OELPA Academic Language Flashcards
6 cards from real OELPA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 OELPA Academic Language flashcards as text
Which term refers to words with specialized meanings specific to one subject, such as 'photosynthesis' in science?
Answer: Tier 3 technical or domain-specific vocabulary
Tier 3 technical vocabulary consists of subject-specific terms like photosynthesis, denominator, or democracy that are used primarily within a particular content domain.
Which grammatical feature is commonly tested in OELPA academic language because it is frequently used in science and social studies texts?
Answer: Passive voice constructions (e.g., 'was discovered,' 'is used')
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.
On the OELPA, what does a student demonstrate when they use transition words like 'however,' 'in contrast,' and 'similarly'?
Answer: Understanding of cohesive devices and compare-contrast text structure in academic language
Using transitions like however and in contrast shows a student's command of cohesive devices that signal relationships between ideas in academic discourse.
Why is knowledge of Latin and Greek roots important for OELPA academic language proficiency?
Answer: Many academic English words contain Latin and Greek roots that help students infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary
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.
Which type of sentence structure is associated with higher academic language proficiency on the OELPA?
Answer: Complex and compound-complex sentences with subordinate clauses and embedded phrases
Higher OELPA proficiency levels are associated with the ability to produce and understand complex sentence structures that accurately convey nuanced academic ideas.
How does the OELPA assess a student's knowledge of academic language in the context of math?
Answer: Through tasks involving mathematical language such as explaining reasoning, interpreting data, or describing geometric properties
OELPA math-related language tasks assess whether students can use the language of mathematics to explain reasoning and describe quantitative relationships, not to perform calculations.