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Vocabulary Development & Academic Language Flashcards

7 cards from real TEA ESL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Vocabulary Development & Academic Language flashcards as text

  1. Which of the following best describes 'academic language' as used in ESL education?

    Answer: The language associated with literacy and academic content across subject areas

    Academic language encompasses the vocabulary, grammar, and discourse patterns needed to engage with academic content across all subject areas in both oral and written forms.

  2. A student can hold a conversation in English but struggles to read a science textbook. According to Cummins' framework, this student has developed:

    Answer: BICS but not CALP

    The student has developed BICS for conversational fluency but has not yet fully developed CALP needed for academic reading tasks.

  3. The ELPS proficiency level descriptors used in Texas to classify ELLs are organized around which level system?

    Answer: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Advanced High

    Texas ELPS proficiency level descriptors use four levels—Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High—to guide instructional planning and assessment for ELLs.

  4. When assessing vocabulary knowledge, which assessment type best captures a student's depth of word knowledge beyond simple recognition?

    Answer: Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) requiring students to explain word use

    A Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) requires students to rate and demonstrate how well they know a word, capturing depth of knowledge beyond simple recall or recognition.

  5. A student consistently uses academic vocabulary correctly in writing but rarely uses it in oral discussions. As an ESL teacher, the BEST response is to:

    Answer: Create structured oral language activities that require use of the target vocabulary

    Vocabulary knowledge must be developed across all modalities; structured speaking opportunities help students transfer written vocabulary knowledge to oral academic language use.

  6. Which of the following represents an academic language function that ELL students must master for content-area learning?

    Answer: Comparing and contrasting two historical events using transitional language

    Academic language functions such as comparing, contrasting, explaining, and arguing are essential for content-area learning and represent the higher-order language demands of schooling.

  7. A teacher notices that an ELL student scores well on vocabulary tests but cannot apply the words in writing. This student likely has:

    Answer: Receptive vocabulary knowledge but not productive vocabulary knowledge

    Receptive (passive) vocabulary refers to words understood when encountered, while productive (active) vocabulary refers to words students can use independently; a gap between the two is common in language learners.