TExES Science of Teaching Reading (STR) (293) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Repeated reading practice most directly improves which literacy skill?

Reading fluency (Correct answer)
Vocabulary
Spelling
Phonemic awareness

Correct answer: Reading fluency

Repeated reading of the same text increases word recognition speed and prosody, directly building fluency.

Question 2: Which statement about the Simple View of Reading is TRUE as it relates to dyslexia intervention?

Students with dyslexia typically have a decoding deficit; intervention must target word recognition directly (Correct answer)
Comprehension-first strategies are the most effective intervention for dyslexia
The Simple View is not relevant to dyslexia because dyslexia affects overall comprehension
Students with dyslexia should focus only on language comprehension strategies

Correct answer: Students with dyslexia typically have a decoding deficit; intervention must target word recognition directly

Dyslexia is characterized by a word recognition and decoding deficit; the Simple View shows that strengthening decoding directly improves the reading comprehension product.

Question 3: Which sequence correctly arranges phonemic awareness tasks from least to most complex?

Segmentation, Blending, Deletion, Substitution
Deletion, Rhyme recognition, Blending, Segmentation
Rhyme recognition, Blending, Segmentation, Manipulation (Correct answer)
Manipulation, Segmentation, Blending, Rhyme recognition

Correct answer: Rhyme recognition, Blending, Segmentation, Manipulation

Research shows rhyme recognition is earliest, followed by blending, then segmentation, with manipulation (deletion/substitution) being most complex.

Question 4: Which of the following best describes academic language?

The informal conversational language students use with peers
Any language spoken by teachers in the classroom
The specialized vocabulary and complex syntax used in school tasks, texts, and formal communication (Correct answer)
Language that avoids all slang and contractions

Correct answer: The specialized vocabulary and complex syntax used in school tasks, texts, and formal communication

Academic language encompasses domain-specific vocabulary, abstract concepts, complex grammatical structures, and the discourse patterns valued in educational settings and formal texts.

Question 5: A student understands individual sentences but struggles to understand the whole text. This is BEST described as a problem with:

Decoding
Text-level comprehension (global coherence) (Correct answer)
Phonological awareness
Sentence-level fluency

Correct answer: Text-level comprehension (global coherence)

Difficulty integrating sentences into a coherent whole reflects a problem with global coherence or text-level comprehension.

Question 6: A student reads: 'The scientist's hypothesis was corroborated by three independent experiments.' The student is unfamiliar with 'corroborated.' Which context clue type is most helpful here?

Inference clue (Correct answer)
Example clue
Contrast clue
Appositive or definition clue

Correct answer: Inference clue

No explicit definition or example is given; the student must use the logic of the sentence, that experiments would confirm or support a hypothesis, to infer that 'corroborated' means confirmed or supported.

Question 7: Which strategy helps students identify and use text features in informational texts?

Text feature walk before reading (Correct answer)
Echo reading
Phonics mapping
Word sorts

Correct answer: Text feature walk before reading

A text feature walk has students preview headings, subheadings, captions, graphs, and bold words before reading to build purpose and activate knowledge.

Question 8: What is the purpose of a KWL chart in comprehension instruction?

Activate prior knowledge before reading and track learning (Correct answer)
Assess phonics skills
Build spelling patterns
Practice fluency with repeated reading

Correct answer: Activate prior knowledge before reading and track learning

A KWL chart activates background knowledge (K), sets purposes for reading (W), and documents new learning (L).

Question 9: A student says the word 'flap' has three sounds rather than four. What error is the student likely making?

Treating a digraph as a single phoneme
Treating the consonant blend /fl/ as a single phoneme instead of two (Correct answer)
Conflating a syllable with a phoneme
Confusing a rime with an onset

Correct answer: Treating the consonant blend /fl/ as a single phoneme instead of two

The student is treating the consonant blend /fl/ as one sound instead of two separate phonemes /f/ and /l/, resulting in an undercount of phonemes.

Question 10: The word 'unbreakable' can be analyzed morphologically as:

One free morpheme and one bound morpheme
One free morpheme and two bound morphemes (Correct answer)
Two free morphemes and one bound morpheme
Three free morphemes

Correct answer: One free morpheme and two bound morphemes

Unbreakable consists of un- (bound prefix) plus break (free root) plus -able (bound suffix): one free morpheme and two bound morphemes.

Question 11: Which of the following is an example of a derivational suffix that changes the grammatical category of a word?

-ing (running)
-ed (jumped)
-s (cats)
-tion (education) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: -tion (education)

The suffix -tion changes a verb (educate) into a noun (education), making it a derivational suffix that changes grammatical category.

Question 12: Which of the following skills is NOT part of phonological awareness?

