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CALT EXAM STUDY GUIDE ACTUAL
EXAM 2026 TEST COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Kenneth Goodman and Frank Smith - correct -answer-Developed the Top-Down
approach to reading instruction. Believed that reading should be taught through
immersion in children's literature . Teaches reading without breaking it down into
parts. Whole Language based, emphasis is on guessing at words rather than
sounding them out. (1980s)
G. Reid Lyon - correct -answer-Became the coordinator of the research for NICHD.
(1985)
National Reading Panel Report - correct -answer-Produced scientifically based
research that demonstrated that approximately 40% of the population "have
reading problems severe enough to hinder their enjoyment of reading." (2000)
Percentage of students in special ed who can't read - correct -answer-85%
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(NICHD)
Five critical components of reading instruction - correct -answer-phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency (identifying words accurately and fluently);
vocabulary and comprehension strategies (constructing meaning once words are
identified)
I M F - correct -answer-initial, medial, final
Middle - correct -answer-means very center
Medial - correct -answer-means between initial and final
V - correct -answer-vowel
C - correct -answer-consonant
Paired equivalent sounds - correct -answer-/ch//j/ /f//v/ /p//b/ /sh//zh/ /t//d/
/k//g/ /s//z/ /th//th/
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How are our decks aligned and why?*** - correct -answer-Alignment of multiple
responses - according to frequency and reliability of sounds
Digraph - correct -answer-two letters that come together to make one sound
Trigraph - correct -answer-three letters that come together to make one sound
Quadrigraph - correct -answer-four letters that come together to make one sound
Diphthong - correct -answer-two vowels sounds blended together in the same
syllable
Combinations - correct -answer-two letters than come together to make an
unexpected sound
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Code marks - correct -answer-breve, macron, dieresis, circumflex, tilde, cedilla,
tittle, schwa: (u) in an unaccented syllable = marks in dictionary
closed - correct -answer-a syllable that ends in one or more consonants. The
vowel is usually short
open - correct -answer-a syllable that ends in a vowel
Vowel consonant e - correct -answer-syllable with a long vowel sounds that end
with a consonant followed by a silent e
Vowel team - correct -answer-syllable with two adjacent vowels
R controlled - correct -answer-syllable with a vowel r combination
F.S.S. final stable syllable*** - correct -answer-a non phonetic syllable with occurs
frequently in the final position of English words.
CALT EXAM STUDY GUIDE ACTUAL
EXAM 2026 TEST COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Kenneth Goodman and Frank Smith - correct -answer-Developed the Top-Down
approach to reading instruction. Believed that reading should be taught through
immersion in children's literature . Teaches reading without breaking it down into
parts. Whole Language based, emphasis is on guessing at words rather than
sounding them out. (1980s)
G. Reid Lyon - correct -answer-Became the coordinator of the research for NICHD.
(1985)
National Reading Panel Report - correct -answer-Produced scientifically based
research that demonstrated that approximately 40% of the population "have
reading problems severe enough to hinder their enjoyment of reading." (2000)
Percentage of students in special ed who can't read - correct -answer-85%
,2|Page
(NICHD)
Five critical components of reading instruction - correct -answer-phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency (identifying words accurately and fluently);
vocabulary and comprehension strategies (constructing meaning once words are
identified)
I M F - correct -answer-initial, medial, final
Middle - correct -answer-means very center
Medial - correct -answer-means between initial and final
V - correct -answer-vowel
C - correct -answer-consonant
Paired equivalent sounds - correct -answer-/ch//j/ /f//v/ /p//b/ /sh//zh/ /t//d/
/k//g/ /s//z/ /th//th/
,3|Page
How are our decks aligned and why?*** - correct -answer-Alignment of multiple
responses - according to frequency and reliability of sounds
Digraph - correct -answer-two letters that come together to make one sound
Trigraph - correct -answer-three letters that come together to make one sound
Quadrigraph - correct -answer-four letters that come together to make one sound
Diphthong - correct -answer-two vowels sounds blended together in the same
syllable
Combinations - correct -answer-two letters than come together to make an
unexpected sound
, 4|Page
Code marks - correct -answer-breve, macron, dieresis, circumflex, tilde, cedilla,
tittle, schwa: (u) in an unaccented syllable = marks in dictionary
closed - correct -answer-a syllable that ends in one or more consonants. The
vowel is usually short
open - correct -answer-a syllable that ends in a vowel
Vowel consonant e - correct -answer-syllable with a long vowel sounds that end
with a consonant followed by a silent e
Vowel team - correct -answer-syllable with two adjacent vowels
R controlled - correct -answer-syllable with a vowel r combination
F.S.S. final stable syllable*** - correct -answer-a non phonetic syllable with occurs
frequently in the final position of English words.
