MTTC ESL TEST EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Limited/Subtractive Billingualism - Answer-The child's L1 is gradually replaced by a
more dominant/prestigious language.
Partial Bilingualism - Answer-Students achieve native like level in one of their
languages-- doesn't reap any positive or negative cognitive effects.
Proficient/Additive Bilingualism - Answer-When students attain increased levels of
proficiency in both languages. This is where they can reap positive cognitive benefits.
Cognitive Benefits of Bilingualism - Answer-- Better pattern recognition, problem
solving, divergent thinking and creativity
- Enhanced metalinguistic/critical thinking
- Better on standardized tests
- Sharper task focus
- Increased understanding of contextual use of language.
Communicative Competence - Answer-Knowledge that enables language users to
convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meaning interpersonally within specific
contexts. Not just relevant to grammar-- communication correctly in regards to the social
context.
Zone of Proximal Development - Answer-(ZPD) The distance between the actual
developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of
potential development under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable
peers.
Factors That Influence 2nd Language Acquisition - Answer-- Learner's Background:
names, forms of address, age, L1 proficiency, L2 experience, assessment of L2 level,
current stage of L2 acquisition, academic success, likes/dislikes
- Social Emotional: self esteem, motivation, anxiety, learner attitudes
- Cognitive: learning styles/ strategies
- Sociocultural/political: family acculturation, use of L1 and L2, family/school values
Norm Referenced Assessments - Answer-(better option) When the interpretation of
assessment performance is relative rather than absolute. Results are not compared to a
predetermined standard.
Example: Top 20 scores pass, no predetermined cut off score.
Criterion Referenced Assessments - Answer-(bad option) Has a cut off score that
represents an absolute level of mastery that the students must achieve. Interpretation of
test performance is absolute rather than relative to other students performances.
, Example: SAT-- many standardized tests
Acculturation - Answer-Exchange of cultural features.
Example: An advanced ELL has been in the U.S for several years. He is strong
academically and does extra-curricular activities, has English speaking friends and
speaks his L1 at home and celebrates his heritage culture.
Assimilation - Answer-L1 is absorbed. Loss of cultural characteristics.
Syncretism - Answer-When different inflected forms of a single word are identical to
each other.
"Put" can be used in single past, present tense, and past participle.
Decoding - Answer-Translating printed words to sounds or reading (reading). Going
from visual to auditory.
Encoding - Answer-Using individual sounds to build and write words (writing). Going
from auditory to writing.
Krashen's Monitor Model - Answer-Consists of 5 hypothesis. Not a perfect model but
still has some relevant ESL ideas within it.
Onset - Answer-The initial phonological unit of any word. Ex: /c/ in cat.
Rime - Answer-The string of letters that follow, usually a vowel and final consonants.
Ex: /at/ in cat. Can be used to figure out word families and increase phonological
awareness.
Pull-out ESL - Answer-ESL teacher pulls students out of mainstream classroom to work
in small groups in another room. Students will miss mainstream instruction but get 1-on-
1 time with another educator.
Push-in ESL - Answer-ESL teacher comes into mainstream classroom to support ELs
during content-area lessons. ESL teacher could co-teach with mainstream teacher or
work with small groups of students as the mainstream teacher instructs.
1) Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis - Answer-The origin is flawed by can be beneficial to
instruction from a certain perspective. Originally this hypothesis says language learning
is a subconscious act because of the brain's Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which
is non existent.
We can take aways that ACQUISITION is subconscious and LEARNING is conscious.
LEARNING is what we do in school though it is not as effective as acquisition.
In our classes, teenagers and older students can really benefit from concrete learning
strategies and explicit grammar instruction.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Limited/Subtractive Billingualism - Answer-The child's L1 is gradually replaced by a
more dominant/prestigious language.
Partial Bilingualism - Answer-Students achieve native like level in one of their
languages-- doesn't reap any positive or negative cognitive effects.
Proficient/Additive Bilingualism - Answer-When students attain increased levels of
proficiency in both languages. This is where they can reap positive cognitive benefits.
Cognitive Benefits of Bilingualism - Answer-- Better pattern recognition, problem
solving, divergent thinking and creativity
- Enhanced metalinguistic/critical thinking
- Better on standardized tests
- Sharper task focus
- Increased understanding of contextual use of language.
Communicative Competence - Answer-Knowledge that enables language users to
convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meaning interpersonally within specific
contexts. Not just relevant to grammar-- communication correctly in regards to the social
context.
Zone of Proximal Development - Answer-(ZPD) The distance between the actual
developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of
potential development under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable
peers.
Factors That Influence 2nd Language Acquisition - Answer-- Learner's Background:
names, forms of address, age, L1 proficiency, L2 experience, assessment of L2 level,
current stage of L2 acquisition, academic success, likes/dislikes
- Social Emotional: self esteem, motivation, anxiety, learner attitudes
- Cognitive: learning styles/ strategies
- Sociocultural/political: family acculturation, use of L1 and L2, family/school values
Norm Referenced Assessments - Answer-(better option) When the interpretation of
assessment performance is relative rather than absolute. Results are not compared to a
predetermined standard.
Example: Top 20 scores pass, no predetermined cut off score.
Criterion Referenced Assessments - Answer-(bad option) Has a cut off score that
represents an absolute level of mastery that the students must achieve. Interpretation of
test performance is absolute rather than relative to other students performances.
, Example: SAT-- many standardized tests
Acculturation - Answer-Exchange of cultural features.
Example: An advanced ELL has been in the U.S for several years. He is strong
academically and does extra-curricular activities, has English speaking friends and
speaks his L1 at home and celebrates his heritage culture.
Assimilation - Answer-L1 is absorbed. Loss of cultural characteristics.
Syncretism - Answer-When different inflected forms of a single word are identical to
each other.
"Put" can be used in single past, present tense, and past participle.
Decoding - Answer-Translating printed words to sounds or reading (reading). Going
from visual to auditory.
Encoding - Answer-Using individual sounds to build and write words (writing). Going
from auditory to writing.
Krashen's Monitor Model - Answer-Consists of 5 hypothesis. Not a perfect model but
still has some relevant ESL ideas within it.
Onset - Answer-The initial phonological unit of any word. Ex: /c/ in cat.
Rime - Answer-The string of letters that follow, usually a vowel and final consonants.
Ex: /at/ in cat. Can be used to figure out word families and increase phonological
awareness.
Pull-out ESL - Answer-ESL teacher pulls students out of mainstream classroom to work
in small groups in another room. Students will miss mainstream instruction but get 1-on-
1 time with another educator.
Push-in ESL - Answer-ESL teacher comes into mainstream classroom to support ELs
during content-area lessons. ESL teacher could co-teach with mainstream teacher or
work with small groups of students as the mainstream teacher instructs.
1) Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis - Answer-The origin is flawed by can be beneficial to
instruction from a certain perspective. Originally this hypothesis says language learning
is a subconscious act because of the brain's Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which
is non existent.
We can take aways that ACQUISITION is subconscious and LEARNING is conscious.
LEARNING is what we do in school though it is not as effective as acquisition.
In our classes, teenagers and older students can really benefit from concrete learning
strategies and explicit grammar instruction.
