Foundations of Linguistics
A High School ESOL teacher gives students
a worksheet that asks them which word that they
should emphasize when answering a question.
The primary purpose of the work sheet is to
provide instruction on
(A) morphology
(B) stress
(C) intonation
(D) syllabication
stress
An EL approaches the ESOL teacher and
says, “Give me a piece of paper.” The EL’s
utterance is best characterized as an error in _____.
(A) article usage
(B) word order
(C) register
(D) conjugation
register
Which of the following makes the greatest use
of active participation, including gestures and
body movement?
(A) Grammar Translation
(B) Total Physical Response
(C) Suggestopedia
(D) The Direct Method
Total Physical Response
Mr. Lewis, a new ESL teacher, is evaluating
several assessments that were used by the
previous ESL teacher. Because of the diverse
cultural backgrounds of his students, Mr.
Lewis wants to ensure that the assessments
he chooses to incorporate into the curriculum
do not exhibit any cultural bias. Which of the
following is the most appropriate question for
Mr. Lewis to use as a guideline when
screening the assessments for cultural bias?
(A) Was the ESL teacher who designed the
assessments fluent in more than one
language?
(B) Will the students need a high level of
sociopragmatic competence to complete
the assessments?
(C) Are the scores that students received on
the assessments in the past reliable?
(D) Do the assessments separate content area
learning from language learning?
Will the students need a high level of
sociopragmatic competence to complete
the assessments?
Which of the following court cases resulted in
a ruling that district-implemented programs
for ELs must be evaluated for effectiveness?
(A) Lau v. Nichols
(B) Brown v. Board of Education
(C) Plyler v. Doe
(D) Castañeda v. Pickard
Plyler v. Doe
The following is based on an excerpt from an
EL’s essay about a summer job. "Mr. Hunter also a
good president. Since Mr. Hunter had big
confidence, he led the company fluently."
The errors in the second sentence primarily
involve
(A) word choice
(B) word structure
(C) word order
(D) word spelling
word choice
Which of the following terms refers to how the
level of a language learner’s negative feelings
and motivation correlates to his or her ability
to acquire new language skills?
(A) Deductive reasoning
(B) Extrinsic reinforce
(C) Affective filter
(D) Self-regulated learning
Affective Filter
(Krashen)
Mr. Abbott notices that a few of his ESL
students have not been doing classwork or
homework assignments because they lack
motivation to learn about certain topics. Mr.
Abbott can best increase his students’
intrinsic motivation to learn by
(A) offering them verbal praise after they
complete an assignment properly
(B) rewarding them with a small prize after
they successfully complete a certain
number of assignments
(C) determining their interests and
incorporating those interests into
classroom lessons
(D) calling their parents to inform them of the
missing assignments
determining their interests and
incorporating those interests into
classroom lessons
An ESL teacher plans to evaluate the
students’ midyear progress by referencing
various examples of their work taken from the
current semester. Which of the following will
most accurately assist the teacher in
assessing the students’ English-language
development?
(A) Standardized test scores that
demonstrate ESL students’ academic
performance in specific content areas
(B) Report card grades and comments from
all content area classroom teachers
(C) Individualized portfolios that include all
essays, presentation rubrics, and tests
(D) A norm-referenced midterm exam that
was recently administered to ESL
students
Individualized portfolios that include all
essays, presentation rubrics, and tests
Which of the following behaviors is most
consistent with culture shock?
(A) An EL prefers learning activities that
feature pictures, graphic organizers, and
film clips to present content-area topics.
(B) An EL appears nervous and frustrated in
his or her new surroundings and
expresses a desire to return to the home
country.
(C) An EL prefers learning activities that
feature bodily movement and
manipulatives that reinforce academic
content.
(D) An EL appears to emphasize the context
of a conversation, including gestures,
facial expressions, and tone of voice,
when communicating.
An EL appears nervous and frustrated in
his or her new surroundings and
expresses a desire to return to the home
country.
A teacher listened to an ESOL student read the
following sentence aloud.
"He finally went to bed."
(Student pronounces “bed” as [bεt])
The error in pronunciation in the word “bed”
indicates a problem with
(A) final intonation patterns
(B) places of articulation
(C) voiced and voiceless sounds
(D) word stress patterns
voiced and voiceless sounds
Subtractive bilingualism is most likely to occur
in second-language learners who
(A) have difficulty understanding contentarea
vocabulary
(B) have little opportunity to continue using
their first language
(C) work to maintain the customs of their
home cultures
(D) had limited formal schooling in their
home countries
have little opportunity to continue using
their first language
An ESL teacher is conducting a lesson on the
woolly mammoth. Sandra, an intermediate level
EL, is having trouble taking notes on the
characteristics of the animal during the
lesson. Based on Sandra’s needs, the ESL
teacher should provide her with a
(A) graphic organizer with a word bank
about the woolly mammoth
(B) collection of photographs of the woolly
mammoth
(C) multiple-choice work sheet about the
woolly mammoth
(D) textbook passage on the woolly
mammoth from a lower grade level
graphic organizer with a word bank
about the woolly mammoth
A social studies teacher plans to administer a chapter test that includes multiple-choice and short-answer questions. Which of the following testing accommodations would be most appropriate for the intermediate-level ELs in the class?
(A) Permitting the ELs to use the test study guide during the test
(B) Allowing the ELs to take the test in their native languages
(C) Allotting the ELs more time to complete the test
(D) Reducing the number of questions on the ELs’ version of the test
Allotting the ELs more time to complete the test
Which THREE of the following strategies can an ESOL teacher use to most effectively create a culturally responsive classroom?
(A) Reflecting on the influence that their personal bias has on student expectations
(B) Devising ways to reward student participation to encourage speaking
(C) Integrating a wide range of curricular content
(D) Becoming familiar with students’ prior knowledge
Options (A), (C), and (D) are correct. For (A), this approach guides teachers to understand that student behavior is influenced by culture. For (C) and (D), both strategies guide teachers to understand that student behavior can be influenced by factors related to settings that resemble their own communities.
Which of the following is the best example of an error in sociolinguistic competence?
(A) An EL wants to borrow a pen from the teacher’s desk and says, “I need this” while taking it.
(B) An EL doesn’t know the word for “highway” and describes it as “the big road where there are a lot of cars.”
(C) A native English speaker asks an EL where the EL was born, and the EL responds “I am come from Europe.”
(D) An EL wants to say “Watch out for the curb” but produces the sentence “Watch out for the curve.”
An EL wants to borrow a pen from the teacher’s desk and says, “I need this” while taking it.
Which of the following best summarizes the
critical period hypothesis?
(A) Assimilation to a new culture usually
occurs during a small window of time.
(B) The ease with which one acquires nativelike
proficiency correlates to a biological
timetable that is connected to age.
(C) Optimal language acquisition occurs
when learners are exposed to the L2 for
at least 50 percent of their day.
(D) L2 grammar is taught most effectively
when learners participate in a series of
translation activities for the first six
months of study.
The ease with which one acquires nativelike
proficiency correlates to a biological
timetable that is connected to age.
Mr. Jenkins, an ESL teacher, recently took his
students on a field trip to a museum. The
following day, Mr. Jenkins asks the class to
recount their trip to the museum as he
transcribes their dictated speech. Next, Mr.
Jenkins distributes copies of the
transcriptions and has students work in
groups to find and correct errors. Finally, he
has the students expand the corrected
transcriptions into a narrative essay as a
homework assignment. Which of the following
best describes the instructional approach
being utilized by Mr. Jenkins?
(A) Language experience approach
(B) Multisensory approach
(C) Natural approach
(D) Phonics approach
Language experience approach
Which of the following situations most likely indicates that an EL may require testing for special education services?
(A) The EL often shifts from one language to another when speaking.
(B) The EL exhibits an English-language pattern that is highly unusual compared to that of others who speak the same L1.
(C) The EL’s ability to communicate simple ideas in English is impeded by a heavy accent.
(D) The EL is hesitant to speak and does not participate in most classroom discussions.
The EL exhibits an English-language pattern that is highly unusual compared to that of others who speak the same L1.
In contrast to collectivist cultures, individualist cultures are more likely to
(A) emphasize the importance of learning a second language
(B) maintain their traditional customs as globalization becomes more pervasive
(C) prioritize the needs of social institutions in their society
(D) regard personal ambition and initiation favorably
Regard personal ambition and initiation favorably
People across the United States use a variety of terms to refer to sugary, flavored carbonated beverages, including “soda,” “pop,” and “soft drink.” Which of the following best identifies this occurrence?
(A) Code-switching
(B) Dialect variation
(C) Language register
(D) Jargon
Dialect variation
Mr. Lambert, an elementary ESOL teacher, provides his students with the following worksheet and a handful of plastic tokens.
First, Mr. Lambert says the word that names the first picture on the worksheet, “bee.” Then, he instructs students to quietly repeat the word to themselves and segment the word into its distinct sounds. Once the students have identified the distinct sounds in the word, they move one token for each sound into a box above the picture. Finally, Mr. Lambert asks the class to share which sounds they recognize in the word “bee,” and he moves on to the next picture on the worksheet.
The activity is most appropriate for students in which of the following stages of second language acquisition?
(A) Early production
(B) Speech emergence
(C) Intermediate fluency
(D) Advanced fluency
Early production
A first grade teacher recently welcomed a new EL named Hassan into the classroom. Hassan’s records show that he had limited exposure to English classes in his home country and is currently functioning at the beginning level of English-language proficiency. Which of the following instructional strategies would most appropriately assist Hassan in increasing his communication skills?
(A) Providing Hassan with a study guide that includes all topics discussed in class
(B) Supplying Hassan with an English dictionary and a thesaurus to use during activities
(C) Having Hassan use pictures and gestures when interacting with others
(D) Setting the expectation that Hassan must respond in English when called on in class
Having Hassan use pictures and gestures when interacting with others
Which is not an example of an informal method for assessing receptive and productive language skills?
A. Running Records
B. Portfolios
C. Statewide standardized assessments
D. Anecdotal Notes
Statewide standardized assessments
What landmark case in 1981 set forth a three-pronged test to determine if a school district is providing adequate services to English Language Learners? The test requires that the program be based on sound educational theory, be implemented effectively with adequate resources, and produce results indicating that ELLs are learning English and academic content.
Castañeda v. Pickard