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

Question 1: Which definition of dyslexia is used by the International Dyslexia Association?

A behavioral disorder resulting from inadequate reading instruction
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 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 2: The double deficit hypothesis proposes that the most severe reading difficulties result from deficits in:

Working memory and processing speed
Listening comprehension and reading fluency
Vocabulary knowledge and syntactic awareness
Phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming

The double deficit hypothesis identifies two independent predictors of reading difficulty, phonological awareness and RAN, and proposes that deficits in both produce the most severe and intervention-resistant reading difficulties.

Question 3: The word 'unbreakable' can be analyzed morphologically as:

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

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 4: A fourth-grade teacher creates a semantic map connecting the word 'government' to related words: law, president, vote, citizen, and constitution. This activity primarily builds:

Phonological awareness of multisyllabic words
Conceptual knowledge and semantic networks (Correct answer)
Word-level decoding strategies
Morphological analysis skills

Correct answer: Conceptual knowledge and semantic networks

Semantic mapping builds conceptual vocabulary by explicitly connecting words in a concept web, helping students understand how words relate within a semantic domain.

Question 5: What does 'encoding' refer to in the context of literacy?

Comprehending written text
Decoding print into sound
Translating spoken language into written form (spelling) (Correct answer)
Reading words aloud

Correct answer: Translating spoken language into written form (spelling)

Encoding is the process of converting spoken or mental language into written symbols — essentially, spelling.

Question 6: Which instructional approach explicitly teaches students to monitor their understanding while reading?

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

Correct answer: Metacognitive comprehension strategies

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

Question 7: What are the five common informational text structures?

Description, sequence, compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution (Correct answer)
Narrative, persuasive, expository, descriptive, procedural
Setting, plot, character, theme, conflict
Introduction, thesis, body, conclusion, summary

Correct answer: Description, sequence, compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution

The five common informational text structures are description, sequence, compare/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution.

Question 8: Structured Literacy instruction is characterized by which set of principles?

Flexible grouping with student-selected texts as the main instructional driver
Implicit, discovery-based, mixed with whole-language approaches
Primarily visual and sight-word based with minimal phonics
Explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, diagnostic, and multisensory (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Explicit, systematic, sequential, cumulative, diagnostic, and multisensory

Structured Literacy as defined by the IDA is explicit, systematic, cumulative, sequential, diagnostic, and often multisensory, ensuring all skills are directly taught in a planned progression.

Question 9: Which statement best describes how Structured Literacy differs from a balanced literacy approach for students with dyslexia?

Balanced literacy is more evidence-based for dyslexia; Structured Literacy lacks research support
Both approaches are equivalent in effectiveness for students with dyslexia
Structured Literacy provides explicit, systematic phonics and phonological instruction; balanced literacy relies more on implicit learning and meaning-based cuing strategies (Correct answer)
Structured Literacy ignores comprehension; balanced literacy addresses both decoding and comprehension equally

Correct answer: Structured Literacy provides explicit, systematic phonics and phonological instruction; balanced literacy relies more on implicit learning and meaning-based cuing strategies

Structured Literacy is explicit and systematic in phonics instruction, whereas balanced literacy relies more on meaning-based cues, implicit phonics learning, and leveled text, which research shows are insufficient for students with dyslexia.

Question 10: Why does the letter 'c' make a /s/ sound in 'city' but a /k/ sound in 'cat'?

The consonant digraph rule for letter combinations
The position of the consonant within the syllable structure
The soft/hard consonant rule based on the vowel that follows (Correct answer)
The vowel length principle governing adjacent sounds

Correct answer: The soft/hard consonant rule based on the vowel that follows

The soft/hard consonant rule states that 'c' (and 'g') typically make their soft sounds before 'e,' 'i,' or 'y,' and their hard sounds before other letters.

Question 11: Which comprehension strategy involves making connections between new text and prior knowledge, other texts, or the world?

Summarizing
Questioning
Making connections (Correct answer)
Visualizing

Correct answer: Making connections

Making connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world) helps readers integrate new information with existing knowledge.