Segmenting words into syllables
Identifying letter names and sounds (Correct answer)
Rhyming words
Blending phonemes to form words

Correct answer: Identifying letter names and sounds

Identifying letter names and sounds is a skill related to phonics and alphabet knowledge, not phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is purely auditory, focusing on the sounds of spoken language without reference to print. Skills like segmenting words into syllables, blending phonemes, and rhyming words all involve manipulating spoken sounds, whereas letter identification connects sounds to written symbols.

Question 13: Which of these is an example of a phonemic awareness task?

Reading the word "dog" aloud
Identifying the first sound in the word "dog" (Correct answer)
Naming the letters in the word "dog"
Writing the word "dog"

Correct answer: Identifying the first sound in the word "dog"

Identifying the first sound in a word, such as /d/ in "dog," is a classic phonemic awareness task. Phonemic awareness is a specific subset of phonological awareness that focuses on the individual sounds (phonemes) within words. This activity requires a child to isolate and recognize a single phoneme, demonstrating their ability to manipulate the smallest units of sound in spoken language.

Question 14: A student's listening comprehension is strong but reading comprehension is weak. According to the Simple View, the primary deficit is likely in:

Background knowledge
Decoding/word recognition (Correct answer)
Vocabulary
Language comprehension

Correct answer: Decoding/word recognition

Strong listening comprehension but weak reading comprehension points to a decoding problem, not a language comprehension problem.

Question 15: Word consciousness refers to:

The ability to decode multisyllabic words quickly and accurately
Memorizing definitions of Tier 3 academic words
Awareness of a word's phonological properties only
An interest in and awareness of words, their meanings, and their uses (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An interest in and awareness of words, their meanings, and their uses

Word consciousness is a disposition toward noticing, appreciating, and being curious about words, including their origins, nuances, and power, which motivates vocabulary growth.

Question 16: Which fluency measure specifically counts the number of correct words read per minute (WCPM)?

Vocabulary probe
Maze probe
Phoneme segmentation fluency
ORF probe (Correct answer)

Correct answer: ORF probe

The Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) probe measures words read correctly per minute from a grade-level passage.

Question 17: The Transitional stage of spelling is BEST characterized by:

Letter-name strategies
Awareness of visual patterns and morphemes but inconsistent use (Correct answer)
Mastery of all spelling patterns
Random letter strings

Correct answer: Awareness of visual patterns and morphemes but inconsistent use

Transitional spellers know many patterns but apply them inconsistently, showing emerging understanding of morphological and orthographic rules.

Question 18: Which skill is part of phonological awareness but NOT phonemic awareness?

Phoneme blending
Syllable segmentation (Correct answer)
Phoneme deletion
Phoneme substitution

Correct answer: Syllable segmentation

Syllable segmentation operates at the syllable level, which is broader than the phoneme level. Phonemic awareness specifically concerns individual phonemes.

Question 19: What is a grapheme?

A unit of sound in spoken language
A written symbol or set of symbols representing a single phoneme (Correct answer)
A meaningful unit of language such as a prefix or suffix
A syllable within a multisyllabic word

Correct answer: A written symbol or set of symbols representing a single phoneme

A grapheme is the written representation of a phoneme, which may be a single letter or a combination of letters such as 'sh' or 'igh'.

Question 20: Which instructional approach builds morphological awareness to support vocabulary development?

Providing a class glossary of technical terms at the start of each unit
Having students memorize 20 vocabulary words per week using flashcards
Teaching common prefixes, suffixes, and roots so students can analyze unfamiliar words (Correct answer)
Using pictures and gestures to teach all new vocabulary words

Correct answer: Teaching common prefixes, suffixes, and roots so students can analyze unfamiliar words

Morphological awareness instruction teaches students the building blocks of words, empowering them to analyze and infer the meaning of tens of thousands of derived words.

Question 21: According to the Simple View of Reading, which of the following is a key component of language comprehension?

Background knowledge and vocabulary (Correct answer)
Print concepts
Phonological recoding
Phoneme segmentation

Correct answer: Background knowledge and vocabulary

Language comprehension in the Simple View includes background knowledge, vocabulary, grammar, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge, which are all meaning-related skills.

Question 22: Which principle guides intervention intensity in a tiered support model?

Intensity increases based on student response — more support for those who respond less (Correct answer)
All students receive the same intervention regardless of need
Progress monitoring stops once intervention begins
Tier 3 is always special education

Correct answer: Intensity increases based on student response — more support for those who respond less

The guiding principle of RTI/MTSS is matching intensity of support to student need, with more intensive support for students who show less response.

Question 23: According to the Simple View of Reading, vocabulary knowledge contributes primarily to which component?

Phonological awareness
Print concepts
Decoding and word recognition
Language comprehension (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Language comprehension

In the Simple View of Reading, reading comprehension equals decoding times language comprehension. Vocabulary is a key component of language comprehension.

Question 24: A kindergarten teacher reads a complex picture book aloud and asks: 'Why do you think the fox tricked the crow? Have you ever felt like the crow? What does that tell us about trust?' What level of comprehension do these questions target?

