Preparation Manual
Section 4: Sample Selected-Response Questions
Early Childhood: PK–3 (292)
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This section presents some sample exam questions for you to review as part of your preparation for the exam. To demonstrate how each competency may be assessed, sample questions are accompanied by the competency that they measure. While studying, you may wish to read the competency before and after you consider each sample question. Please note that the competency statements do not appear on the actual exam.
The sample questions are included to illustrate the formats and types of questions you will see on the exam; however, your performance on the sample questions should not be viewed as a predictor of your performance on the actual exam.
Selected-Response Questions with Rationales
Each sample exam question here includes the correct answer and a rationale for each answer option.
Domain I—Child Development
Competency 001—(Foundations of Child Development): Understand foundational concepts of early childhood development from birth to age 8 and factors that influence student development.
1. Kindergarten students have been creating shapes using colorful rubber bands and geoboards. Which of the following instructional activities would promote students' progress with cognitive concepts relating to shapes?
- displaying geoboards in the classroom and encouraging students to explain their understandings of shapes
- presenting an example of an intricate shape to the students using precise vocabulary terms
- comparing students' geoboards during circle time based on characteristics of shapes
- providing ongoing shape exploration with additional materials for students to use independently
2. A prekindergarten teacher is using a shared reading strategy with a three-year-old child who demonstrates an expressive language delay. As the child becomes more responsive to answering knowledge-level questions, which of the following practices should the teacher add to the strategy?
- playing audiobooks for the child and then asking the child questions about the books to determine listening comprehension skills
- developing the child's precise vocabulary by encouraging the child to repeat words illustrated on flash cards
- engaging the child with interactive software designed to develop semantic knowledge and practice age-appropriate syntax
- promoting dialogue with the child through open-ended questions that relate to areas of the child's interests during read-alouds
Competency 002—(The Early Learning Process): Understand the developmental processes and characteristics of learning of young children from birth to age 8.
3. A four-year-old child is building towers using wooden blocks of different shapes and colors. The yellow blocks are long and wide and the green blocks are short and narrow. The child builds a tower made with yellow blocks at the bottom and green blocks on the top and says, "Look, my tower is so tall, and the green blocks are all on top!" The teacher responds, "Wow, your tower is so straight and tall! What do you think would happen if you make another tower using the green blocks on the bottom this time?" This scenario demonstrates the teacher's awareness of how incidental learning experiences can be used to:
- deepen children's knowledge through exploration and hypothesis testing.
- establish trust by responding to children's appropriate expression of needs.
- evaluate children's ability to develop hypothesis and prediction skills.
- facilitate activities that promote children's ability to sustain attention to tasks.
4. Which of the following scenarios exemplifies a situation in which a child's separation anxiety behaviors signify the need to intervene and provide a developmentally appropriate response and support?
- a four-year-old hides behind her parent's/guardian's leg at prekindergarten drop-off while waiting for the teacher to greet her
- a five-year-old repeatedly bites his nails and appears quiet at the start of the kindergarten school year
- a seven-year-old pleads for his father to stay with him in his first-grade classroom and complains of stomachaches daily at school
- an eight-year-old prefers to work alone rather than in small groups in her second-grade classroom
Competency 003—(Family Engagement): Understand the role and importance of the family in supporting the learning and development of young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
5. A kindergarten teacher is preparing for the first conferences of the school year. The teacher plans to provide parents/guardians with an overview of the grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and information about classroom procedures and schoolwide expectations. Which of the following additional actions by the teacher would best support the teacher in developing a positive relationship with families?
- ensuring that parents/guardians understand the best way to schedule a meeting with the teacher
- reminding parents/guardians of their specific responsibilities to support their children's learning
- encouraging parents/guardians to share insights that would help the teacher promote their children's learning
- providing parents/guardians with examples of research to support the teacher's instructional approaches
6. The parents/guardians of incoming prekindergarten children are provided with handbooks to support their understanding of what the children will learn each school year. An excerpt of the handbook is shown below.
Understanding What Your Child Will Learn in Prekindergarten—Three-Year-Olds Reading and Literacy Listening Goals:
- Follow two- or three-step directions during activities, playing, or cleaning up.
- Have short conversations with expected words and phrases.
Reading Goals:
- Enjoy being read to and exploring books.
- Name familiar characters or events from books.
Writing Goals:
- Make scribbles, line marks, and letter-like forms when asked to write.
Which of the following principles does the practice of providing these handbooks most effectively promote?