Question 12: What is a morpheme in the context of word analysis?

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

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

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

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

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

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 15: A teacher counts the phonemes in the word 'box' as three: /b/ /o/ /ks/. Is this correct?

No, 'box' has five phonemes including both vowel sounds
No, 'box' has four phonemes: /b/ /o/ /k/ /s/ (Correct answer)
Yes, because 'x' always represents a single phoneme
Yes, because 'ks' is a digraph representing one phoneme

Correct answer: No, 'box' has four phonemes: /b/ /o/ /k/ /s/

The letter 'x' in English typically represents two phonemes: /k/ and /s/. Therefore 'box' has four phonemes: /b/ /o/ /k/ /s/.

Question 16: 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:

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

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 17: According to the Simple View of Reading, fluency acts as a bridge between:

Spelling and writing
Phonemic awareness and vocabulary
Prosody and rate
Decoding and language comprehension (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Decoding and language comprehension

Fluency bridges decoding and language comprehension by allowing readers to recognize words automatically and focus on meaning.

Question 18: Why is phonemic awareness important for learning to read?

It improves children’s handwriting skills
It enables children to memorize sight words
It helps children understand the meanings of words
It allows children to decode words by sounds (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It allows children to decode words by sounds

Phonemic awareness is critically important for learning to read because it enables children to decode words by sounds. By understanding that spoken words are made up of individual phonemes, children can then connect these sounds to their corresponding letters or letter combinations (phonics). This ability to blend and segment sounds allows them to sound out unfamiliar words and read them independently.

Question 19: Prosodic reading includes all of the following EXCEPT:

Appropriate phrasing
Expression that matches meaning
Correct intonation
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 20: Progress monitoring assessments should be administered to at-risk students at least:

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

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 21: The term 'phonological core deficit' in the context of dyslexia refers to:

A general language disorder affecting all aspects of oral communication
A deficit in understanding the meaning of words
Difficulties with print directionality and letter formation
A specific impairment in processing the sound structure of language, impairing phonological awareness and phonological memory (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A specific impairment in processing the sound structure of language, impairing phonological awareness and phonological memory

The phonological core deficit theory proposes that dyslexia is fundamentally caused by a specific weakness in phonological processing, which is the ability to work with the sound structure of spoken language.

Question 22: 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)
Tier 3 words such as specialized domain content words
All three tiers equally

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

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

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 24: A teacher provides a student with extended time on tests, audiobooks for assignments, and a reader for state assessments. These accommodations are appropriate for a student with dyslexia because:

They serve as substitutes for teaching phonics
They eliminate the need for direct reading intervention
They fulfill all legal obligations and no reading instruction is needed
They provide access to grade-level content while the student continues to develop decoding skills (Correct answer)

Correct answer: They provide access to grade-level content while the student continues to develop decoding skills

Accommodations allow the student with dyslexia to access content using their strong language comprehension while reading intervention continues to develop their decoding skills.

Question 25: Which vocabulary strategy helps students use context clues to infer word meaning?

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

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 26: According to the Simple View of Reading, reading comprehension is the product of:

Vocabulary × Background knowledge
Phonics × Fluency
Fluency × Vocabulary
Decoding × Language comprehension (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Decoding × Language comprehension

The Simple View of Reading states that RC = Decoding × Language Comprehension, meaning both are necessary for skilled reading.

Question 27: A student's listening comprehension is strong but reading comprehension is weak. According to the Simple View, the primary deficit is likely in:

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

Correct answer: Decoding/word recognition

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

Question 28: Why is word analysis important for reading comprehension?

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

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

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

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

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

Correct answer: Sentence combining

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

Question 31: Which type of text structure is most commonly found in informational texts in science?

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

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

Echo reading
Text feature walk before reading (Correct answer)
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 33: Teaching students to recognize text structure explicitly improves:

Reading comprehension of both narrative and informational texts (Correct answer)
Phoneme segmentation only
Spelling accuracy
Oral reading rate

Correct answer: Reading comprehension of both narrative and informational texts

Explicit text structure instruction improves comprehension by helping students organize incoming information and predict how a text will unfold.

