Chapter 1: Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading
Multiple Choice Items
1. Educators who believe that learning is the result of stimulus and response actions subscribe to
a theory known as:
a) constructivism
b) behaviorism
c) reader response
d) inquiry learning
2. Wendy’s mother taught her to knit and crochet and she knew many stitches. Because she had a
great deal of experience, Wendy could now learn new stitches easily in a process of:
a) assimilation
b) accommodation
c) schema
d) response theory
3. The zone of proximal development is:
a) the level where children have great difficulty learning
b) the level where children can work independently
c) the level between children’s actual development and their potential development
d) the level where children are not successful.
4. Jason could not read the Harry Potter books independently but his reading tutor found that he
could easily discuss and enjoy these books if she helped him with the more difficult vocabulary
and guided his comprehension. For Jason, the task of reading the Harry Potter books were:
a) within the zone of proximal development
b) beyond the zone of proximal development
c) an example of a stimulus-response task
d) at his independent level
5. In the English language, there are approximately:
a) 10 speech sounds
b) 44 speech sounds
c) 100 speech sounds
d) Over 500 speech sounds
6. The word bookcases contains:
a) one morpheme
b) two morphemes
c) three morphemes
d) four morphemes
7. When he rides the school bus, Tommy engages in casual conversation with his friends. He
uses more formal language when he gives oral reports in the classroom. Tommy’s ability to use
appropriate language in each situation shows his understanding of the:
a) phonological system
b) syntactic system
c) pragmatic system
d) semantic system
8. Six-year-old Carmen is learning to speak English and often makes statements such as “I have
a pen blue” instead of “I have a blue pen.” That type of error shows that Carmen is having
difficulty with the:
a) morphemic system
b) phonological system
c) semantic system
d) syntactic system
9. Shared writing differs from modeling because in shared writing:
a) teachers edit the students’ work
b) teachers select the writing topics
c) students contribute to the writing activity
d) students work with their parents
10. Texts used for guided reading instruction should be written at the students’:
a) independent level
b) instructional level
c) frustration level
d) listening level
11. During guided reading instruction, students usually work in:
a) self-selected groupings
b) mixed-age groupings
c) heterogeneous ability groups
d) homogeneous ability groups
12. Commercially produced reading programs which typically include a student’s textbook,
accompanying workbook, supplemental instructional materials, and teacher’s guide are known
as:
a) literature focus programs
b) expository text programs
c) basal reading programs
d) workshop programs
13. As a new sixth grade teacher was selecting books for his classroom library, an experienced
teacher correctly advised him that students within a typical classroom:
a) all read at the same grade level
b) read at a wide range of levels
c) enjoy the same reading topics
d) prefer the same authors
14. Theorists such as Piaget explained that students’ knowledge is organized into cognitive
structures or files in mental filing cabinets known as:
a) repetends
b) scaffolds
c) zones
d) schemata
15. Theorist such as Louise Rosenblatt have explained that students don’t try to figure out the
author’s meaning as they read; instead, they negotiate a meaning that makes sense to them based
on the words they are reading and their existing knowledge. The work of these theorists reflects:
a) behaviorism
b) transactive theory
c) interactive theory
d) critical literacy
16. John McFadden has just graduated from college and will begin his first year as a teacher in
September. Experienced educators have correctly told him that teachers experience the most
success when they:
a) take the first 2 weeks of the school year to establish the classroom community
b) assume all children understand the rules on the first day of school
c) begin with a stimulus-response approach to learning
d) establish a teacher-centered classroom
17. Students usually feel comfortable, safe, and more willing to take risks when:
a) the classroom environment includes daily surprises
b) the classroom environment is predictable with familiar routines
c) a stimulus-response theory of learning is practiced
d) older students visit the classroom
18. Teachers can serve as a model of fluent reading by:
a) guiding students as they complete worksheets
b) reading aloud to students
c) encouraging parents to read to their children
d) providing big books in the classroom
19. Third grade teacher Gene Brady noticed that his students had difficulty using comprehension
strategies. Of the following, the most effective way for this teacher to help his students would be
to:
a) ask older students to serve as tutors
b) ask students to serve as tutors for their classmates
c) provide worksheets and guided practice
d) provide minilessons and model comprehension strategies
20. When a class is engaged in a literature focus unit:
a ) every student reads the same book
b) every student selects a book which he/she would like to read
c) the teacher reads the entire book aloud
d) only expository texts are read
21. Students usually have more opportunities to work independently, select their reading
material, set personal schedules, and collaborate with classmates when they participate in:
a) basal reading programs
b) literature focus units
c) guided minilessons
d) reading workshop
22. Effective teachers use formal and informal assessment measures primarily to:
a) modify their instruction and reteach when necessary
b) rank students within the class
c) provide standardized assessment results to administrators
d) provide report card grade for parents
23. A balanced literacy program integrating components such as reading, writing, oral language,
and content-area study is recommended for:
a) students who are learning English as an additional language
b) students who struggle to learn to read and write
c) students in the primary grades
d) all students
24. All of the following are characteristics of a classroom community except
a) safety
b) respect
c) low expectations
d) family and community involvement
25. The common core standards are organized into how many strands?
a) two
b) three
c) four
d) five
1. During a meeting with parents, first grade teacher Ryan Catania explained that the literacy
program would not be based solely on phonics instruction. Why do many educators feel that
phonics is not a complete literacy program?
2. Teachers use informal assessment tools to monitor daily progress. List and describe three
types of informal assessment tools that an elementary classroom teacher could use.
3. A fifth grade teacher would like to ensure that she is scaffolding her English Learners’ oral
language acquisition and literacy development. List and describe five ways that she can
accomplish this.
Chapter 1 Answer Key for Multiple Choice Items
1. During a meeting with parents, first grade teacher Ryan Catania explained that the
literacy program would not be based solely on phonics instruction. Why do many
educators feel that phonics is not a complete literacy program?
2. Teachers use informal assessment tools to monitor daily progress. List three types of
informal assessment tools that an elementary classroom teacher could use.
3. A fifth grade teacher would like to begin using Literature Circles in her classroom. List
the steps the teacher should take to organize Literature Circles.