CTEL CTEL Vocabulary Development for English Learners 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Isabel Beck's three-tier vocabulary model, which tier contains high-frequency academic words that appear across many content areas, such as 'analyze,' 'compare,' and 'evaluate'?
- Tier 1 — basic conversational words
- Tier 2 — general academic vocabulary (Correct answer)
- Tier 3 — domain-specific technical terms
- Tier 4 — idiomatic expressions
Correct answer: Tier 2 — general academic vocabulary
Tier 2 words are high-frequency academic words found across multiple content areas that are critical for reading comprehension and academic success.
Question 2: A teacher uses a Frayer Model graphic organizer to introduce new vocabulary. Which component is MOST characteristic of the Frayer Model?
- Students copy the dictionary definition onto index cards
- Students write the word in alphabetical order in a personal dictionary
- Students record the definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples of the word (Correct answer)
- Students use the word five times in original sentences
Correct answer: Students record the definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples of the word
The Frayer Model has four quadrants: definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples, which deepen conceptual understanding of a word.
Question 3: Research suggests that students need approximately how many meaningful exposures to a new word before it becomes part of their working vocabulary?
- 2–3 exposures
- 5–7 exposures
- 10–12 exposures (Correct answer)
- 15–20 exposures
Correct answer: 10–12 exposures
Research by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan indicates that students typically need 10–15 meaningful encounters with a word across varied contexts for it to become part of their productive vocabulary.
Question 4: Which vocabulary acquisition strategy is MOST beneficial for Spanish-speaking English learners because it capitalizes on shared Latin and Greek roots between the two languages?
- Total Physical Response (TPR)
- Cognate awareness instruction (Correct answer)
- Word sorting by syllable count
- Choral repetition of vocabulary lists
Correct answer: Cognate awareness instruction
Cognate awareness instruction helps Spanish-speaking ELs recognize words that look and mean the same in both languages (e.g., 'animal/animal'), significantly accelerating vocabulary acquisition.
Question 5: A teacher wants to help ELs understand the word 'migrate.' Which instructional approach best develops deep word knowledge?
- Asking students to look up 'migrate' in the dictionary and memorize the definition
- Having students use 'migrate' in a sentence and move on
- Exploring the word's meaning, related forms (migration, migratory), visual context, and usage in a sentence (Correct answer)
- Writing the word on the board and pronouncing it chorally three times
Correct answer: Exploring the word's meaning, related forms (migration, migratory), visual context, and usage in a sentence
Deep word knowledge involves understanding a word's meaning, morphological family, semantic context, and usage — not just a single dictionary definition.
Question 6: What is the primary distinction between BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) as described by Jim Cummins?
- BICS refers to written language; CALP refers to spoken language
- BICS is context-embedded everyday language; CALP is the cognitively demanding academic language needed for school success (Correct answer)
- BICS applies only to reading skills; CALP applies only to math vocabulary
- BICS is developed in the first year; CALP takes two years to develop
Correct answer: BICS is context-embedded everyday language; CALP is the cognitively demanding academic language needed for school success
BICS is informal, context-rich conversational language acquired in 1–3 years, while CALP is the abstract, decontextualized academic language that takes 5–7 years to develop fully.
Question 7: Which classroom practice BEST supports incidental vocabulary acquisition for English learners?
- Providing weekly vocabulary quizzes on isolated word lists
- Exposing ELs to rich, comprehensible input through extensive reading and listening across varied texts (Correct answer)
- Requiring students to copy new words and definitions from the board each day
- Limiting EL reading to texts exclusively at or below their current reading level
Correct answer: Exposing ELs to rich, comprehensible input through extensive reading and listening across varied texts
Incidental vocabulary learning occurs through repeated exposure to rich, comprehensible text and conversation, allowing students to infer word meanings in authentic contexts.
CTEL CTEL Vocabulary Development for English Learners 1
According to Isabel Beck's three-tier vocabulary model, which tier contains high-frequency academic words that appear across many content areas, such as 'analyze,' 'compare,' and 'evaluate'?