CTEL CTEL Vocabulary Development for English Learners 2

Question 1

A teacher models how to break down the word 'photosynthesis' into its parts: 'photo' (light) and 'synthesis' (putting together). This strategy is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Morphological analysis

Answer

Semantic mapping

Answer

Contextual redefinition

Answer

Vocabulary self-selection

Question 2

Which term describes a student's ability to understand a word when reading or hearing it, even if they cannot yet produce or use it independently in speech or writing?

Accepted Answer

Receptive vocabulary

Answer

Productive vocabulary

Answer

Academic vocabulary

Answer

Emergent vocabulary

Question 3

According to research on vocabulary and reading comprehension, approximately what percentage of the words in a text must a reader understand for adequate comprehension to occur?

Accepted Answer

95–98%

Answer

70–75%

Answer

80–85%

Answer

100%

Question 4

A semantic map (word web) is MOST effective for vocabulary instruction because it:

Accepted Answer

Shows relationships between a target word and related concepts, synonyms, and examples

Answer

Requires students to alphabetize new words for efficient recall

Answer

Provides a phonetic breakdown of multisyllabic vocabulary words

Answer

Limits cognitive load by presenting one definition per word

Question 5

The 'Matthew Effect' in vocabulary development, coined by Keith Stanovich, refers to which phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Students with large vocabularies read more and therefore acquire more vocabulary, while students with smaller vocabularies fall further behind

Answer

Biblical vocabulary appears more frequently in standardized tests than other text types

Answer

Vocabulary knowledge decreases over summer break at a predictable rate

Answer

ELs develop vocabulary fastest during the first two years of school

Question 6

Which of the following BEST describes a 'word-rich environment' that supports vocabulary acquisition for ELs?

Accepted Answer

A classroom with word walls, labeled items, rich discussion, varied reading materials, and frequent opportunities to use academic language

Answer

A classroom where the teacher posts a single weekly vocabulary list and students test on it Friday

Answer

A classroom where students use only the textbook glossary to define new words

Answer

A classroom that limits conversation to prevent noise and off-task behavior

Question 7

When pre-teaching vocabulary before a content-area reading, which selection criterion MOST effectively prioritizes which words to teach?

Accepted Answer

Select words students are unlikely to know that are essential for comprehending the specific text and useful across many contexts

Answer

Select the longest and most difficult-looking words in the text

Answer

Select words already taught in prior grade levels for review and reinforcement

Answer

Select words that appear most frequently in the dictionary