Concepts

Question 1

Affix

Answer 1

A meaningful combination of letters that can be added to a base word in order to alter the meaning or grammatical function. Prefixes and suffixes are types of affixes.

Question 2

Prefix

Answer 2

An affix that is added in front of a base word to change the meaning (e.g., predetermine, disallow).

Question 3

Suffix

Answer 3

An affix that is added to the end of a base word that changes the meaning of the base word (e.g., instrumental, actor, containment ).

Question 4

Alphabetic Principle

Answer 4

The notion that in certain languages, such as English, each speech sound or phoneme can be represented by a written symbol or set of written symbols.

Question 5

Alphabetic Principle

Answer 5

The notion that in certain languages, such as English, each speech sound or phoneme can be represented by a written symbol or set of written symbols.

Question 6

Automaticity

Answer 6

In reading, automaticity refers to the ability to recognize words in print quickly and effortlessly. It is a component of fluent reading and is marked by word recognition that is accurate and at an appropriate rate.

Question 7

Balanced Literacy Instruction

Answer 7

Literacy instruction that is marked by an equal emphasis on the nurturing of reading through authentic reading experiences with authentic reading materials and more direct instruction in strategies and skills needed for successful reading.

It is a decision‐making approach through which the teacher makes thoughtful choices each day about the best way to help each child become a better reader and writer. A balanced approach is not constrained by or reactive to a particular philosophy. It is responsive to new issues while maintaining what research and practice has already shown to be effective. (Spiegel, 1998, p. 116)

Question 8

Consonants

Answer 8

Refers to both letters and sounds. Consonant sounds represent all the letters of the alphabet except the vowels, a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y and w. The letters and letter combinations (blends and digraphs) that represent consonants do so with fairly good correspondence, especially at the beginning of words and syllables.

Question 9

Consonant Blends

Answer 9

Two or more consonant letters grouped together in which the sound of each of the consonants is retained (e.g., bl, cl, pr, tr, sm, st, scr, str).

Question 10

Consonant Digraphs

Answer 10

Two or more consonant letters grouped together that produce one sound. That sound can be a new sound not represented by any other letter or letter combination ( that), a sound represented by one of the grouped letters ( gnome, back ), or a sound represented by a letter not present in the group ( phone).

Question 11

Context

Answer 11

The linguistic environment. The words or phrases surrounding a written word. For word recognition, context refers to the meaning that precedes and follows words that are analyzed. Context can aid in the recognition of words in texts.

Question 12

Decode

Answer 12

To analyze graphic symbols (letters in written words and sentences) into their oral representation, which leads to meaning. Synonymous with word identification and word recognition.

Question 13

Fluency

Answer 13

To read expressively, meaningfully, in appropriate syntactic units (phrases, clauses), at appropriate rates, and without word recognition difficulty. Fluency has two major components: word recognition automaticity and prosody. Word recognition automaticity refers to the ability to recognize words effortlessly or automatically so that readers can attend to meaning while reading. Prosody refers to reading with expression and phrasing that reflect the meaning of the passage read.

Question 14

Grapheme

Answer 14

A written letter or combination of letters that represents a phoneme.

Question 15

Homographs

Answer 15

Words that have the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings (e.g., sow—​a female pig; to plant seeds).

Question 16

Homonyms

Answer 16

Words that have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings (e.g., plain—​flat land; ordinary looking).

Question 17

Homophones

Answer 17

Words that have the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings (e.g., bare/bear, do/dew).

Question 18

Morpheme

Answer 18

The smallest unit of meaning in oral and written language (e.g., the word cars contains two morphemes—​car, an automobile, and s, meaning more than one).

Question 19

Orthography

Answer 19

Refers to the symbols or letters in a writing system. Spelling is part of orthography.

Question 20

Phoneme

Answer 20

The smallest unit of speech that affects meaning of words (e.g., b in book vs. k in cook).

Question 21

Phonemic Awareness

Answer 21

The awareness of individual phonemes in spoken words; the ability to consciously manipulate (e.g., identify, segment, blend) individual phonemes in spoken language.

Question 22

Phonics

Answer 22

A method of teaching word recognition or decoding that emphasizes the relationships between written symbols (letters) and sounds that exist in a language. Phonics is usually employed in the beginning stages of reading instruction.

Question 23

Analogical Phonics

Answer 23

An approach to phonics in which learners are taught letter patterns found in words they recognize and apply that knowledge to new, unknown words. For example, if students know that at in bat has a particular sound, they can use that knowledge to help decode new words such as sat, cat, rattle, and Patrick. Word families or rimes and affixes are the most common letter patterns used in analogical phonics instruction.

