Pedagogy: Secondary (Grades 5–12)

Subtest 1 Sample Items

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Question 1

1. A tenth-grade teacher decides to have students engage in a series of debates on several school-related topics, such as the school dress code and extending the school day. This type of activity is particularly appropriate for tenth-grade students primarily because students at this age have typically developed the ability to:

1. recognize multiple perspectives on an issue.
2. consider the implications of complex moral decisions.
3. distinguish between arguments and discussions.
4. engage in formal operational thinking.

Answer to question 1

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0001) One change in cognition during adolescence is that students' thinking becomes less egocentric. Most adolescents' thinking becomes multidimensional rather than limited to a single issue. Adolescents have the ability to view a topic through more complicated lenses and multiple perspectives because they have developed the ability to reason abstractly.

Question 2

2. Which of the following behaviors among students in a middle school is most closely related to the process of identity formation?

1. preferring to work collaboratively with peers on long- and short-term projects in academic courses
2. forming cliques whose members consistently dress and behave in distinctive or unconventional ways
3. working more diligently in classes whose teachers are perceived to be kinder and more supportive
4. seeking the assistance of close friends when confronting difficult personal situations or decisions

Answer to question 2

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) One way adolescents develop a clear sense of self is to "try on" different roles in various settings. They have a strong desire to assert some form of individuality and independence but also have an increased need to "fit in." As part of a clique, they have the sense of belonging and social approval they desire as they experiment with different hairstyles, clothing, and behaviors to discover what makes them unique.

Question 3

3. In a middle school, suspensions due to fights among students have increased in recent years. Research suggests that school staff can best reduce this type of behavior by emphasizing which of the following approaches?

1. implementing units at each grade level to teach students the elements and applications of moral reasoning
2. helping students learn to identify and avoid negative situations that appear likely to escalate in intensity
3. providing students with explicit training and practice in the use of conflict resolution skills
4. increasing the severity of consequences for students who exhibit violent behavior on school grounds

Answer to question 3

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0001) Conflict resolution is a structured process in which the goal is for both sides to walk away satisfied that an issue has been addressed and fairly served. Studies have shown that teaching adolescents the communication skills and creative and analytic thinking to prevent, manage, and peacefully resolve conflict helps reduce aggressive orientations and incidences of violence and disciplinary referrals. Conflict resolution skills provide adolescents with the ability to discuss a dispute without it escalating into a fight.

Question 4

4. A middle school student with a poor self-concept in a particular academic area is most likely to experience which of the following difficulties in that area?

1. monitoring his or her understanding of material
2. estimating his or her competence and ability accurately
3. working effectively with others on small-group tasks
4. maintaining a consistent level of performance

Answer to question 4

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0001) The self-concept evolves through constant self-evaluation in different situations. Young children tend to have positive and optimistic views of themselves. As they mature, students become more realistic, but are not accurate judges of their abilities. At the middle school level, some students suffer from an illusion of incompetence due in part to their tendency to compare their performance in different content areas (e.g., their performance in mathematics with their performance in language arts or science) and with the performance of other students in their classes.

Question 5

5. Compared with the moral development of middle school students, the moral development of older adolescents is more likely to have progressed to:

1. a recognition that morality is a relative concept that depends on one's motivations and life circumstances.
2. a deference to the moral values of individuals who hold positions of authority in society.
3. an understanding of morality in which behaviors and decisions are more closely aligned with their personal values and beliefs.
4. a vison of morality that is influenced primarily by peers of the same age and background.

Answer to question 5

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0001) Most middle school students have reached a level of moral development where peers have a significant influence on students' decisions and actions. Middle school students also begin to realize that rules are created by other people and begin to question authority. Older adolescents tend to be less rebellious since they have begun to establish their own identity in the world and their own belief system. It is at this level that students begin to participate in activities, make choices, and match their behavior to this identity and belief system.

Question 6

6. A high school teacher often has students debate issues related to current topics of study. The teacher has decided to instruct students in recognizing logical fallacies (e.g., red herrings, ad hominem, slippery slope). Instruction in this area is likely to be most effective in promoting which of the following cognitive abilities?