Print concept development
Phonological awareness through rhyme recognition
Literal comprehension only
Inferential and evaluative comprehension (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Inferential and evaluative comprehension

Inferential questions ask why (cause/motive) and evaluative questions connect to personal experience and life lessons, both going beyond literal recall of stated facts.

Question 25: Which type of phonics instruction introduces letter-sound relationships in a predetermined, logical sequence?

Incidental phonics
Whole-language phonics
Systematic phonics (Correct answer)
Embedded phonics

Correct answer: Systematic phonics

Systematic phonics instruction introduces letter-sound correspondences in a carefully planned, sequential order rather than as opportunities arise in connected text.

Question 26: Which definition of dyslexia is used by the International Dyslexia Association?

A specific learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, poor decoding and spelling, rooted in a phonological processing deficit (Correct answer)
A general intelligence deficit that impairs reading acquisition across all subjects
A behavioral disorder resulting from inadequate reading instruction
A vision disorder causing letters to reverse or appear backwards

Correct answer: A specific learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, poor decoding and spelling, rooted in a phonological processing deficit

The IDA defines dyslexia as a specific, neurobiological learning disability rooted in a phonological processing deficit, affecting word recognition and decoding despite adequate instruction.

Question 27: Which activity best develops phoneme substitution skills?

Clapping out syllables in compound words
Telling students to say 'bat' but change /b/ to /s/ (Correct answer)
Having students sort pictures by beginning sound
Asking students to count phonemes in three-letter words

Correct answer: Telling students to say 'bat' but change /b/ to /s/

Phoneme substitution directly practices replacing one phoneme with another, as in changing /b/ in 'bat' to /s/ to make 'sat'.

Question 28: Which type of assessment is used to identify students at risk for reading difficulties BEFORE problems emerge?

Universal screening (Correct answer)
Summative assessment
Diagnostic assessment
Portfolio assessment

Correct answer: Universal screening

Universal screening is administered to all students to identify those at risk for reading difficulties before they fall significantly behind.

Question 29: A teacher introduces the word 'persistent' by providing its definition, showing it used in two different sentences, asking students to compare a persistent person to a lazy one, and then having students rate their own persistence. This approach exemplifies:

Rich, robust vocabulary instruction with deep processing (Correct answer)
Direct phonics instruction applied to multisyllabic words
Tier 3 technical vocabulary instruction
Incidental vocabulary learning through context

Correct answer: Rich, robust vocabulary instruction with deep processing

This multi-faceted approach combining definition, contextual examples, comparison, and personal connection characterizes the rich, robust vocabulary instruction recommended by Beck and colleagues.

Question 30: Morphological awareness in spelling refers to understanding:

The meaningful units (prefixes, roots, suffixes) within words (Correct answer)
How letters map to sounds
Letter formation
Syllable stress patterns

Correct answer: The meaningful units (prefixes, roots, suffixes) within words

Morphological awareness involves recognizing and using meaningful word parts (morphemes) to spell, read, and understand words.

Question 31: In the context of language acquisition, what is meant by 'decontextualized language'?

Language used during concrete, hands-on activities with objects present
Sign language used with non-hearing populations
Dialect features that differ from standard academic English
Language about topics, events, or ideas not immediately present in the here and now (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Language about topics, events, or ideas not immediately present in the here and now

Decontextualized language refers to language used to discuss things not present in the immediate context, such as past events, future plans, and hypotheticals, which is the type of language heavily used in academic settings.

Question 32: The Discourse Comprehension model suggests comprehension occurs at multiple levels. Which level deals with understanding words and sentences?

Macrostructure
Surface code (Correct answer)
Text base
Situation model

Correct answer: Surface code

The surface code level involves understanding the exact words and sentence structures as written in the text.

Question 33: What is a morpheme in the context of word analysis?

A synonym for prefix
The smallest unit of sound in a word
A type of punctuation mark
The smallest meaningful unit in a language (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The smallest meaningful unit in a language

In the context of word analysis, a morpheme is defined as the smallest meaningful unit in a language. Unlike phonemes, which are just sounds, morphemes carry semantic meaning or grammatical function. Examples include root words (e.g., 'read'), prefixes (e.g., 'un-'), and suffixes (e.g., '-ing'), all of which contribute to the overall meaning of a word.

Question 34: Reciprocal Teaching incorporates which four comprehension strategies?

Preview, read, recite, review
Scan, skim, read, review
Connect, visualize, infer, evaluate
Predict, question, clarify, summarize (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Predict, question, clarify, summarize

Reciprocal Teaching uses predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing — strategies students apply in rotating teacher roles.

Question 35: What is a digraph?

A word with exactly two syllables
Two adjacent vowels that each retain their individual sound
Two letters that together represent one phoneme (Correct answer)
A consonant blend at the beginning of a word

Correct answer: Two letters that together represent one phoneme

A digraph is two letters that combine to represent a single phoneme, such as 'sh,' 'ch,' 'th,' or 'ph.'

