TEXAS TEACHERS ELAR CONTENT TEST
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
UPDATED
Question 1
Seventh-grade English learners are receiving foundational reading skills instruction. In
a progress-monitoring assessment, the following data were collected about the
phonetic knowledge of the students.
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because students 2 and 4 scored 0/3 on decoding variant vowels
and diphthongs, which indicates they need instruction on vowel teams. Variant
vowels are letter combinations (eg., ay, ai, ae) that can produce the sound of a
single vowel. A diphthong is when a sound is formed by the combination of two
vowels in a single syllable in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves
toward another (e g., coin, loud, pause). Options A and D are incorrect because.
while the data do show that the students have challenges with consonant digraphs
and blends, the teacher should first instruct students in decoding variant vowels and
diphthongs because their scores were the lowest in this area. Option B is incorrect
because the data show that the area of letter-sound association is a strength for
these students.
Page 1 of 53
,Question 2
A fifth-grade class is doing a focused reading of a narrative text. The teacher asks
students to annotate the text as they read. Some of the students find focused reading
a challenge, so the teacher models annotating a chapter of the text in a mini-lesson
and then makes a copy of the chapter available to students. In which of the following
ways does the annotated chapter provide a scaffold for students?
Correct Answer
Option A is correct because the teacher's modeling instruction helps students
understand the thinking of another reader and helps the students understand how
to perform the task. Option B is incorrect because annotations are not necessarily
correct or incorrect; they are simply notes of the reader's thinking. Option C is
incorrect because the purpose of the modeling is to show students how to make
notes about important ideas and details as well as to help them identify questions
they have about the text. Option D is incorrect because the annotated copy does
not specify the reasoning behind the teacher's annotations.
Question 3
Text: 5
Read the excerpt from A Long Walk to Water, a novel by Linda Sue Park; then answer
the two questions that follow.
The group continued to walk through the land of the Atuot. Every day they saw lions,
usually resting in the shade of small trees. Once, in the distance, they saw a lion
chasing a topic. The topic escaped, but along the path Salva saw the bones of prey
that had not been so fortunate. Salva and Marial still walked together, staying close to
Uncle. Sometimes Uncle would walk with the other men and talk seriously about the
journey. At those times, Salva and Marial would drop back respectfully, but Salva
always tried to keep Uncle in sight. And he slept near Uncle at night.
Correct Answer
One day the group began walking in the late afternoon, with hopes of reaching a
water hole before settling down for the night. But there was no water anywhere,
though they searched for miles. They kept walking, into the night and through the
night. For ten hours they walked, and by dawn everyone was exhausted.
Page 2 of 53
,Question 4
Read the excerpt below from the first draft of a student's argumentative essay; then
answer the question that follows. Decades of research now show that a plant-based
diet can reduce a person's risk of developing cancer. That does not mean people
should not eat meat. It means that, to reduce cancer risk, most of the food people eat
should be plant-based. Plants have essential nutrients, such as antioxidants, that
support cell health and a balanced immune system. A robust, balanced immune
system reduces the risk of cancer because it identifies and attacks cancer cells before
they develop into disease. Which of the following sentences, if inserted in the blank,
would prompt the student to effectively provide transitions between ideas in the
paragraph?
Correct Answer
Option B is correct because the sentence connects the initial information about
plant-based diets to the subsequent information about the immune system. Option
A is incorrect because the sentence only contains information related to the
beginning of the excerpt. Options C and Dare incorrect because each introduces a
new concept that is not mentioned in the draft paragraph.
Question 5
After students read the excerpt, a fourth-grade teacher asks them to identify a literary
element in the text and explain how the author uses it to achieve a specific purpose.
Which of the following student responses best demonstrates understanding?
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because the author uses the word "voice" to personify the birds
singing. Option A is incorrect because exaggeration, or hyperbole, is not used in this
sentence; "long over" is basic description. Option B is incorrect because in this
sentence the turning wheel is used as a metaphor, not a simile. Option D is incorrect
because while the student identifies an example of alliteration, explaining how the
author uses "words to create an image in the reader's mind" would be more
appropriate when discussing the use of imagery.
Page 3 of 53
, Question 6
After a second and focused reading of a text, a sixth-grade teacher wants to assess
students' understanding of the author's use of foreshadowing. The teacher asks
students the following question: "Why does the author describe the lions, bones, and
Salva's desire to remain near Uncle?" This question will most effectively develop
students' comprehension of the author's use of foreshadowing to:
Correct Answer
Option B is correct because the description of lions, bones, and the need to stay
close to Uncle suggest potential danger in the form of predatory beasts, the
possibility of death and being reduced to bones, and the need to stay close to
Uncle for protection from dangerous beasts and death. Option A is incorrect
because the description does not demonstrate Uncle's leadership. Option C is
incorrect because while the description represents Uncle as a source of comfort to
Salva, its primary purpose is not to portray key family relationships. Option D is
incorrect because the description does not convey Salva's feeling of exhaustion.
Question 7
A fourth-grade student diagnosed with ADHD has difficulty staying focused. The
student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) includes a written expression goal to
independently develop ideas fully with 80 percent accuracy. Which of the following
scaffolding strategies would be most appropriate for the teacher to use to support
this IEP goal during this writing activity?
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because the scaffold of the sentence starters will support the
student in generating, developing, and expressing ideas in writing. Frequent
reminders to stay on task will support the student in staying focused on the task.
Option A is incorrect because this strategy does not support the student's focus
during the writing process. Option B is incorrect because this strategy is too open-
ended and would not address the student's difficulty staying focused. Option D is
incorrect because talking about one's writing process during writing can be
disruptive and would be counterproductive for a student who has trouble focusing.