1. concept generalization
2. hypothetical thinking
3. perspective taking
4. analytical reasoning

Answer to question 6

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0001) Analytical reasoning is the ability to examine an argument to discern whether the argument follows a logical progression. Recognizing logical fallacies supports students' ability to analyze the logic of an argument rather than taking another's point at face value. For example, a red herring logical fallacy is a comment intended to distract or divert attention from the topic at hand. A red herring is used when one student is debating topic A and another student brings up topic B, thus changing the focus of the debate to topic B. In the same manner, recognizing logical fallacies helps students construct their own well-reasoned arguments that follow logical progressions.

Question 7

7. The regular use of substances such as alcohol or drugs has been shown by medical research to affect the learning and development of high school students primarily by:

1. altering the way the brain processes and retains information.
2. diminishing healthy levels of anxiety.
3. decreasing engagement and participation in school activities.
4. causing an overall reduction in IQ level.

Answer to question 7

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0001) The brain relies on chemicals called neurotransmitters to get messages from one part of the brain to another. Each neurotransmitter attaches to its own kind of receptor to allow messages to travel through the brain on the right path. Alcohol and drug use interferes with the normal paths that neurotransmitters use, which can reset the way the brain reacts. Ultimately this affects how the brain processes and retains information and how students think, learn, remember, and concentrate.

Question 8

8. A middle school teacher's class is highly diverse in terms of students' cultural and ethnic backgrounds, ability levels, and socioeconomic status. In a class with this degree of diversity, which of the following factors is likely to have the greatest positive influence on students' learning?

1. The teacher emphasizes a highly structured large-group approach to instruction.
2. Students have significant input into decisions about instructional goals and timelines for various learning tasks.
3. Students have many opportunities to compare their performance to that of their peers.
4. The teacher communicates high expectations for students' learning and a belief in students' ability to be successful.

Answer to question 8

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0002) Teachers are the single most important in-school factor that affects student performance. A growing body of research suggests that the expectations a teacher sets for an individual student can significantly affect the student's performance. These expectations can cause teachers to differentiate their behavior toward the student. Teachers who hold high expectations for students tend to provide more detailed feedback on student errors and more positive feedback on correct responses. High teacher expectations are also associated with longer wait times for student responses.

Question 9

9. When teaching students new concepts, a teacher makes a point of following direct instruction with guided and independent practice activities. Though students seem to have a good grasp of new concepts at the time, the teacher discovers that they are often unable to remember what they have learned. Which of the following strategies is likely to be most effective in enhancing students' ability to internalize newly learned concepts?

1. having students use a section of their binders to maintain an ongoing list of newly learned concepts
2. stating for students the targeted concept at the beginning and end of each lesson
3. identifying a variety of authentic contexts in which students can apply newly learned concepts
4. using various incentive systems to reward students for mastering new concepts

Answer to question 9

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0002) Merely requiring students to practice a skill does not ensure learning. Students need to be cognitively engaged and active in applying ideas. Authentic contexts introduce students to meaningful, real-world applications of learning and provide them with a framework in which to bring together new information and organize it in a way that can be easily recalled.

Question 10

10. A middle school has recently purchased software for school computers. The new software provides the capability to create webs, flowcharts, T-charts, and other types of organizers. Having students use this type of software regularly can be expected to enhance their learning most in which of the following areas?

1. fostering in students a sense of confidence in their ability to learn challenging content
2. facilitating students' ability to achieve content standards at a more rapid pace
3. helping students visualize more clearly relationships between important concepts and ideas
4. encouraging students to relate new concepts to their own experiential backgrounds

Answer to question 10

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0002) Graphic organizers encourage students to think about information in new ways. The visual nature of graphic organizers helps students identify patterns of information and recognize how concepts connect and relate to one another rather than focusing on isolated, decontextualized bits of information. Using graphic organizer software, students can easily arrange concepts and ideas in different configurations to support comparison, analysis, and other forms of higher-order thinking.

Question 11

11. In which of the following situations are teacher expectations most likely to have a negative influence on students who are low achievers?

