OELPA OELPA Academic Language 2

Question 1

Which term refers to words with specialized meanings specific to one subject, such as 'photosynthesis' in science?

Accepted Answer

Tier 3 technical or domain-specific vocabulary

Answer

Tier 3 technical vocabulary consists of subject-specific terms like photosynthesis, denominator, or democracy that are used primarily within a particular content domain.

Question 2

Which grammatical feature is commonly tested in OELPA academic language because it is frequently used in science and social studies texts?

Accepted Answer

Passive voice constructions (e.g., 'was discovered,' 'is used')

Answer

Passive voice is heavily used in academic and scientific writing to focus on actions and processes rather than actors, making it a key grammatical structure assessed on the OELPA.

Question 3

On the OELPA, what does a student demonstrate when they use transition words like 'however,' 'in contrast,' and 'similarly'?

Accepted Answer

Understanding of cohesive devices and compare-contrast text structure in academic language

Answer

Using transitions like however and in contrast shows a student's command of cohesive devices that signal relationships between ideas in academic discourse.

Question 4

Why is knowledge of Latin and Greek roots important for OELPA academic language proficiency?

Accepted Answer

Many academic English words contain Latin and Greek roots that help students infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary

Answer

Academic vocabulary often derives from Latin and Greek roots (e.g., bio-, geo-, -ology), so knowledge of these roots helps ELLs decode and infer meaning from unfamiliar academic terms.

Question 5

Which type of sentence structure is associated with higher academic language proficiency on the OELPA?

Accepted Answer

Complex and compound-complex sentences with subordinate clauses and embedded phrases

Answer

Higher OELPA proficiency levels are associated with the ability to produce and understand complex sentence structures that accurately convey nuanced academic ideas.

OELPA - Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment Practice Test

OELPA - Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment Practice Test

OELPA OELPA Academic Language 2