TEA ESL Vocabulary Development & Academic Language

Question 1

Jim Cummins distinguishes between BICS and CALP. What does CALP stand for?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

Answer

CALP stands for Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, referring to the higher-order language skills needed for academic success in formal educational settings.

Question 2

According to Beck, McKeown, and Kucan's tiered vocabulary framework, which tier includes domain-specific words like 'photosynthesis' and 'isotope'?

Accepted Answer

Tier 3

Answer

Tier 3 words are low-frequency, domain-specific academic terms used in particular content areas like science, math, or social studies.

Question 3

How long does research suggest it typically takes ELL students to develop CALP compared to BICS?

Accepted Answer

BICS takes 1-2 years; CALP takes 5-7 years

Answer

Research by Cummins indicates ELLs typically develop conversational fluency (BICS) in 1-2 years, while academic language proficiency (CALP) takes 5-7 years.

Question 4

Which vocabulary strategy involves teaching students to use prefixes, roots, and suffixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words?

Accepted Answer

Morphemic analysis

Answer

Morphemic analysis involves breaking down words into their meaningful units (morphemes) such as prefixes, roots, and suffixes to decode word meanings.

Question 5

A Spanish-speaking ELL notices that the English word 'celebrate' is similar to the Spanish word 'celebrar' and shares the same meaning. This is an example of a:

Accepted Answer

True cognate

Answer

True cognates are words in two languages that share similar spelling, pronunciation, and meaning, allowing ELLs to transfer vocabulary knowledge across languages.

TEA ESL - Texas Education Agency English as a Second Language Certification Practice Test

TEA ESL - Texas Education Agency English as a Second Language Certification Practice Test

TEA ESL Vocabulary Development & Academic Language