1. The teacher allows low-achieving students slightly more time to respond to questions during discussions than high-achieving students.
2. The teacher selects less difficult reading material for students who are less proficient readers than for students who are more proficient readers.
3. The teacher provides more scaffolding to students who are struggling to learn than to students who are performing as expected.
4. The teacher accepts from low-achieving students work of poorer quality than work from high-achieving students.

Answer to question 11

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0002) Teacher behavior that is meant to protect the feelings of students who are low achievers can be interpreted by students as evidence of their low competence and this perception in turn lowers their own expectations and effort. A teacher who accepts poorer quality work from students who are low achievers is in reality excusing them from the effort that learning requires. Teachers who do not insist that all students work to their full potential minimize the connection between effort and accomplishments and set the stage for later failure.

Question 12

12. Which of the following practices by a sixth-grade mathematics teacher is most likely to have a negative effect on students who perform below grade level expectations?

1. using frequent informal assessments to monitor students' progress
2. relying heavily on partner and small-group activities during instruction
3. providing manipulative materials for students' use as needed
4. implementing long-term homogeneous grouping for instruction

Answer to question 12

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0002) Homogeneous grouping can be effective for providing targeted instruction in specific skills. When such grouping is implemented on a long-term basis, students can get stuck in the same low group (e.g., tracking). This approach can lead to labeling and conveys to students that they are not as capable as their peers. When students believe that they have little or no chance of increasing their achievement level, they soon lose motivation and often quit trying altogether.

Question 13

13. A ninth-grade English teacher wants to enhance students' comprehension of the literature they are reading. Providing students with instruction and practice in using which of the following strategies is likely to be most effective for this purpose?

1. mnemonics
2. chunking
3. visualization
4. scanning

Answer to question 13

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0002) Visualization is the process of consciously creating mental pictures based on the text we read or words we hear. Visualization promotes a more thorough understanding of text primarily by helping readers link the text they are reading or hearing to their personal experiences. This strategy is particularly effective with descriptive text in literature.

Question 14

14. A middle school is located in a community with limited educational resources, and many students have limited Internet access. In this situation, teachers at the school should make which of the following instructional goals their first priority?

1. incorporating opportunities for students to engage in collaboration as a regular part of instruction
2. using frequent formative assessment of student learning throughout the instructional cycle
3. ensuring that students have the background knowledge needed to benefit fully from instruction
4. using discovery methods as the primary means for introducing new instructional topics

Answer to question 14

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0002) Access to educational resources such as museums and libraries can enhance students' background knowledge about many topics. In a community with few educational resources, students' experiential backgrounds are likely to be limited. In this case, the teacher's priority should be to make sure that students have the background knowledge that they will need to understand the targeted instructional content. If students do not have an appropriate foundation of background knowledge related to an instructional topic, they are less likely to comprehend essential content because it will be difficult to relate the content to their knowledge and experiences.

Question 15

15. A ninth-grade teacher frequently assigns student projects. First the teacher discusses the objectives for the project with students. Next the students develop a project plan, outlining the activities they will perform and products they will develop to achieve the targeted objectives, and then they review their plan with the teacher. This approach is likely to be most effective in achieving which of the following goals?

1. supporting students in assuming responsibility for their own learning
2. communicating to students high expectations for their performance and learning
3. increasing the relevance of academic content to students' lives and experiences
4. ensuring that instruction is responsive to students' individual needs and interests

Answer to question 15

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0002) The teacher's approach is a form of scaffolding that supports students in developing the skills they need to assume responsibility for their own learning. By first discussing targeted objectives with students, the teacher ensures that they are focusing on the knowledge and skills their projects should demonstrate. The teacher allows students wide latitude in developing their project plans, but still reviews them. The teacher's review helps ensure that students' plans address the targeted objectives. Using this process repeatedly with students will enable them to take more responsibility for their learning with less teacher oversight.

Question 16

16. At the beginning of the school year, a seventh-grade teacher learns that the class will include a student who has been identified as gifted. Which of the following actions by the teacher would be most effective in addressing the academic needs of this student?

1. providing independent enrichment activities that prompt the student to explore current topics of study in greater depth and complexity
2. developing more lengthy class and homework assignments to ensure that the student is fully engaged in learning
3. assigning the student to prepare and teach a lesson to the rest of the class at least once during each instructional unit
4. including in the classroom library a selection of advanced materials on topics that are likely to interest the student

Answer to question 16

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0003) To achieve their full potential, gifted students require materials, activities, projects, and homework that are complex, abstract, open-ended, and that cause them to stretch in knowledge, thinking, and production. Within a general education classroom, a teacher can differentiate instruction for gifted students most effectively by providing in-depth activities and experiences that extend and enrich the current curriculum and by allowing the students to move forward independently in their learning instead of participating in activities that address concepts and skills they have already mastered.

Question 17

17. During instruction, a teacher tries to use examples from a variety of cultures and groups to illustrate key lesson concepts and regularly incorporates information about the contributions and perceptions of diverse groups. This practice is likely to enhance students' learning primarily by:

1. increasing their comfort level with open-ended activities that allow for many different responses.
2. promoting their ability to discuss effectively a wide range of content-related topics and issues.
3. helping them learn to recognize signs of stereotypical thinking in themselves and others.
4. allowing them to view content they are learning through the lens of many different perspectives.

Answer to question 17

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0003) In an increasingly pluralistic society, students benefit from learning that individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds can have unique, but equally valid, perceptions and ideas about various topics. When instruction and materials represent only the thinking of one culture or group, teachers inadvertently send the message that the ideas and contributions of other cultures and groups are less valued. Multiple-perspective instruction intentionally emphasizes different viewpoints, helping students develop critical-thinking skills and broaden their understanding of content.

Question 18

18. Which of the following behaviors by a fifth-grade English language learner represents the most advanced stage of second-language acquisition?

1. using primarily present tense verbs in conversation
2. asking clarifying questions to enhance understanding
3. providing single sentence responses to literal questions
4. producing simple sentences in social contexts

Answer to question 18

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0003) In general, there are five stages in the process of second-language acquisition. In the first two stages (silent period and early production), students produce very little language. By the third stage (speech emergence), students begin to communicate using simple phrases or sentences and respond to questions requiring short answers. It is not until the fourth stage (intermediate fluency) that students begin to use more complex sentences and become able to formulate questions of sufficient complexity to enhance their understanding of written and spoken English.

Question 19

19. Which of the following actions is most important in addressing the learning needs of a student with a mild hearing loss?

1. ensuring that the student has an unobstructed view of the teacher during instruction
2. repeating directions for activities and assignments for the student at least three times
3. providing the student with a study carrel in a quiet area of the classroom for independent work
4. posing questions to the student more frequently than to peers to check for understanding

Answer to question 19

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0003) Mild hearing loss can affect how a student learns. Many students with mild hearing loss will use some form of lipreading and rely on visual and facial cues to support their listening. By ensuring that students have an unobstructed view of the teacher, the teacher is better able to provide them with clear and consistent access to spoken instruction.

Question 20

20. Students with specific learning disabilities most often demonstrate which of the following learning profiles?

1. inconsistent pace in achievement of academic expectations for the student's age and grade level
2. persistent evidence of academic underachievement despite average intelligence and the provision of research-based instruction and intervention
3. a regular pattern of below grade-level performance across academic areas for two or more consecutive years
4. ongoing need for teacher and/or peer guidance and support to complete both in-class assignments and long-term projects

Answer to question 20

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0003) Students with specific learning disabilities often have strengths similar to their peers in some areas, but their learning in other areas is unexpectedly lower. In many cases, intervention does not yield the desired outcomes for these students. Students with specific learning disabilities perform below expectations based on their measured potential and below their peers in overall achievement, requiring accommodations and/or modifications to reach their potential.

Question 21

21. A teacher decides to assign students to study teams. The purpose of the teams is for students to help each other throughout the year (e.g., gathering handouts for an absent classmate, helping each other prepare for tests). The teacher first observes how students relate to each other for a few weeks before assigning teams. Then the teacher provides students with explicit instruction in how the teams are to function. These study teams can be expected to benefit students most by:

1. enhancing students' overall motivation to succeed academically.
2. establishing a network of peers to provide students with academic support.
3. promoting the development of students' collaboration skills.
4. maximizing the amount of time students are engaged in active learning.

