Test Information Guide

Field 56: Sheltered English Immersion
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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The World of English Language Learners and Their Teachers

Objective 0002
Apply knowledge of diversity within English language learner populations.

1. A fourth-grade teacher has several entering-level English language learners from the same home country in her class. She has noticed that these students tend to interact only with each other and seem confused and disoriented about the routines and expectations of the class. Which of the following strategies is likely to be most effective in creating an inclusive classroom culture for these students?

  1. providing them with opportunities to help role-play classroom procedures in heterogeneous groups
  2. speaking with other students in the class about including them in class activities and discussions
  3. involving them in making decisions about classroom procedures
  4. allowing them to work exclusively with each other on class activities and assignments
Answer
Correct Response: A.

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0003
Apply knowledge of cultural and social aspects of teaching in the SEI classroom and school.

2. An elementary school SEI teacher with a culturally and linguistically diverse group of students has just finished an author's study. Students have read several books by the same author and studied the themes and styles in the author's writing. Next, the teacher plans to have students write and illustrate a story of their own modeled on the author's writing. Which of the following strategies best demonstrates a culturally sensitive and instructionally useful approach to this assignment for the English language learners in the class?

  1. assigning each student a specific culture to write about in his or her story
  2. giving students the option of creating a bilingual story in English and their first language
  3. encouraging students to write their story based on an activity they enjoy doing in their free time
  4. asking each student to include at least one character that is based on someone in his or her own life
Answer
Correct Response: B.

Correct Response: B.

Teaching Language and Sheltering Content in the Classroom

Objective 0004
Examine the role of language and linguistics in instructing English language learners.

3. A seventh-grade social studies teacher who teaches a class that includes English language learners is planning a research project in which small groups of students will conduct research about an ancient civilization and then give a presentation to the class about the history and achievements of that civilization. When considering how to promote the English language learners' participation in this project, the teacher should be aware that it is likely to be particularly beneficial for the English language learners to receive instruction in which of the following language functions and forms?

  1. sequencing using adverbs of time (e.g., now, next, finally)
  2. making comparisons using comparatives and superlatives (e.g., better, worst)
  3. hypothesizing and predicting using modals (e.g., would, could, might)
  4. expressing opinions using conditional mode (e.g., if … then)
Answer
Correct Response: A.

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0006
Analyze strategies for promoting oral language, listening comprehension, and vocabulary development in the SEI classroom.

4. Which of the following statements best explains why polysemous words such as environment, measure, and adjacent can be particularly challenging for English language learners?

  1. Polysemous words are often difficult to pronounce and have abstract meanings.
  2. Polysemous words are low-frequency words that tend to be specific to a particular academic discipline.
  3. Polysemous words are unique to English and do not transfer readily from other languages.
  4. Polysemous words are multiple-meaning words that are used differently across the content areas.
Answer
Correct Response: D.

Correct Response: D.

Objective 0007
Apply knowledge of principles of sheltering content for English language learners in the classroom.

5. An SEI teacher and an ESL teacher meet weekly to discuss English language learners with which they both work. Which of the following statements best describes the most important benefit of this type of collaboration between the SEI teacher and the ESL teacher?

  1. The teachers can work together to plan instruction that promotes the academic success of students regardless of English proficiency level.
  2. The ESL teacher can provide the SEI teacher with specific ESL materials and resources to use to teach English language skills to students.
  3. The SEI teacher can seek advice from the ESL teacher about how to deal with the challenges he or she faces with particular students.
  4. The teachers can work together to define what content should be covered in both ESL and SEI instruction for the students.
Answer
Correct Response: A.

Correct Response: A.

Objective 0008
Analyze strategies for teaching academic language in the SEI classroom.

6.

After sunset, the temperature fell below the frost point; consequently, ice began to form on the surface of the wings.

An SEI teacher provides English language learners with direct instruction on the meaning and use of the word consequently in the above sentence. This strategy best demonstrates the teacher's awareness of features of academic texts at which of the following levels?

  1. the word/phrase level
  2. the sentence level
  3. the discourse level
  4. the sociocultural level
Answer
Correct Response: C.

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0009
Apply knowledge of assessment of English language learners in the SEI classroom.

7. A primary purpose of the WIDA Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs®) test is to:

  1. establish learning objectives for English language learners.
  2. determine English language learners' eligibility for SEI and/or ESL services.
  3. monitor English language learners' progress in attaining English proficiency.
  4. determine individual English language learners' specific learning strengths and needs.
Answer
Correct Response: C.

Correct Response: C.

Literacy and Standards-Based Content Teaching for English Language Learners

Objective 0010
Analyze strategies for teaching reading in the SEI classroom.

8. An SEI teacher regularly uses teacher think-alouds during differentiated reading instruction for English language learners. This approach is likely to be most effective in addressing which of the following teacher goals?

  1. modeling natural, fluent speech for students
  2. prompting students to self-assess their understanding of a text
  3. modeling the use of various reading strategies for students
  4. prompting students to use critical-thinking skills while reading
Answer
Correct Response: C.

Correct Response: C.

Objective 0011
Analyze strategies for teaching writing in the SEI classroom.

9. An eighth-grade social studies teacher is planning to have students in an SEI class read an article from a newsmagazine about a current event that relates to the content of a unit on economics. Which of the following writing assignments related to the article illustrates the most effective use of writing to reinforce and enhance reading skills?

  1. Students write sentences using new words from the article.
  2. Students write about events described in the article in their own words.
  3. Students write their own article about a different current event.
  4. Students write about personal experiences they have had that are related to the topic of the article.
Answer
Correct Response: B.

Correct Response: B.

Objective 0012
Apply knowledge of standards-based content teaching for English language learners.

10. An important expectation in the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework is that students will ask questions and pursue answers in order to explore scientific phenomena. To this end, a high school science teacher who works with developing-level English language learners helps students create cards with question frames like the ones below.

I wonder why ________?

What caused ________ to ________?

What would happen if ________?

The teacher could best support English language learners' achievement of this expectation in the state science standards by taking which of the following steps next?

  1. giving the students blank cards and encouraging them to create their own question frames
  2. engaging the students in a discussion about how the question frames might be used in other content areas
  3. instructing the students to keep the questions in a convenient location for easy reference during class discussions
  4. providing the students with guided practice in using the questions in the context of small-group inquiry-based activities
Answer
Correct Response: D.

Correct Response: D.