MTTC Elementary Education (103) key terms

The ability to hear and manipulate the individual sounds, or phonemes, in spoken words without relying on print. It includes blending, segmenting, and deleting sounds and is a strong predictor of later reading success.

The broader awareness that spoken language is made up of units such as words, syllables, onsets, rimes, and phonemes. It develops along a continuum and underpins phonemic awareness and later phonics learning.

Instruction in the predictable relationships between letters or letter patterns and the sounds they represent. It helps beginning readers decode unfamiliar printed words rather than rely on guessing from pictures or context.

The process of translating printed letters and letter patterns into spoken sounds and words. Fluent decoding frees attention for comprehension, so it is a central early reading skill taught through systematic phonics.

Reading text accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with meaningful expression. Fluency bridges word recognition and comprehension, and it typically improves through repeated oral reading with feedback and modeling.

The rhythmic and expressive quality of oral reading, including appropriate phrasing, stress, pitch, and pauses. Weak prosody often signals that a reader is decoding word by word rather than constructing meaning.

A way of dividing a syllable into its initial consonant sound or cluster, the onset, and the remaining vowel-plus-consonant unit, the rime. For example, in 'stop' the onset is /st/ and the rime is /op/.

Constructing meaning from text by integrating word-level reading with background knowledge, vocabulary, and strategic reasoning. It depends on both decoding skill and language comprehension, as described in the simple view of reading.

A model holding that reading comprehension is the product of decoding ability and language comprehension. A weakness in either component limits overall reading, so instruction must address both.

The body of words a learner understands and can use. It grows through direct instruction and wide reading, and it strongly supports listening and reading comprehension across all content areas.

Information surrounding an unfamiliar word in text, such as definitions, examples, or contrasts, that helps a reader infer its meaning. Instruction in using them builds independent vocabulary learning.

A conclusion drawn by combining explicit text information with prior knowledge rather than finding the answer stated directly. Teaching students to justify inferences with evidence supports deeper comprehension.

The vocabulary, grammar, and discourse patterns used in school texts and tasks, such as comparing, explaining, and citing evidence. It differs from everyday conversational language and must be explicitly taught across subjects.

The organizational pattern a writer uses, such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, sequence, problem and solution, or description. Recognizing structure helps readers anticipate and organize ideas.

The principle that a digit's value depends on its position in a number, with each place representing a power of ten. It underpins multi-digit computation, regrouping, and decimal understanding.

Exchanging units between place values, such as trading one ten for ten ones, to carry out addition or subtraction. It reflects understanding of place value rather than memorized borrowing rules.

Manipulatives representing ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands as small cubes, rods, flats, and large cubes. They let students physically model place value and regrouping operations.

A teaching progression that moves from hands-on objects to drawings or diagrams and finally to symbols and algorithms. It helps students build meaning before memorizing procedures, especially in arithmetic and fractions.

A number representing part of a whole or a point on the number line, written as a numerator over a denominator. Understanding fractions as quantities, not just pieces of pie, supports operations and equivalence.

Different fractions that name the same value, such as one half and two fourths. Students build this idea by partitioning and comparing models, and it is essential for adding fractions and simplifying answers.

A shared multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions, used to express them in like parts. Finding one allows fractions to be added or subtracted meaningfully.

A base-ten representation of a number using a decimal point, where digits to the right represent tenths, hundredths, and so on. Decimal place value connects directly to fractions with denominators of ten or one hundred.

A visual model showing numbers as points spaced by equal intervals along a line. It supports comparing, ordering, rounding, and understanding fractions and negative numbers as positions.

A step-by-step procedure that reliably produces a result, such as the standard method for multi-digit multiplication. Students should understand why an algorithm works, not merely follow its steps.

A rectangular arrangement of objects in rows and columns used to model multiplication and division. Arrays connect repeated addition, area, and the commutative property of multiplication.

A rectangular diagram that represents multiplication or fraction operations by partitioning a region into smaller parts. It makes partial products and fraction multiplication visible and conceptually meaningful.

The rule that multiplying a sum by a number equals the sum of the products, as in a times (b plus c) equals ab plus ac. It justifies multi-digit algorithms and mental math strategies.

A systematic approach to investigating questions that includes forming a testable hypothesis, collecting data through controlled observation or experiment, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. It emphasizes repeatability and fair testing.

A factor in an investigation that can change or be held constant. Identifying independent, dependent, and controlled variables helps students design fair tests and interpret results correctly.

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables, often stated as an if-then claim. It guides what data to collect and can be supported or refuted by evidence.

An observation is information gathered directly through the senses or instruments, while an inference is an explanation or interpretation based on that information. Distinguishing them is a core science practice.

The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection or runoff. Solar energy drives the cycle, which shapes weather, climate, and freshwater availability.

A community of living organisms interacting with one another and with nonliving components such as water, soil, and sunlight. Energy flows through food webs while matter cycles within the system.

A model showing feeding relationships and energy flow among producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem. It illustrates interdependence and the effects of removing or adding organisms.

A structural, behavioral, or physiological trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment. Adaptations arise over generations through natural selection acting on variation.

The process by which individuals with traits better suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more, increasing those traits in later generations. It explains adaptation and change over time.

Weathering breaks rock down in place through processes such as freezing, plant growth, or chemical action, while erosion transports the loosened material by water, wind, or ice. Together they reshape Earth's surface.

An original record or artifact created by a participant or eyewitness of an event, such as a letter, photograph, diary, or law. Historians analyze such sources for evidence and perspective.

An account that interprets or summarizes primary evidence, such as a textbook, biography, or documentary. It reflects the author's selection and analysis and should be evaluated accordingly.

Understanding people and events within the beliefs, values, and conditions of their own time rather than judging them only by present-day standards. It develops empathy and more accurate historical reasoning.

The arrangement of events in the order they occurred, often supported by timelines. Sequencing events and recognizing cause and effect help students build a coherent historical narrative.

The relationship in which one event or condition brings about another. In social studies it helps students explain why changes occurred rather than merely listing what happened.

The division of power into legislative, executive, and judicial branches, each with distinct functions and checks on the others. This structure reflects the principle of separation of powers.

The system by which each branch of government can limit the powers of the others, such as a veto or judicial review. It is designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

A system that divides governing authority between a national government and state or regional governments. It shapes debates over which level should handle particular policies.

Ongoing checks of student understanding used to adjust instruction while learning is still in progress, such as exit tickets or questioning. It is typically low-stakes and feedback-oriented.

An evaluation of learning at the end of a unit or course, such as a final exam or project, used to judge achievement against standards. It typically carries higher stakes than formative checks.

Deliberately adapting content, process, or product to meet varied readiness, interests, and learning profiles in a class. It aims to keep tasks appropriately challenging for every learner.

Temporary support that helps a learner accomplish a task just beyond independent ability, gradually removed as competence grows. Examples include models, guided practice, and sentence frames.

The range of tasks a learner can complete with guidance but not yet alone. Instruction targeted within this range, with appropriate support, promotes growth more than work that is too easy or too hard.

Information given to a learner about performance relative to a goal, ideally specific, timely, and focused on improvement. Effective feedback addresses the task and next steps rather than personal traits.

A scoring guide listing criteria and levels of quality used to evaluate student work consistently. Sharing rubrics in advance clarifies expectations and supports self-assessment.

A framework for planning instruction that offers multiple means of engagement, representation, and action or expression so diverse learners can access the same content. It reduces barriers from the outset.