Reading, Language & Literature

Question 0

Name three reasons to support the following statement: Standard American English is a dynamic language that is constantly changing.

Answer 0

Standard American English is constantly changing due to:

1. Modern technology
2. Infusion of foreign languages
3. Inclusion of slang expressions

Question 1

What are three factors that inhibit language acquisition?

Answer 1

Insufficient mental, emotional and social growth.

Question 2

Name at least two techniques an author can use to make a short story more interesting.

Answer 2

1. Flashback
2. Figurative Language
3. Foreshadowing
4. Multiple Points of View

Question 3

What are the stages of reading development? What do they entail? What ages?

Answer 3

1. Emergent Reader: Pre-Alphabetic: Early Childhood - PreK: recognize print works, make prediction in stories, “pretend” reads, recognizes letter shapes.
2. Beginning Reader: Alphabetic: K-2nd: phonics, phonemic awareness, blending, decoding, spelling, listening, writing.
3. Fluent Reader: 4th-8th: Orthographic: fluency in reading, occasionally using decoding skills, using metacognition (thinking about thinking!)
4. Remedial Reader: 4th-8th: Lack of Competency: reteaching “beginning reader” strategies, using an individualized plan.

Question 4

What is a phoneme?

Answer 4

Smallest part of a spoken language. Example: Check = /ch/ /e/ /k/

Question 5

Give an example of an activity involving Phoneme Manipulation.

Answer 5

Blending, segmenting, adding/subtracting phonemes.

Question 6

Grapheme

Answer 6

Smallest part of written language that represents a phoneme. (s, k, ch, th)

Question 7

What is phonemic awareness?

Answer 7

The ability to hear, identify and manipulate individual sounds. The ability to understand that sounds work together to make words.

Question 8

What is phonological awareness?

Answer 8

In addition to phonemic awareness, it involves awareness activities using rhymes, onsets and rimes (swim = onset (sw) rime (im).

Question 9

Morpheme

Answer 9

A unit of meaning that cannot be broken down. Example: book

Question 10

Semantics

Answer 10

Analysis and study of meanings of words, phrases and sentences.

Question 11

Syntax

Answer 11

Examination of various ways words combine to create meaning (how sentences form, pattern, structure of word order in sentences).

Question 12

Define holophrase. Give example.

Answer 12

A single word that expresses a complete thought. Example: “Hot”

Question 13

Define Telegraphic Speech. Give example.

Answer 13

Often a two word sentence spoken by a 2 year old. Using the least amount of words to get the meaning across. Ex: “I cold”

Question 14

Define phonics.

Answer 14

The understanding that there is a PREDICTABLE relationship between phonemes and graphemes.

Question 15

Describe good phonics instruction.

Answer 15

Systematic: Plan of instruction which carefully progresses through all letter-sound relationships.
Explicit: Teachers are given and use precise directions for teaching phonics at certain grade levels.

Question 16

What is one criticism of phonics instruction?

Answer 16

English spelling is too irregular to be taught systematically.

Question 17

Define fluency.

Answer 17

The ability to read a text accurately, at an appropriate pace, and with appropriate expression.

Question 18

Name at least three things a teacher can do to encourage fluency in the classroom.

Answer 18

1. Model fluent reading
2. Have students read aloud the same text REPEATEDLY
3. Frequently assess child’s reading level (they should not be misreading more than 1 in 20 words)
4. Use a variety of reading material (nonfiction, poetry, fairy tales, etc.)

Question 19

What marks an “easy” “challenging” or “difficult” text?

Answer 19

Easy - reader error is 1/20
Challenging - reader error is 1/10
Difficult - reader error is more than 1/10

Question 20

Name at least three reading aloud exercises.

Answer 20

1. Student/Adult Reading
2. Choral Reading
3. Tape-Assisted Reading
4. Partner Reading
5. Readers’ Theatre

Question 21

How can a teacher support vocabulary instruction in class?

Answer 21

1. Provide repeated exposure to vocab words
2. Use word parts (prefixes/suffixes)
3. Use context clues
4. Use dictionaries/reference aids

Question 22

How can a teacher encourage text comprehension?

Answer 22

1. Ask questions about text
2. Ask students to summarize
3. Ask students to make predictions
4. Use graphic and semantic organizers
5. Ask students to connect the reading to something in their personal lives.
6. Model or “think aloud” how you would like the students to think about the text.

Question 23

Name the stages of writing.

Answer 23

1. Prewriting
2. Drafting
3. Revising
4. Editing
5. Proofreading

Question 24

What is the difference between dialect and idiolect?

Answer 24

Dialect: refers to a distinctive variety of vocab, grammer, pronunciation spoken by an identifiable regional GROUP, nation or social class.

Idiolect: refers to a distinctive variety of language used by an INDIVIDUAL.

Question 25

What qualities contribute to effective speech?

Answer 25

1. Eye contact
2. Volume/Tone of voice
3. Pacing/clarity
4. Hand gestures
5. Posture

Question 26

Name some novel types.

Answer 26

picaresque, epistolary, gothic, romantic, realist, historical, etc.

Question 27

Name the dramatic elements of a short story in order.

Answer 27

1. Exposition
2. Rising action
3. Climax
4. Falling action
5. Denouement (resolution)

Question 28

Define a folk tale and name three types of folk tales.

Answer 28

A folk tale is a traditional narrative with no known author that has been orally passed down through generations.

1. Legends: creation stories and explain tribal beginnings
2. Fairy tales: entirely fictional
3. Animal Folk Tales: animal characters are anthropomorphic

Question 29

What is a myth?

Answer 29

A myth evokes a time long past and generally concern the adventures/misadventures of gods, giants, heroes, nymphys, and larger than life villains. It is considered a “sacred” narrative, as it tends to hold religious/spiritual significance.

Question 30

Name the three types of poetry.

Answer 30

Narrative, dramatic and lyric.

Question 31

Analogy

Answer 31

comparison of similar traits between dissimilar things to highlight the point similarity

Question 32

Figurative language - 2 examples

Answer 32

Metaphor: example - robert frosts road not taken
Simile: example - you are quiet as a mouse

Question 33

Allegory - Define and give example

Answer 33

A story in which people, things and events have another meaning.
Examle: Orwell’s Animal Farm

Question 34

Define a parable.

Answer 34

A story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a moral or answer a question. A parable is an allegorical story.

Question 35

Define “rhetorical technique”. Give examples.

Answer 35

Devices used in effective or persuasive language. Examples include contrast, repetition, paradox, understatement, sarcasm, rhetorical question.

Question 36

What is the difference between satire and a parody?

Answer 36

Satire: writing that seeks to arouse a reader’s disapproval of an object/subject by ridicule.
Parody: a composition that imitates the style of another composition, normally for comic effect.

Question 37

Define syllogism. Give an example.

Answer 37

A form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them.

Example: “All tragedies end unhappily” + “Hamlet is a tragedy” = Hamlet ends unhappily”