Question 36: Which text feature helps readers locate information in informational books quickly?

Index (Correct answer)
Title page
Dedication
Illustrations

Correct answer: Index

An index is an alphabetical listing at the back of a book that directs readers to where specific topics are discussed.

Question 37: How does reading aloud to children help with vocabulary development?

It improves their spelling skills
It helps them memorize words more quickly
It teaches them how to write stories
It exposes them to new words and models correct pronunciation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It exposes them to new words and models correct pronunciation

Reading aloud to children significantly helps with vocabulary development by exposing them to a wide range of new words they might not encounter in everyday conversation. It also models correct pronunciation and demonstrates how words are used in meaningful sentences and stories. This exposure builds a foundation for later independent reading and comprehension.

Question 38: A student is in Tier 2 intervention. Progress monitoring shows no growth after 8 weeks. The BEST next step is to:

Continue the same intervention for 8 more weeks
Refer immediately for special education evaluation without changes
Move student back to Tier 1 only
Intensify intervention and consider diagnostic evaluation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Intensify intervention and consider diagnostic evaluation

Lack of response after 8 weeks indicates a need to intensify or change the intervention and potentially pursue diagnostic evaluation.

Question 39: Which statement best describes the Vowel-Consonant-e (VCe) syllable type?

Both vowels in the pattern are pronounced
The vowel is short because it is followed by two consonants
The 'e' at the end is pronounced as a schwa sound
The first vowel is long because the final e signals it across the intervening consonant (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The first vowel is long because the final e signals it across the intervening consonant

In a VCe syllable, the final silent 'e' signals that the preceding vowel is long, as in make, pine, hope, and cube.

Question 40: What is a tiered vocabulary?

Vocabulary divided into categories: Tier 1 (basic words), Tier 2 (high-frequency words), and Tier 3 (subject-specific words) (Correct answer)
A set of words that students must memorize each week
A list of vocabulary words grouped by difficulty level
Vocabulary used only in academic settings

Correct answer: Vocabulary divided into categories: Tier 1 (basic words), Tier 2 (high-frequency words), and Tier 3 (subject-specific words)

Tiered vocabulary is a framework that categorizes words to guide instruction, typically into three tiers. Tier 1 consists of basic, everyday words; Tier 2 includes high-frequency words that appear across various subjects and are crucial for comprehension; and Tier 3 comprises low-frequency, subject-specific words. This system helps educators prioritize which words to teach explicitly to maximize impact on student learning.

Question 41: Which strategy MOST effectively builds academic vocabulary through oral language for English Language Learners?

Providing ELL students with a glossary to memorize before each lesson
Using comprehensible input with visual supports, repetition, and structured discussion (Correct answer)
Requiring ELL students to read academic texts without scaffolding to accelerate exposure
Separating ELL students to work on vocabulary worksheets independently

Correct answer: Using comprehensible input with visual supports, repetition, and structured discussion

Comprehensible input with visual supports and structured discussion provides ELLs with accessible meaning-making opportunities while exposing them to academic language in context.

Question 42: A student can clap syllables in words but struggles to identify the first sound in a word. This suggests the student needs practice with:

Phoneme isolation (Correct answer)
Rime identification
Onset blending
Syllable segmentation

Correct answer: Phoneme isolation

Phoneme isolation, which is identifying a single phoneme in a specific position, is the skill the student is struggling with despite having syllable-level awareness.

Question 43: Which vocabulary strategy helps students use context clues to infer word meaning?

Semantic mapping of related words
Pre-teaching vocabulary before reading
Using a word wall to display high-frequency words
Teaching students to examine surrounding sentences and signal words for meaning clues (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Teaching students to examine surrounding sentences and signal words for meaning clues

Context clue strategies teach students to use the words and ideas surrounding an unknown word, such as definitions, examples, and contrast signal words, to infer meaning during reading.

Question 44: Which instructional approach asks students to sort words into categories based on spelling patterns?

Dictation only
Cloze activities
Speed drills
Word sorts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Word sorts

Word sorts have students categorize words by shared patterns (e.g., vowel sounds or prefixes), actively building orthographic knowledge.

Question 45: What is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change meaning?

Syllable
Phoneme (Correct answer)
Grapheme
Morpheme

Correct answer: Phoneme

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another, thereby changing its meaning. For example, the words 'cat' and 'bat' differ by only one phoneme (/k/ vs. /b/), which completely alters their meaning. Understanding phonemes is crucial for developing phonemic awareness and ultimately for decoding words in reading.

Question 46: Why is word analysis important for reading comprehension?

