Study Guide

Fields 060–063: Elementary Education Generalist
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Subtest 1: Reading and English Language Arts

Objective 0001
Foundations of Scientifically Based Reading Instruction (Standard 1)

1. Before beginning a new literature unit focused on determining the theme of a literary work, a sixth-grade teacher reads aloud a short story to the class and has students respond to an informal writing assignment prompting them to identify the theme of the story. A preassessment such as this is likely to help the teacher plan more effective instruction for the unit by providing the teacher with information about:

  1. which reading materials related to the unit would be appropriate to select for each student.
  2. the level of students' interest in and motivation for learning about the unit's content.
  3. which students may require differentiated instruction or extension during the unit.
  4. the extent of students' ability to apply reading skills to different text genres during the unit.
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of principles of scientifically based and evidence-based reading instruction and intervention. Preassessment is a required component of Indiana's Response to Instruction (RtI) model, which was designed to meet the needs of all students. By analyzing the results of a preassessment of students' knowledge and/or skills related to the content of an upcoming instructional unit, a teacher can determine which students are ready for grade-level instruction in that content and which may require differentiated instruction, either because they do not meet prerequisite grade-level expectations vis-à-vis the content and require instruction in preliminary skills, or because they already exceed grade-level expectations and require work at a greater level of challenge.
Objective 0002
Components of Scientifically Based Reading Instruction (Standard 2)

2. A kindergarten teacher makes display cards with the words I, me, and you, and, after introducing the cards to the class and reading them together, the teacher posts them on a word wall near the reading area. During the next week when reading a "big book" aloud to the class, the teacher pauses occasionally to point out one of the words on the page or to invite students to point out or read one of the words. These types of activities would most likely be effective for promoting students' reading development in which of the following ways?

  1. by providing them guided practice reading common word patterns
  2. by promoting their use of contextual clues to identify words
  3. by providing them explicit instruction in print concepts related to words
  4. by promoting their recognition of high-frequency words by sight
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to provide SBRR-based, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate instruction in phonics. The teaching of regular and irregular sight words is an important component of SBRR-based phonics instruction. I, me, and you are examples of words that are almost universally targeted for sight-word instruction in kindergarten because of their high utility in grade-level texts. In the scenario, the kindergarten teacher provides students with multiple opportunities for scaffolded practice in recognizing the high-frequency words I, me, and you.
Objective 0002
Components of Scientifically Based Reading Instruction (Standard 2)

3. Fifth-grade students are reading a selection from a grade-level life-science textbook in which the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem are compared. Which of the following graphic organizers would be most effective for students to use to support their comprehension of the text?

  1. a T-chart
  2. a semantic web
  3. a Venn diagram
  4. a KWL table
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of key concepts and scientifically based reading research in comprehension and analysis of informational texts. The use of a graphic organizer that corresponds to the text structure of a passage is an effective, research-based comprehension strategy. The text described in the scenario compares components in an ecosystem and would therefore follow a comparison/contrast text structure. A Venn diagram, which consists of two or more overlapping circles, is effective for presenting schematically a comparison of the shared and unique characteristics of two or more related elements, and thus would be appropriate for supporting comprehension of this text.
Objective 0003
Comprehension and Analysis of Text (Standards 3.1–3.2, 3.9–3.11)

4. Which of the following themes is frequently explored in the works of S. E. Hinton, Walter Dean Myers, and Jacqueline Woodson?

  1. the struggle to cope with the complexities of urban life
  2. the disorientation caused by adjusting to a new culture
  3. the perseverance required to achieve a personal dream
  4. the honor that comes from great personal sacrifice
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of major authors and works of American and children's literature. Author S. E. Hinton's classic novels The Outsiders (1967) and Rumble Fish (1975) portray young gang members who live by their own codes of behavior without the guidance of parents or other adults. The protagonists of Walter Dean Myers's novels Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (1975), Monster (1999), and Lockdown (2010) experience the direct and indirect effects of incarceration on family relationships and friendships. Among Jacqueline Woodson's award-winning books written for children, adolescents, and young adults are the novels Maizon at Blue Hill (1992), Hush (2002), and After Tupac and D Foster (2008), which feature characters who navigate complex personal relationships while grappling with racism, classism, and poverty.
Objective 0004
Communication Arts (Standards 3.3–3.11)

5. A student is developing an editorial for the school newspaper about unsafe conditions on the school playground. Which of the following organizational structures would be most appropriate for the student to use in the editorial?

  1. problem and solution
  2. chronological order
  3. compare and contrast
  4. spatial order
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of major forms and functions of writing and methods of discovering, developing, and shaping ideas for writing. When developing an editorial on unsafe conditions on the school playground, a student could first engage readers' interest in the problem of unsafe conditions on the school playground by describing the conditions and their real or potential consequences, such as injuries to students. The student could then propose one or more solutions, such as replacing old playground equipment with safer equipment. In the conclusion to the editorial, the student could urge readers to discuss the problem and proposed solutions with their teachers, parents/guardians, and school administrators.