- developing parents'/guardians' knowledge of how teachers accommodate individual children's learning needs
- engaging parents/guardians in understanding the expectations for their children's academic development
- ensuring parents'/guardians' acceptance of what the school believes is best for their children's learning
- supporting parents'/guardians' involvement in decision making for the school's academic curriculum
Domain II—The Instructional Setting
Competency 004—(Social Skills, Emotional Development, and Behavior Support): Understand how to create positive environments and relationships that help develop interpersonal skills, autonomy, and initiative to explore and learn in young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
7. Considering the developmental stages of brain growth and cognitive development of young children, which of the following teacher activities would most effectively promote development of executive function in four-year-olds?
- providing children with challenging puzzles and riddles that foster thinking skills in mathematics
- modeling organizational routines for children and practicing these routines with them often
- asking children to choose their favorite game in the classroom and during outdoor play
- allowing children to spend most of the prekindergarten day participating in self-directed activities
8. A third-grade teacher notices that a few students who are highly motivated during science instruction appear disinterested when learning social studies content. The teacher could best use developmentally responsive strategies to promote the students' participation in social studies in which of the following ways?
- providing opportunities to develop study skills tailored to support students' achievement in social studies
- defining social studies learning outcomes to be more qualitative, including interactive features for students to study topics independently
- creating cross-curricular learning modules for students designed to support connections to social studies
- setting a predetermined time requirement for students to complete work during social studies to earn an incentive
Competency 005—(The Instructional Setting): Understand how to create positive learning environments that promote the development and learning of young children in prekindergarten to grade 3.
9. A first-grade teacher notices that a number of students have been frequently off-task and demonstrating difficulty completing projects in learning center environments within the classroom. The teacher would like to increase student engagement during these activities. After determining that the center activities do not align with student interests, which of the following approaches should the teacher take first to promote this goal?
- creating a separate work area of the classroom where students who cannot finish projects during center time can work
- providing opportunities for student choice in assignments and learning materials within the centers
- encouraging students to partner with classmates with whom they enjoy working during center activities
- implementing direct whole-group instruction instead of center activities until students demonstrate focused learning
10. A second-grade teacher notices that at certain times of the day, students in the class become easily distracted and display outbursts of excitable energy. Which of the following supports would be most appropriate to address the needs of the students?
- dividing the class into small groups and assigning students independent group work projects
- incorporating learning opportunities for students that promote purposeful and vigorous movement
- playing soothing music for students and allowing them to take a short break to rest
- providing rewards of extra recess for students who are able to focus on their work
Domain III—Educating All Learners
Competency 006—(Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice)—Understand how to identify and implement developmentally appropriate strategies and practices to effectively teach and engage young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
11. A second-grade teacher is planning an end-of-unit assessment. The teacher has a goal of incorporating universal design for learning (UDL) principles throughout the unit's lesson design and assessments. Which of the following strategies would be the most effective application of UDL for the teacher to use to assess student knowledge?
- pairing students and having them cooperate on a take-home written assessment
- allowing students to choose from a list of project activities that allow for a variety of means of expression
- creating a class game that allows students to demonstrate their knowledge by answering questions orally
- designing a short-answer assessment that students can complete at any point within a set time period
12. A kindergarten teacher observes a student investigating the balance scales in the simple machines learning center. The teacher watches as the student adds the entire collection of pennies to one side of the balance scale, where the full pan is already resting on the tabletop. The teacher says, "When you added pennies to the full side, it stayed down. I wonder about the other side. What can you do to the empty side to make it go down?" The teacher's interaction with the student is an example of which of the following techniques?
- explaining the scientific method
- scaffolding conceptual understanding
- facilitating interdisciplinary content connections
- differentiating learning experiences
Competency 007—(Culturally Responsive Practices)—Understand how to identify and implement culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate practices to effectively teach and engage young children from prekindergarten to grade 3 across all content areas.
13. A third-grade teacher considers practices to use during the first week of school that will foster the students' sense of a culturally inclusive classroom. Which of the following practices would best support the teacher's goal?
- adapting classroom lessons based on students' preferred learning styles
- asking students to bring in an item that represents their cultural background
- creating activities that encourage students to share interest in the cultural backgrounds of peers
- emphasizing relatable books from a variety of cultural perspectives in the classroom library that students may select
Domain IV—Data-Driven Practice and Formal/Informal Assessment
Competency 008—(Developmentally Appropriate Assessment and Practice): Understand the types, selection, and uses of developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support young children's learning in prekindergarten to grade 3.
14. Use the excerpts below to answer the question that follows.
National Oral Reading Fluency NormsClassroom Teacher's Progress-Monitoring Data
GradePercentileWinter WCPMSpring WCPM 1 90 81 111 75 47 82 50 23 53 25 12 28 10 6 15 Key: Words Correct Per Minute = WCPM
Student: WW Grade: 1 Concern addressed with progress monitoring: Reading Fluency Intervention: Timed repeated readings on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Record progress data on Fridays. Goal: 53 words correct per minute (WCPM) Assessment: Oral Reading Fluency weekly Monday Wednesday Friday Data (WCPM) 3/2 3/4 3/6 34 WCPM 3/9 3/11 3/13 36 WCPM 3/16 3/18 3/20 40 WCPM 3/23 3/25 (absent) 3/27 40 WCPM
Which of the following statements best describes the intervention for student WW?