It enables students to decode and understand unfamiliar words (Correct answer)
It helps students read faster
It helps students memorize vocabulary lists
It improves students' handwriting

Correct answer: It enables students to decode and understand unfamiliar words

Word analysis is essential for reading comprehension because it enables students to decode and understand unfamiliar words. By analyzing prefixes, suffixes, and root words, readers can infer the meaning of new vocabulary encountered in text. This skill reduces reliance on context alone and empowers students to independently access and comprehend a wider range of written material.

Question 47: How does phonemic awareness differ from phonological awareness?

Phonemic awareness involves understanding word meanings, while phonological awareness does not
Phonemic awareness is a broad skill encompassing various sound-related skills, while phonological awareness is more specific to phonemes
Phonemic awareness is specific to phonemes, while phonological awareness includes a range of sound-related skills (Correct answer)
Phonemic awareness involves working with letters, while phonological awareness does not

Correct answer: Phonemic awareness is specific to phonemes, while phonological awareness includes a range of sound-related skills

Phonemic awareness is a specific subset of phonological awareness, focusing exclusively on the individual sounds (phonemes) within spoken words. Phonological awareness is a broader skill that encompasses a range of sound-related abilities, including recognizing and manipulating words, syllables, and rhymes, in addition to phonemes. Therefore, phonemic awareness is a more refined and advanced skill within the larger domain of phonological awareness.

Question 48: Prosodic reading includes all of the following EXCEPT:

Appropriate phrasing
Correct intonation
Expression that matches meaning
Reading at a fast rate (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reading at a fast rate

Prosody encompasses phrasing, intonation, and expression — speed alone is a component of rate, not prosody.

Question 49: Which listening comprehension skill is most directly targeted when a teacher asks: 'What was the author's main message in the passage we just heard?'

Literal recall of stated facts
Identification of the main idea from an oral text (Correct answer)
Evaluation of the author's writing style
Sequencing events in chronological order

Correct answer: Identification of the main idea from an oral text

Identifying the main idea, which is the central message or point of a passage, when the text is delivered orally targets listening comprehension at the inferential and interpretive level.

Question 50: Which stage of spelling development involves using mostly correct spelling with some errors in complex patterns?

Semiphonetic
Transitional
Pre-communicative
Conventional/Within Word Pattern (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Conventional/Within Word Pattern

In the Conventional or Within Word Pattern stage, students spell most words correctly but still make errors on complex vowel patterns and irregulars.

Question 51: Which text structure signals are associated with compare/contrast organization?

Similarly, however, on the other hand (Correct answer)
First, next, then, finally
For example, such as, including
Because, therefore, as a result

Correct answer: Similarly, however, on the other hand

Compare/contrast texts use signal words like similarly, however, and on the other hand to show likenesses and differences.

Question 52: Which error pattern would MOST indicate a student has a phonological processing deficit rather than a phonics knowledge gap?

Omitting silent letters
Unable to blend sounds even when shown individually (Correct answer)
Confusing long and short vowel patterns
Consistently misspelling -igh words

Correct answer: Unable to blend sounds even when shown individually

Difficulty blending sounds presented individually suggests a phonological processing deficit — the student cannot manipulate phonemes even without the spelling layer.

Question 53: Progress monitoring assessments should be administered to at-risk students at least:

Every 1–2 weeks during intervention (Correct answer)
Only when a teacher is concerned
Once a year
Monthly

Correct answer: Every 1–2 weeks during intervention

Research recommends weekly or biweekly progress monitoring during intervention to determine if the intervention is effective.

Question 54: Which assessment tool is most commonly used to measure oral reading fluency (ORF) in the STR framework?

Cloze procedure
Running record
Informal Reading Inventory
CBMR (Curriculum-Based Measure of Reading) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: CBMR (Curriculum-Based Measure of Reading)

Curriculum-Based Measures of Reading (CBMR) are standardized, timed probes used to measure oral reading fluency.

Question 55: Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) tasks measure:

The number of sight words a student can read per minute
How accurately a student can blend phonemes into words
How quickly a student can decode an unfamiliar CVC word
The speed at which a student can name sequences of familiar visual symbols such as letters, numbers, colors, and objects (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The speed at which a student can name sequences of familiar visual symbols such as letters, numbers, colors, and objects

RAN tasks require students to name familiar symbols in sequence as quickly as possible and measure retrieval speed from long-term memory, which is a separate but related predictor of reading fluency.

Question 56: Which comprehension approach uses gradual release ('I do, We do, You do') to teach strategies explicitly?

Direct instruction of comprehension strategies (Correct answer)
Independent reading practice
Guided reading
Literature circles

Correct answer: Direct instruction of comprehension strategies

Explicit comprehension strategy instruction uses a gradual release model where the teacher models, guides practice, then releases responsibility to students.

Question 57: Which characteristic differentiates dyslexia from a general reading difficulty caused by inadequate instruction?