Question 34: What is a digraph?

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

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

Oral language comprehension including vocabulary, syntax, and background knowledge developed in early childhood (Correct answer)
The number of sight words memorized in kindergarten
Phonemic awareness scores in first grade
The level of decodable text read in second 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 36: Which of the following describes the language comprehension component in Scarborough's Reading Rope?

The automatic recognition of high-frequency sight words
A set of strands including background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge (Correct answer)
A single strand representing phonological awareness
Solely the ability to understand decodable texts

Correct answer: A set of strands including background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge

Scarborough's Reading Rope represents language comprehension as multiple strands that become increasingly automatic as they are woven together with word recognition strands.

Question 37: Which pair of words are antonyms that could be used to teach the concept of word relationships?

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

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.

Question 38: 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?'

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

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 39: According to the National Reading Panel, phonemic awareness instruction is most effective when it focuses on:

All phonemic awareness skills simultaneously across an extended period
Only auditory activities with no letter connections
One or two types of phonemic manipulation rather than many at once (Correct answer)
Whole-class instruction exclusively

Correct answer: One or two types of phonemic manipulation rather than many at once

The National Reading Panel found instruction focused on one or two types of manipulation, especially blending and segmentation, was more effective than teaching many skills simultaneously.

Question 40: What is a consonant blend (consonant cluster)?

Two letters that make one unified, new sound together
Two or more adjacent consonants where each individual sound can still be heard (Correct answer)
A silent letter combination found at the end of words
A vowel and consonant combination that creates a modified sound

Correct answer: Two or more adjacent consonants where each individual sound can still be heard

A consonant blend is a group of two or more consonants in which each consonant sound is heard, such as 'bl' in 'black' or 'str' in 'string.'

Question 41: Which comprehension skill involves identifying the most important ideas and restating them in one's own words?

Visualizing
Inferencing
Summarizing (Correct answer)
Predicting

Correct answer: Summarizing

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

Question 42: Which factor is MOST important for comprehension of informational texts, beyond decoding skill?

Oral reading rate
Phoneme segmentation ability
Handwriting fluency
Background knowledge about the topic (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Background knowledge about the topic

Background knowledge is a powerful predictor of informational text comprehension because readers use it to interpret and connect new information.

Question 43: Which task is MOST appropriate as an initial phonological awareness activity for pre-K students?

Phoneme deletion from blends
Counting syllables by clapping (Correct answer)
Blending onset and rime
Phoneme segmentation of CVC words

Correct answer: Counting syllables by clapping

Syllable clapping is appropriate for the earliest stage of phonological awareness development and is accessible to pre-K students before phoneme-level tasks.

Question 44: Which of the following BEST supports the development of conventional spelling?

Avoiding correction to build confidence
Spelling bees without pattern instruction
Red-marking all errors immediately
Explicit instruction in patterns followed by guided practice and application (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Explicit instruction in patterns followed by guided practice and application

Explicit pattern instruction followed by practice and application builds the orthographic knowledge needed for conventional spelling.

Question 45: 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
Encouraging students to skip difficult words and focus on overall passage meaning
Teaching syllabication strategies to break long words into decodable parts (Correct answer)

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 46: 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)
Phoneme substitution
Syllable blending

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 47: What is the primary purpose of 'word sorting' activities in phonics instruction?

To help students discover and internalize spelling patterns by categorizing words (Correct answer)
To practice alphabetical ordering and dictionary reference skills
To build reading fluency through timed reading of high-frequency word lists
To develop phonemic awareness through purely auditory listening tasks

Correct answer: To help students discover and internalize spelling patterns by categorizing words

Word sorting activities have students compare and categorize words by their spelling patterns, deepening their understanding of orthographic patterns and phonics principles.

Question 48: A student who reads 'house' as 'horse' is making a:

Substitution error (Correct answer)
Omission error
Insertion error
Repetition 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 49: A student with strong oral language skills but poor decoding is BEST described by which reading profile?

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

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 50: What is the alphabetic principle?