- The goal for WW's intervention is set too high considering the student's grade and time of year.
- The intervention is not working and the teacher needs to try a different intervention.
- The intervention appears to be working and should be continued.
- WW falls into the 50th percentile of students in the same grade; therefore, no intervention is needed.
Competency 009—(Progress Monitoring and Data-Driven Instructional Practice): Understand how to design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences and instruction in order to promote development and learning of all students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
15. A second-grade teacher plans to embed developmentally appropriate activities into classroom routines to support students' application of skills in capitalization and punctuation. Which of the following approaches would be most effective for this purpose?
- asking students to identify and correct omitted punctuation and capitalization errors in morning messages and discussing the findings as a group
- encouraging students to include appropriate capitalization and punctuation during freewriting time
- creating opportunities for students to engage with peers to share the importance of using accurate capitalization and punctuation
- developing assignments for students to edit peers' writing for capitalization and punctuation and provide corrections as needed
Domain V—Learning Across the Curriculum
Competency 010—(English Language Arts and Social Studies): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods in English language arts and social studies to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
16. A third-grade teacher assigns students several newspaper articles to read that have differing opinions about a proposal to build a new park in the community. After reading the articles, students work in small groups to complete a T-chart listing the pros and cons of building the park. Each group then presents its results to the class. This activity is likely to be most effective in helping develop the students':
- ability to comprehend and analyze key information found in their reading.
- knowledge of the appropriate use of metacognitive strategies.
- understanding of inferential questioning to expand their knowledge.
- recall of key events and vocabulary presented in content-area readings.
17. A first-grade teacher supports students' language development by regularly modeling storytelling. For example, the teacher tells the following brief story to students as part of introducing a science unit on living things.
"First, I dug a very small hole and put a sunflower seed in it. Next, I covered the seed with dirt and gently watered it. For the past five days I have gone outside to check to see whether the seed has sprouted, and all I have seen is a dirt mound! And guess what? This morning, when I went to check on it, I finally saw a tiny sprout coming through the dirt. I was elated!"
In addition to modeling storytelling, the teacher provides students with opportunities to tell their own stories. The teacher's use of these storytelling strategies best exemplifies which of the following approaches to supporting students' language development?
- infusing meaningful communication with students into multiple areas of the curriculum
- demonstrating developmentally appropriate use of figurative language for students
- teaching students explicit linguistic functions and form
- instructing students on the use of academic language in whole-class discussions
Competency 011—(Mathematics): Understand foundational principles, concepts, and methods in mathematics to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
18. A kindergarten student recognizes that five pencils represent the same quantity as five desks, even though desks are much larger and heavier than pencils. The knowledge of this fundamental mathematical concept demonstrates that the student:
- can determine the approximate values of numbers from one to ten.
- has acquired an understanding of conservation.
- is able to demonstrate the concept of subitizing.
- will understand the relationship between numerals and ordinal numbers.
19. A third-grade math teacher collects the following data from 20 students after a mathematics quiz. The teacher plans to adjust instruction as needed based in part on these results.
Results from Quiz on Adding and Subtracting Fractions from the table below
For the first problem, 1 third plus 4 thirds, seven students chose the correct response, which was
equals 5 thirds (or 1 and 2 thirds ). Eleven students chose the incorrect response of 5 sixths. Two students chose the incorrect response of 5 over 0.
For the second problem, 3 fifths minus 1 half , three students chose the correct response, which was equal to 1 tenth. Twelve students chose the incorrect response of 2 thirds. Five students chose the incorrect response of 4 sevenths. For the third problem, 4 fifths plus 4 tenths four students chose the correct response, which was equal to 12
tenths (or 6 fifths or 1 and 2 tenths or 1 and 1 fifth ). Eleven students chose the incorrect response of 8 fifteenths. Five students chose the incorrect response of 8 tenths.
Results from Quiz on Adding and Subtracting Fractions
ProblemSolution 1 (correct)Number of Students with Solution 1 ResponseSolution 2 (incorrect)Number of Students with Solution 2 ResponseSolution 3 (incorrect)Number of Students with Solution 3 Response 1 third plus 4 thirds equals 5 thirds left paren or 1 and 2 thirds right paren 7 equals 5 sixths 11 equals 5 over 0 2 3 fifths minus 1 half equals 1 tenth 3 equals 2 thirds 12 equals 4 sevenths 5 4 fifths plus 4 tenths equals 12 tenths left paren or 6 fifths or 1 and 2 tenths or 1 and 1 fifth right paren 4 equals 8 fifteenths 11 equals 8 tenths 5
These results show that the teacher should address students' misconceptions related to which of the following errors?
