WFORE English Language Learners & ESL 2

Question 1

A Spanish-speaking first grader reads 'ship' as 'chip.' What is the most likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

The /sh/ phoneme does not exist in most Spanish dialects, so the student substitutes a close sound

Answer

Spanish lacks the /sh/ phoneme, so speakers often substitute the nearby /ch/ sound.

Question 2

Which pair of words is an example of false cognates between Spanish and English?

Accepted Answer

embarazada / embarrassed

Answer

Embarazada means pregnant in Spanish, not embarrassed, so the words look alike but differ in meaning.

Question 3

According to Cummins, what does the term BICS refer to?

Accepted Answer

Basic interpersonal communicative skills used in everyday social conversation

Answer

BICS is the conversational, context-embedded language that typically develops within about two years.

Question 4

An ELL converses fluently with classmates but struggles to explain a science concept in writing. This best illustrates:

Accepted Answer

The difference between BICS and CALP

Answer

Social fluency (BICS) develops faster than cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP), which can take 5-7 years.

Question 5

A teacher shows a picture, models the word 'harvest,' and has students act it out before reading. This practice primarily provides:

Accepted Answer

Comprehensible input

Answer

Visuals and gestures make new language understandable, which Krashen calls comprehensible input.

Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Exam Practice Test