AECTP Reading Instruction 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher uses a 'word sorts' activity where students categorize words by vowel patterns. This activity primarily develops:
- Phonemic awareness
- Morphological awareness
- Orthographic pattern recognition (Correct answer)
- Syntax knowledge
Correct answer: Orthographic pattern recognition
Word sorts require students to notice and categorize spelling patterns, directly building orthographic pattern recognition.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a running record in reading instruction?
- To measure a student's reading rate in words per minute
- To document and analyze oral reading errors for instructional planning (Correct answer)
- To assess a student's background knowledge before reading
- To evaluate written comprehension responses
Correct answer: To document and analyze oral reading errors for instructional planning
Running records capture and code a student's oral reading errors (miscues), allowing teachers to analyze reading behaviors and plan targeted instruction.
Question 3: A kindergarten teacher reads aloud daily from a variety of genres. This practice MOST directly supports students':
- Phonics decoding skills
- Print concept development
- Oral language and vocabulary development (Correct answer)
- Letter-name knowledge
Correct answer: Oral language and vocabulary development
Regular read-alouds expose students to rich vocabulary and varied language structures, building oral language that supports later reading comprehension.
Question 4: The term 'morpheme' refers to:
- The smallest unit of sound in a language
- The smallest meaningful unit in a language (Correct answer)
- A group of words that form a complete sentence
- A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
Correct answer: The smallest meaningful unit in a language
A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a language, such as a root word, prefix, or suffix.
Question 5: A student reads accurately but very slowly and in a monotone voice. Which fluency component should the teacher TARGET?
- Accuracy
- Rate and prosody (Correct answer)
- Phoneme blending
- Sight word recognition
Correct answer: Rate and prosody
Fluency encompasses accuracy, rate, and prosody; the student's slow pace and flat expression indicate deficits in rate and prosody specifically.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of an implicit comprehension question?
- What is the name of the main character?
- Where does the story take place?
- Why do you think the character made that choice? (Correct answer)
- How many animals were in the story?
Correct answer: Why do you think the character made that choice?
Implicit questions require students to infer answers using textual clues and prior knowledge rather than locating a directly stated answer.
Question 7: A teacher explicitly teaches the Latin root 'rupt' (to break) alongside words like 'interrupt,' 'erupt,' and 'bankrupt.' This strategy MOST directly develops:
- Phonological awareness
- Structural analysis and morphological knowledge (Correct answer)
- Syntactic awareness
- Fluency automaticity
Correct answer: Structural analysis and morphological knowledge
Teaching roots and their derived words builds morphological knowledge, helping students decode and determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
A teacher uses a 'word sorts' activity where students categorize words by vowel patterns.
This activity primarily develops: