Competency 003
8. A social studies teacher is planning a unit for National Hispanic Heritage month. Which of the following activities will best engage kinesthetic learners?
a: Observing performers model dances from different regions of Mexico
b: Creating masks like those traditionally used in the Ponce Carnival in Puerto Rico
c: Identifying important geographical features on a map of Argentina
d: Comparing the monetary system of Colombia to that of the United States
B: Creating masks like those traditionally used in the Ponce Carnival in Puerto Rico
12. Which of the following activities best supports improving middle school students' engagement in experiments during science class?
a: Conducting debriefing activities where students discuss the validity and implications of the experiments
b: Having students work in heterogeneous groups to complete lab reports immediately following the experiments
c: Providing students with a checklist to mark as they complete each step of the scientific process for the experiments
d: Allowing students to choose the topics and methodology to help plan the next classroom experiments
A: Conducting debriefing activities where students discuss the validity and implications of the experiments
13. A teacher changes the arrangement of desks in the classroom from rows to a circle facing the center. Which of the following is the primary benefit of the adjustment?
a: Varying students' view of the classroom posters and instructional aids
b: Maximizing students' opportunities for interaction and discussion
c: Establishing a direct line of vision between the students and the front of the classroom
d: Allowing students opportunities to move freely around the classroom
B: Maximizing students' opportunities for interaction and discussion
15. Which of the following is the most effective informal strategy for continuous monitoring of student learning?
a: Administering benchmark assessments to track progress
b: Using formative assessments at the end of the unit
c: Questioning students during daily class discussions
d: Incorporating graphic organizers to teach key concepts for each unit of study
C: Questioning students during daily class discussions
18. A teacher has posted the steps of a procedure on the board. While explaining the procedure to the class, the teacher points to each step. The primary reason the teacher uses a nonverbal hand gesture is to
a: correctly sequence the order of completion.
b: show that the steps are being read verbatim.
c: provide visual cues to direct students' focus.
d: allow for movement during lesson delivery.
C: provide visual cues to direct students' focus.
9. Which of the following approaches is the most effective way for a new teacher to improve implementation of a recently adopted curriculum?
a: Focusing on keeping pace with the other teachers in the grade
b: Using supplementary materials from the educational supply store
c: Continuing to use the old curriculum while gradually introducing the new one
d: Inviting another teacher to observe several lessons and give feedback
D: Inviting another teacher to observe several lessons and give feedback
11. Which of the following strategies best supports a teacher's goal to incorporate critical thinking skills into language arts lessons?
a: Providing students with opportunities to seek additional content knowledge
b: Creating a forum for students to debate points of view
c: Having students individually summarize various literature read
d: Asking students to create practice questions as a review activity
B: Creating a forum for students to debate points of view
14. Every week a teacher who has a personal interest in music shares with the class current news about musicians and music events and then displays the articles on a bulletin board. The teacher then encourages students to share current events of their own choosing with the class. By doing this the teacher is
a: modeling good reading strategies.
b: making text-to-text connections.
c: promoting a passion for learning.
d: brainstorming topics for writing.
C: promoting a passion for learning.
16. Which THREE of the following are important factors to consider when establishing routines for cooperative group work?
a: Goals to be met
b: Daily schedule
c: Classroom setting
d: Individual accountability
e: Equal opportunities
A: Goals to be met
D: Individual accountability
E: Equal opportunities
17. During whole class instruction, a middle school teacher realizes that most of the students are reluctant to participate in class discussions and give one-word answers when they do participate. Which of the following strategies is most effective for the teacher to use to increase student engagement?
a: Having students answer questions on paper in class
b: Giving students think time after asking probing questions
c: Asking students to answer questions online for homework
d: Assessing students' understanding using an oral pop quiz
B: Giving students think time after asking probing questions
A grade 3 teacher is currently covering the multiplication tables; the students have reached the 5s. To assess whether students have memorized the 5 x sequence, the teacher dedicates a morning to have students practice reciting the 5x table and then quizzes them by having them write the 5 x table through 5 x 12. This learning activities reflects which of the following categories of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives?
a: Creating
b: Remembering
c: Collaborating
d: Understanding
B: Remembering
10. In a science class that includes English-language learners (ELLs), a teacher encourages all students to monitor their own level of understanding by having them take notes in their journal as they read assigned texts. What is the primary purpose of teaching ELLs in particular the skill of learning how to monitor understanding?
a: Decreasing the students' intimidation associated with learning a new language
b: Acknowledging the prior cultural experiences of the students
c: Cultivating a positive environment in which the students can learn
d: Promoting the students' ability to adjust their thinking as needed
D: Promoting the students' ability to adjust their thinking as needed
A middle-school history teacher wants to arrange student desks in a configuration that optimally promotes collaboration, positive interaction, and communication. Which of the following classroom-organizing strategies most effectively facilitates the teacher's goals?
