TEA ESL Vocabulary Development & Academic Language 2 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher uses a graphic organizer where students write a word, its definition, a picture, and a personal connection in four quadrants. This strategy is known as a:
- KWL chart
- Frayer model (Correct answer)
- Semantic feature analysis
- Word sort
Correct answer: Frayer model
The Frayer model is a vocabulary graphic organizer with four sectionsâdefinition, characteristics, examples, and non-examplesâcentered around the target word.
Question 2: Which of the following is the MOST effective approach for teaching academic vocabulary to ELL students, according to research?
- Requiring students to look up dictionary definitions and copy them
- Exposing students to new words only once in context
- Providing multiple exposures to words in varied meaningful contexts (Correct answer)
- Having students memorize word lists for weekly spelling tests
Correct answer: Providing multiple exposures to words in varied meaningful contexts
Research consistently shows that students need multiple exposures (10-15 encounters) to new vocabulary in varied, meaningful contexts to achieve deep word learning.
Question 3: A teacher posts key vocabulary words with visual supports on the classroom wall for ongoing reference during a unit. This instructional tool is called a:
- Graphic organizer
- Word wall (Correct answer)
- Vocabulary journal
- Concept map
Correct answer: Word wall
A word wall displays key vocabulary words prominently in the classroom, providing ongoing visual reference that supports ELLs in using and remembering new words.
Question 4: When teaching vocabulary, a teacher helps students understand words by showing how related words connect through synonyms, antonyms, and examples. This approach is called:
- Morphological instruction
- Phonological awareness training
- Semantic mapping (Correct answer)
- Explicit phonics instruction
Correct answer: Semantic mapping
Semantic mapping visually organizes words according to their meaning relationships, helping students build deeper understanding of vocabulary through connections.
Question 5: Which vocabulary teaching technique involves presenting the word in context, providing a student-friendly definition, and engaging students with examples and non-examples?
- Vocabulary self-collection strategy
- Beck's robust vocabulary instruction (Correct answer)
- Language Experience Approach
- Total Physical Response
Correct answer: Beck's robust vocabulary instruction
Isabel Beck's robust vocabulary instruction includes presenting words in context, providing clear student-friendly definitions, and engaging students with multiple examples and non-examples.
Question 6: An ESL teacher uses gestures, pictures, and demonstrations while introducing new vocabulary. This approach is most consistent with which instructional strategy?
- The Grammar-Translation Method
- Total Physical Response (TPR) (Correct answer)
- The Audio-Lingual Method
- The Silent Way
Correct answer: Total Physical Response (TPR)
Total Physical Response (TPR) uses physical movement and visual supports to connect language to meaning, reducing the affective filter and supporting vocabulary acquisition.
Question 7: When selecting Tier 2 vocabulary words to explicitly teach, an ESL teacher should prioritize words that are:
- Very common in everyday oral conversation
- Highly technical and found only in one subject area
- High-frequency across multiple academic contexts and texts (Correct answer)
- Already known by most native English speakers in the class
Correct answer: High-frequency across multiple academic contexts and texts
Tier 2 words are high-utility academic vocabulary that appear across multiple content areas and texts, making them the highest priority for explicit vocabulary instruction.
TEA ESL Vocabulary Development & Academic Language 2
A teacher uses a graphic organizer where students write a word, its definition, a picture, and a personal connection in four quadrants.
This strategy is known as a: