Page 1 of 112
CERTIFIED ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
THERAPIST (CALT) EXAM STUDY GUIDE |
LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 | PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | EXAM REVIEW
Table of Contents
1. Language Development and Phonology
2. Structural Linguistics and Phonetics
3. Knowledge of Dyslexia and Etiology
4. Psychometric Assessment and Evaluation
5. Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) Principles
6. Diagnostic-Prescriptive Instructional Strategies
7. Orthography, Morphology, and Etymology
8. Reading Comprehension, Syntax, and Semantics
9. Fluency and Vocabulary Development
10. Ethics, Professional Standards, and Legal Requirements
, Page 2 of 112
Question 1: A seven-year-old student presents with severe difficulty in segmenting
spoken words into individual phonemes and frequently substitutes stops for nasals
during articulation tasks. Diagnostic data indicate a deficit in phonological working
memory. Which underlying cognitive mechanism is primarily responsible for this
presentation?
A) Visual-spatial processing impairment affecting grapheme-to-phoneme conversion
B) Deficit in phonological awareness and phonemic representation access
C) Impairment in executive functioning and working memory capacity only
D) Surface dyslexia characterized by an inability to recognize irregular sight words
Correct Answer: B) Deficit in phonological awareness and phonemic
representation access
Phonological awareness and the ability to access phonological representations are
core prerequisites for segmenting spoken words and mapping them to print. Deficits
in this domain directly impair phonemic segmentation and speech sound
differentiation, such as nasals versus stops. Options A, C, and D describe visual,
general executive, or visual-orthographic patterns rather than the core phonological
deficit shown.
Question 2: When evaluating a nine-year-old for a reading disability, the
multidisciplinary team notes discrepancy scores alongside severe deficits in
phonological decoding, while listening comprehension remains well above average.
What classification profile best fits this profile under contemporary response-to-
intervention and psychometric models?
A) Mixed reading disability
B) Specific learning disability in basic reading (Dyslexia)
C) Hyperlexia with concomitant comprehension delays
D) Linguistic comprehension deficit secondary to developmental delay
Correct Answer: B) Specific learning disability in basic reading (Dyslexia)
The profile of intact listening comprehension paired with severe phonemic decoding
deficits is the classic hallmark of dyslexia (specific reading disability in basic
reading). Mixed reading disabilities involve both decoding and listening
comprehension deficits, whereas hyperlexia features advanced decoding with
impaired comprehension.
, Page 3 of 112
Question 3: Which of the following articulatory features distinguishes the phoneme
/b/ from the phoneme /p/ in English structural linguistics?
A) Place of articulation
B) Manner of production
C) Voicing (vocal cord vibration)
D) Nasal resonance
Correct Answer: C) Voicing (vocal cord vibration)
Both /b/ and /p/ share identical bilabial place of articulation and stop manner of
production; they differ solely in voicing, where /b/ is voiced and /p/ is unvoiced.
Options A, B, and D incorrectly identify the feature that differentiates this specific
phoneme pair.
Question 4: A therapist is designing a multisensory lesson incorporating
simultaneous oral spelling (SOS). Which neurological pathways are primarily
reinforced by this specific instructional routine?
A) Visual-motor pathways operating independently of auditory processing loops
B) Auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways integrated simultaneously
C) Visual-spatial processing pathways linked to right-hemisphere holistic processing
D) Purely auditory processing pathways with minimal tactile feedback
Correct Answer: B) Auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways
integrated simultaneously
Simultaneous oral spelling (SOS) requires the student to see a grapheme, say its
name and sound, and write it while feeling the movement, thereby integrating visual,
auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile (VAKT) pathways. Options A, C, and D omit one or
more of these crucial multisensory interactive loops.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the "alphabetic principle"?
A) The understanding that words are made up of syllables
B) The understanding that there is a systematic relationship between letters and
sounds
C) The ability to recite the alphabet in chronological order
D) The process of memorizing whole words by their visual shape
Correct Answer: B) The understanding that there is a systematic relationship
between letters and sounds
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The alphabetic principle is the cornerstone of decoding, representing the bridge
between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters). It is the understanding that
spoken words are composed of sounds that are represented by written symbols in a
predictable, systematic way.
Question 6: A student is struggling to distinguish between the voiced and unvoiced
"th" sound. Which instructional approach is most consistent with MSLE principles?
A) Have the student read a list of "th" words silently
B) Tell the student to listen more closely to the teacher's voice
C) Use a mirror to observe tongue placement and feel the vibration of the vocal
cords
D) Provide a worksheet where the student circles "th" words
Correct Answer: C) Use a mirror to observe tongue placement and feel the
vibration of the vocal cords
MSLE emphasizes multisensory engagement; using visual (mirror) and
kinesthetic/tactile (vibration) feedback helps cement phonological differences. The
other options rely on a single sensory modality or passive learning, which is less
effective for students with dyslexia.
Question 7: According to the Simple View of Reading, reading comprehension is the
product of:
A) Fluency and Vocabulary
B) Decoding and Language Comprehension
C) Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
D) Syntax and Semantics
Correct Answer: B) Decoding and Language Comprehension
Gough and Tunmer's Simple View of Reading (R = D x C) states that reading
comprehension results from the interaction of decoding skills (word recognition) and
language comprehension (listening comprehension, vocabulary, background
knowledge). Both components are necessary for skilled reading.
Question 8: Which suffix should be used to make the word "clutch" plural?
