CTEL CTEL Factors in Language Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor MOST directly influences the rate at which an English learner acquires academic language proficiency?
- Age of arrival in the US
- Amount of formal schooling in the first language (Correct answer)
- Proximity to native English speakers
- Access to bilingual dictionaries
Correct answer: Amount of formal schooling in the first language
Strong literacy and schooling in L1 provides transferable academic skills that accelerate English academic language acquisition.
Question 2: A student who arrived in the US at age 12 with interrupted schooling is MOST likely to struggle with:
- Conversational English fluency
- Academic language and content literacy (Correct answer)
- Pronunciation of English phonemes
- Social peer interactions
Correct answer: Academic language and content literacy
Students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) lack foundational literacy skills that underpin academic language development.
Question 3: According to Cummins, BICS typically develops within how many years for most ELL students?
- 1–2 years (Correct answer)
- 3–5 years
- 5–7 years
- 7–10 years
Correct answer: 1–2 years
Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) generally develop within 1–2 years in a natural language environment.
Question 4: Which environmental factor is MOST associated with additive bilingualism in language learners?
- Being immersed in an English-only classroom
- Receiving support and validation for the home language (Correct answer)
- Having peers who speak only English
- Attending a school with strict English-only policies
Correct answer: Receiving support and validation for the home language
Additive bilingualism occurs when the first language is valued and maintained while a second language is added.
Question 5: A teacher notices that an ELL student is silent during class but communicates freely on the playground. This MOST likely indicates:
- A language disorder requiring intervention
- The student is in the silent/preproduction stage (Correct answer)
- The student is experiencing subtractive bilingualism
- The student has CALP but lacks BICS
Correct answer: The student is in the silent/preproduction stage
The silent/preproduction stage is a normal phase where learners absorb language before producing it, especially in formal settings.
Question 6: Which affective factor is described by Krashen as a barrier that prevents comprehensible input from becoming acquired language?
- Language transfer
- The affective filter (Correct answer)
- Interlanguage fossilization
- Code-switching
Correct answer: The affective filter
Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis states that anxiety, low motivation, and low self-confidence raise a mental barrier to language acquisition.
Question 7: What does research indicate about the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and English language development?
- SES has no measurable impact on language acquisition speed
- Higher SES generally correlates with greater access to language-rich environments and resources (Correct answer)
- Lower SES students acquire conversational English faster due to greater need
- SES only affects L1 development, not L2 acquisition
Correct answer: Higher SES generally correlates with greater access to language-rich environments and resources
Higher SES provides access to books, enriched vocabulary environments, and educational support that facilitate language development.
CTEL CTEL Factors in Language Development 2
Which factor MOST directly influences the rate at which an English learner acquires academic language proficiency?