Answer to question 21

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0004) Effective teachers recognize how the classroom community can affect student behavior and attitudes. Students who feel supported are more likely to do their best. Providing opportunities for students to assist peers helps build a sense of responsibility for one another. The teacher's observation of student interactions prior to team assignments increases the likelihood that the study teams will provide effective support for team members.

Question 22

22. One student in a tenth-grade teacher's English class has a history of low achievement in English and shows little motivation for learning. The student reads at grade level and demonstrates a good understanding of content in class discussions. However, when given a choice of activities, the student almost always selects those that are least demanding and turns in work that meets only the minimum performance criteria. In discussions with the teacher about these issues, the student states, "I've never been any good at reading and writing and it's too late to get better now." This student is most clearly exhibiting signs of:

1. perfectionism.
2. learned helplessness.
3. depression.
4. cognitive delay.

Answer to question 22

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0004) Learned helplessness is a condition characterized by the erroneous belief that failure is due to a lack of ability or other external factors and that such factors are permanent and will always affect future achievement. Students exhibiting learned helplessness generally have failed at tasks in the past and tend to give up easily because they have concluded that they are incapable of improving and continued effort seems futile.

Question 23

23. A teacher who is reflecting on the learning environment in a class should give the highest priority to addressing which of the following issues?

1. Many students tend to choose the same partner for activities in which students will work in pairs.
2. Two students with disabilities frequently appear to be isolated and ignored by their classmates.
3. Some students are substantially more communicative about their thoughts and feelings than others.
4. During small-group activities, students often initiate informal competitions with peers in other groups.

Answer to question 23

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0004) The isolation of students with disabilities indicates a lack of inclusiveness in the learning environment. Inclusion is primarily about belonging, membership, and acceptance and an inclusive classroom environment focuses on social as well as academic outcomes for all students. When students with disabilities are ignored by peers, it is more difficult for them to make and keep friends and gain the natural supports that will help them achieve positive social and academic outcomes.

Question 24

24. A teacher can best promote productive academic discussions by taking which of the following steps first start italics?

1. informing students that the content of the discussion will be included on tests
2. assigning one student responsibility for leading and summarizing the discussion
3. reminding students of the importance of being polite during discussions
4. ensuring that students understand the goals and purpose of the discussion

Answer to question 24

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) Orienting students to the goals and purpose of a discussion is a key element in the introduction of a discussion. This orientation captures students' attention and conveys the importance and relevance of the topic to their learning, providing a solid foundation for the discussion. Teachers can ensure students' understanding of the goals and purpose of a discussion by using strategies such as giving a brief overview of the main points to be covered or providing students with questions on the topic to consider beforehand.

Question 25

25. Which of the following teaching practices is likely to have the greatest positive effect on students' motivation to achieve?

1. presenting instruction in small increments with frequent reviews of content
2. allowing students to choose the peers they wish to work with in group activities
3. providing instructional tasks that are meaningful and relevant to students' experiences
4. using peer and self-assessment as the primary methods for assigning grades

Answer to question 25

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Correct Response: C. (Objective 0004) According to accepted theories on the nature of motivation, the perceived value of a task helps determine an individual's motivation level. Instructional tasks that are relevant or connected to students' experiences and lives in the real world encourage students to view the task and associated learning as valuable, thus enhancing their motivation to learn.

Question 26

26. A middle school teacher wants to create a classroom learning environment that will support increased self-esteem in students. Which of the following teacher practices would best help achieve this goal?

1. establishing a relationship with each student that communicates the teacher's respect for the student as an individual capable of success
2. assigning students to write a report about themselves early in the school year to share with peers
3. adopting an authoritative approach in which the teacher creates routines and procedures and reacts immediately to students' inappropriate actions
4. offering frequent verbal praise to students for the successful completion of assigned tasks

Answer to question 26

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0004) Young adolescents need opportunities to form relationships with adults who understand them and are willing to support their development. Teachers are an important source of social capital for students. Social capital in a classroom setting is defined as teacher-student relationships where students feel that they are both cared for and expected to succeed When teacher-student bonds are characterized by closeness, warmth, and positivity, students have a secure base from which to take on academic challenges and work on social-emotional development, including developing self-concept and self-esteem.

Question 27

27. Which of the following situations is most likely to diminish intrinsic motivation in middle school students over time?

1. Students are allowed to select their own research topics from a list developed by the teacher.
2. The teacher routinely explains how students' learning will be valuable and useful in achieving academic, career, and life goals.
3. Students work with the teacher to develop weekly goals and monitor their learning progress.
4. The teacher relies primarily on concrete rewards to encourage students to comply with behavior expectations and perform assigned tasks.

Answer to question 27

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0004) Intrinsic motivation originates within the individual. Students who are intrinsically motivated to learn view their learning as relevant and valuable to them. They view learning as worthwhile in and of itself. Extrinsic motivation is prompted by external factors such as concrete rewards, praise, and other incentives. Research shows that extrinsic motivators can be effective over the short term in encouraging mechanical tasks and compliance, but tend to be detrimental to the advancement of creative and higher-order thinking and long-term engagement of students.

Question 28

28. In an eighth-grade language arts class, a teacher observes that only a few students participate actively in discussions and other large-group activities. Although all students respond when called on, the teacher is concerned about the overall level of student participation. Which of the following strategies would best promote broader student participation?

1. assigning each student to lead one or more class activities
2. replacing some large-group activities with partner or small-group activities
3. giving students a grade based on their participation in class activities
4. reinforcing the expectation that each student will participate in large-group activities

Answer to question 28

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) In some cases, students do not participate in large-group activities because of shyness, a lack of self-confidence, or a reflective thinking style. In small group settings, students have more opportunities to speak and become actively involved. Small groups help overcome the passivity of large-group instruction.

Question 29

29. As high school students enter mathematics class, the teacher greets each student briefly. Students turn in their homework to the designated basket, get supplies as needed from the community cabinet, and then refer to the board where the textbook pages and materials for the day's lesson are listed. Implementing these routines demonstrates most clearly the teacher's understanding of how to:

1. use a variety of classroom management skills to facilitate learning.
2. enhance the overall quality of the classroom learning environment.
3. create a supportive and mutually respectful learning community.
4. maximize the amount of class time that is available for learning.

Answer to question 29

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0005) Specific classroom routines or procedures help eliminate distractions that waste time and interfere with learning. Research shows that learning time is lost when teachers have difficulty getting started on lessons or making smooth transitions between classes or activities. This teacher has established a beginning-of-class routine which takes the guesswork out of what students should do as they arrive in class. When students are freed of the mental clutter of deciding what to do and how to do it, they are better able to focus on learning.

Question 30

30. Which of the following types of activities is the most appropriate and effective choice for helping create a community of learners in a high school class?

1. group problem-solving activities in which each student holds a piece of information that is needed to arrive at a solution
2. competitive team activities in which assigned leaders are allowed to select their own team members
3. self-directed activities in which individual students research a topic and present information to the class
4. reflective activities in which students express their thoughts about abstract ideas such as ethics and responsibility

Answer to question 30

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0005) A small-group activity in which each person has information that is essential to the group's ability to achieve a goal helps develop positive interdependence. Students recognize that they can accomplish more working together than any one of them can accomplish on his or her own. They begin to understand the broader concept of community—that each person's efforts are required and indispensable for group success and that each person has a unique contribution to make to the joint effort.

Question 31

31. During the first week of school, a new teacher works with students to develop a list of class behavior guidelines. According to best practice regarding classroom management, which of the following teacher strategies is most essential to the effective implementation of these guidelines?

1. having students regularly reflect on how well they are following the behavior guidelines
2. emphasizing consistency and fairness in the application of the guidelines
3. eliminating guidelines from the list as students internalize the expected behaviors
4. reviewing the guidelines with students at the beginning of every week

Answer to question 31

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Correct Response: B. (Objective 0005) A system of behavior guidelines provides structure for students; it sets limits and helps students understand appropriate classroom behaviors. However, guidelines are only as effective as their implementation. Fair and consistent implementation of stated guidelines builds credibility for the teacher with students. If a teacher fails to enforce a particular guideline or enforces it in an inconsistent manner, students may come to believe that the guideline is not really valued or important.

