TEXES SCIENCE OF TEACHING READING
(STR) (293) — 350 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
DOMAIN I — READING PEDAGOGY
1. Which of the following practices by a prekindergarten teacher best reflects
an assets based approach to reading instruction?
A) Planning instruction in various areas of reading using continually adjusted
flexible groupings according to each child's current assessed knowledge and
skills
B) Allowing individual children to develop an interest in literacy at their own
pace before introducing them to foundational reading concepts and skills
C) Ensuring that each child in an emergentreading group has mastered the
current reading concept or skill before moving the group on to the next lesson
D) Building opportunities in each lesson for children to use multiple
modalities to deepen their understanding of new reading concepts and skills
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: An assets based approach focuses on what children know rather
than on what they do not know. By continually adjusting flexible groupings
,according to current assessment data, the teacher acknowledges each child's
growth. Option B incorrectly holds children back; Option C locks children into
fixed groups; Option D focuses on modalities rather than building on student
strengths.
2. A first grade student has been identified as having dyslexia and has begun
intervention. Which approach to instruction would be most effective to
enhance the student's reading development?
A) Allowing the student to use colored overlays on all classroom texts to
ameliorate the visual difficulties caused by dyslexia
B) Using reading materials with the student for instruction and guided
practice that utilize specialized fonts designed for people with dyslexia
C) Arranging for the student to spend time each day on the classroom
computer using a working memory training program
D) Providing the student with systematic, explicit multimodal instruction in
all the essential, evidence based components of reading
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Convergent research on dyslexia supports a language based,
multimodal approach that is systematic and explicit, addressing all five
components of reading. Options A and B are based on the false premise that
dyslexia is a visual condition. Option C is based on the false premise that
dyslexia is caused by a working memory deficit.
,3. A third grade teacher frequently uses an online application at the end of a
lesson that allows the teacher to post a small task or question for students.
For example, after a lesson on prefixes, the teacher posts three base words
and asks students to change the meaning of each word by adding an
appropriate prefix. Throughout the day, students post their individual
responses for the teacher to review. In this scenario, the teacher is using
technology for which assessment purpose?
A) Formative assessment
B) Diagnostic assessment
C) Summative assessment
D) Screening assessment
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The purpose of a formative assessment is to obtain information
about what students have learned following instruction. The teacher uses the
online application as an exit ticket to check individual students' learning and
adjust subsequent instruction. Diagnostic assessment identifies causes of
difficulties; summative assessment measures progress at the end of a unit;
screening identifies atrisk students.
4. A kindergarten teacher is planning instruction for a small group of students
who have mastered the lettersound relationships for the consonants m, s, t,
and p and for the shortvowel sound of the letter a. The students also
consistently spell words using both initial and final consonant sounds in their
daily writing. Which instructional activity would be most appropriate to
promote their transition to the next step along the continuum of
development?
, A) Exploring the lettersounds for letter names that do not contain the sound
that the letter represents (e.g., h, w)
B) Introducing the students to early decodable texts featuring known
lettersound relationships and modeling how to sound out the words
C) Consolidating the students' knowledge of letters that contain the letter's
sound at the beginning of the letter's name (e.g., b, d, j, k, q)
D) Practicing writing each letter of the alphabet in response to a spoken
prompt of the letter's sound to build motor memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The students understand the alphabetic principle and can perceive
at least two phonemes in words. Due to the reciprocity between encoding and
decoding, they are ready to begin reading early decodable texts featuring
known lettersound relationships. Options A and C focus on isolated
lettersounds; Option D does not move students toward decoding words.
5. A prekindergarten teacher is preparing an introductory lesson focused on
isolating/identifying the initial sound in spoken words for a small group of
children whose informal assessments indicate that they are ready to learn this
skill. The group includes an English learner. Which instructional support
would best promote the English learner's success?
A) Selecting stimulus words for the lesson that have sounds common to both
English and the English learner's home language
B) Developing an alternative lesson for the English learner that focuses on
skills that fall earlier along the phonological awareness continuum
C) Conducting tasks with the English learner that require the child to segment
and blend the sounds of simple spoken English words
(STR) (293) — 350 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
DOMAIN I — READING PEDAGOGY
1. Which of the following practices by a prekindergarten teacher best reflects
an assets based approach to reading instruction?
