TExES STR 293 Science of Teaching Reading Exam Study Guide |
Practice Questions, Answers & Rationales | 2026–2028
Prepare for the TExES Science of Teaching Reading (STR 293) certification exam
with this comprehensive study guide featuring original practice questions,
accurate answers, and detailed rationales. Covers phonological awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, literacy assessment,
writing instruction, English learners, and evidence-based reading practices
aligned with the STR 293 exam framework. Perfect for focused review, self-
assessment, and building confidence before your teacher certification exam.
QUESTION 1
A prekindergarten teacher meets with small groups of students on a regular basis.
During one small group lesson, the teacher reads an alphabet book focused on the
letter p. Then, the teacher shows a set of flashcards of words that begin with the letter p.
The teacher shows the first card, which has the letter p written in the upper left hand
corner, a picture of a pig in the center, and the word pig written at the bottom. The
teacher says "p," makes the /p/ sound, and says "pig" while pointing to the picture.
Then, each student is invited to repeat the same sounds individually while looking at the
card. This activity helps students learn which of the following developmental reading
concepts?
A) The alphabetic principle
B) How to utilize text features
C) The directionality of print
D) How to memorize sight words
ANSWER: A) The alphabetic principle
Rationale: The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters represent sounds and
that these sounds can be blended to form words. This activity explicitly connects the letter
"p" with its corresponding sound (/p/) and uses it in a word ("pig"), directly reinforcing the
alphabetic principle .
,QUESTION 2
A group of second-grade students has recently mastered identifying and decoding
words containing VC patterns, such as -ow and -ar. The teacher would like to provide
enrichment in the next area of phonics instruction while other students in the class
continue working on VC patterns. Which of the following skills would come next on the
continuum of word-reading skills described in the second grade Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)?
A) Identify and decode words containing VCe patterns
B) Begin instruction in high-frequency words with 4 letters or more
C) Identify and decode words containing the CVC pattern
D) Use known word patterns to increase their reading rate
ANSWER: A) Identify and decode words containing VCe patterns
Rationale: After mastering vowel-consonant (VC) patterns, students typically progress to
vowel-consonant-silent e (VCe) patterns (e.g., "make," "bike," "hope"). This sequence
follows the typical phonics continuum and is appropriate for second-grade instruction .
QUESTION 3
A first-grade teacher would like to model metacognitive reading strategies with her
students. Which of the following activities would be best for the teacher to implement
to accomplish this goal?
A) Conducting a think aloud in which the teacher reads the text orally, stopping along
the way to ask questions and model making predictions
B) Holding small group interventions where the teacher shows students how to use
context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words
C) Meeting one on one with each student in the class to ask comprehension questions
about a complex text the teacher read aloud to the class
,D) Having students participate in a reader's theatre activity twice a week in which the
teacher models reading with accuracy and prosody
ANSWER: A) Conducting a think aloud in which the teacher reads the text orally,
stopping along the way to ask questions and model making predictions
Rationale: Think-alouds are a powerful metacognitive strategy because they make the
teacher's internal thought processes visible to students. By verbalizing predictions,
questions, and connections while reading, the teacher explicitly models how good readers
monitor their own understanding .
QUESTION 4
A second-grade class is halfway through a class novel. The teacher is designing a
formative assessment to determine each student's ability to make a prediction. Which of
the following approaches should the teacher take when designing the assessment?
A) Have students guess what happens next in the text and provide support with text
evidence
B) Ask students to summarize what has already happened in the story
C) Require students to draw a picture of their favorite character
D) Ask students to identify the author's purpose for writing the book
ANSWER: A) Have students guess what happens next in the text and provide
support with text evidence
Rationale: Making predictions requires students to use prior knowledge and text clues to
anticipate future events. The most effective assessment requires students not only to state
their prediction but also to justify it with evidence from the text, demonstrating true
comprehension .
, QUESTION 5
A first-grade teacher is using the strategy of phoneme-grapheme mapping to help
students master necessary phonics skills. The teacher reads students short, predictable
texts focused on a particular letter sound, such as short i or short o. At the end of one
week of reading a particular short text, the teacher presents a small group of students
with a chart where students write target words and separate the phonemes into
individual boxes. Considering the fundamentals of phonics instruction, these activities
help students to understand:
A) How to effectively decode and encode text while reading and writing
B) How to recognize sight words automatically
C) How to use context clues to determine word meaning
D) How to identify the main idea of a passage
ANSWER: A) How to effectively decode and encode text while reading and writing
Rationale: Phoneme-grapheme mapping directly links sounds (phonemes) to letters
(graphemes). This practice strengthens both decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling)
skills, which are reciprocal processes in literacy development .
QUESTION 6
A prekindergarten class contains several students who have had very little exposure to
printed text. What strategies should the teacher implement to help this group of
students develop print and phonological awareness?