- changing the denominator of a mixed fraction and keeping the numerator the same
- using the largest denominator in the answer when fractions have different denominators
- treating numerators and denominators as separate whole numbers
- applying the invert-and-multiply procedure to fractions with different denominators
Competency 012—(Science and Technology Applications): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods of teaching science and technology applications to provide developmentally appropriate instruction to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
20. Teachers in the early elementary grades can best promote students' use of digital technology as tools for learning by emphasizing which of the following approaches?
- providing students with instruction in basic digital technology skills such as keyboarding
- integrating a variety of lessons for students linked to curriculum topics that can be supported using technology applications as appropriate and that promote attainment of the learning goal
- assigning every student a specific learning task that must be completed using digital technology and requesting that proficient students provide assistance to students experiencing difficulty with the task
- creating bookmarks on classroom digital technology that students can use to access approved online games
21. Use the third-grade student science center activity sheet below to answer the question that follows.
Science Center Activity Sheet
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
§112.14. Science, Grade 3
(2) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific practices during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to:
- plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking and answering questions, making inferences, and selecting and using equipment or technology needed, to solve a specific problem in the natural world;
- collect and record data by observing and measuring using the metric system and recognize differences between observed and measured data.
Materials: magnifying glasses, balance scales, flashlights, bowl of eggs, bowl of water, pencils, activity sheets
Directions: There are hard-boiled and raw eggs in the bowl. Taking care not to break the eggs, answer the following questions in your science notebook.
- Do the eggs all look alike?
- What other factors are similar?
- What are some characteristics that are different?
Which of the following phases of the 5-E plan is implemented at the science center?
- Exploration
- Explanation
- Elaboration
- Evaluation
Competency 013—(Fine Arts, Physical Education, and Health): Understand foundational skills, concepts, and methods to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for fine arts, physical education, and health to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
22. A prekindergarten teacher presents various flowers for children to explore. Following their observations, the children are given art materials, including markers, construction paper, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, and tissue paper, to design their own creation. Which of the following concepts from the Fine Arts Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines is best exemplified by the activity?
- teaching children to notice the similarities and differences of objects in the environment and replicating the objects in their creations
- encouraging children to focus on the process of creating rather than the product that is created
- providing children with high-quality art materials to promote higher-order thinking skills
- supporting children in understanding the principles of design (e.g., repetition, balance) in their artwork
Clustered Questions
Use the information below to answer the two questions that follow.
A prekindergarten teacher assesses children's social skills while observing their interactions during play activities by using the teacher-developed rating scale shown below.
Teacher Rating Scale—Social Skills
Child: Lena Prekindergarten GuidelineTarget SkillsSeptember:
Child's Age: 3 years, 3 monthsDecember:
Child's Age: 3 years, 6 monthsKey: E = Emerging, D = Developed Skill Level: Skill Level: E D E D Relationship with Others:
I.C.I. Child increasingly interacts and communicates with peers to initiate pretend-play scenarios that share a common plan and goal.Plays with two or three children in a group checked blank blank checked Takes turns while playing checked blank blank checked Negotiates with peers during play routines checked blank checked blank Acts out pretend play with others checked blank blank checked Plays more than one role blank checked blank checked Acts out roles/themes that are less familiar (e.g., firefighter, veterinarian) checked blank blank checked
Competency 008—(Developmentally Appropriate Assessment and Practice): Understand the types, selection, and uses of developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support young children's learning in prekindergarten to grade 3.
23. The teacher's assessment method is effective for which of the following purposes?
- measuring children's abilities within an authentic context using a tool that aligns with learning standards
- collecting specific data on children's abilities across a variety of content areas
- quantifying children's abilities and progress toward developmental milestones
- comparing children's abilities to same-aged peers using norm-referenced developmental criteria
Competency 009—(Progress Monitoring and Data-Driven Instructional Practice): Understand how to design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences and instruction in order to promote development and learning of all students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
24. After analyzing the data, which of the following instructional strategies should the teacher implement to most effectively promote Lena's social development?
- telling Lena to let other children go first and to take turns using classroom materials
- modeling appropriate interactions for Lena while interacting with other children
- leading discussions about friendships with Lena centered on children's literature
- asking Lena to emulate children in the class who are working together productively
Additional Selected-Response Questions
This section includes additional sample selected-response questions for you to review in preparation for the exam. The correct answer is provided for each question below.
Domain I—Child Development
Competency 001—(Foundations of Child Development): Understand foundational concepts of early childhood development from birth to age 8 and factors that influence student development.