Question 32

32. In a seventh-grade classroom, the first ten minutes of the class period tend to be chaotic. Students move freely about the room, sharpening pencils and locating materials while the teacher tries to take attendance. Often the teacher has to make several attempts to gain students' attention to begin the day's lesson. There is almost always an argument about who gets to pass out papers or who gets to work at the computer first. In addressing this situation, the teacher's most appropriate first step is to:

1. review information on classroom management strategies on reputable educational Web sites or in pedagogy textbooks.
2. provide students with several specific examples of what constitutes appropriate behavior in various classroom contexts.
3. implement immediately a system of increasingly stringent consequences for off-task or disruptive behavior.
4. analyze current classroom operations to identify adjustments to help enhance students' productivity and engagement.

Answer to question 32

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Correct Response: D. (Objective 0005) The first action in addressing any problem effectively is to identify the problem and gather information about the various factors surrounding the problem situation. By analyzing current classroom operations, the teacher will be able to identify specific issues associated with the chaos in the classroom. Part of this analysis would be gathering information about which students are involved, how much time is actually lost to routine tasks, and so on. Armed with the right information, the teacher can begin to formulate a plan for creating a more organized and effective classroom environment.

Question 33

33. A high school teacher is reflecting on a recent interaction with a student whose behavior was disrupting the class. The teacher reprimanded the student for misbehaving, and the student made a disrespectful comment in return. At that point, the teacher approached the student and said loudly, "I'm going to give you one more chance to behave." The student stood up and continued to speak rudely to the teacher. The teacher responded by having the student removed from class. Which of the following statements describes the most significant misstep by the teacher in addressing this situation?

1. The teacher became engaged in a power struggle with the student, causing lost instructional time.
2. The teacher ceded responsibility for disciplining the student, resulting in a loss of authority in the classroom.
3. The teacher attempted to de-escalate the behavior rather than disciplining the student immediately.
4. The teacher failed to offer the student another opportunity to correct the behavior, extending the confrontation.

Answer to question 33

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Correct Response: A. (Objective 0005) Students' misbehavior in class sometimes escalates into confrontations with teachers, and then the students are unwilling or unable to back down. Teachers can avoid or de-escalate conflicts with students in such situations by offering the student a gracious way to retreat from the conflict. Teachers who react to defiant behavior by becoming visibly angry, raising their voices, or attempting to intimidate students may actually succeed in making students' oppositional behavior worse, using up even more valuable instructional time.

Question 34

34. A ninth-grade teacher uses a strategy called "Silent 30" to minimize disruptions between activities or immediately after the bell. When the teacher says, "Silent 30," students are to clear their desks and sit silently within 30 seconds. The teacher offers a class reward, such as ten minutes to listen to music, when the class successfully completes the routine 30 times. The teacher's use of this strategy most clearly demonstrates an understanding of how to:

1. use nonintrusive classroom management techniques.
2. encourage students to form a supportive community.
3. manage transitions to maximize instructional time.
4. stimulate students' curiosity to promote engagement in learning.

Answer to question 34

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: C. (Objective 0005) The "Silent 30" strategy is an example of a classroom routine. The purpose of classroom routines is to increase the efficiency with which the class functions. Once students have mastered this routine, the amount of time needed to transition from one activity to another or just after the bell is reduced, in most cases, to 30 seconds. When transitions take up a minimal amount of time, the time available for instruction increases. The addition of class incentives for consistently performing the routine motivates students to adhere to the routine over the long term.

Question 35

35. Students in a high school physics class are having difficulty understanding concepts related to velocity and acceleration. The teacher has discussed with students the relevant sections from the textbook and created diagrams to illustrate the concepts. Which of the following additional strategies by the teacher would best enhance students' understanding of these concepts?

1. encouraging students to identify specifically which part of the lesson is most challenging
2. repeating the information presented in the lesson at a slower pace
3. providing students with several examples of the concepts that are relevant to their own experiences
4. inviting a physicist to visit the class to explain the concepts to students

Answer to question 35

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: C. (Objective 0006) The use of this additional strategy will help students assimilate and accommodate new information. When students are able to see how concepts relate to their personal experiences, they are better able to make connections and meaningful associations. These processes are essential steps in developing conceptual understanding.

