How learning occurs

1. When creating lessons to develop English-language learners writing skills, the teacher should first ensure that the lessons include?

• A. Content that is meaningful to the students.

• B. Strategies that facilitate direct error correction by the teacher.

• C. Varying assignments to develop students' receptive language skills.

• D. Assessments that are aligned with grade-level end-of-year goal

2. A Third-grade teacher reads a short story to the class about a boy who decides not to rent one of his classmates to his birthday party. As an extension to the reading, which of the following, assignments pro the highest level of student thinking?

• A. Writing a persuasive letter to the main character convincing the character to make a different choice

• B. Completing a research report on the author covering the author's early lite, accomplishments, historical background

• C. Constructing a three-dimensional map that traces the various locations and events that occurred during the story

• D. Creating a diagram of the story's literary elements, including plot, characters, setting, and tone

3. Which of the following would be the most effective way to help second-grade students understand 1 apparent movement across the sky?

• A. Reading aloud nonfiction books about the Sun and Earth and asking students questions to check understanding

• B. Observing and recording the length of an object's shadow at different times during the day with class

• C. Inviting a meteorologist to speak to the class about how the Sun's position affects local weather

• D. Creating a bar graph to show hourly changes in outdoor air temperature throughout the day

4. To best demonstrate for elementary students the appropriate note-taking skills to use during research, a teacher should model which of the following?

• A. Outlining when recording information

• B. Using graphic organizers to record information

• C. Organizing information with note cards

• D. Determining the reliability of the information

5. A teacher plans to assign a challenging, multistep research project to a class of ninth graders. The teacher introduces the assignment distributing a handout that identifies and explains each of the steps required for the project. After reviewing the handout and answering student's questions, the teacher concludes with the following statement.

I know this is a challenging project, and some things may not go smoothly on the first try. Keep in mind, though, that it's okay to make mistakes. This is a learning activity, and one often learns most from one's mistakes. The important thing is to learn and progress as you go.

Which of the following is likely to be the most important benefit of the strategies used by the teacher to introduce this activity?

• A. Minimizing students' need for teacher guidance and support as the project progresses

• B. Encouraging students' use of ongoing self-assessment to analyze their own strengths and needs

• C. Reducing student anxiety about the task and building confidence about their ability to be successful

• D. Promoting students' self-directed learning and their ability to set and achieve individual academic goals.

6. During a high school geometry lesson, Mr. Medina notices that many of his students are confused about the concepts they learned most recently, which he taught from the textbook. To best help students, Mr. Medina should?

• A. introduce new aspects of the concept.

• B. demonstrate more complex problem-solving strategies.

• C. provide additional practice for homework.

• D. reteach the concept using manipulatives.

7. A teacher whose classes include students with diverse backgrounds and needs wishes to ensure that the assessment strategies he uses will provide him with an accurate picture of all students' learning. Which following approaches will best help the teacher achieve this goal?

• A. Use multiple measures to assess student learning, and allow students to show what they know in various ways.

• B. Give students an example opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification as needed before tests another graded activities occur.

• C. Individualize learning standards and expectations, and have students help define criteria for assessing their own learning.

• D. Create tests and quizzes that include questions in various formats (e.g., essay, multiple choice), and offer options for extra credit.

8. A teacher provides a big picture understanding of the broad topic area and then asks students to select a specific interest which connects to the broader topic. Students then are directed to ask questions geared toward this specific interest and answer their own questions through research. In the setting described, the teacher is utilizing which of the following types of instruction?

• A. Scaffolded

• B. Integrated

• C. Teacher-directed

• D. Inquiry-based

9. A fourth-grade teacher is presenting a science lesson on how heat affects matter. The teacher begins the lesson by slipping a brass ball through a metal ring. The teacher then heats the ball and tries to put it through the metal ring again. The students can readily see that once heated, the ball will no longer fit through the ring. Beginning the lesson in this way is most likely to promote learning by

• A. Prompting students to connect various previously learned concepts

• B. Stimulating students’ curiosity about what is being taught

• C. Providing students with a conceptual framework for the current lesson

• D. Encouraging students to examine a problem systematically

10. A middle school science teacher requires students to keep a learning log to record their observations, identify concerns, and summarize learning. The primary benefit of this practice is that it

• A. Helps students to consider data from multiple viewpoints

• B. Provides students with additional study materials

• C. Encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning

• D. Caters to students with a variety of preferred learning styles