ELAR Educating All Learners & Professional Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student who recently immigrated speaks no English and has high literacy in their home language. Which instructional approach is MOST appropriate initially?
- Immerse the student in English-only instruction immediately with no supports
- Leverage the student's L1 literacy as a foundation while building English language skills (Correct answer)
- Delay formal literacy instruction until basic oral English is acquired
- Assign the student to a special education program for language support
Correct answer: Leverage the student's L1 literacy as a foundation while building English language skills
Research shows that strong L1 literacy transfers to L2 learning; building on existing skills accelerates English literacy acquisition.
Question 2: Which action BEST demonstrates collaboration between a general education teacher and a special education co-teacher in an inclusive ELAR classroom?
- The special education teacher works only with students with IEPs in a back corner
- Both teachers jointly plan lessons, share instructional responsibilities, and circulate to support all students (Correct answer)
- The general education teacher instructs while the special education teacher grades papers
- The special education teacher attends class but does not participate in instruction
Correct answer: Both teachers jointly plan lessons, share instructional responsibilities, and circulate to support all students
Effective co-teaching involves shared planning and shared instructional roles that benefit all students, not just those with IEPs.
Question 3: A teacher suspects a student may have dyslexia based on persistent reading difficulties. The MOST appropriate next step is to:
- Inform the student they likely have dyslexia and adjust all expectations
- Document specific observations and consult with the school's intervention team (Correct answer)
- Independently diagnose the student and design a dyslexia intervention plan
- Notify parents that the student will be retained
Correct answer: Document specific observations and consult with the school's intervention team
Teachers document concerns and refer to the school's multi-disciplinary intervention team; diagnosing a learning disability requires a formal evaluation process.
Question 4: Which practice MOST supports the development of a growth mindset around reading in struggling learners?
- Praising students for their natural intelligence when they read well
- Providing specific feedback focused on effort, strategy use, and progress over time (Correct answer)
- Avoiding challenging texts to prevent frustration and build confidence
- Comparing student reading levels publicly to motivate improvement
Correct answer: Providing specific feedback focused on effort, strategy use, and progress over time
Specific process-focused feedback builds resilience and self-efficacy by attributing progress to effort and strategy rather than fixed ability.
Question 5: A teacher wants to use technology to differentiate instruction in ELAR. Which use is MOST evidence-aligned?
- Replacing teacher instruction with educational videos for all lessons
- Using adaptive reading platforms to provide appropriately leveled texts and targeted practice (Correct answer)
- Allowing students to choose any app during reading time
- Requiring all students to complete identical digital worksheets
Correct answer: Using adaptive reading platforms to provide appropriately leveled texts and targeted practice
Adaptive platforms adjust text complexity and provide targeted skill practice based on student performance data, supporting differentiated instruction.
Question 6: Which scenario BEST illustrates Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 2 support for a struggling reader?
- A student receives only whole-class core reading instruction
- A small group of students receives targeted, research-based intervention in addition to core instruction (Correct answer)
- A student is placed in special education after one month of difficulty
- The entire class receives supplemental phonics workbooks
Correct answer: A small group of students receives targeted, research-based intervention in addition to core instruction
Tier 2 provides supplemental small-group intervention above and beyond core instruction for students who need additional support.
Question 7: A teacher wants to honor family linguistic diversity in ELAR instruction. Which strategy is MOST appropriate?
- Ask families to speak only English at home to support school literacy
- Invite families to share stories, texts, or cultural knowledge that connect to classroom learning (Correct answer)
- Limit family involvement to reading school newsletters in English
- Avoid discussing home languages during classroom literacy activities
Correct answer: Invite families to share stories, texts, or cultural knowledge that connect to classroom learning
Inviting families to share cultural and linguistic resources validates students' home identities and enriches the literacy community.
ELAR Educating All Learners & Professional Practice 5
A student who recently immigrated speaks no English and has high literacy in their home language.
Which instructional approach is MOST appropriate initially?