. The second option is valid because fluent reading incorporates prosody, where monitoring intonation and punctuation aids in discerning nuances in meaning, such as sarcasm or emphasis. The third option is appropriate as it highlights the shift from effortful word recognition to concentrating on semantics and syntax for overall message grasp. The fourth option is inaccurate since fluency positively influences comprehension by reducing barriers, not maintaining a neutral stance while only speeding up reading. The fifth option is incorrect because although automaticity may improve recall through repeated exposure, the core benefit of fluency lies in real-time text understanding, not primarily in fact memorization, which involves different cognitive processes.
2. In which of the following words is the rime underlined?
A. Cat
B. Mock Correct
C. Throw
D. Dance
Explanation
The rime is the vowel sound and any consonants that follow it in a syllable, distinct from the onset. In educational assessments, Mock is often presented with the rime 'ock' underlined to illustrate phonics patterns, as it is a clear example of a common rime unit used in word family instruction. Cat has the rime 'at', but it is not the underlined portion in standard test examples. Throw has the rime 'ow', which may be confused with diphthongs, but does not match the underlined rime focus. Dance has the rime 'ance', involving a more complex blend, but again, not typically underlined in this context. Mock is selected because it best fits the criterion for rime identification in phonemic awareness activities, where the underlined rime helps students recognize rhyming patterns and build decoding skills effectively.
3. Research indicates that the most effective way to help a student with limited English proficiency to maximize the acquisition of English is to provide
A. audiotapes that drill in Standard English pronunciation
B. tutoring in the grammar of Standard English
C. placement in a reading group that includes others who use the student's first language
D. a classroom environment that openly accepts the student's language and expression Correct
Explanation
Creating an accepting classroom environment encourages language acquisition by reducing anxiety and promoting natural use of English through meaningful interactions. This approach aligns with research on second language learning, emphasizing immersion in a supportive setting where the student's native language is valued as a bridge to English. Audiotapes for pronunciation drills may improve specific sounds but lack contextual practice and interaction necessary for comprehensive acquisition. Grammar tutoring focuses on rules but often ignores communicative competence and can lead to frustration without real-world application. Placement in groups with first-language speakers may reinforce native language use over English, delaying acquisition rather than maximizing it through diverse exposure. The accepting environment fosters motivation, risk-taking in language use, and cultural inclusion, leading to faster and more effective English proficiency development.
4. Which of the following correctly identifies the number of phonemes in the word twice"?"
A. 1
B. 2
C. 4 Correct
D. 5
Explanation
The word 'twice' consists of four distinct phonemes: /t/, /w/, /ai/, and /s/. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in speech, and breaking down 'twice' reveals these separate sounds despite its five letters. One phoneme would be incorrect as it implies a single sound, like a vowel or consonant alone. Two phonemes do not account for the full blend of sounds present. Five phonemes would overcount, possibly confusing letters with sounds, as the 'c' and 'e' are silent or blended. Four is accurate because it recognizes the diphthong /ai/ as one sound and the initial /tw/ blend as two separate phonemes, followed by /s/. This understanding is crucial for phonemic awareness in reading instruction.
5. Which of the following best describes the phonological skill the student is practicing?
A. Blending
B. Segmenting
C. Substituting
D. Deleting Correct
Explanation
The student is practicing phoneme deletion by removing the initial sound from 'clock' to form 'lock', demonstrating the ability to manipulate sounds by omitting one. Blending involves combining sounds to form words, which is not occurring here as the task starts with a whole word and modifies it. Segmenting breaks a word into individual sounds, but the activity focuses on removal rather than isolation. Substituting replaces one sound with another, whereas here a sound is entirely deleted without replacement. Deletion is key for phonological awareness, helping students understand how sound removal changes word meaning, which supports spelling and reading development.