Dyslexia students refuse to read; instructionally caused difficulties involve effort
Dyslexia only affects males; instructional gaps affect students of all genders
Dyslexia persists with appropriate instruction; instructionally caused difficulty resolves with quality teaching (Correct answer)
Dyslexia is always identified before kindergarten; instructional gaps appear later

Correct answer: Dyslexia persists with appropriate instruction; instructionally caused difficulty resolves with quality teaching

A key diagnostic feature of dyslexia is that it persists despite adequate, high-quality instruction, whereas a student whose reading difficulty stemmed from poor instruction typically responds to quality teaching.

Question 58: According to research on language comprehension development, which factor MOST strongly predicts reading comprehension in upper elementary grades?

The number of sight words memorized in kindergarten
Oral language comprehension including vocabulary, syntax, and background knowledge developed in early childhood (Correct answer)
The level of decodable text read in second grade
Phonemic awareness scores in first grade

Correct answer: Oral language comprehension including vocabulary, syntax, and background knowledge developed in early childhood

Research shows that oral language comprehension skills, particularly vocabulary, syntactic understanding, and background knowledge, are the strongest predictors of reading comprehension in upper elementary and beyond.

Question 59: An English Language Learner struggles with academic language despite strong conversational English. This is BEST explained by:

A learning disability
The difference between BICS and CALP (Correct answer)
Lack of reading instruction
Poor phonological awareness

Correct answer: The difference between BICS and CALP

BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) develops faster than CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency), which takes 5–7 years to develop.

Question 60: Which type of vocabulary instruction has the strongest research support for improving reading comprehension?

Encouraging wide independent reading as the sole vocabulary-building strategy
Requiring students to use new words in a sentence the day they are introduced
Explicit, rich instruction in a small number of high-utility words with multiple exposures (Correct answer)
Having students copy dictionary definitions for all unknown words

Correct answer: Explicit, rich instruction in a small number of high-utility words with multiple exposures

Research supports explicit, rich vocabulary instruction that provides deep processing and multiple encounters with a limited set of high-utility words, which leads to durable word learning.

Question 61: Which comprehension skill involves identifying the most important ideas and restating them in one's own words?

Predicting
Summarizing (Correct answer)
Inferencing
Visualizing

Correct answer: Summarizing

Summarizing requires selecting the most important information and paraphrasing it concisely in the reader's own words.

Question 62: Texas law requires districts to screen for dyslexia characteristics beginning at which grade level?

Kindergarten (Correct answer)
Second grade
First grade
Pre-Kindergarten

Correct answer: Kindergarten

Texas Education Code requires districts to screen students for dyslexia characteristics beginning in kindergarten, with assessment also required at the end of first grade if not tested in kindergarten.

Question 63: Which of the following is an example of a literal comprehension question?

What lesson does this story teach us?
Why do you think the character felt sad?
How does this story connect to your life?
What did the author say the character's name was? (Correct answer)

Correct answer: What did the author say the character's name was?

Literal comprehension questions have answers explicitly stated in the text, such as factual details like a character's name.

Question 64: A kindergartner can identify rhymes but cannot segment the word 'dog' into its individual sounds. Based on the phonological awareness continuum, the teacher should next focus on:

Phoneme deletion
Phoneme isolation (Correct answer)
Syllable blending
Phoneme substitution

Correct answer: Phoneme isolation

Between rhyme recognition and full segmentation, phoneme isolation (identifying the first, last, or middle sound) is the appropriate intermediate step.

Question 65: An Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) establishes a student's independent level as the level at which the student reads with:

75% accuracy
90% accuracy
95–100% accuracy (Correct answer)
80% accuracy

Correct answer: 95–100% accuracy

The independent level is where a student reads with 95–100% accuracy with minimal support, allowing for enjoyable, self-directed reading.

Question 66: Which stage of spelling development is characterized by representing each phoneme with a letter, even if unconventionally (e.g., 'KAD' for 'caged')?

Phonetic (Correct answer)
Semiphonetic
Pre-communicative
Transitional

Correct answer: Phonetic

In the Phonetic stage, spellers represent virtually every sound they hear, though not always with standard spelling patterns.

Question 67: Which is the best definition of a phoneme?

The smallest unit of meaning in a language
The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning in a language (Correct answer)
A letter or group of letters that represents a sound
A spoken syllable that carries stress

Correct answer: The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning in a language

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning; changing one phoneme in a word creates a different word, as in /b/ vs /p/ in 'bat' vs 'pat'.

Question 68: Which assessment metric indicates how a student's performance compares to a predetermined level of expected skill?

Age-equivalent score
Standard deviation
Norm-referenced score
Criterion-referenced score (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Criterion-referenced score

Criterion-referenced scores compare a student's performance to a fixed standard of expected skill, not to other students.

Question 69: What does the term 'orthographic knowledge' mean in the context of spelling?