The sequence in which letters of the alphabet are introduced to students
The concept that letters and letter combinations represent sounds in a systematic way (Correct answer)
The ability to hear individual sounds in spoken words
The understanding that print carries meaning from left to right

Correct answer: The concept that letters and letter combinations represent sounds in a systematic way

The alphabetic principle is the foundational understanding that written letters and letter combinations systematically represent the sounds of spoken language.

Question 51: Which statement best describes the Vowel-Consonant-e (VCe) syllable type?

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

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 52: What is the primary goal of vocabulary development in early reading instruction?

To ensure students can read quickly
To improve students' handwriting skills
To enhance students' understanding and use of words in context (Correct answer)
To teach students to memorize lists of words

Correct answer: To enhance students' understanding and use of words in context

The primary goal of vocabulary development in early reading instruction is to enhance students' understanding and effective use of words in context. Beyond simply knowing definitions, it aims for deep comprehension of word meanings and how they function in sentences and texts. A rich vocabulary is fundamental for reading comprehension and effective communication.

Question 53: Which type of vocabulary instruction has the strongest research support for improving reading comprehension?

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)
Encouraging wide independent reading as the sole vocabulary-building strategy
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 54: A teacher uses Elkonin boxes, having students push a chip into each box as they say each sound in a word. This activity primarily develops:

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

Correct answer: Phoneme segmentation

Elkonin boxes are a research-based tool for developing phoneme segmentation by physically representing each phoneme as a student articulates it.

Question 55: According to the Simple View of Reading, vocabulary knowledge contributes primarily to which component?

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

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

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

Correct answer: Word sorts

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

Question 57: A student reads 'phone' correctly as the /f/ sound word. Which type of phonics knowledge is the student applying?

A consonant blend rule
A vowel team rule for 'oe'
A grapheme-phoneme correspondence for 'ph' representing /f/ (Correct answer)
A silent letter rule for 'h'

Correct answer: A grapheme-phoneme correspondence for 'ph' representing /f/

The digraph 'ph' is a grapheme that represents the phoneme /f/. Correctly reading 'phone' demonstrates knowledge of this ph to /f/ correspondence.

Question 58: Which of the following tasks demonstrates a child's phonemic awareness?

Understanding the meaning of the word "cat"
Reading a story independently
Writing the alphabet
Segmenting the word "cat" into /k/ /æ/ /t/ (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Segmenting the word "cat" into /k/ /æ/ /t/

Segmenting the word "cat" into its individual phonemes /k/ /æ/ /t/ clearly demonstrates a child's phonemic awareness. This task requires the child to isolate and identify each distinct sound within a spoken word. It is a key skill for decoding, as it shows an understanding that words are composed of a sequence of individual sounds that can be mapped to letters.

Question 59: Texas law requires districts to screen for dyslexia characteristics beginning at which grade level?

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

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 60: A pre-kindergarten teacher notices that several students speak mostly in two-word utterances while their peers are using full sentences. What is the most appropriate first step?

Refer the students immediately to a speech-language pathologist
Begin intensive phonics instruction to accelerate literacy development
Conduct targeted oral language screening to determine the nature and extent of the gap (Correct answer)
Assume the gap will resolve naturally by first grade without intervention

Correct answer: Conduct targeted oral language screening to determine the nature and extent of the gap

Before making referrals or designing intervention, the teacher should conduct systematic oral language screening to identify the degree and type of language delay, informing next steps.

Question 61: Which writing process stage involves generating ideas before drafting?

Prewriting (Correct answer)
Editing
Publishing
Revising

Correct answer: Prewriting

Prewriting includes brainstorming, outlining, and gathering ideas before the student begins the first draft.

Question 62: Which of the following strategies is most effective for teaching vocabulary?

Repeated reading of texts
Encouraging silent reading
Using flashcards exclusively
Providing direct instruction and using words in multiple contexts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Providing direct instruction and using words in multiple contexts

Providing direct instruction for specific words and then using those words in multiple contexts is the most effective strategy for teaching vocabulary. Direct instruction ensures explicit understanding of definitions and nuances, while repeated exposure and application in various contexts solidify comprehension and promote retention. This approach moves beyond rote memorization to foster deep word knowledge.