25. Research suggests a strong correlation between effective, direct instruction in key components of reading and the development of literacy skills by English learners (ELs). Which of the following additional instructional strategies would be most effective for promoting the development of English vocabulary skills for ELs?
- following loosely structured lesson formats that allow more time to process English
- modeling how to use a digital English language dictionary
- using English exclusively to describe common actions when introducing new concepts
- providing frequent opportunities for the use of academic and social English in the classroom
26. A prekindergarten teacher plans to support the development of children's language skills during group story time. The class includes children who are at a beginning level of speaking and understanding English. Which of the following actions should the teacher take to attend to the language needs of English learners (ELs) in the group?
- calling on proficient English speakers to answer comprehension questions about the story
- using nonverbal cues to support ELs, such as pointing to an object or an illustration, while reading the story
- substituting synonyms for unfamiliar words during read-alouds to improve ELs' engagement with stories
- avoiding reading aloud stories that include English vocabulary with which the ELs are not familiar
Competency 003—(Family Engagement): Understand the role and importance of the family in supporting the learning and development of young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
27. A first-grade teacher uses a home survey to learn more about how students like to spend their time outside of school with their families. The teacher finds that students and their families value and appreciate a wide range of activities. The teacher could best use this information to support effective teaching of students from all families by taking which of the following approaches?
- asking students and their families to learn about and develop interests in activities unfamiliar to them
- requesting that members of each family visit during the school day to share interests with the class
- grouping students from similar family backgrounds together for interactive play and activities
- creating differentiated learning groups based on students' individual interests and strengths
Domain II—The Instructional Setting
Competency 004—(Social Skills, Emotional Development, and Behavior Support): Understand how to create positive environments and relationships that help develop interpersonal skills, autonomy, and initiative to explore and learn in young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
28. Four-year-olds Jessie and Simone have been quietly engaged in a center activity for a short time when the prekindergarten teacher observes the following interaction.
Jessie: (Exasperated) You have all the red cubes. I want some, too.
Simone: I'm making a red fire truck. You don't need them.
Jessie: It can have other colors, too. I want some red or I'm telling.
Simone: (Defiantly) Go ahead, I don't care.
The teacher walks over to the children in the center area. Which of the following actions would be most effective for the teacher to use to resolve this conflict?
- modeling active listening and relevant questioning to engage the children's participation in resolving the dispute equitably
- enforcing zero-tolerance rules for arguing and disrupting others to discourage the children from escalating their behavior
- providing the children with an alternative to this activity that is less desirable if they cannot resolve their dispute together
- directing the children to stop the activity and observe other students who have learned how to cooperate in centers
29. Kindergarten students are in their classroom science center exploring and sorting rocks. The teacher notices that the students are demonstrating difficulty sharing space and materials. The teacher can best promote the development of students' interpersonal skills by which of the following methods?
- redesigning the floor plan of the classroom centers to clearly delineate individual students' work spaces
- grouping students within centers who have demonstrated success working together
- pausing the activity to hold a discussion with the students about what the teacher has observed and to brainstorm solutions
- giving students a signal at frequent intervals to stop activities and review expectations
Competency 005—(The Instructional Setting): Understand how to create positive learning environments that promote the development and learning of young children in prekindergarten to grade 3.
30. A third-grade teacher wants to provide options for equitable perception of information to all students in the class. Based on principles of universal design for learning (UDL), which of the following actions would be most effective for this purpose?
- defining clear rules and high expectations for students' engagement and effort within the class
- building opportunities for student collaboration and partner work into the daily schedule
- focusing on individual student choice and autonomy in classroom lessons and activities
- providing students with multiple visual, auditory, and physical examples of curricular materials
31. A third-grade teacher has a goal of improving students' ability to transition successfully between activities. The teacher provides advance warning by ringing a bell at five minutes and at two minutes prior to the end of each activity. Which of the following statements best explains the rationale for the teacher's use of this strategy?
- This practice generally benefits only students who have difficulty with transitions.
- The teacher has established intervals of time to provide students with direct help in cleaning up.
- The teacher can observe transitions without having to verbally engage with the students.
- The practice provides a structure to transitions that can be scaffolded to students' needs.
Domain III—Educating All Learners
Competency 006—(Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice): Understand how to identify and implement developmentally appropriate strategies and practices to effectively teach and engage young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
32. At the beginning of the school year, a third-grade teacher designs the layout of the classroom. The teacher considers incorporating a principle of universal design for learning (UDL) into the arrangement of the classroom, such as the placement of students' desks and chairs, work tables, and shelving units. Which of the following would be the most appropriate way for the teacher to incorporate a principle of UDL into the classroom layout?
- establishing flexible work spaces for students (e.g., places for individual and group work, quiet places)
- minimizing clutter to maintain an orderly and organized classroom
- storing work materials (e.g., pencils, notebooks) in areas of the classroom that are easily accessible
- creating ample space between rows of desks for students to briefly move around in and stretch during class transitions
33. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Child Find obligations primarily affect young children in which of the following ways?
- building continuous public awareness, screening, and assessment intended to locate, identify, and evaluate as early as possible all young children with disabilities
- refining the type of instructional programs young children with unique learning differences receive
- redefining the terms of specific disabilities to increase the number of young children who qualify for special education services
- ensuring that all young children partake in an annual evaluation to determine those who are in need of special education or related services
Competency 007—(Culturally Responsive Practices): Understand how to identify and implement culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate practices to effectively teach and engage young children from prekindergarten to grade 3 across all content areas.
34. A prekindergarten child and the child's parents/guardians are English learners (ELs) at a beginning to intermediate level of English acquisition. The parents/guardians report to the child's teacher that they only speak English at home with their child, even though they have strong primary language skills, in order to promote their child's ability to learn English. Which of the following recommendations should the teacher give to advise the parents/guardians about their child's language acquisition?
- advising the parents/guardians about English learning resources within the community
- agreeing with the parents'/guardians' decision because it promotes the child's English language development
- providing information to the parents/guardians that skills in a primary language promote second language and literacy development
- encouraging the parents/guardians to support late bilingualism for the child to promote English acquisition before introducing a second language
35. A teacher carefully considers ways to recognize and address classroom practices that may contribute to disproportionate participation. The teacher has observed that male students are unintentionally called on more frequently than female students. The teacher also notices that male students are chosen by peers as team captains in cooperative learning groups more often than female students. Which of the following instructional techniques by the teacher would most effectively promote equitable classroom participation?
- assigning students alternating roles within activities to encourage participation
- using cold-call techniques to facilitate equal student participation
- providing incentives to increase students' motivation to participate
- selecting students who voluntarily participate to minimize discomfort
36. A second-grade teacher works to establish positive family–teacher relationships by engaging in the following actions regularly.
- greeting and conversing with families during class dismissal
- sending home notes to families in their home languages to share student successes
- inviting families to attend various class celebrations
Despite using these strategies to engage families, the teacher feels that some families are still hesitant to participate in school activities and an educational dialogue. When conversing with some families about the concern, the teacher hears from one parent who describes his negative school experiences as a child, and suggests that other parents in the school may have had similar experiences, leaving them anxious about developing a relationship with teachers. The teacher contemplates this reasoning, and devises potential strategies for addressing this issue. Which of the following strategies would best support the teacher's goal to establish a positive family-teacher relationship?
- sending home a newsletter to families that highlights the benefits of a positive family–teacher relationship
- inviting families to participate individually in phone calls or classroom visits at times that are convenient for them
- recommending that families help their child with homework so that they are aware of what content is being covered in the class
- making a list of ways families can volunteer in the class and using dismissal time to encourage them to sign up
Domain IV—Data-Driven Practice and Formal/Informal Assessment
Competency 008—(Developmentally Appropriate Assessment and Practice): Understand the types, selection, and uses of developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support young children's learning in prekindergarten to grade 3.
37. Read a kindergarten teacher's anecdotal record below; then answer the question that follows.
- Four kindergarten children, William, Beatrice, Grace, and Jorge, were playing on the play structure during recess.
- Jorge explained to me that they were restaurant cooks.
- Grace asked, "What do you want to eat?"
- After I told them that I wanted pizza, salad, and ice cream, they each climbed up the ladders to the next level of the play structure and turned away from me to prepare their dishes.
- William was able to climb up the ladder by lifting his right foot from the ground up and onto the next rung of the ladder and then pulling up his left leg, which he did repeatedly until he reached the top, always leading with his right leg.
- Beatrice climbed the ladder starting with her right foot and then alternated feet up each rung of the ladder—left, right, left, right.
- William jumped down to the ground to serve my "salad" and then climbed back up on the ladder the same way as he did the first time.
The teacher could most effectively use this observation for which of the following purposes?
- assessing Jorge's social skills with peers
- evaluating Beatrice's need for physical therapy
- determining Grace's oral language development
- documenting William's climbing and balance skills
38. Use the excerpt below from a kindergarten science lesson plan to answer the question that follows.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Science Student Learning Objective Task Assessment Documentation/ Data Collection Science (2) (C) The student is expected to collect data and make observations using simple tools. Students will look for trends in the weather based on data they observe and record for a month. Students will observe the weather daily and record findings on a calendar by drawing a sun, cloud, or raindrop symbol. Students marks the corresponding symbol on an individual calendar to accurately represent each day's weather. Collect students' calendars and compare entries and sums of each type of weather to master calendar.
Which of the following revisions to the lesson plan is needed to improve alignment with the student learning objective?
- changing the Assessment to "Students accurately count the total number of days with each type of weather during the month and describe the weather trends observed."
- changing the Documentation to "Students' calendars reflect an accurate record of the weather observed each day of the month."
- changing the Task to "Students use tools, including a rain gauge, to measure rainy days."
- changing the Knowledge/Skills notation to "Science (3) (B) The student will make predictions based on observable patterns in nature."
Competency 009—(Progress Monitoring and Data-Driven Instructional Practice): Understand how to design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences and instruction in order to promote development and learning of all students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
39. Use the record below of prekindergarten children's activity choices to answer the question that follows.
Children's Activity-Time Choices A - Art/Painting B - Blocks C - Computer D - Dramatic Play
E - Engineering/Interlocking Plastic Bricks G - Games/Puzzles at Tables S - Sand/Water/Media TableChild ObservedMon TuesWedThursFriMonTuesWedThursFri Child #1 B B B D B B B B D B Child #2 A A D D A D A A D A Child #3 A E E E E E E E E A Child #4 G G G G G G E G G G Child #5 S D S S S S S D S S
The teacher could most effectively use these data to make developmentally appropriate decisions in which of the following ways?
- developing strategies to encourage children to explore a wider range of activities
- reporting to children's families the types of activities their child enjoys during various times of the school day
- sharing information about which children choose to play together and why they choose these peers
- providing families with evidence that their child is learning through play activities
40. A kindergarten teacher uses an informal checklist assessment to identify students' strengths and needs in relation to their comprehension skills of text they have heard read aloud, in accordance with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Kindergarten English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). Below is a completed checklist assessment for a student in the class.
Read-Aloud Comprehension SkillsSkills Attained Retells important facts in the text. blank Makes connections to the text. checked Generates questions about the text. blank Answers questions about the text. checked Uses titles and illustrations to make predictions about the text. checked
Which of the following teacher activities would best address an area of need for the student?
- modeling for the student how to summarize text with puppets representing characters from the story
- pre-teaching unknown vocabulary from the text to the student
- providing the student with sentence frames to relate to the text read aloud
- posing to the student inferential questions based on picture clues from the text
Domain V—Learning Across the Curriculum
Competency 010—(English Language Arts and Social Studies): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods in English language arts and social studies to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
41. A prekindergarten teacher wants to build children's awareness of the roles and responsibilities of family, school, and community helpers. Which of the following instructional strategies would best support the teacher's goal?
- assisting children in creating a class book about school and community workers
- inviting community volunteers and children's families into the class to share about their jobs, customs, and traditions
- using photographs and illustrations to discuss with children how people are alike and different
- encouraging children to build a model town (e.g., homes, public buildings) using blocks
Competency 012—(Science and Technology Applications): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods of teaching science and technology applications to provide developmentally appropriate instruction to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
42. Which of the following learning experiences would best support first-grade students in developing an understanding of the life cycle of animals?
- researching high-interest animals and comparing animals' resemblance to their offspring
- going on an outdoor investigation to identify animals in their habitats and discuss how their habitats provide food and shelter
- reading illustrated books about butterflies migrating south during winter months to ensure survival
- observing and recording observations of a tadpole hatching and metamorphosing into a frog
43. A kindergarten teacher has been working with students to develop their awareness that animals have basic needs, including food, water, and shelter, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Kindergarten Science. The teacher would like to further students' learning by supporting their exploration of real-world issues related to this topic, such as animal endangerment, by using technology, in accordance with TEKS for Kindergarten Technology Applications. Which of the following uses of an educational resource would be most effective for this purpose?
- allowing students to play an online game in which they can learn vocabulary related to endangered species
- supporting students in collecting information about endangered species' needs from developmentally appropriate Web sites
- asking students to draw a picture of an endangered animal to submit to the Web site of an organization that protects endangered species
- assigning small groups of students an endangered animal to write about using word processing software
Competency 013—(Fine Arts, Physical Education, and Health): Understand foundational skills, concepts, and methods to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for fine arts, physical education, and health to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
44. A third-grade teacher is developing a lesson to promote students' abilities to identify and categorize musical instruments as brass, string, woodwind, or percussion. Which of the following technology resources would most effectively support students' abilities to categorize instruments by sound?
- an interactive Web site where different musical instruments can be explored
- an online video of a concert performed by a full orchestra of musical instruments
- a multimedia presentation followed by a class discussion about musical instruments
- an audio recording of musical instruments being played in isolation
Clustered Questions
Use the information below to answer the two questions that follow.