Page 4 of 53
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
UPDATED
Question 1
Seventh-grade English learners are receiving foundational reading skills instruction. In
a progress-monitoring assessment, the following data were collected about the
phonetic knowledge of the students.
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because students 2 and 4 scored 0/3 on decoding variant vowels
and diphthongs, which indicates they need instruction on vowel teams. Variant
vowels are letter combinations (eg., ay, ai, ae) that can produce the sound of a
single vowel. A diphthong is when a sound is formed by the combination of two
vowels in a single syllable in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves
toward another (e g., coin, loud, pause). Options A and D are incorrect because.
while the data do show that the students have challenges with consonant digraphs
and blends, the teacher should first instruct students in decoding variant vowels and
diphthongs because their scores were the lowest in this area. Option B is incorrect
because the data show that the area of letter-sound association is a strength for
these students.
Page 1 of 53
,Question 2
A fifth-grade class is doing a focused reading of a narrative text. The teacher asks
students to annotate the text as they read. Some of the students find focused reading
a challenge, so the teacher models annotating a chapter of the text in a mini-lesson
and then makes a copy of the chapter available to students. In which of the following
ways does the annotated chapter provide a scaffold for students?
Correct Answer
Option A is correct because the teacher's modeling instruction helps students
understand the thinking of another reader and helps the students understand how
to perform the task. Option B is incorrect because annotations are not necessarily
correct or incorrect; they are simply notes of the reader's thinking. Option C is
incorrect because the purpose of the modeling is to show students how to make
notes about important ideas and details as well as to help them identify questions
they have about the text. Option D is incorrect because the annotated copy does
not specify the reasoning behind the teacher's annotations.
Question 3
Text: 5
Read the excerpt from A Long Walk to Water, a novel by Linda Sue Park; then answer
the two questions that follow.
The group continued to walk through the land of the Atuot. Every day they saw lions,
usually resting in the shade of small trees. Once, in the distance, they saw a lion
chasing a topic. The topic escaped, but along the path Salva saw the bones of prey
that had not been so fortunate. Salva and Marial still walked together, staying close to
Uncle. Sometimes Uncle would walk with the other men and talk seriously about the
journey. At those times, Salva and Marial would drop back respectfully, but Salva
always tried to keep Uncle in sight. And he slept near Uncle at night.
Correct Answer
One day the group began walking in the late afternoon, with hopes of reaching a
water hole before settling down for the night. But there was no water anywhere,
though they searched for miles. They kept walking, into the night and through the
night. For ten hours they walked, and by dawn everyone was exhausted.
Page 2 of 53
,Question 4
Read the excerpt below from the first draft of a student's argumentative essay; then
answer the question that follows. Decades of research now show that a plant-based
diet can reduce a person's risk of developing cancer. That does not mean people
should not eat meat. It means that, to reduce cancer risk, most of the food people eat
should be plant-based. Plants have essential nutrients, such as antioxidants, that
support cell health and a balanced immune system. A robust, balanced immune
system reduces the risk of cancer because it identifies and attacks cancer cells before
they develop into disease. Which of the following sentences, if inserted in the blank,
would prompt the student to effectively provide transitions between ideas in the
paragraph?
Correct Answer
Option B is correct because the sentence connects the initial information about
plant-based diets to the subsequent information about the immune system. Option
A is incorrect because the sentence only contains information related to the
beginning of the excerpt. Options C and Dare incorrect because each introduces a
new concept that is not mentioned in the draft paragraph.
Question 5
After students read the excerpt, a fourth-grade teacher asks them to identify a literary
element in the text and explain how the author uses it to achieve a specific purpose.
Which of the following student responses best demonstrates understanding?
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because the author uses the word "voice" to personify the birds
singing. Option A is incorrect because exaggeration, or hyperbole, is not used in this
sentence; "long over" is basic description. Option B is incorrect because in this
sentence the turning wheel is used as a metaphor, not a simile. Option D is incorrect
because while the student identifies an example of alliteration, explaining how the
author uses "words to create an image in the reader's mind" would be more
appropriate when discussing the use of imagery.
Page 3 of 53
, Question 6
After a second and focused reading of a text, a sixth-grade teacher wants to assess
students' understanding of the author's use of foreshadowing. The teacher asks
students the following question: "Why does the author describe the lions, bones, and
Salva's desire to remain near Uncle?" This question will most effectively develop
students' comprehension of the author's use of foreshadowing to:
Correct Answer
Option B is correct because the description of lions, bones, and the need to stay
close to Uncle suggest potential danger in the form of predatory beasts, the
possibility of death and being reduced to bones, and the need to stay close to
Uncle for protection from dangerous beasts and death. Option A is incorrect
because the description does not demonstrate Uncle's leadership. Option C is
incorrect because while the description represents Uncle as a source of comfort to
Salva, its primary purpose is not to portray key family relationships. Option D is
incorrect because the description does not convey Salva's feeling of exhaustion.
Question 7
A fourth-grade student diagnosed with ADHD has difficulty staying focused. The
student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) includes a written expression goal to
independently develop ideas fully with 80 percent accuracy. Which of the following
scaffolding strategies would be most appropriate for the teacher to use to support
this IEP goal during this writing activity?
Correct Answer
Option C is correct because the scaffold of the sentence starters will support the
student in generating, developing, and expressing ideas in writing. Frequent
reminders to stay on task will support the student in staying focused on the task.
Option A is incorrect because this strategy does not support the student's focus
during the writing process. Option B is incorrect because this strategy is too open-
ended and would not address the student's difficulty staying focused. Option D is
incorrect because talking about one's writing process during writing can be
disruptive and would be counterproductive for a student who has trouble focusing.
Page 4 of 53
