CLAD Core Concepts & Fundamentals 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the variety of a language used in formal education and official contexts, often associated with higher social status?
- Vernacular
- Pidgin
- Standard dialect (Correct answer)
- Creole
Correct answer: Standard dialect
The standard dialect is the prestige variety of a language codified in grammars and dictionaries, used in schools, media, and government.
Question 2: Research on the 'threshold hypothesis' suggests that bilingual students achieve the cognitive advantages of bilingualism only when they:
- Learn both languages before age five
- Attain a high level of competence in both languages (Correct answer)
- Are taught exclusively through immersion
- Receive literacy instruction in both languages simultaneously
Correct answer: Attain a high level of competence in both languages
The threshold hypothesis proposes that positive cognitive effects emerge only when bilinguals reach sufficiently high proficiency in both languages.
Question 3: A CLAD-credentialed teacher is designing a lesson on fractions for English learners. Providing sentence frames such as 'The numerator represents ___' is an example of:
- Realia
- Scaffolding (Correct answer)
- Total Physical Response
- Phonemic awareness instruction
Correct answer: Scaffolding
Scaffolding refers to temporary instructional supports—like sentence frames—that help learners access content until they can perform tasks independently.
Question 4: Which factor most directly distinguishes English language learners who qualify for special education from those experiencing typical second-language acquisition difficulties?
- Age of arrival in the United States
- Length of time in the country
- The presence of language deficits that persist across both L1 and L2 (Correct answer)
- Socioeconomic background of the family
Correct answer: The presence of language deficits that persist across both L1 and L2
A language or learning disability affects the student's functioning in all languages, whereas typical SLA challenges are specific to the second language.
Question 5: The term 'heritage language learner' most accurately describes a student who:
- Was born outside the United States and speaks no English
- Has a family background in a non-English language but is dominant in English (Correct answer)
- Studies a classical language such as Latin or Ancient Greek
- Is enrolled in a foreign-language class for the first time
Correct answer: Has a family background in a non-English language but is dominant in English
Heritage language learners are raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken and may have varying degrees of proficiency in that language, but are typically more dominant in English.
Question 6: Which principle underlies the use of 'wait time' as a classroom strategy for English language learners?
- ELLs need more time to process language and formulate responses in a second language (Correct answer)
- ELLs are generally slower learners than native speakers
- Longer wait times signal lower academic expectations
- Native speakers benefit less from extended response time
Correct answer: ELLs need more time to process language and formulate responses in a second language
Providing adequate wait time acknowledges that ELLs must process questions, retrieve vocabulary, and construct responses across languages, requiring more cognitive effort.
Question 7: In the context of CLAD, 'home language survey' data is primarily used to:
- Determine a student's academic achievement level
- Identify students who may need English language development services (Correct answer)
- Assign students to bilingual education programs
- Evaluate the quality of family engagement with the school
Correct answer: Identify students who may need English language development services
The home language survey is an initial screening tool used to identify students from non-English backgrounds who may need further language proficiency assessment.
CLAD Core Concepts & Fundamentals 4
Which term describes the variety of a language used in formal education and official contexts, often associated with higher social status?