Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Exam Vocabulary Development & Word Knowledge Flashcards

What is the most effective approach to vocabulary instruction for building lasting word knowledge?

Answer: Teaching words in context with multiple exposures

Research shows that multiple exposures to words in meaningful contexts build deep, durable vocabulary knowledge.

Which type of vocabulary refers to words that appear frequently across many academic texts?

Answer: Tier 2 vocabulary

Tier 2 words are high-frequency academic words that appear across multiple content areas and are critical for reading comprehension.

What is morphological awareness in the context of vocabulary instruction?

Answer: Recognizing and using word parts like prefixes, roots, and suffixes

Morphological awareness involves understanding meaningful word parts (morphemes) to decode and infer the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Which instructional strategy best supports vocabulary development for struggling readers?

Answer: Providing rich, explicit instruction with visual supports and concrete examples

Explicit instruction paired with visual supports and concrete examples provides scaffolding that helps struggling readers acquire new vocabulary.

What does wide reading contribute to vocabulary development?

Answer: It exposes students to diverse words across many contexts

Wide reading across genres and topics exposes students to a broad range of vocabulary in meaningful contexts, supporting incidental word learning.

Which assessment approach is most useful for monitoring vocabulary growth over time?

Answer: A combination of depth and breadth measures

Using both depth measures (richness of word knowledge) and breadth measures (number of words known) provides a comprehensive picture of vocabulary development.