Question 24

Analytic Phonics

Answer 24

An approach to phonics instruction that maintains a whole‐to‐part orientation. Students are initially taught a set of words by sight. Then, from these sight words, phonics generalizations (letter‐sound relationships) are identified and then applied to other words.

Question 25

Synthetic Phonics

Answer 25

In contrast to analytic phonics, synthetic phonics embodies a part‐to‐whole approach to phonics instruction. Students are directly taught specific individual sounds that are represented by letters and letter combinations. Students are then instructed in synthesizing or putting together multiple letters and sounds to decode or sound out a word.

Question 26

Phonogram

Answer 26

Also known as a rime or word family. See syllable.

Question 27

Prosody

Answer 27

The melodic qualities of oral language, including expression and phrasing during oral reading. A component of fluent reading.

Question 28

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Answer 28

A method of academic intervention and instruction. RTI seeks to prevent academic failure through early intervention, frequent progress measurement, and the employment of graduated and intensive research‐based instructional interventions for students who continue to have difficulty. Students who do not demonstrate a positive response to one level of intervention are referred for a more intensive intervention level.

Question 29

Schwa

Answer 29

The sound “uh” made by vowel in the unaccented syllables in a multisyllabic word (e.g., the vowel sound in the second syllable of secret, the vowel sound in the first syllable of about). As with many technical elements of language and reading, knowledge of the schwa is not essential to reading success.

Question 30

Semantics

Answer 30

The sound “uh” made by vowel in the unaccented syllables in a multisyllabic word (e.g., the vowel sound in the second syllable of secret, the vowel sound in the first syllable of about). As with many technical elements of language and reading, knowledge of the schwa is not essential to reading success.

Question 31

Sight Word

Answer 31

A word that is recognized immediately as a whole with minimal effort and without detailed analysis. Sight words are recognized automatically. The collection of words recognized by sight is referred to as a person’s sight vocabulary.

Question 32

Syllable

Answer 32

A group of letters that are produced as a unit and contain one vowel sound (except in words containing vowel diphthongs). Some basic syllable patterns are described below (C = consonant, V = vowel):

Question 33

Onset

Answer 33

The part of a syllable that contains any consonants that precede the vowel (e.g., b in bat, sl in slack, t and p in temper, c and t in carton). The sound‐symbol relationship between onset letters and sounds is quite reliable.

Question 34

Rime

Answer 34

Also known as a phonogram or word family. The part of a syllable that contains the vowel and any consonants that follow the vowel. Letter rimes are easily recognized and are consistent in the sound or sound combination they represent (at in cat and ight in sight are rimes).

Question 35

Syntax

Answer 35

The pattern of word order in sentences, clauses, and phrases and the effect of word order on meaning. Syntactic knowledge can aid readers in decoding unknown words in context.

Question 36

Vocabulary

Answer 36

The stock of words for which a person knows or understands the meaning.

Question 37

Vowels

Answer 37

Refers to sounds and letters. The sounds represented by the letters a, e, i, o, u. The letter y can serve as a vowel when it is not in the initial position of a word (e.g., why). The w can function as a vowel when it follows a vowel (e.g., cow). Vowels are the most prominent sound in and defining feature of a syllable. Vowel letters typically represent more than one vowel sound. Vowel sounds can be represented by a variety of letter combinations (e.g., the long vowel a can also be represented by ai in bait, eigh in eight, and ay in day).

Question 38

L Controlled Vowels

Answer 38

Occurs when the letter form of a vowel is followed by the letter l, which alters the vowel sound (e.g., when the letter a is followed by an l, a particular sound is produced, as in shallow and tall.)

Question 39

R Controlled Vowels

Answer 39

Occurs when a letter form of a vowel is followed by the letter r, which alters the sound of the vowel (e.g., star, her, sir, for, burr).

Question 40

Vowel Digraphs

Answer 40

Two adjacent vowels that represent one sound, usually the long sound of one of the vowel letters (e.g., bead, boat, beet, bay, sew, die, chief).

Question 41

Vowel Diphthongs

Answer 41

Also known as vowel blends. Diphthongs are sounds made up of the blending of two vowel sounds (e.g., oi as in boil, oy as in boy, ou as in ouch, ow as in how, and aw as in flaw).

Question 42

Word Family

Answer 42

Also known as phonogram or rime. See syllable.

Question 43

Word Recognition

Answer 43

The process of analyzing a word in print in order to determine its pronunciation. Same as decoding and word identification.