Question 63: Using mentor texts in writing instruction MOST directly helps students:

Practice handwriting
Observe and apply the text structures and language patterns of skilled authors (Correct answer)
Memorize spelling words
Practice phoneme blending

Correct answer: Observe and apply the text structures and language patterns of skilled authors

Mentor texts expose students to exemplary writing and provide models for text structure, vocabulary, and craft techniques they can apply in their own writing.

Question 64: Which task requires a student to say 'cat' without the /k/ sound?

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

Correct answer: Phoneme deletion

Phoneme deletion involves removing a specific sound from a word and saying what remains. Removing /k/ from 'cat' leaves 'at'.

Question 65: Which of the following classroom practices best develops oral language skills in early elementary students?

Independent silent reading of leveled books
Worksheets requiring students to circle correct answers silently
Structured academic conversations with sentence frames and partner talk (Correct answer)
Teacher read-alouds with no discussion

Correct answer: Structured academic conversations with sentence frames and partner talk

Structured academic conversations with sentence frames and partner talk give students practice using complex oral language in meaningful contexts, directly building the oral language foundation for reading comprehension.

Question 66: According to research, how many times should a student re-read a passage to see significant fluency gains?

1–2 times
3–5 times (Correct answer)
20+ times
10–15 times

Correct answer: 3–5 times

Research supports that re-reading a passage approximately 3–5 times produces measurable gains in fluency without diminishing returns.

Question 67: 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 68: Which type of question asks students to use information from the text combined with their own knowledge?

Right there question
On my own question
Think and search question
Author and me question (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Author and me question

Author and Me questions (from QAR) require students to combine textual evidence with personal knowledge to answer.

Question 69: 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 a short vowel rule where a long vowel applies
Substituting a consonant phoneme
Applying the more common long-e realization of 'ea' rather than the less common short-e realization (Correct answer)

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 70: Which of the following activities would best support vocabulary development in a classroom setting?

Having students copy definitions from the dictionary
Giving weekly vocabulary quizzes
Assigning students to read silently for 30 minutes
Engaging students in discussions that require the use of new vocabulary (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Engaging students in discussions that require the use of new vocabulary

Engaging students in discussions that require the use of new vocabulary is highly effective for vocabulary development. This activity provides opportunities for students to actively apply new words in meaningful contexts, articulate their understanding, and receive feedback. It moves beyond passive learning to promote deeper processing and retention of new terms.

Question 71: In the context of language acquisition, what is meant by 'decontextualized language'?

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

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 72: Decodable texts are primarily designed to:

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

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

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

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

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

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 75: Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) tasks measure:

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)
How accurately a student can blend phonemes into words
The number of sight words a student can read per minute

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

Segmenting words into syllables
Identifying letter names and sounds (Correct answer)
Blending phonemes to form words
Rhyming 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 77: Which evidence-based writing practice requires students to plan, draft, revise, and edit with teacher support?

Copying model paragraphs only
Free writing without feedback
Writing only after reading comprehension is mastered
Process writing with structured feedback at each stage (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Process writing with structured feedback at each stage

Process writing with structured feedback guides students through each stage (plan → draft → revise → edit), building writing skill with teacher support.

Question 78: Research on vocabulary and the reading achievement gap indicates that:

Vocabulary differences are primarily due to differences in reading ability, not oral language experience
Vocabulary gaps appear primarily after third grade
Children from low-income households enter school with significantly smaller vocabularies than peers from higher-income households (Correct answer)
All students enter school with roughly equivalent oral vocabularies

Correct answer: Children from low-income households enter school with significantly smaller vocabularies than peers from higher-income households

Hart and Risley's research documented significant vocabulary gaps at kindergarten entry, with children from lower-income families knowing far fewer words than peers from professional families.

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

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 term describes the ability to read words accurately and quickly without conscious effort?

Prosody
Fluency
Decoding
Automaticity (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Automaticity

Automaticity means recognizing words rapidly and effortlessly, freeing cognitive resources for comprehension.