a: The teacher arranges the desks in to traditional rows, with the teacher's desk at the front, to reinforce students' expectations for authority ad delivery of information
b: The teacher asks for student input in arranging classroom furniture in ways that reflect student preferences for class configuration
c: The teacher creates a U-shaped classroom by arranging the desks around the perimeter of the room, leaving a wide open space at the center for lesson deliver
d: The teacher clusters the desks into group configurations that allow student to talk with each other while still having a clear view of all presentation areas
D: The teacher clusters the desks into group configurations that allow student to talk with each other while still having a clear view of all presentation areas
At the beginning of the school year, a grade 3 teacher assigns students a number corresponding to the alphabetical order of the class roster. Each time students submit assignments, they write their number at the top of the page next to their usual heading and circle it. A designated classroom helper organizes the submissions in numerical order, and the teacher quickly notes which numbers are missing. Which of the following rationales best explain s this classroom management strategy?
a: The teacher knows that some student may not yet have mastered alphabetizing, and she wants student helpers to feel comfortable in organizing the submissions
b: The teacher is effectively managing non-instructional classroom duties
c: The teacher creates an atmosphere of fairness because papers are scored anonymously by numbers rather than by names
d: The teacher wants students to understand the importance of following procedures for correctly identifying the class submissions.
B: The teacher is effectively managing non-instructional classroom duties
A middle-school history teacher has just finished a lecture on the Bill of Rights. He asks, "Does anyone have any questions?" No one responds. Which of the following strategies would best implement effective communication strategies to promote student learning in this context?
a: The teacher calls on several students to explain which part of the BoR they consider most important
b: The teachers asks several open-ended questions designed to help students consider the basic content of the BoR
c: The teacher has students reread the chapter on the BoR
d: The teacher administers a quiz asking students to list the topic of each amendment in the BoR
b: The teachers asks several open-ended questions designed to help students consider the basic content of the BoR
Ms. Sanchez is a middle-school math teacher. She has reviewed her students' scores on the state-mandated exam. Which of the following instructional plans would best use the assessment results to improve student learning?
a: The teacher creates and administers a series of sample tests to give students practice on challenging components of the exam
b: The teacher matches her lesson plan objectives to the readiness standards for the state-mandated exam that will be administered in the current school year
c: The teacher identifies the learners' strengths and weaknesses and creates lessons that target common challenges in understanding math concepts
d: The teacher devotes 10 minutes of each day to reviewing a sample test item and making sure all students know how to select the correct response
C: The teacher identifies the learners' strengths and weaknesses and creates lessons that target common challenges in understanding math concepts
Mrs. May teaches fourth grade. She has structured her class so that students can spend 30 minutes daily after lunch in sustained silent reading (SSR) with books and reading materials of their own choosing. Which of the following adjustments to the SSR period most effectively recognizes varied student-learning approaches?
a: The teacher allows students to choose whether they will read at their desks or move to a reading area where they sit on floor cushions or recline on floor mats
b: The teacher makes sure that all students have selected appropriate reading materials
c: The teacher plays classical music on a tape player to enhance student learning
d: The teacher dims the lights in the classroom in order to increase students' reading comprehension
A: The teacher allows students to choose whether they will read at their desks or move to a reading area where they sit on floor cushions or recline on floor mats
It is the third day in a row that Stephanie, a fourth-grade student, has failed to bring her completed homework to class. The teacher wants to encourage Stephanie to start doing her homework. Which of the following teacher reactions would be most likely to support a positive teacher-student interaction regarding the incomplete homework?
a: The teacher laughs, and says, "Third day in a row. That's okay. I'm sure you'll have tomorrow's homework ready."
b: During independent work time, the teachers steps outside with Stephanie to talk about why she is not doing her homework. The teacher suggest that Stephanie give up recess for one day if she needs extra help in understanding the homework assignment.
c: In order to sustain an equitable classroom environment, the teachers asks for volunteers to help Stephanie complete her homework during the independent work time.
d: To ensure that Stephanie gets back on track and starts doing her homework, the teacher sends a note home requesting that her parents sign Stephanie's homework when she completes it.
B: During independent work time, the teachers steps outside with Stephanie to talk about why she is not doing her homework. The teacher suggest that Stephanie give up recess for one day if she needs extra help in understanding the homework assignment.
A middle-school science teacher wants her paraprofessional to help students work through a lesson involving learning the plant parts and their functions. Which of the following strategies would most effectively involve the paraprofessional in enhancing instruction for this lesson?
a: The teacher puts a copy of the lesson plan in the paraprofessional's folder.
b: The teacher asks the paraprofessional to do some supplementary reading on the lesson.
c: The teacher asks the paraprofessional to stay late on the day before the lesson. The teacher demonstrates what students will be expected to do on the day of the lesson.
d: On the day of the lesson, the teacher and the paraprofessional model the steps of the lesson.
C: The teacher asks the paraprofessional to stay late on the day before the lesson. The teacher demonstrates what students will be expected to do on the day of the lesson.
