ESL TEXES Supplemental Exam Questions and Answers

ESL TEXES Supplemental Exam Questions and Answers Acculturation -Answer-The process of adapting to a new culture. The process of acculturation occurs through several strategies including the following: - Answer-assimilation & marginalization Assimilation -Answer-The members of a group are absorbed into a culture and lose characteristics of the first culture. The group is willing or forced to accept the surface and deep culture of the new culture and give up original culture. Marginalization -Answer-Groups lacking desirable traits are excluded from society. These groups include poor, uneducated, undesirable color and language. These groups will stay on the margin of acceptance by society unless there is social intervention. Adaptation -Answer-Finding ways to adapt to and become part of the new culture while maintaining important values and customs of the original culture. Affective Filter -Answer-The psychological barrier that allows input to be filtered through to a language processing mechanism. A low filter has little anxiety increasing comprehension and attention. Assimilation -Answer-Deciding to become like members of the new culture, to accept their surface and deep culture, and giving up the original culture. Bilingual Education -Answer-An educational program in which two languages are used during instruction in order to 1) continue primary language development, 2) provide instruction in content in both L1 and L2, and 3) English acquisition. BICS -Answer-(Cummins, J. ) Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: Skills necessary for functioning in every day life, face-to face interactions. These skills usually take about two years to develop in most second language learners. Brain Laterization -Answer-Refers to functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain which affects language acquisition. CALP -Answer-(Cummins, J. ) Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: The aspects of language linked to literacy and academic achievement. These skills usually take five to seven years to fully develop in Second language learners. Chompsky, Noam -Answer-Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, MIT. He is credited with the creation of the Theory of Generative Grammar. His naturalistic approach to the study of language affected the philosophy of language and mind through his theory of the Language Acquistion Device. His work influenced the works of Krashen and Terrell among others. Cognates -Answer-Words which have a common origin. There are 3 distinct levels. They are: True Cognate- Partial Cognate- False Cognate True Cognate -Answer-The word is spelled the same, meaning the same, but pronunciation will be different according to language structure of the words such as an accent mark. Example: English- rodeo Spanish- rodeo Partial Cognate -Answer-The word in other languages has the same origin but the spelling will differ. The meaning will be the same but the pronunciation due to the language structure will be different. Example: english- fragrance spanish- frangancia english- apple german apfel False Cognate -Answer-The word in another language may have the same origin but will have different spelling and different meaning. Pronunciation will be different. Example: English- ext- to go out, leave Spanish- exito- success English- embarrassed- uncomfortable Spanish embarazada- pregnant Cognitive Strategies -Answer-Learning strategies that are taught to promote independent learning and higher order thinking skills. Comprehensible Input -Answer-Language that is understood by the learner. Focuses on meaning first and uses simplified speech. Connotation -Answer-The implying or suggesting of an additional meaning for a word or phrase apart from the explicit meaning. Culture -Answer-is shared beliefs, values , and rule governed by patterns of behavior that define a group. (Peregoy & Boyle, 2001) It includes what people know and believe, what people do, and what people make and use. Surface Culture -Answer-Part of culture that can be seen: Language, clothing, food, customs, and art. Deep Culture -Answer-Below the surface are the more meaningful and powerful aspects of culture: a. Beliefs- what we see as truth b. Norms- unwritten rules for behavior c. values- what we hold most important Culture Shock -Answer-The realization of the depth of difference between home culture and the new culture; may cause frustration, anger, and depression. Cummins, Jim -Answer-Professor, University of Toronto/ is one of the world's leading authorities on bilingual education and second language acquisition. The acronyms "BICS" and "CALP" were first introduced by him in . The distinction of the two skills were intended to draw attention to different time periods required by the learner in the language acquisition process. Denotation -Answer-The most specific or literal meaning of a word, as opposed to its figurative senses or connotations. Dialect -Answer-A variety of a language defined by both geographical factors and social factors, such as class, religion, and ethnicity. Discourse -Answer-is a continuous stretch of speech or written text, going beyond a sentence to express thought. Example: style in writing or rules of conversation. Discourse Analysis -Answer-Analyzing written or spoken language. ELL -Answer-English Language Learner ESL -Answer-English as a Second Language ESOL -Answer-English for speakers of Other Languages Ethnocentrism -Answer-Belief by an individual or group