WGU Literacy Matters Chapter 1 –
Practice Questions 2026
Knowledge of Learners - Answer-Teachers use their knowledge of learning theories to
inform their teaching.
Knowledge About Literacy - Answer-Teachers understand current research and theories
about literacy instruction and apply their knowledge to their teaching.
Equity, Fairness, and Diversity - Answer-Teachers provide equal access to learning,
capitalize on diversity, and encourage all students to respect themselves and their
classmates.
Learning Environment - Answer-Teachers establish a community of learners in their
classroom that's safe, supportive, inclusive, and democratic.
Instructional Resources - Answer-Teachers collect, create, and adapt instructional
resources, involve students in creating resources, and invite community members to
enrich the instructional program.
Instructional Decision Making - Answer-Teachers set informed goals for their students,
provide meaningful learning experiences, and interact effectively with students.
What are the four cueing systems in the English Language? - Answer-1. The
phonological, or sound, system
2. The semantic, or structural, system
3. The semantic, or meaning, system
4. The pragmatic, or social and cultural use, system
How many speech sounds are there in the English Language? - Answer-Approximately
44.
Phonemes - Answer-The smallest unit of sound.
Graphemes - Answer-The written representation of a phoneme using one or more
letters.
,Phonological System Definition - Answer-The sound system of English with
approximately 44 sounds and more than 500 ways to spell them.
The phonological system is important for what? - Answer-Both oral and written
language.
Phonological System Terms - Answer-1. Phoneme
2. Grapheme
3. Phonological awareness
4. Phonemic awareness
5. Phonics
Phonological System Applications - Answer-1. Pronouncing words
2. Detecting regional and other dialects
3. Decoding words when reading
4. Using invented spelling
5. Reading and writing alliterations and onomatopoeia
6. Noticing rhyming words
7. Dividing words into syllables
Phonological Awareness - Answer-Knowledge about the sound structure of words, at
the phoneme, onset rime, and syllable levels.
Phonemic Awareness - Answer-The ability to orally manipulate phonemes in words.
Phonics - Answer-Instruction about phoneme-grapheme correspondences and spelling
rules.
Syntactic System Definition - Answer-The structural system of English that governs how
words are combined into sentences.
Syntactic System Terms - Answer-1. Syntax
2. Morpheme
3. Free Morpheme
4. Bound Morpheme
Syntactic Systems Applications - Answer-1. Adding inflectional endings to words
2. Combining words to forms compound words
3. Adding prefixes and suffixes to root words
4. Using capitalization and punctuation to indicate beginnings and ends of sentences
5. Writing simple, compound, and complex sentences
6. Combining sentences
Syntax - Answer-The structure or grammar of a sentence.
, Morpheme - Answer-The smallest meaningful unit of language.
Free Morpheme - Answer-A morpheme that can stand alone as a word.
Bound Morpheme - Answer-A morpheme that must be attached to a free morpheme.
Semantic System Definition - Answer-The meaning system of English that focuses on
vocabulary.
Semantic System Terms - Answer-1. Semantics
2. Synonyms
3. Antonyms
4. Homonyms
Semantic Systems Applications - Answer-1. Learning the meanings of words
2. Discovering that many words have multiple meanings
3. Using context clues to figure out an unfamiliar word
4. Studying synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms
5. Using a dictionary and a thesaurus
Semantics - Answer-Meaning.
Synonyms - Answer-Words that mean the same or nearly the same thing.
Antonyms - Answer-Opposites.
Homonyms - Answer-Words that sound alike but are spelled differently.
Pragmatic System Definition - Answer-The system of English that offers language
choices according to social and cultural uses.
Pragmatic System Terms - Answer-1. Function
2. Standard English
3. Nonstandard English
Pragmatic System Applications - Answer-1. Varying language to fit specific purposes
2. Reading and writing dialogue in dialects
3. Comparing standard and nonstandard forms of English.
Function - Answer-The purpose for which a person uses language.
Standard English - Answer-The form of English used in textbooks and by television
newscasters.
Nonstandard English - Answer-Other forms of English.