Awareness of syllable stress
Understanding of how letters and letter patterns represent sounds in written language (Correct answer)
Knowledge of grammar rules
Understanding of text structure

Correct answer: Understanding of how letters and letter patterns represent sounds in written language

Orthographic knowledge is the understanding of the writing system — including letter patterns, spelling rules, and the way sounds map to print.

Question 70: Which of the following student behaviors MOST suggests the need for a dyslexia evaluation?

Problems with reading comprehension but not decoding
Difficulty understanding figurative language
Slow reading rate only
Persistent difficulty with decoding, despite quality instruction and normal intelligence (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Persistent difficulty with decoding, despite quality instruction and normal intelligence

Dyslexia is characterized by persistent, unexpected difficulty with accurate and fluent word recognition (decoding) despite adequate instruction and intelligence.

Question 71: A student reads 'bread' as rhyming with 'read' (long e sound). What type of decoding error has occurred?

Reversing the consonants in the blend
Applying the more common long-e realization of 'ea' rather than the less common short-e realization (Correct answer)
Applying a short vowel rule where a long vowel applies
Substituting a consonant phoneme

Correct answer: Applying the more common long-e realization of 'ea' rather than the less common short-e realization

The vowel team 'ea' can represent /e/ as in bread or /ee/ as in read. The student applied the more common long-e variant instead of the correct short-e variant.

Question 72: Decodable texts are primarily designed to:

Introduce as many new vocabulary words as possible across multiple genres
Present rich literary language that motivates reluctant readers
Feature predictable, repetitive language patterns for whole-word memorization
Contain words that primarily use phonics patterns students have already been taught (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Contain words that primarily use phonics patterns students have already been taught

Decodable texts are constructed to contain words made up of letter-sound patterns that have already been explicitly taught, giving students practice applying their phonics knowledge.

Question 73: Which DIBELS subtest measures phoneme segmentation fluency?

PSF (Phoneme Segmentation Fluency) (Correct answer)
NWF (Nonsense Word Fluency)
ORF
LSF (Letter Sound Fluency)

Correct answer: PSF (Phoneme Segmentation Fluency)

The DIBELS Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) subtest measures a student's ability to segment spoken words into individual phonemes.

Question 74: Which instructional strategy uses a skilled reader and a student reading aloud simultaneously to build fluency?

Neurological Impress Method (Correct answer)
Partner reading
Choral reading
Echo reading

Correct answer: Neurological Impress Method

The Neurological Impress Method involves the teacher and student reading together simultaneously, with the teacher slightly ahead.

Question 75: In the word 'unhappiness,' which analysis correctly identifies all morphemes?

un plus happ plus y plus ness equals 4 morphemes
un plus happy plus ness equals 3 morphemes (Correct answer)
un plus happy plus i plus ness equals 4 morphemes
un plus happy plus ness equals 2 morphemes

Correct answer: un plus happy plus ness equals 3 morphemes

Unhappiness equals un- (prefix) plus happy (base) plus -ness (suffix), which is 3 morphemes. The 'i' in 'happiness' is a spelling change, not a separate morpheme.

Question 76: Which instructional approach explicitly teaches students to monitor their understanding while reading?

Repeated reading
Vocabulary mapping
Metacognitive comprehension strategies (Correct answer)
Phonics instruction

Correct answer: Metacognitive comprehension strategies

Metacognitive strategy instruction teaches students to notice when comprehension breaks down and apply fix-up strategies.

Question 77: Which instructional practice best supports students in reading multisyllabic words?

Having students memorize multisyllabic words as unanalyzed sight words
Teaching students to guess based on the first letter and surrounding context clues
Teaching syllabication strategies to break long words into decodable parts (Correct answer)
Encouraging students to skip difficult words and focus on overall passage meaning

Correct answer: Teaching syllabication strategies to break long words into decodable parts

Teaching syllabication strategies gives students a systematic, transferable approach to decoding longer multisyllabic words they encounter across texts.

Question 78: What is phonological awareness?

The ability to read and comprehend written text
The ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of spoken language (Correct answer)
The ability to understand and use spoken language
The ability to write accurately

Correct answer: The ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of spoken language

Phonological awareness is a broad umbrella term referring to an individual's awareness of the sound structure of spoken words. It encompasses the ability to recognize and manipulate various units of sound, such as words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and individual phonemes. This auditory skill is foundational for learning to read, as it helps children understand that spoken words are made up of smaller sound parts.

Question 79: A student can blend phonemes into words but struggles with segmenting words into phonemes. Which instructional strategy would be MOST effective?

Move directly to phonics instruction since blending is sufficient
Focus on syllable-level activities to build confidence before returning to phonemes
Use Elkonin boxes or counters to make segmentation concrete and systematic (Correct answer)
Practice more blending to strengthen phonological memory before teaching segmentation

Correct answer: Use Elkonin boxes or counters to make segmentation concrete and systematic

Elkonin boxes provide a concrete, kinesthetic scaffold that helps students physically separate phonemes, directly targeting the segmentation skill gap.