Question 81: A student reads aloud with appropriate expression, phrasing, and intonation. This aspect of fluency is called:

Prosody (Correct answer)
Automaticity
Accuracy
Rate

Correct answer: Prosody

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

Question 82: Which of the following describes the orthographic mapping process in skilled reading?

Mapping new vocabulary words onto a graphic organizer
Decoding an unfamiliar word by applying phonics rules each time it is encountered
The process by which words are stored as instant sight vocabulary through connections between phonemes, graphemes, and meaning (Correct answer)
Using visual memory to remember the overall shape of a word

Correct answer: The process by which words are stored as instant sight vocabulary through connections between phonemes, graphemes, and meaning

Orthographic mapping is the process by which readers permanently bond a word's pronunciation, spelling, and meaning, allowing immediate sight word recognition after only a few exposures.

Question 83: The Discourse Comprehension model suggests comprehension occurs at multiple levels. Which level deals with understanding words and sentences?

Macrostructure
Surface code (Correct answer)
Situation model
Text base

Correct answer: Surface code

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

Question 84: Which of the following is an example of onset-rime segmentation?

Replacing /l/ in 'slip' with /n/ to say 'snip'
Breaking 'slip' into the onset /sl/ and the rime /ip/ (Correct answer)
Breaking 'slip' into four individual phonemes
Removing /s/ from 'slip' to say 'lip'

Correct answer: Breaking 'slip' into the onset /sl/ and the rime /ip/

Onset-rime segmentation splits a single-syllable word at the onset (consonants before the vowel) and the rime (vowel and everything after). For 'slip': onset is /sl/, rime is /ip/.

Question 85: Which of the following is an example of a word analysis skill?

Writing a story
Reading a sentence aloud fluently
Understanding the main idea of a paragraph
Identifying the root word in "unhappiness" (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Identifying the root word in "unhappiness"

Identifying the root word in "unhappiness" (which is "happy") is a prime example of a word analysis skill. This task involves morphological analysis, where a reader breaks down a word into its meaningful units (morphemes) to understand its core meaning. Recognizing root words, prefixes, and suffixes helps readers unlock the meaning of complex or unfamiliar words.

Question 86: What is a tiered vocabulary?

A list of vocabulary words grouped by difficulty level
Vocabulary used only in academic settings
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

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 87: Which of the following is a hallmark early indicator of dyslexia risk in kindergarten?

Poor handwriting and fine motor skills
Slow silent reading rate in second grade
Persistent difficulty with phonological awareness tasks such as rhyming and blending (Correct answer)
Difficulty with reading comprehension of complex texts

Correct answer: Persistent difficulty with phonological awareness tasks such as rhyming and blending

Phonological awareness difficulties, particularly with rhyming, blending, and segmentation, are among the earliest and strongest predictors of dyslexia risk.

Question 88: Which of the following is a correct example of the VC/CV syllable division pattern?

e/vent showing an open first syllable
bot/tle dividing before the double consonant
nap/kin dividing between the 'p' and 'k' (Correct answer)
ti/ger showing an open first syllable with a long vowel

Correct answer: nap/kin dividing between the 'p' and 'k'

VC/CV splits a word between the two consonants when two consonants appear between vowels: nap-kin divides between 'p' and 'k', yielding two closed syllables.

Question 89: A student reads 90 words per minute with 95% accuracy. What does this indicate about her fluency?

Her accuracy is too low to build comprehension
She is at benchmark for most 2nd grade norms (Correct answer)
Her rate is the only concern
She is reading above grade level

Correct answer: She is at benchmark for most 2nd grade norms

90 WCPM with 95% accuracy is near the typical benchmark for 2nd grade readers according to common fluency norms.

Question 90: Which of the following is an example of a literal comprehension question?

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

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 91: A student writes 'becuz' for 'because.' This spelling reflects use of:

Visual memory
Morphological knowledge
Letter-name strategy (Correct answer)
Random letter placement

Correct answer: Letter-name strategy

Writing 'becuz' shows the student is using the names of letters (z = 'zee'/'z' sound) to represent sounds — a letter-name strategy.

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

285 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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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