WGU D668 ELEMENTARY LITERACY CURRICULUM EXAM 2026/2027: COMPLETE EXAM-STYLE
QUESTIONS
Core Domains
Foundations of Literacy Development & Structured Literacy
Phonological & Phonemic Awareness
Phonics, Word Recognition & Spelling
Fluency Development
Vocabulary Development
Reading Comprehension & Text Genres
Writing Development & the Writing Process
Literacy-Rich Environments, Assessment & Differentiation
Standards Alignment & MTSS
Introduction
This comprehensive examination is designed to simulate the WGU D668 Elementary Literacy Curriculum
Objective Assessment. The assessment covers the science of reading, structured literacy, phonological and
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing development, literacy-rich
environments, assessment, differentiation, and MTSS. You will encounter multiple-choice questions and
scenario-based problems emphasizing real-world application, evidence-based instruction, and data-
driven decision-making. Mastery of these domains is essential for any elementary educator seeking to
deliver effective, equitable literacy instruction.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–120
1. What is literacy?
🟢 A. The ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling effective communication and
comprehension
B. The ability to memorize facts and recall them on tests
C. The ability to speak multiple languages fluently
D. The ability to solve complex mathematical problems
🔴 RATIONALE: Literacy encompasses the ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling
effective communication and comprehension across all subject areas.
2. According to Ehri's phases of word recognition development, a student who can identify
environmental print (STOP signs, McDonald's logos) but struggles to recognize the same words in
isolation is in which phase?
A. Consolidated Alphabetic Phase
B. Automatic Phase
🟢 C. Pre-alphabetic Phase
D. Full Alphabetic Phase
,🔴 RATIONALE: The Pre-alphabetic Phase (logographic phase) is where children recognize words by
visual or contextual cues rather than attending to letter-sound relationships. They rely on logos and
environmental print rather than decoding skills.
3. Which of the following best describes the approach used in structured literacy?
A. Focuses on discovery learning through exposure to authentic texts
🟢 B. Focuses on explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and other
foundational skills
C. Prioritizes whole-language approaches over skill-based instruction
D. Is a balanced literacy approach that combines both skills and meaning
🔴 RATIONALE: Structured literacy is characterized by explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction in
phonemic awareness, phonics, and other foundational reading skills.
4. What is a key component of structured literacy instruction?
A. Allowing students to learn through exposure and immersion
🟢 B. Integrating explicit, systematic teaching of decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) skills
C. Focusing only on comprehension strategies
D. Teaching reading without attention to phonics
🔴 RATIONALE: A key component of structured literacy is the explicit and systematic teaching of both
decoding and encoding skills.
5. Which statement best describes literacy acquisition?
A. Reading is a natural process that develops like spoken language
🟢 B. Reading is learned and must be explicitly taught
C. Reading develops naturally without formal instruction
D. Writing develops naturally before reading
🔴 RATIONALE: Reading and writing are learned skills that require explicit instruction. Unlike spoken
language, literacy does not develop instinctively.
6. According to Scarborough's Reading Rope, which strands represent word recognition?
A. Background knowledge and vocabulary
🟢 B. Phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition
C. Language structures and verbal reasoning
D. Literacy knowledge and sight recognition
🔴 RATIONALE: Scarborough's Reading Rope illustrates that word recognition is comprised of
phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition.
7. Which of the following is an example of a Tier 2 vocabulary word?
A. "the"
🟢 B. "analyze"
, C. "photosynthesis"
D. "run"
🔴 RATIONALE: Tier 2 words are high-frequency, academic words that appear across content areas,
such as "analyze," "compare," and "evaluate."
8. What is the purpose of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in literacy instruction?
A. To replace core instruction for students who struggle
🟢 B. To identify and address specific student needs through targeted, tiered support
C. To serve only students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
D. To focus exclusively on comprehension for advanced readers
🔴 RATIONALE: MTSS focuses on identifying and addressing specific needs through targeted, tiered
support. Tier 1 is core instruction for all; Tier 2 provides targeted small-group intervention; Tier 3 offers
intensive individualized support.
9. A first-grade teacher wants to create a literacy-rich classroom environment. Which of the following
best describes the primary purpose of such an environment?
A. To ensure students memorize grade-level sight words by the end of the year
🟢 B. To provide opportunities for students to engage with print and language in meaningful,
authentic ways
C. To reduce the amount of time students spend on independent reading and writing
D. To focus instruction exclusively on grammar rules taught in isolation
🔴 RATIONALE: Literacy-rich environments immerse students in authentic reading, writing, speaking,
and listening experiences, which builds strong literacy skills.
10. A teacher says, "Listen: /f/ /i/ /sh/. What word do those sounds make?" Which phonological skill is
being assessed?
A. Phoneme segmentation
🟢 B. Phoneme blending
C. Phoneme deletion
D. Syllable substitution
🔴 RATIONALE: Phoneme blending requires students to combine separately presented sounds to form
a complete spoken word.
11. Which task requires phoneme segmentation?
A. Saying dog after hearing /d/ /ö/ /g/
B. Identifying that cat and hat rhyme
🟢 C. Saying the individual sounds heard in ship
D. Identifying the first syllable in banana
🔴 RATIONALE: Phoneme segmentation involves breaking a spoken word into its individual
phonemes.
