1
ALTA CALT Certification Exam – Certified Academic
Language Therapist | High-Yield Practice with Expert
Rationales
Target Audience: Educators, Therapists, and Professionals preparing for the Academic
Language Therapy Association (ALTA) Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)
examination.
1. "Phonology" is best defined as the study of:
A. The meaning of words and word parts
B. The sound system of a language and the rules governing sound combinations
C. The structure of sentences and grammatical rules
D. The written representation of language
☑ Correct Answer: B
☑ Explanation: Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, including the
rules for combining and using phonemes. It is a foundational component of MSLE instruction.
Option A describes semantics, Option C describes syntax, and Option D describes orthography.
2. A "phoneme" is defined as:
A. The smallest unit of meaning in a language
,2
B. The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning in a language
C. A written letter or group of letters representing a sound
D. A word part that carries meaning
☑ Correct Answer: B
☑ Explanation: A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the
meaning of a word (e.g., /b/ vs /p/ in "bat" vs "pat"). Option A describes a morpheme, Option C
describes a grapheme, and Option D also describes a morpheme.
3. Phonemic awareness is the ability to:
A. Recognize and manipulate individual phonemes in spoken words
B. Recognize and manipulate individual letters in written words
C. Understand the meaning of words in context
D. Apply phonics rules to decode unfamiliar words
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate
individual phonemes in spoken words. It is an auditory skill that does not involve print. Option B
,3
describes phonics or orthographic awareness, Option C describes semantic understanding, and
Option D describes decoding.
4. Which of the following is an example of a phonological awareness task?
A. Identifying the word that rhymes with "cat" from a set of pictures
B. Writing the letter that represents the first sound in "dog"
C. Reading a list of sight words fluently
D. Defining the meaning of the word "enormous"
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the
sound structures of spoken language. Rhyme identification is a phonological awareness task
that does not require print. Option B involves phonics (sound-symbol correspondence), Option C
involves reading fluency, and Option D involves semantics.
5. A student can blend the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/ to say "cat." This skill is an example of:
A. Phonemic awareness
, 4
B. Phonics
C. Orthographic mapping
D. Morphological awareness
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonemic awareness includes the ability to blend individual sounds
(phonemes) to form words. This is an auditory skill. Phonics involves the relationship between
sounds and their written symbols (letters). Orthographic mapping is the process of storing words
in long-term memory. Morphological awareness involves understanding word parts that carry
meaning.
6. Which component of phonological processing involves the rapid naming of familiar
objects?
A. Phonological working memory
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Naming speed/retrieval
D. Orthographic knowledge
☑ Correct Answer: C
ALTA CALT Certification Exam – Certified Academic
Language Therapist | High-Yield Practice with Expert
Rationales
Target Audience: Educators, Therapists, and Professionals preparing for the Academic
Language Therapy Association (ALTA) Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT)
examination.
1. "Phonology" is best defined as the study of:
A. The meaning of words and word parts
B. The sound system of a language and the rules governing sound combinations
C. The structure of sentences and grammatical rules
D. The written representation of language
☑ Correct Answer: B
☑ Explanation: Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, including the
rules for combining and using phonemes. It is a foundational component of MSLE instruction.
Option A describes semantics, Option C describes syntax, and Option D describes orthography.
2. A "phoneme" is defined as:
A. The smallest unit of meaning in a language
,2
B. The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning in a language
C. A written letter or group of letters representing a sound
D. A word part that carries meaning
☑ Correct Answer: B
☑ Explanation: A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the
meaning of a word (e.g., /b/ vs /p/ in "bat" vs "pat"). Option A describes a morpheme, Option C
describes a grapheme, and Option D also describes a morpheme.
3. Phonemic awareness is the ability to:
A. Recognize and manipulate individual phonemes in spoken words
B. Recognize and manipulate individual letters in written words
C. Understand the meaning of words in context
D. Apply phonics rules to decode unfamiliar words
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate
individual phonemes in spoken words. It is an auditory skill that does not involve print. Option B
,3
describes phonics or orthographic awareness, Option C describes semantic understanding, and
Option D describes decoding.
4. Which of the following is an example of a phonological awareness task?
A. Identifying the word that rhymes with "cat" from a set of pictures
B. Writing the letter that represents the first sound in "dog"
C. Reading a list of sight words fluently
D. Defining the meaning of the word "enormous"
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the
sound structures of spoken language. Rhyme identification is a phonological awareness task
that does not require print. Option B involves phonics (sound-symbol correspondence), Option C
involves reading fluency, and Option D involves semantics.
5. A student can blend the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/ to say "cat." This skill is an example of:
A. Phonemic awareness
, 4
B. Phonics
C. Orthographic mapping
D. Morphological awareness
☑ Correct Answer: A
☑ Explanation: Phonemic awareness includes the ability to blend individual sounds
(phonemes) to form words. This is an auditory skill. Phonics involves the relationship between
sounds and their written symbols (letters). Orthographic mapping is the process of storing words
in long-term memory. Morphological awareness involves understanding word parts that carry
meaning.
6. Which component of phonological processing involves the rapid naming of familiar
objects?
A. Phonological working memory
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Naming speed/retrieval
D. Orthographic knowledge
☑ Correct Answer: C