A) Dedicate a portion of daily instruction to introducing sight words and practicing them
until students achieve automaticity
B) Invite students to choose their independent reading books for silent reading time to
increase student engagement
C) Conduct read alouds using predictable texts and practice rhyming words using
nursery rhymes and games
D) Have students read one alphabet reader a week with a partner who has achieved a
higher level of print awareness
Practice Questions, Answers & Rationales | 2026–2028
Prepare for the TExES Science of Teaching Reading (STR 293) certification exam
with this comprehensive study guide featuring original practice questions,
accurate answers, and detailed rationales. Covers phonological awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, literacy assessment,
writing instruction, English learners, and evidence-based reading practices
aligned with the STR 293 exam framework. Perfect for focused review, self-
assessment, and building confidence before your teacher certification exam.
QUESTION 1
A prekindergarten teacher meets with small groups of students on a regular basis.
During one small group lesson, the teacher reads an alphabet book focused on the
letter p. Then, the teacher shows a set of flashcards of words that begin with the letter p.
The teacher shows the first card, which has the letter p written in the upper left hand
corner, a picture of a pig in the center, and the word pig written at the bottom. The
teacher says "p," makes the /p/ sound, and says "pig" while pointing to the picture.
Then, each student is invited to repeat the same sounds individually while looking at the
card. This activity helps students learn which of the following developmental reading
concepts?
A) The alphabetic principle
B) How to utilize text features
C) The directionality of print
D) How to memorize sight words
ANSWER: A) The alphabetic principle
Rationale: The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters represent sounds and
that these sounds can be blended to form words. This activity explicitly connects the letter
"p" with its corresponding sound (/p/) and uses it in a word ("pig"), directly reinforcing the
alphabetic principle .
,QUESTION 2
A group of second-grade students has recently mastered identifying and decoding
words containing VC patterns, such as -ow and -ar. The teacher would like to provide
enrichment in the next area of phonics instruction while other students in the class
continue working on VC patterns. Which of the following skills would come next on the
continuum of word-reading skills described in the second grade Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)?
A) Identify and decode words containing VCe patterns
B) Begin instruction in high-frequency words with 4 letters or more
C) Identify and decode words containing the CVC pattern
D) Use known word patterns to increase their reading rate
ANSWER: A) Identify and decode words containing VCe patterns
Rationale: After mastering vowel-consonant (VC) patterns, students typically progress to
vowel-consonant-silent e (VCe) patterns (e.g., "make," "bike," "hope"). This sequence
follows the typical phonics continuum and is appropriate for second-grade instruction .
QUESTION 3
A first-grade teacher would like to model metacognitive reading strategies with her
students. Which of the following activities would be best for the teacher to implement
to accomplish this goal?
A) Conducting a think aloud in which the teacher reads the text orally, stopping along
the way to ask questions and model making predictions
B) Holding small group interventions where the teacher shows students how to use
context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words
C) Meeting one on one with each student in the class to ask comprehension questions
about a complex text the teacher read aloud to the class
,D) Having students participate in a reader's theatre activity twice a week in which the
teacher models reading with accuracy and prosody
ANSWER: A) Conducting a think aloud in which the teacher reads the text orally,
stopping along the way to ask questions and model making predictions
Rationale: Think-alouds are a powerful metacognitive strategy because they make the
teacher's internal thought processes visible to students. By verbalizing predictions,
questions, and connections while reading, the teacher explicitly models how good readers
monitor their own understanding .
QUESTION 4
A second-grade class is halfway through a class novel. The teacher is designing a
formative assessment to determine each student's ability to make a prediction. Which of
the following approaches should the teacher take when designing the assessment?
A) Have students guess what happens next in the text and provide support with text
evidence
B) Ask students to summarize what has already happened in the story
C) Require students to draw a picture of their favorite character
D) Ask students to identify the author's purpose for writing the book
ANSWER: A) Have students guess what happens next in the text and provide
support with text evidence
Rationale: Making predictions requires students to use prior knowledge and text clues to
anticipate future events. The most effective assessment requires students not only to state
their prediction but also to justify it with evidence from the text, demonstrating true
comprehension .
, QUESTION 5
A first-grade teacher is using the strategy of phoneme-grapheme mapping to help
students master necessary phonics skills. The teacher reads students short, predictable
texts focused on a particular letter sound, such as short i or short o. At the end of one
week of reading a particular short text, the teacher presents a small group of students
with a chart where students write target words and separate the phonemes into
individual boxes. Considering the fundamentals of phonics instruction, these activities
help students to understand:
A) How to effectively decode and encode text while reading and writing
B) How to recognize sight words automatically
C) How to use context clues to determine word meaning
D) How to identify the main idea of a passage
ANSWER: A) How to effectively decode and encode text while reading and writing
Rationale: Phoneme-grapheme mapping directly links sounds (phonemes) to letters
(graphemes). This practice strengthens both decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling)
skills, which are reciprocal processes in literacy development .
QUESTION 6
A prekindergarten class contains several students who have had very little exposure to
printed text. What strategies should the teacher implement to help this group of
students develop print and phonological awareness?
A) Dedicate a portion of daily instruction to introducing sight words and practicing them
until students achieve automaticity
B) Invite students to choose their independent reading books for silent reading time to
increase student engagement
C) Conduct read alouds using predictable texts and practice rhyming words using
nursery rhymes and games
D) Have students read one alphabet reader a week with a partner who has achieved a
higher level of print awareness