A high-school English teacher is preparing a class discussion on the story students read for homework. Which of the following questioning strategies should the teacher use to promote effective class discussion?
a: The teacher prepares all the questions she wants students to discuss, writes them on the board, and asks the class which questions they would like answered.
b: The teacher hands out index cards and has each student to write down one question he or she wants answered. The teacher collects the cards and answers each question.
c: The teacher starts the discussion with several pivotal questions and then constructs new questions based on the students' comments during discussion.
d: The teacher prepares a question for each group working collaboratively, the students prepare their response and present it to the class.
C: The teacher starts the discussion with several pivotal questions and then constructs new questions based on the students' comments during discussion.
Mrs. Morrison, a tenth-grade English teacher, is planning a unit on Julius Caesar. Acknowledging that students may have difficulty relating to the events and circumstances of the play, she wants to devise teaching activities that engage students meaningfully and that help students relate to the play. Which of the following introductory activities for this unit would most effectively activate students' prior knowledge about the political events in the play?
a: Writing a study guide that summarizes each act of the play and giving students a pretest based on the guide
b: Listening to a reading of Mark Anthony's funeral oration and asking student to do an analysis of the rhetorical strategies used in the speech
c: Showing clips of films and documentaries on assassinations of modern political figures such as J.F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Benazir Bhutto
d: Showing students a film version of the play and having them write a response paper about what they liked about the film
C: Showing clips of films and documentaries on assassinations of modern political figures such as J.F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Benazir Bhutto
A high-school history teacher assigns the U.S. Constitution for students to read for homework. The next day, he starts a discussion and quickly realizes only a handful of students did the assignment. When he asks the class why they did not do the assignment, the students explain that the reading was difficult and that they could not understand what it meant. Which of the following teacher actions would best model appropriate use of metacognitive strategies to approach a challenging reading task?
a: The teacher does a think-aloud of the first few paragraphs, explaining the questions that come to mind as he reads and musing about meanings of phrases. He then has student volunteers do the same with a few more paragraphs.
b: The teacher reads the entire U.S. Constitution orally to the students and asks them to interrupt the reading when they have questions.
c: The teacher stops the lesson and has students spend the class period reading the U.S. Constitution silently.
d: The teacher shows the students an Internet site that explains key points of the U.S. Constitution and offers historical background on its creation.
A: The teacher does a think-aloud of the first few paragraphs, explaining the questions that come to mind as he reads and musing about meanings of phrases. He then has student volunteers do the same with a few more paragraphs.
A high-school history teacher is lecturing on the role of John Brown's raid in the events leading up to the Civil War. The lights are off, and his is projecting images from period newspapers as well as illustrations from well-known historical accounts of the raid. Several of the students have fall asleep. Which of the following strategies would most effectively address the disruption while showing students the teacher's enthusiasm for the lesson?
a: Not wanting to embarrass the sleeping students, the teacher turns on the lights and continues the lecture and slide show.
b: The teachers turns on the lights and says, "John Brown's raid is a pivotal moment in the events that brought our country to civil war. Let's take a moment to individually jot down three reasons why this event is so important."
c: The teacher turns on the lights and calls on several of the sleeping students to come up to the board. He says, "It is difficult to remember all the reasons that this event is so important in U.S. history. These volunteers and I are going to draw a timeline that you need to copy into your spiral.
d: The teacher turns on the lights, asks students to clear a space in the center of the room, leads the class in writing a timeline of the event on the board, and calls on several students to act out the key events.
D: The teacher turns on the lights, asks students to clear a space in the center of the room, leads the class in writing a timeline of the event on the board, and calls on several students to act out the key events.
A middle-school teacher wants to manage and monitor student behavior effectively while students work independently. Which of the following class-management decisions would most effectively help students understand connections between appropriate behavior and a productive learning environment?
a: The teacher takes advantage of independent work sessions to catch up on required administrative work but encourages students to come to the front desk when they have questions.
b: To create a sense of community among student, the teacher appoints class monitors to help keep classmates on task and to report any problems.
c: The teacher walks around as students do seat work and other independent projects. She stops to encourage students who seem to slacking off and praises those who are working diligently.
d: To give students an opportunity to develop independent working skills, the teacher sits at the desk at front of the room so that all students are in his or her field of vision; whenever a students goes off task, the teacher says, "Mr. ___ (or Miss ___), I'm watching."
C: The teacher walks around as students do seat work and other independent projects. She stops to encourage students who seem to slacking off and praises those who are working diligently.
A grade 2 teacher is guiding students in writing a short narrative based on a time they learned an important lesson on the playground. Which of the following strategies would best communicate an explanation of how to construct a narrative?
a: The teacher reads aloud a children's book and then works with students to construct a story board that shows the basic narrative elements in the story.
b: The teachers tells her own story about the time she finally was able to go across the monkey bars when she was five.
c: The teacher puts student sin a circle and has each student tell what he or she is going to write about .
d: The teacher distributes a story book to student in groups and has each group prepare a Reader's Theater presentation of their story
A: The teacher reads aloud a children's book and then works with students to construct a story board that shows the basic narrative elements in the story.