Practice Questions 2026
Knowledge of Learners - Answer-Teachers use their knowledge of learning theories to
inform their teaching.
Knowledge About Literacy - Answer-Teachers understand current research and theories
about literacy instruction and apply their knowledge to their teaching.
Equity, Fairness, and Diversity - Answer-Teachers provide equal access to learning,
capitalize on diversity, and encourage all students to respect themselves and their
classmates.
Learning Environment - Answer-Teachers establish a community of learners in their
classroom that's safe, supportive, inclusive, and democratic.
Instructional Resources - Answer-Teachers collect, create, and adapt instructional
resources, involve students in creating resources, and invite community members to
enrich the instructional program.
Instructional Decision Making - Answer-Teachers set informed goals for their students,
provide meaningful learning experiences, and interact effectively with students.
What are the four cueing systems in the English Language? - Answer-1. The
phonological, or sound, system
2. The semantic, or structural, system
3. The semantic, or meaning, system
4. The pragmatic, or social and cultural use, system
How many speech sounds are there in the English Language? - Answer-Approximately
44.
Phonemes - Answer-The smallest unit of sound.
Graphemes - Answer-The written representation of a phoneme using one or more
letters.
,Phonological System Definition - Answer-The sound system of English with
approximately 44 sounds and more than 500 ways to spell them.
The phonological system is important for what? - Answer-Both oral and written
language.
Phonological System Terms - Answer-1. Phoneme
2. Grapheme
3. Phonological awareness
4. Phonemic awareness
5. Phonics
Phonological System Applications - Answer-1. Pronouncing words
2. Detecting regional and other dialects
3. Decoding words when reading
4. Using invented spelling
5. Reading and writing alliterations and onomatopoeia
6. Noticing rhyming words
7. Dividing words into syllables
Phonological Awareness - Answer-Knowledge about the sound structure of words, at
the phoneme, onset rime, and syllable levels.
Phonemic Awareness - Answer-The ability to orally manipulate phonemes in words.
Phonics - Answer-Instruction about phoneme-grapheme correspondences and spelling
rules.
Syntactic System Definition - Answer-The structural system of English that governs how
words are combined into sentences.
Syntactic System Terms - Answer-1. Syntax
2. Morpheme
3. Free Morpheme
4. Bound Morpheme
Syntactic Systems Applications - Answer-1. Adding inflectional endings to words
2. Combining words to forms compound words
3. Adding prefixes and suffixes to root words
4. Using capitalization and punctuation to indicate beginnings and ends of sentences
5. Writing simple, compound, and complex sentences
6. Combining sentences
Syntax - Answer-The structure or grammar of a sentence.
, Morpheme - Answer-The smallest meaningful unit of language.
Free Morpheme - Answer-A morpheme that can stand alone as a word.
Bound Morpheme - Answer-A morpheme that must be attached to a free morpheme.
Semantic System Definition - Answer-The meaning system of English that focuses on
vocabulary.
Semantic System Terms - Answer-1. Semantics
2. Synonyms
3. Antonyms
4. Homonyms
Semantic Systems Applications - Answer-1. Learning the meanings of words
2. Discovering that many words have multiple meanings
3. Using context clues to figure out an unfamiliar word
4. Studying synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms
5. Using a dictionary and a thesaurus
Semantics - Answer-Meaning.
Synonyms - Answer-Words that mean the same or nearly the same thing.
Antonyms - Answer-Opposites.
Homonyms - Answer-Words that sound alike but are spelled differently.
Pragmatic System Definition - Answer-The system of English that offers language
choices according to social and cultural uses.
Pragmatic System Terms - Answer-1. Function
2. Standard English
3. Nonstandard English
Pragmatic System Applications - Answer-1. Varying language to fit specific purposes
2. Reading and writing dialogue in dialects
3. Comparing standard and nonstandard forms of English.
Function - Answer-The purpose for which a person uses language.
Standard English - Answer-The form of English used in textbooks and by television
newscasters.
Nonstandard English - Answer-Other forms of English.
