CIA Educational Strategies & Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student consistently gives correct answers verbally but struggles to write them down. Which accommodation best addresses this barrier?
- Reduce the number of written questions
- Allow oral responses or use of a scribe (Correct answer)
- Provide extended time for all assessments
- Assign a peer tutor for writing practice
Correct answer: Allow oral responses or use of a scribe
Allowing oral responses or a scribe directly removes the barrier while still assessing the student's knowledge.
Question 2: When using scaffolding in instruction, the instructional assistant's primary role is to:
- Complete the task alongside the student each time
- Gradually remove support as the student gains competence (Correct answer)
- Provide the same level of help regardless of progress
- Focus only on correct answers, not the learning process
Correct answer: Gradually remove support as the student gains competence
Scaffolding is designed to be temporary support that is faded as the learner becomes more independent.
Question 3: Which type of assessment is BEST suited for measuring a student's growth over time rather than performance at a single moment?
- Summative assessment
- Norm-referenced assessment
- Portfolio assessment (Correct answer)
- Standardized testing
Correct answer: Portfolio assessment
Portfolio assessment collects student work samples over a period, documenting progress and growth longitudinally.
Question 4: A student with an IEP goal around reading fluency is working below grade level. The instructional assistant should:
- Use grade-level texts to challenge the student
- Use materials matched to the student's instructional reading level (Correct answer)
- Skip fluency practice since it is the teacher's responsibility
- Focus solely on comprehension questions instead
Correct answer: Use materials matched to the student's instructional reading level
Materials should be at the student's instructional level to build fluency effectively without causing frustration.
Question 5: During cooperative learning activities, the instructional assistant notices one student is dominating while others are passive. The BEST response is to:
- Remove the dominant student from the group
- Assign specific roles to each group member (Correct answer)
- Let the group resolve the issue on their own
- Report the issue to the teacher after the lesson
Correct answer: Assign specific roles to each group member
Assigning structured roles ensures equitable participation and helps all students contribute meaningfully.
Question 6: Which instructional strategy is most closely associated with Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
- Teaching to the middle of the class
- Providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression (Correct answer)
- Focusing on direct instruction for all learners
- Using the same assessment format for every student
Correct answer: Providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression
UDL is built on three principles: multiple means of representation, engagement, and action/expression to reach diverse learners.
Question 7: A teacher asks an instructional assistant to administer a running record. What is the primary purpose of this assessment?
- Evaluate comprehension through written responses
- Measure a student's reading accuracy and fluency in real time (Correct answer)
- Assess the student's knowledge of phonics rules in isolation
- Determine the student's Lexile score for standardized comparison
Correct answer: Measure a student's reading accuracy and fluency in real time
A running record captures oral reading behaviors to assess accuracy, fluency, and reading strategies used.
CIA Educational Strategies & Assessment 2
A student consistently gives correct answers verbally but struggles to write them down.
Which accommodation best addresses this barrier?