QUESTIONS
Core Domains
Foundations of Literacy Development & Structured Literacy
Phonological & Phonemic Awareness
Phonics, Word Recognition & Spelling
Fluency Development
Vocabulary Development
Reading Comprehension & Text Genres
Writing Development & the Writing Process
Literacy-Rich Environments, Assessment & Differentiation
Standards Alignment & MTSS
Introduction
This comprehensive examination is designed to simulate the WGU D668 Elementary Literacy Curriculum
Objective Assessment. The assessment covers the science of reading, structured literacy, phonological and
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing development, literacy-rich
environments, assessment, differentiation, and MTSS. You will encounter multiple-choice questions and
scenario-based problems emphasizing real-world application, evidence-based instruction, and data-
driven decision-making. Mastery of these domains is essential for any elementary educator seeking to
deliver effective, equitable literacy instruction.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–120
1. What is literacy?
🟢 A. The ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling effective communication and
comprehension
B. The ability to memorize facts and recall them on tests
C. The ability to speak multiple languages fluently
D. The ability to solve complex mathematical problems
🔴 RATIONALE: Literacy encompasses the ability to read, write, and understand information, enabling
effective communication and comprehension across all subject areas.
2. According to Ehri's phases of word recognition development, a student who can identify
environmental print (STOP signs, McDonald's logos) but struggles to recognize the same words in
isolation is in which phase?
A. Consolidated Alphabetic Phase
B. Automatic Phase
🟢 C. Pre-alphabetic Phase
D. Full Alphabetic Phase
,🔴 RATIONALE: The Pre-alphabetic Phase (logographic phase) is where children recognize words by
visual or contextual cues rather than attending to letter-sound relationships. They rely on logos and
environmental print rather than decoding skills.
3. Which of the following best describes the approach used in structured literacy?
A. Focuses on discovery learning through exposure to authentic texts
🟢 B. Focuses on explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and other
foundational skills
C. Prioritizes whole-language approaches over skill-based instruction
D. Is a balanced literacy approach that combines both skills and meaning
🔴 RATIONALE: Structured literacy is characterized by explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction in
phonemic awareness, phonics, and other foundational reading skills.
4. What is a key component of structured literacy instruction?
A. Allowing students to learn through exposure and immersion
🟢 B. Integrating explicit, systematic teaching of decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) skills
C. Focusing only on comprehension strategies
D. Teaching reading without attention to phonics
🔴 RATIONALE: A key component of structured literacy is the explicit and systematic teaching of both
decoding and encoding skills.
5. Which statement best describes literacy acquisition?
A. Reading is a natural process that develops like spoken language
🟢 B. Reading is learned and must be explicitly taught
C. Reading develops naturally without formal instruction
D. Writing develops naturally before reading
🔴 RATIONALE: Reading and writing are learned skills that require explicit instruction. Unlike spoken
language, literacy does not develop instinctively.
6. According to Scarborough's Reading Rope, which strands represent word recognition?
A. Background knowledge and vocabulary
🟢 B. Phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition
C. Language structures and verbal reasoning
D. Literacy knowledge and sight recognition
🔴 RATIONALE: Scarborough's Reading Rope illustrates that word recognition is comprised of
phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition.
7. Which of the following is an example of a Tier 2 vocabulary word?
A. "the"
🟢 B. "analyze"
, C. "photosynthesis"
D. "run"
🔴 RATIONALE: Tier 2 words are high-frequency, academic words that appear across content areas,
such as "analyze," "compare," and "evaluate."
8. What is the purpose of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in literacy instruction?
A. To replace core instruction for students who struggle
🟢 B. To identify and address specific student needs through targeted, tiered support
C. To serve only students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
D. To focus exclusively on comprehension for advanced readers
🔴 RATIONALE: MTSS focuses on identifying and addressing specific needs through targeted, tiered
support. Tier 1 is core instruction for all; Tier 2 provides targeted small-group intervention; Tier 3 offers
intensive individualized support.
9. A first-grade teacher wants to create a literacy-rich classroom environment. Which of the following
best describes the primary purpose of such an environment?
A. To ensure students memorize grade-level sight words by the end of the year
🟢 B. To provide opportunities for students to engage with print and language in meaningful,
authentic ways
C. To reduce the amount of time students spend on independent reading and writing
D. To focus instruction exclusively on grammar rules taught in isolation
🔴 RATIONALE: Literacy-rich environments immerse students in authentic reading, writing, speaking,
and listening experiences, which builds strong literacy skills.
10. A teacher says, "Listen: /f/ /i/ /sh/. What word do those sounds make?" Which phonological skill is
being assessed?
A. Phoneme segmentation
🟢 B. Phoneme blending
C. Phoneme deletion
D. Syllable substitution
🔴 RATIONALE: Phoneme blending requires students to combine separately presented sounds to form
a complete spoken word.
11. Which task requires phoneme segmentation?
A. Saying dog after hearing /d/ /ö/ /g/
B. Identifying that cat and hat rhyme
🟢 C. Saying the individual sounds heard in ship
D. Identifying the first syllable in banana
🔴 RATIONALE: Phoneme segmentation involves breaking a spoken word into its individual
phonemes.