Question 36

36. High school students in a U.S. history class are engaged in a lively discussion about the Civil War. Which of the following comments by the teacher to a particular student best illustrates the teacher in the role of active listener in this discussion?

1. "If I understand correctly, you're saying that regional resources affected the outcome of the war."
2. "Please restate your idea to be sure that everyone heard it."
3. "What have we learned about the ways in which the availability of resources affected war efforts?"
4. "Would anyone else care to elaborate on or debate this idea?"

Answer to question 36

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: A. (Objective 0006) Active listening is a communication technique that focuses the listener's attention on the speaker. One strategy used in active listening is to paraphrase the speaker's message. In the situation described, paraphrasing the student's message allows the teacher to verify that his or her understanding of the message is accurate.

Question 37

37. A middle school science teacher often has students view publicly available television programs on classroom computers as a supplement to instruction on particular topics. Which of the following strategies used by the teacher would best help ensure that these viewing experiences are effective in enhancing student understanding?

1. communicating to students expectations for conscientious viewing before they watch each program and identifying behaviors associated with such viewing
2. providing students with specific questions to consider as they view a program and then discussing the questions after students have viewed the program
3. prompting students to review relevant sections of their textbook before they view a program and then to review their texts again after their viewing is complete
4. preparing quizzes on the content of programs students will view and letting the students know that they will take a quiz after viewing each program

Answer to question 37

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: B. (Objective 0006) For a viewing experience to be effective in enhancing student learning, the students must be engaged with the video. One technique for promoting this engagement is to provide students with a purpose or focus for viewing. Giving students something specific to look for or to listen for in the video will help them pay closer attention to the content. Post-viewing discussions of the targeted material helps ensure accurate understanding and promotes retention of important content.

Question 38

38. A high school civics teacher plans to use class discussions as a regular part of instruction. The teacher should be aware that class discussions tend to be most productive when the guiding questions are:

1. open-ended and exploratory in nature.
2. centered on a single concept or idea.
3. drawn directly from the course textbook.
4. fact-based and focused on core content.

Answer to question 38

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: A. (Objective 0006) Good questions are the key to a productive discussion. Research shows that divergent, or open-ended, questions elicit two to three times more responses from students than other types of questions. Open-ended questions that do not have one right answer encourage students to think critically, express their own ideas, and respond to others' ideas.

Question 39

39. A teacher in a class of students with diverse characteristics and needs is preparing a presentation on a new instructional topic. The teacher can best ensure the clarity and accessibility of the presentation by adopting which of the following approaches?

1. emphasizing important information by using broad and expansive gestures
2. repeating key ideas more than once using exactly the same language
3. using a variety of visual tools to support information that is provided verbally
4. creating note cards as a reminder of important points to address

Answer to question 39

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: C. (Objective 0006) Each person learns and processes information differently. Using a combination of oral and visual communication tools will help students with different learning styles grasp the information more effectively. Use of visual tools to support verbal communication adds another dimension to the material being presented, creating a new path toward understanding and meaning.

Question 40

40. An eleventh-grade teacher's class includes students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. During a recent discussion about traveling to new places, the teacher made the following comment.

My mother always said I had itchy feet. I love to travel anywhere and it doesn't bother me a bit to live out of a suitcase. In fact, Monday was a red-letter day for me because I set the wheels in motion for a trip to Africa that I have been wanting to take for a long time.

Comprehension of the teacher's message may be difficult for some students primarily due to the teacher's use of:

1. idiomatic expressions.
2. complex sentence structures.
3. unfamiliar vocabulary.
4. decontextualized language.

Answer to question 40

Answer Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded

Correct Response: A. (Objective 0006) An idiom (or idiomatic expression) is a word or phrase that has a figurative meaning conventionally understood by native-language speakers. This meaning is different from the literal meaning of the idiom's individual elements. For example, in the teacher's comment, the phrase "itchy feet" means a desire to travel or change locations. It does not mean that the teacher's feet literally itch. Non-native English speakers may have difficulty recognizing when words or phrases should be interpreted figuratively rather than literally, which can affect their comprehension of the total message.