NES Professional Exam Questions
and Answers
A kindergarten teacher can best apply the concept of developmentally appropriate
practice by making which of the following a priority? - ANS-Designing a learning
environment that supports the essential role of play in students' learning
According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the elementary years
are a critical period for individuals to develop a sense of - ANS-Competence
An elementary teacher observes that some students tend to talk to themselves softly
during individual problem-solving activities. The teacher should be aware that this type
of self-talk - ANS-helps guide a student's thinking about the learning task
A first-grade teacher notices that even though all students in the class know their letters
and numbers, a few students routinely reverse certain letters and numbers when writing
them. In this situation, the teacher's most appropriate initial course of action would be -
ANS-Recognize this tendency as part of the normal range of development and continue
to observe the students' work for potential learning problems
This situation is the teacher's strategy most likely to promote students' ability to regulate
their own learning? - ANS-A teacher helps each fourth-grade student identify weekly
goals that target the student's specific academic needs
A first-grade teacher gives each student in a small group a ball of clay of approximately
the same size. The teacher observes that after several students split their clay into two
pieces, one student is unhappy, stating that "they have a lot more clay" than he has.
The teacher's observation most strongly suggests that this student - ANS-Has not yet
developed the concept of conservation of mass
Which of the following describes the greatest strength of this set of activities? - ANS-
Providing each student with opportunities for active engagement with the content
According to Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence, students who are most
comfortable with this set of activities and find them most useful in promoting learning
are likely to demonstrate particular strength in which of the following areas of
intelligence? - ANS-Visual-spatial
The teacher decides to follow the Feel-It-Box activity by having students describe each
of the geometric shapes and match them to other similar be most effective in promoting
students' development of which of the following cognitive abilities - ANS-Classification
, This situation best illustrates the use of metacognitive skills to facilitate learning - ANS-A
student considers which of several reading strategies is most appropriate to use for
each assigned reading task
Scaffolding is likely to be most effective in promoting student learning when - ANS-the
teacher uses scaffolding techniques that are tailored to each students' specific needs
An elementary teacher is planning a geography lesson to introduce students to the
concept that the resources available in a region influence the size and distribution of the
region's population. The teacher is likely to be most successful in promoting student
understanding of the targeted concept by implementing a lesson that - ANS-relates the
concept to familiar situations or to concepts that students have previously learned
A teacher is planning a long-term project that will require each student to research and
report on a topic related to an upcoming unit of study. The teacher would like to use the
project to enhance students' organizational and time-management skills. Which of the
following teacher strategies would best help promote achievement of this goal? - ANS-
Having students track their own progress on a teacher-developed chart that lists the
tasks required for the project and indicates when each task should be complete
An upper elementary teacher regularly incorporates self-directed learning projects into
instruction. Which is likely to be the most important benefit of this approach? - ANS-
Enhancing students' ability to construct their own understanding of content
What factor is likely to have the greatest influence on the academic performance of a
third-grade student? - ANS-The attitudes and expectations expressed by significant
adults in the student's life in regard to his or her school achievement
An elementary teacher is considering using within-class ability grouping as part of an
overall approach to reading instruction. The teacher can best reduce the potential
negative effects of this grouping strategy by taking particular care to - ANS-View groups
as flexible and regroup students as appropriate to address specific learning needs
A teacher who is planning instruction for an upper elementary class should assume that,
in general, male and female students are likely to differ most in regard to - ANS-their
interest in and perceptions about the relevance of particular topics
A fourth-grade class includes a student with physical and cognitive disabilities that affect
various aspects of the student's functioning. In planning a small-group activity for the
class, the teacher should consider, what is the first question in regard to the student? -
ANS-What steps can I take to facilitate the student's fullest possible participation in the
activity?
At the beginning of the school year, an elementary teacher learns that the class
includes two students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. What teacher actions
and Answers
A kindergarten teacher can best apply the concept of developmentally appropriate
practice by making which of the following a priority? - ANS-Designing a learning
environment that supports the essential role of play in students' learning
According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the elementary years
are a critical period for individuals to develop a sense of - ANS-Competence
An elementary teacher observes that some students tend to talk to themselves softly
during individual problem-solving activities. The teacher should be aware that this type
of self-talk - ANS-helps guide a student's thinking about the learning task
A first-grade teacher notices that even though all students in the class know their letters
and numbers, a few students routinely reverse certain letters and numbers when writing
them. In this situation, the teacher's most appropriate initial course of action would be -
ANS-Recognize this tendency as part of the normal range of development and continue
to observe the students' work for potential learning problems
This situation is the teacher's strategy most likely to promote students' ability to regulate
their own learning? - ANS-A teacher helps each fourth-grade student identify weekly
goals that target the student's specific academic needs
A first-grade teacher gives each student in a small group a ball of clay of approximately
the same size. The teacher observes that after several students split their clay into two
pieces, one student is unhappy, stating that "they have a lot more clay" than he has.
The teacher's observation most strongly suggests that this student - ANS-Has not yet
developed the concept of conservation of mass
Which of the following describes the greatest strength of this set of activities? - ANS-
Providing each student with opportunities for active engagement with the content
According to Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence, students who are most
comfortable with this set of activities and find them most useful in promoting learning
are likely to demonstrate particular strength in which of the following areas of
intelligence? - ANS-Visual-spatial
The teacher decides to follow the Feel-It-Box activity by having students describe each
of the geometric shapes and match them to other similar be most effective in promoting
students' development of which of the following cognitive abilities - ANS-Classification
, This situation best illustrates the use of metacognitive skills to facilitate learning - ANS-A
student considers which of several reading strategies is most appropriate to use for
each assigned reading task
Scaffolding is likely to be most effective in promoting student learning when - ANS-the
teacher uses scaffolding techniques that are tailored to each students' specific needs
An elementary teacher is planning a geography lesson to introduce students to the
concept that the resources available in a region influence the size and distribution of the
region's population. The teacher is likely to be most successful in promoting student
understanding of the targeted concept by implementing a lesson that - ANS-relates the
concept to familiar situations or to concepts that students have previously learned
A teacher is planning a long-term project that will require each student to research and
report on a topic related to an upcoming unit of study. The teacher would like to use the
project to enhance students' organizational and time-management skills. Which of the
following teacher strategies would best help promote achievement of this goal? - ANS-
Having students track their own progress on a teacher-developed chart that lists the
tasks required for the project and indicates when each task should be complete
An upper elementary teacher regularly incorporates self-directed learning projects into
instruction. Which is likely to be the most important benefit of this approach? - ANS-
Enhancing students' ability to construct their own understanding of content
What factor is likely to have the greatest influence on the academic performance of a
third-grade student? - ANS-The attitudes and expectations expressed by significant
adults in the student's life in regard to his or her school achievement
An elementary teacher is considering using within-class ability grouping as part of an
overall approach to reading instruction. The teacher can best reduce the potential
negative effects of this grouping strategy by taking particular care to - ANS-View groups
as flexible and regroup students as appropriate to address specific learning needs
A teacher who is planning instruction for an upper elementary class should assume that,
in general, male and female students are likely to differ most in regard to - ANS-their
interest in and perceptions about the relevance of particular topics
A fourth-grade class includes a student with physical and cognitive disabilities that affect
various aspects of the student's functioning. In planning a small-group activity for the
class, the teacher should consider, what is the first question in regard to the student? -
ANS-What steps can I take to facilitate the student's fullest possible participation in the
activity?
At the beginning of the school year, an elementary teacher learns that the class
includes two students who have been diagnosed with ADHD. What teacher actions