A) Planning instruction in various areas of reading using continually adjusted
flexible groupings according to each child's current assessed knowledge and
skills
B) Allowing individual children to develop an interest in literacy at their own
pace before introducing them to foundational reading concepts and skills
C) Ensuring that each child in an emergentreading group has mastered the
current reading concept or skill before moving the group on to the next lesson
D) Building opportunities in each lesson for children to use multiple
modalities to deepen their understanding of new reading concepts and skills
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: An assets based approach focuses on what children know rather
than on what they do not know. By continually adjusting flexible groupings
,according to current assessment data, the teacher acknowledges each child's
growth. Option B incorrectly holds children back; Option C locks children into
fixed groups; Option D focuses on modalities rather than building on student
strengths.
2. A first grade student has been identified as having dyslexia and has begun
intervention. Which approach to instruction would be most effective to
enhance the student's reading development?
A) Allowing the student to use colored overlays on all classroom texts to
ameliorate the visual difficulties caused by dyslexia
B) Using reading materials with the student for instruction and guided
practice that utilize specialized fonts designed for people with dyslexia
C) Arranging for the student to spend time each day on the classroom
computer using a working memory training program
D) Providing the student with systematic, explicit multimodal instruction in
all the essential, evidence based components of reading
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Convergent research on dyslexia supports a language based,
multimodal approach that is systematic and explicit, addressing all five
components of reading. Options A and B are based on the false premise that
dyslexia is a visual condition. Option C is based on the false premise that
dyslexia is caused by a working memory deficit.
,3. A third grade teacher frequently uses an online application at the end of a
lesson that allows the teacher to post a small task or question for students.
For example, after a lesson on prefixes, the teacher posts three base words
and asks students to change the meaning of each word by adding an
appropriate prefix. Throughout the day, students post their individual
responses for the teacher to review. In this scenario, the teacher is using
technology for which assessment purpose?
A) Formative assessment
B) Diagnostic assessment
C) Summative assessment
D) Screening assessment
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The purpose of a formative assessment is to obtain information
about what students have learned following instruction. The teacher uses the
online application as an exit ticket to check individual students' learning and
adjust subsequent instruction. Diagnostic assessment identifies causes of
difficulties; summative assessment measures progress at the end of a unit;
screening identifies atrisk students.
4. A kindergarten teacher is planning instruction for a small group of students
who have mastered the lettersound relationships for the consonants m, s, t,
and p and for the shortvowel sound of the letter a. The students also
consistently spell words using both initial and final consonant sounds in their
daily writing. Which instructional activity would be most appropriate to
promote their transition to the next step along the continuum of
development?
, A) Exploring the lettersounds for letter names that do not contain the sound
that the letter represents (e.g., h, w)
B) Introducing the students to early decodable texts featuring known
lettersound relationships and modeling how to sound out the words
C) Consolidating the students' knowledge of letters that contain the letter's
sound at the beginning of the letter's name (e.g., b, d, j, k, q)
D) Practicing writing each letter of the alphabet in response to a spoken
prompt of the letter's sound to build motor memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The students understand the alphabetic principle and can perceive
at least two phonemes in words. Due to the reciprocity between encoding and
decoding, they are ready to begin reading early decodable texts featuring
known lettersound relationships. Options A and C focus on isolated
lettersounds; Option D does not move students toward decoding words.
5. A prekindergarten teacher is preparing an introductory lesson focused on
isolating/identifying the initial sound in spoken words for a small group of
children whose informal assessments indicate that they are ready to learn this
skill. The group includes an English learner. Which instructional support
would best promote the English learner's success?
A) Selecting stimulus words for the lesson that have sounds common to both
English and the English learner's home language
B) Developing an alternative lesson for the English learner that focuses on
skills that fall earlier along the phonological awareness continuum
C) Conducting tasks with the English learner that require the child to segment
and blend the sounds of simple spoken English words