A) -s
B) -ies
CERTIFIED ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
THERAPIST (CALT) EXAM STUDY GUIDE |
LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 | PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | EXAM REVIEW
Table of Contents
1. Language Development and Phonology
2. Structural Linguistics and Phonetics
3. Knowledge of Dyslexia and Etiology
4. Psychometric Assessment and Evaluation
5. Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) Principles
6. Diagnostic-Prescriptive Instructional Strategies
7. Orthography, Morphology, and Etymology
8. Reading Comprehension, Syntax, and Semantics
9. Fluency and Vocabulary Development
10. Ethics, Professional Standards, and Legal Requirements
, Page 2 of 112
Question 1: A seven-year-old student presents with severe difficulty in segmenting
spoken words into individual phonemes and frequently substitutes stops for nasals
during articulation tasks. Diagnostic data indicate a deficit in phonological working
memory. Which underlying cognitive mechanism is primarily responsible for this
presentation?
A) Visual-spatial processing impairment affecting grapheme-to-phoneme conversion
B) Deficit in phonological awareness and phonemic representation access
C) Impairment in executive functioning and working memory capacity only
D) Surface dyslexia characterized by an inability to recognize irregular sight words
Correct Answer: B) Deficit in phonological awareness and phonemic
representation access
Phonological awareness and the ability to access phonological representations are
core prerequisites for segmenting spoken words and mapping them to print. Deficits
in this domain directly impair phonemic segmentation and speech sound
differentiation, such as nasals versus stops. Options A, C, and D describe visual,
general executive, or visual-orthographic patterns rather than the core phonological
deficit shown.
Question 2: When evaluating a nine-year-old for a reading disability, the
multidisciplinary team notes discrepancy scores alongside severe deficits in
phonological decoding, while listening comprehension remains well above average.
What classification profile best fits this profile under contemporary response-to-
intervention and psychometric models?
A) Mixed reading disability
B) Specific learning disability in basic reading (Dyslexia)
C) Hyperlexia with concomitant comprehension delays
D) Linguistic comprehension deficit secondary to developmental delay
Correct Answer: B) Specific learning disability in basic reading (Dyslexia)
The profile of intact listening comprehension paired with severe phonemic decoding
deficits is the classic hallmark of dyslexia (specific reading disability in basic
reading). Mixed reading disabilities involve both decoding and listening
comprehension deficits, whereas hyperlexia features advanced decoding with
impaired comprehension.
, Page 3 of 112
Question 3: Which of the following articulatory features distinguishes the phoneme
/b/ from the phoneme /p/ in English structural linguistics?
A) Place of articulation
B) Manner of production
C) Voicing (vocal cord vibration)
D) Nasal resonance
Correct Answer: C) Voicing (vocal cord vibration)
Both /b/ and /p/ share identical bilabial place of articulation and stop manner of
production; they differ solely in voicing, where /b/ is voiced and /p/ is unvoiced.
Options A, B, and D incorrectly identify the feature that differentiates this specific
phoneme pair.
Question 4: A therapist is designing a multisensory lesson incorporating
simultaneous oral spelling (SOS). Which neurological pathways are primarily
reinforced by this specific instructional routine?
A) Visual-motor pathways operating independently of auditory processing loops
B) Auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways integrated simultaneously
C) Visual-spatial processing pathways linked to right-hemisphere holistic processing
D) Purely auditory processing pathways with minimal tactile feedback
Correct Answer: B) Auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile pathways
integrated simultaneously
Simultaneous oral spelling (SOS) requires the student to see a grapheme, say its
name and sound, and write it while feeling the movement, thereby integrating visual,
auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile (VAKT) pathways. Options A, C, and D omit one or
more of these crucial multisensory interactive loops.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the "alphabetic principle"?
A) The understanding that words are made up of syllables
B) The understanding that there is a systematic relationship between letters and
sounds
C) The ability to recite the alphabet in chronological order
D) The process of memorizing whole words by their visual shape
Correct Answer: B) The understanding that there is a systematic relationship
between letters and sounds
, Page 4 of 112
The alphabetic principle is the cornerstone of decoding, representing the bridge
between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters). It is the understanding that
spoken words are composed of sounds that are represented by written symbols in a
predictable, systematic way.
Question 6: A student is struggling to distinguish between the voiced and unvoiced
"th" sound. Which instructional approach is most consistent with MSLE principles?
A) Have the student read a list of "th" words silently
B) Tell the student to listen more closely to the teacher's voice
C) Use a mirror to observe tongue placement and feel the vibration of the vocal
cords
D) Provide a worksheet where the student circles "th" words
Correct Answer: C) Use a mirror to observe tongue placement and feel the
vibration of the vocal cords
MSLE emphasizes multisensory engagement; using visual (mirror) and
kinesthetic/tactile (vibration) feedback helps cement phonological differences. The
other options rely on a single sensory modality or passive learning, which is less
effective for students with dyslexia.
Question 7: According to the Simple View of Reading, reading comprehension is the
product of:
A) Fluency and Vocabulary
B) Decoding and Language Comprehension
C) Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
D) Syntax and Semantics
Correct Answer: B) Decoding and Language Comprehension
Gough and Tunmer's Simple View of Reading (R = D x C) states that reading
comprehension results from the interaction of decoding skills (word recognition) and
language comprehension (listening comprehension, vocabulary, background
knowledge). Both components are necessary for skilled reading.
Question 8: Which suffix should be used to make the word "clutch" plural?
A) -s
B) -ies
