NYSTCE ATAS Applying Reading Instructional Support 3

Question 1

A student with dyslexia benefits MOST from which type of phonics instruction?

Accepted Answer

Systematic and explicit multisensory phonics instruction

Answer

Research consistently shows that students with dyslexia respond best to structured, explicit, multisensory phonics programs that follow a systematic sequence.

Question 2

Which questioning technique encourages students to make inferences while reading fiction?

Accepted Answer

'Why do you think the character made that choice?'

Answer

Questions about character motivation require students to use text evidence combined with reasoning, which is the foundation of inferential thinking.

Question 3

A student consistently skips punctuation when reading aloud, running sentences together. The BEST intervention is to:

Accepted Answer

Use echo reading to model how punctuation signals pausing and phrasing

Answer

Echo reading allows the teaching assistant to model fluent, punctuation-aware reading so the student can hear and then replicate appropriate prosody.

Question 4

When a student has difficulty with reading comprehension but strong decoding skills, the teaching assistant should prioritize:

Accepted Answer

Building vocabulary and teaching comprehension strategies explicitly

Answer

A student who can decode but not comprehend needs explicit instruction in meaning-making strategies and vocabulary, not phonics remediation.

Question 5

What is the purpose of a 'picture walk' before reading a new text with early readers?

Accepted Answer

To activate prior knowledge and build prediction skills before reading

Answer

A picture walk previews illustrations to build background knowledge, generate predictions, and introduce key vocabulary before the student encounters the text.

NYSTCE ATAS - NYSTCE Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills Practice Test

NYSTCE ATAS - NYSTCE Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills Practice Test

NYSTCE ATAS Applying Reading Instructional Support 3