Question 80: What is word analysis?

The study of word meanings
The memorization of sight words
The process of decoding and understanding the structure of words (Correct answer)
The ability to read words fluently

Correct answer: The process of decoding and understanding the structure of words

Word analysis is the process of breaking down words into their component parts to understand their meaning and pronunciation. This involves decoding the structure of words, including recognizing prefixes, suffixes, root words, and sometimes syllables. It is a crucial skill for expanding vocabulary and comprehending complex texts, as it allows readers to decipher unfamiliar words independently.

Question 81: A student with strong oral language skills but poor decoding is BEST described by which reading profile?

Language comprehension deficit: poor decoding with poor language comprehension
Hyperlexia profile: strong decoding with poor language comprehension
Typical reader: all skills developing on schedule
Dyslexia profile: low decoding with adequate language comprehension (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Dyslexia profile: low decoding with adequate language comprehension

In the Simple View of Reading, a profile of low decoding with adequate or strong language comprehension is associated with dyslexia, a specific word recognition difficulty that does not reflect broader language or intellectual disability.

Question 82: Which component of reading fluency refers to reading at an appropriate speed without sacrificing accuracy?

Rate (Correct answer)
Prosody
Automaticity
Decoding

Correct answer: Rate

Rate refers to how quickly a reader reads, and an appropriate rate supports comprehension without sacrificing accuracy.

Question 83: Which activity BEST develops deep comprehension through student-to-student discourse?

Whole-class teacher lecture
Silent sustained reading
Flashcard vocabulary review
Accountable talk / structured discussion protocols (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Accountable talk / structured discussion protocols

Accountable talk and structured discussion protocols require students to cite text evidence, build on each other's ideas, and deepen understanding through dialogue.

Question 84: Which type of words should receive the MOST direct instructional time according to Beck's tiered vocabulary framework?

Tier 1 words such as basic, conversational words
Tier 2 words such as high-utility academic vocabulary (Correct answer)
All three tiers equally
Tier 3 words such as specialized domain content words

Correct answer: Tier 2 words such as high-utility academic vocabulary

Tier 2 words warrant the most direct instructional time because they appear frequently across texts and content areas and are less likely to be learned through everyday conversation.

Question 85: A student who reads 'house' as 'horse' is making a:

Repetition error
Omission error
Substitution error (Correct answer)
Insertion error

Correct answer: Substitution error

A substitution error occurs when the student reads a different word than what is printed, substituting one word for another.

Question 86: Which activity BEST integrates spelling and reading instruction?

Using dictation with targeted words that match current phonics patterns (Correct answer)
Having students copy words without analysis
Only using worksheets
Asking students to memorize a word list

Correct answer: Using dictation with targeted words that match current phonics patterns

Dictation with words that match taught phonics patterns integrates spelling and reading by reinforcing the same sound-symbol relationships.

Question 87: Signal words such as 'as a result,' 'consequently,' and 'therefore' indicate which text structure?

Description
Compare and contrast
Sequence
Cause and effect (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cause and effect

Signal words like 'as a result,' 'consequently,' and 'therefore' show that one event caused or led to another — cause and effect structure.

Question 88: A student reads aloud with appropriate expression, phrasing, and intonation. This aspect of fluency is called:

Rate
Prosody (Correct answer)
Automaticity
Accuracy

Correct answer: Prosody

Prosody encompasses the expressive elements of reading aloud, including intonation, stress, and phrasing.

Question 89: Sentence-level writing instruction that helps students combine ideas is called:

Sentence combining (Correct answer)
Narrative mapping
Story grammar
Text structure analysis

Correct answer: Sentence combining

Sentence combining instruction explicitly teaches students how to merge simple sentences into more complex, syntactically varied sentences.

Question 90: Which type of text structure is most commonly found in informational texts in science?

Narrative chronology
Persuasive argumentation
Problem-solution
Cause-effect and compare-contrast (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cause-effect and compare-contrast

Science informational texts frequently use cause-effect to explain phenomena and their causes, and compare-contrast to compare organisms, processes, or conditions.

Question 91: Which pair of words are antonyms that could be used to teach the concept of word relationships?

Rapid and swift
Enormous and gigantic
Melancholy and cheerful (Correct answer)
Habitat and ecosystem

Correct answer: Melancholy and cheerful

Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Melancholy (sadness) and cheerful (happiness) are opposites; the others are synonyms or related terms.

TExES Science of Teaching Reading (STR) (293)

The TExES STR (293) is a Texas certification exam assessing educator knowledge in the science of reading, including foundational literacy skills, reading comprehension, and evidence-based instructional strategies required for Texas teacher certification.

Questions

35 min

Time Limit

70%

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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

tea.texas.gov — Eligibility · verified Oct 2026
tx.nesinc.com — Registration deadline, test delivery, fees, passing score, test dates, retake policy, score release · verified Oct 2026