A third-grade teacher conducts the following mathematics activity with students, in accordance with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3 Mathematics.
- Announce to the class the need to prepare the classroom to meet with their kindergarten book buddies. Each third grader has two book buddies.
- Ask students to work in pairs to determine how many chairs would be needed to seat their class of 24 third graders, their book buddies, and three teachers.
- Ask student pairs to solve the problem using any method that they want, but remind them that they need to explain to the class how they got their answer.
- As the pairs work, walk around the room to observe their progress and work.
Teacher reflection notes on activity:
I noted that three of the pairs made mistakes. At the end of the activity, I did not call on those three pairs to share their work, because I expected that they would probably realize their mistakes while listening to the explanations the other pairs shared. I randomly called on pairs who got the correct answer. These pairs shared a variety of approaches, including drawing pictures, making tallies, using models, and graphing.
Competency 011—(Mathematics): Understand foundational principles, concepts, and methods in mathematics to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
45. The teacher's actions in this lesson demonstrate a strength related to which of the following instructional principles?
- basing students' work on a meaningful, real-world problem
- treating all correct solutions as equally valuable
- focusing on the strategy that would be most useful
- assessing students' understanding of classmates' methods
Competency 011—(Mathematics): Understand foundational principles, concepts, and methods in mathematics to provide developmentally appropriate instruction for students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
46. Which of the following actions by the teacher would most effectively strengthen this mathematics activity?
- encouraging students to work independently instead of in partner groups
- assessing students' understanding of each of their classmates' methods for solving the problem
- giving individual attention to student pairs experiencing challenges before turning to the whole-group activity
- focusing all students to complete the problem using one strategy that would be most useful
Use the information below to answer the four questions that follow.
A third-grade teacher created a unit focused on organisms and environments in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3. The teacher and the students placed six labeled cups, each containing one plant, on a windowsill in direct sunlight for two weeks. Three cups contained bean plants and three cups contained cactus plants. The teacher and the students created three different environments for the plants, and each environment contained one bean plant and one cactus plant. The environments varied based on how often the plants were watered. Students drew pictures of their observations of the plants in each of the three environments at the end of two weeks.
Bean Plants and Cactus Plants After Two Weeks Name: Jody + Mark In environment 1 the bean sprout is long and relatively straight. The cactus sprout by comparison is plump and diminutive. In environment 2 the bean sprout tilts towards the right and is discernibly smaller than the bean sprout in environment 1. The cactus sprout is noticeably larger than the cactus sprout in environment 1 and is of comparable height with the bean sprout in environment 2 In environment 3 the bean sprout lies directly on the soil, while the cactus sprout is taller and thicker than the other two cactus sprouts and features a new growth.Environment 1 Environment 2 Environment 3
- Sun and water
- Watered once daily
- Sun and water
- Watered once every other day
- Sun and water
- Watered once a week
Competency 012—(Science and Technology Applications): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods of teaching science and technology applications to provide developmentally appropriate instruction to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
47. Given the results at the end of two weeks, this inquiry best promotes students' understanding of which of the following phenomena?
- life cycles of organisms in an environment
- the flow of energy between organisms in an environment
- physical changes that affect organisms in an environment
- the structures and functions of organisms that help them survive in an environment
Competency 006—(Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice): Understand how to identify and implement developmentally appropriate strategies and practices to effectively teach and engage young children from prekindergarten to grade 3.
48. Students' abilities to draw accurate conclusions from the inquiry experience is best supported by their prerequisite knowledge in which of the following areas?
- types of plants
- characteristics of healthy plants
- how plants make food
- life spans of plants
Competency 012—(Science and Technology Applications): Understand the foundational principles, concepts, and methods of teaching science and technology applications to provide developmentally appropriate instruction to students in prekindergarten to grade 3.
49. At the end of the two-week observation, the teacher plans to use a higher-level questioning technique to encourage students to make conclusions about what they have observed during the activity. Which of the following questions would best support the teacher's goal?
- Why did environmental conditions lead to different results for the bean and cactus plants?
- How are the three cactus plants different at the end of the experiment?
- Which environment was best for the cactus plants and for the bean plants?
- What were the environmental differences the pairs of cactus and bean plants experienced?
Competency 008—(Developmentally Appropriate Assessment and Practice): Understand the types, selection, and uses of developmentally appropriate assessments and assessment practices to effectively support young children's learning in prekindergarten to grade 3.
50. Which of the following additional student activities would most effectively support the teacher in assessing students' abilities to apply what they have learned from the inquiry?
- growing a third type of plant in the classroom and comparing its growth to the bean and cactus plants
- creating a diagram of the cactus and bean plants and labeling the plants' parts
- planting additional seeds independently at home and observing the outcome
- predicting and explaining in which environment other types of plants would be most successful
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