CTEL CTEL Vocabulary Development for English Learners 2 — Questions and Answers
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:
- Semantic mapping
- Morphological analysis (Correct answer)
- Contextual redefinition
- Vocabulary self-selection
Correct answer: Morphological analysis
Morphological analysis is the strategy of breaking words into meaningful parts (prefixes, roots, suffixes) to infer meaning, which is especially powerful for academic vocabulary.
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?
- Productive vocabulary
- Receptive vocabulary (Correct answer)
- Academic vocabulary
- Emergent vocabulary
Correct answer: Receptive vocabulary
Receptive vocabulary refers to words a learner understands when encountered in listening or reading, which typically precedes productive use of the same words.
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?
- 70–75%
- 80–85%
- 95–98% (Correct answer)
- 100%
Correct answer: 95–98%
Research indicates that readers need to know approximately 95–98% of words in a text to read with adequate fluency and comprehension without vocabulary support.
Question 4: A semantic map (word web) is MOST effective for vocabulary instruction because it:
- Requires students to alphabetize new words for efficient recall
- Shows relationships between a target word and related concepts, synonyms, and examples (Correct answer)
- Provides a phonetic breakdown of multisyllabic vocabulary words
- Limits cognitive load by presenting one definition per word
Correct answer: Shows relationships between a target word and related concepts, synonyms, and examples
Semantic maps activate prior knowledge and build conceptual understanding by visually connecting a target word to related ideas, categories, synonyms, and antonyms.
Question 5: The 'Matthew Effect' in vocabulary development, coined by Keith Stanovich, refers to which phenomenon?
- Students with large vocabularies read more and therefore acquire more vocabulary, while students with smaller vocabularies fall further behind (Correct answer)
- Biblical vocabulary appears more frequently in standardized tests than other text types
- Vocabulary knowledge decreases over summer break at a predictable rate
- ELs develop vocabulary fastest during the first two years of school
Correct answer: Students with large vocabularies read more and therefore acquire more vocabulary, while students with smaller vocabularies fall further behind
The Matthew Effect describes how vocabulary-rich students read more widely, gaining more vocabulary, while vocabulary-poor students avoid reading, causing the gap between them to widen over time.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes a 'word-rich environment' that supports vocabulary acquisition for ELs?
- A classroom where the teacher posts a single weekly vocabulary list and students test on it Friday
- A classroom with word walls, labeled items, rich discussion, varied reading materials, and frequent opportunities to use academic language (Correct answer)
- A classroom where students use only the textbook glossary to define new words
- A classroom that limits conversation to prevent noise and off-task behavior
Correct answer: A classroom with word walls, labeled items, rich discussion, varied reading materials, and frequent opportunities to use academic language
A word-rich environment surrounds students with print, meaningful language use, interactive vocabulary activities, and frequent opportunities to hear and produce academic language in context.
Question 7: When pre-teaching vocabulary before a content-area reading, which selection criterion MOST effectively prioritizes which words to teach?
- Select the longest and most difficult-looking words in the text
- Select words students are unlikely to know that are essential for comprehending the specific text and useful across many contexts (Correct answer)
- Select words already taught in prior grade levels for review and reinforcement
- Select words that appear most frequently in the dictionary
Correct answer: Select words students are unlikely to know that are essential for comprehending the specific text and useful across many contexts
Effective pre-teaching prioritizes high-utility words that are essential for comprehending the target text and likely to appear across multiple academic contexts (Tier 2 words).
CTEL CTEL Vocabulary Development for English Learners 2
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: