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TExES STR 293 study materials
TExES STR 293 study resources

TExES STR 293 practice questions

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Question 1Reading Pedagogy

A kindergarten teacher wants to strengthen students' phonemic awareness. Which activity targets that skill most directly?

  1. Showing students letter cards for f, i, s, and h
  2. Having students clap the syllables in their own names
  3. Reading a predictable big book aloud to the class
  4. Counting the sounds in the word 'fish' Correct answer.

Explanation

Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. Counting the separate sounds in 'fish' requires students to attend to phonemes rather than syllables, letters, or story meaning.

Question 2Reading Pedagogy

The alphabetic principle refers to which understanding?

  1. Letters stand for the sounds of spoken language. Correct answer.
  2. Words can be sorted into nouns and verbs.
  3. Stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
  4. Printed words are read from left to right across a page.

Explanation

The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters and letter combinations represent the sounds of spoken words. It links speech to print and underlies decoding.

Question 3Reading Pedagogy

Which behavior shows a child has developed concepts of print?

  1. The child writes all uppercase letters neatly on paper.
  2. The child points to each word while reading a sentence. Correct answer.
  3. The child can name the author of a favorite book.
  4. The child recites the alphabet from memory without help.

Explanation

Concepts of print include understanding that words are separated by spaces and read in order, which is shown by matching spoken words to printed words. Pointing to each word demonstrates this one-to-one correspondence.

Question 4Reading Pedagogy

Which classroom practice most directly builds oral reading fluency?

  1. Copying each vocabulary word three times
  2. Listening to the teacher explain a story's theme
  3. Repeated reading with teacher feedback Correct answer.
  4. Completing a worksheet on long and short vowels

Explanation

Fluency develops through practice reading connected text with feedback, especially repeated reading. This improves accuracy, rate, and expression.

Question 5Reading Pedagogy

Which instructional strategy best supports vocabulary learning for primary students?

  1. Having students copy definitions from the board
  2. Using a new word in a shared sentence Correct answer.
  3. Assigning ten words for students to look up in a dictionary
  4. Testing students on words they have not been taught

Explanation

Vocabulary is learned best when words are encountered in meaningful context and used actively. Discussing and using a new word in a shared sentence provides that context.

Question 6Reading Pedagogy

During a read-aloud, a teacher pauses and asks, 'What do you think will happen next?' This primarily supports which skill?

  1. phonemic awareness
  2. letter formation
  3. making predictions Correct answer.
  4. fluency rate

Explanation

Asking what will happen next prompts students to use clues from the text and their own knowledge to predict. Prediction is a comprehension strategy that supports active meaning-making.

Question 7Reading Pedagogy

A closed syllable is best described as one that...

  1. It ends with a vowel letter, as in 'go' and 'she'
  2. It ends with a silent e, as in 'cake'
  3. It contains two vowel letters side by side, as in 'rain'
  4. It ends in a consonant with a short vowel, as in 'cat' Correct answer.

Explanation

A closed syllable ends in one or more consonants, which 'closes in' the vowel and usually makes it short. The word 'cat' follows this pattern.

Question 8Reading Pedagogy

A running record is used mainly to...

  1. record a student's score on a vocabulary quiz
  2. measure a student's spelling of high-frequency words
  3. track how many books a student reads at home
  4. analyze a student's oral reading errors Correct answer.

Explanation

A running record is an observational assessment of oral reading that records accuracy, errors, and self-corrections. Teachers use it to analyze reading behaviors and guide instruction.

Question 9Reading Pedagogy

In a systematic phonics sequence, which skill typically comes first?

  1. Blending sounds to read CVC words Correct answer.
  2. Reading multisyllabic words with prefixes
  3. Reading words with r-controlled vowels
  4. Reading words with vowel digraphs such as 'rain'

Explanation

Systematic phonics instruction moves from simpler to more complex patterns. Blending sounds to read CVC words builds the basic decoding foundation before advanced vowel patterns and multisyllabic words.

Question 10Reading Pedagogy

Which task requires the highest level of phonemic awareness?

  1. Deleting the first sound in 'cat' Correct answer.
  2. Identifying words that rhyme
  3. Reciting a familiar nursery rhyme from memory
  4. Clapping the syllables in 'butterfly'

Explanation

Phoneme deletion requires students to isolate and manipulate an individual sound within a word. This is a more advanced phonemic awareness task than rhyming or syllable clapping.

Question 11Reading Pedagogy

Orthographic mapping is the process by which students...

  1. guess unknown words from pictures
  2. memorize the shape of whole words
  3. copy words repeatedly to improve handwriting
  4. connect sounds to letters to store words Correct answer.

Explanation

Orthographic mapping is the formation of sound-letter connections that allow words to be recognized instantly. It depends on phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge rather than visual memorization.

Question 12Reading Pedagogy

Which instructional approach best helps students monitor their comprehension?

  1. Teaching students to self-check understanding Correct answer.
  2. Giving students a list of spelling words
  3. Having students read aloud in round-robin turns
  4. Assigning more pages of independent reading

Explanation

Comprehension monitoring requires readers to notice when meaning breaks down and to use fix-up strategies. Explicit teaching of self-checking supports this metacognitive skill.

Question 13Reading Pedagogy

Which activity most effectively builds students' morphological awareness?

  1. Asking students to read a book at their independent level
  2. Having students memorize weekly spelling lists
  3. Finding the base word in 'helpful' Correct answer.
  4. Having students illustrate a story's setting

Explanation

Morphological awareness is knowledge of meaningful word parts such as base words, prefixes, and suffixes. Identifying the base word in 'helpful' directs attention to word structure and meaning.

Question 14Reading Pedagogy

A teacher uses a graphic organizer with boxes labeled 'first,' 'next,' and 'last.' This organizer best supports which text structure?

  1. problem and solution
  2. sequence Correct answer.
  3. cause and effect
  4. compare and contrast

Explanation

Signal words such as 'first,' 'next,' and 'last' indicate chronological or sequential order. A sequence organizer helps students track the order of events or steps.

Question 15Reading Pedagogy

In a guided reading lesson, the teacher's main role is to...

  1. support small groups as they read and discuss Correct answer.
  2. grade students' oral reading fluency
  3. read the entire text aloud to the group
  4. assign worksheets while students read silently

Explanation

Guided reading involves a teacher working with a small group of students who read a text at their instructional level. The teacher provides support before, during, and after reading to build strategic reading.

Question 16Reading Pedagogy

Which support is most appropriate for an English learner who is beginning to read in English?

  1. Correcting every pronunciation error immediately
  2. Pairing new words with pictures and gestures Correct answer.
  3. Assigning grade-level text with no scaffolds
  4. Increasing the reading speed requirement

Explanation

Beginning English learners benefit from multimodal supports that make vocabulary comprehensible. Pictures and gestures connect new words to meaning without relying solely on English oral language.

Question 17Reading Pedagogy

Which statement best describes appropriate fluency instruction?

  1. Fluency includes accuracy, rate, and expression. Correct answer.
  2. Fluency instruction should focus only on reading speed.
  3. Fluency instruction should replace comprehension instruction.
  4. Fluency instruction should use only silent reading.

Explanation

Fluency is multidimensional and includes accurate word recognition, appropriate rate, and prosody or expression. Instruction should address all three components in the service of comprehension.

Question 18Reading Pedagogy

A student reads 'grinned' correctly but reads 'shouted' as 'showed.' Which assessment tool would best capture this pattern?

  1. An oral miscue analysis Correct answer.
  2. A spelling inventory
  3. A vocabulary checklist
  4. A phonics screener

Explanation

A miscue analysis examines the differences between what a reader says and what is printed. It reveals patterns such as substituting a visually similar word, which is what happened with 'shouted' and 'showed.'

Question 19Reading Pedagogy

Which shows the word 'rabbit' correctly divided into syllables using the VCCV pattern?

  1. rab-bit Correct answer.
  2. rabb-it
  3. ra-bbit
  4. rabbit

Explanation

In a VCCV pattern, the two consonants between vowels are usually divided, producing two closed syllables. 'Rabbit' divides as 'rab-bit.'

Question 20Reading Pedagogy

After a student reads a passage, the teacher asks, 'Why did the character decide to leave home?' This question primarily requires...

  1. making an inference Correct answer.
  2. identifying the main idea
  3. recalling a literal fact
  4. decoding a multisyllabic word

Explanation

The question asks students to explain a character's motivation by combining text clues with reasoning. That is an inferential comprehension task rather than a literal recall task.

Question 21Reading Pedagogy

A student reads 'chicken' as 'chick-en' and 'table' as 'tab-le.' Which instructional need is most evident?

  1. help recognizing high-frequency words
  2. instruction in syllable division Correct answer.
  3. more practice with letter-sound correspondence
  4. more practice with oral reading fluency

Explanation

The student is misdividing multisyllabic words into syllables, which affects pronunciation and meaning. Instruction in syllable patterns and division rules addresses this need directly.

Question 22Reading Pedagogy

Which instructional decision best reflects research-based vocabulary instruction for tier-two words?

  1. Replacing tier-two words with tier-one words in texts
  2. Teaching tier-two words once and moving on
  3. Teaching tier-two words only through dictionary definitions
  4. Teaching words in multiple contexts Correct answer.

Explanation

Tier-two words are high-frequency, academic words that students need to encounter repeatedly in varied contexts. Multiple exposures with student-friendly explanations deepen word knowledge.

Question 23Reading Pedagogy

A teacher wants to monitor a student's progress in reading comprehension over time. Which assessment is most appropriate?

  1. A spelling test
  2. A one-time standardized achievement test
  3. An interest inventory
  4. Brief checks on equivalent passages Correct answer.

Explanation

Progress monitoring requires repeated, brief assessments of the same skill using comparable materials. Brief comprehension checks on equivalent passages show growth across time.

Question 24Reading Pedagogy

Which instructional practice best supports emergent writers' development?

  1. Requiring students to copy sentences until correct
  2. Encouraging invented spelling in personal writing Correct answer.
  3. Correcting every spelling error before a draft is finished
  4. Delaying writing until spelling is conventional

Explanation

Emergent writers benefit from opportunities to compose meaningful messages using the letter-sound knowledge they have. Invented spelling supports risk-taking and connects writing to phonics development.

Question 25Reading Pedagogy

Which set of characteristics is most consistent with dyslexia?

  1. Difficulty with speech production and articulation only
  2. Difficulty with physical coordination and handwriting only
  3. Difficulty with understanding spoken language only
  4. Difficulty with accurate and fluent word recognition Correct answer.

Explanation

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that primarily affects accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. It is neurobiological in origin and not explained by limited intelligence or instruction.

Question 26Reading Pedagogy

The alphabetic principle is best defined as the understanding that...

  1. sentences are composed of individual words
  2. letters stand for speech sounds Correct answer.
  3. print is read from left to right across pages
  4. words are made of meaningful syllables

Explanation

The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters and letter patterns stand for the sounds of spoken language. This knowledge enables students to decode printed words rather than rely on memorization.

Question 27Reading Pedagogy

A kindergarten teacher models pointing to each word while reading a big book and returning to the left side at the end of a line. This instruction primarily develops...

  1. vocabulary knowledge
  2. phonemic awareness
  3. concepts of print Correct answer.
  4. oral syntax

Explanation

Pointing to words and returning to the left side of the page are print-direction and voice-to-print matching behaviors. These are concepts of print, which precede and support conventional reading.

Question 28Reading Pedagogy

Which statement best contrasts phonological awareness with phonemic awareness?

  1. Phonological awareness concerns whole words; phonemic awareness concerns sentences.
  2. Phonological awareness includes syllables; phonemic awareness focuses on phonemes. Correct answer.
  3. Phonological awareness concerns writing only; phonemic awareness concerns speech only.
  4. Phonological awareness emerges only after phonemic awareness is fully mastered.

Explanation

Phonological awareness is the broad awareness of speech sounds, including syllables, rhymes, and phonemes. Phonemic awareness is the narrower ability to focus on individual phonemes.

Question 29Reading Pedagogy

Which activity most directly practices letter-sound correspondence?

  1. Students sort pictures by their initial sound.
  2. The teacher says /m/ and students write the letter m. Correct answer.
  3. Students listen to a story and retell the beginning.
  4. Students clap the syllables in their first names.

Explanation

Letter-sound correspondence involves connecting a spoken phoneme to its written grapheme. Writing the letter m after hearing /m/ directly practices that connection.

Question 30Reading Pedagogy

For irregular high-frequency words such as 'said' and 'was,' which practice is most consistent with research?

  1. Provide repeated exposure until recognition is automatic. Correct answer.
  2. Delay the words until all phonics rules are learned.
  3. Have students decode each word sound by sound until mastered.
  4. Ask students to copy each word ten times without reading it.

Explanation

Irregular high-frequency words often cannot be fully decoded with taught phonics rules, so automatic recognition develops through repeated exposure and practice. Sound-by-sound decoding may not work for irregular spellings.

Question 31Reading Pedagogy

Shared reading is primarily designed to...

  1. assess individual oral reading accuracy and speed
  2. engage students in a common text with teacher support Correct answer.
  3. teach isolated phonics rules through worksheets
  4. provide independent practice at each student's level

Explanation

Shared reading brings a group together around one text while the teacher models and supports reading behaviors. It is not designed for individual assessment or independent-level practice.

Question 32Reading Pedagogy

Choral reading primarily supports fluency by...

  1. teaching students to spell multisyllabic words
  2. requiring silent reading and written responses
  3. testing students' knowledge of word meanings
  4. providing repeated oral practice with group support Correct answer.

Explanation

Choral reading gives students repeated oral practice while reading along with a model and peers, which supports rate, phrasing, and confidence. It is not a silent or assessment activity.

Question 33Reading Pedagogy

Teaching students to use surrounding words to infer an unfamiliar word's meaning is called...

  1. fluency rehearsal
  2. context clues instruction Correct answer.
  3. letter formation practice
  4. phonemic segmentation practice

Explanation

Context clues instruction teaches students to use nearby words and sentences to infer meaning. It is a vocabulary strategy, not a sound or fluency activity.

Question 34Reading Pedagogy

A teacher says the sounds /s/ /u/ /n/ and asks students to combine them into a spoken word. This task assesses...

  1. syllable segmentation
  2. rhyme recognition
  3. phoneme blending Correct answer.
  4. phoneme deletion

Explanation

Blending requires combining individually spoken phonemes into a whole word. The teacher provides separated sounds and asks the student to unite them.

Question 35Reading Pedagogy

Which pair of letters in the listed word is a consonant digraph?

  1. bl in 'blue'
  2. at in 'cat'
  3. oa in 'boat'
  4. sh in 'ship' Correct answer.

Explanation

A consonant digraph consists of two consonants that represent one sound, as in sh. Bl is a consonant blend because both sounds are heard.

Question 36Reading Pedagogy

Which word contains a vowel team?

  1. rain Correct answer.
  2. jump
  3. stop
  4. cat

Explanation

A vowel team is two or more letters that represent a single vowel sound, as in rain. The other words contain short vowels with single letters.

Question 37Reading Pedagogy

A student reads accurately but slowly. Which instructional practice is most likely to improve reading rate and expression?

  1. repeated reading with teacher feedback Correct answer.
  2. more vocabulary definition practice
  3. review of concepts of print
  4. additional phonemic awareness drills

Explanation

Repeated reading with feedback targets fluency by giving practice that improves automatic word recognition, rate, and expression. It is appropriate when accuracy is already strong.

Question 38Reading Pedagogy

A teacher asks students to create a web connecting a new word to related words and examples. This activity best supports...

  1. phonemic awareness
  2. decoding accuracy
  3. vocabulary depth Correct answer.
  4. oral reading rate

Explanation

Semantic mapping or word webs help students connect a new word to related concepts and examples, deepening vocabulary knowledge. The activity does not address sound or decoding skills.

Question 39Reading Pedagogy

Reciprocal teaching typically involves students taking turns in which four roles?

  1. reader, writer, listener, speaker
  2. decoder, speller, fluent reader, author
  3. teacher, principal, parent, tutor
  4. summarizer, questioner, clarifier, predictor Correct answer.

Explanation

Reciprocal teaching uses four comprehension roles: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. Students rotate roles while discussing a text.

Question 40Reading Pedagogy

Teaching students to recognize a compare-contrast text structure primarily supports comprehension by helping them...

  1. increase reading rate through repeated practice
  2. organize ideas about similarities and differences Correct answer.
  3. decode unknown multisyllabic words
  4. learn letter-sound correspondences

Explanation

Compare-contrast structure organizes information by similarities and differences, which helps students integrate and remember ideas. It is a comprehension structure, not a decoding or fluency skill.

Question 41Reading Pedagogy

An informal reading inventory (IRI) is used mainly to...

  1. determine a student's instructional reading level Correct answer.
  2. screen students for vision problems
  3. evaluate spelling development only
  4. measure phonemic awareness in isolation

Explanation

An IRI uses graded passages and questions to estimate a student's independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels. It is broader than a single-skill measure.

Question 42Reading Pedagogy

A teacher meets with three flexible groups based on current reading needs and regroups students after progress monitoring. This practice best illustrates...

  1. differentiated small-group instruction Correct answer.
  2. independent sustained reading
  3. standardized norm-referenced testing
  4. whole-class direct instruction

Explanation

Flexible grouping uses ongoing assessment to place students in temporary groups matched to current needs. Regrouping after progress monitoring is a key feature of differentiated instruction.

Question 43Reading Pedagogy

For an English learner, which support best uses cognates to build English vocabulary?

  1. Ask the student to avoid using the home language at school.
  2. Have the student memorize English definitions without connections.
  3. Focus only on English phonics rules during vocabulary time.
  4. Point out words like 'animal' that are similar in the home language. Correct answer.

Explanation

Cognates are words in two languages that share meaning and often form, such as animal/animal. Pointing them out helps English learners connect home-language knowledge to English vocabulary.

Question 44Reading Pedagogy

Interactive writing, in which the teacher and students compose and write a text together, primarily supports...

  1. early writing and phonics knowledge Correct answer.
  2. standardized spelling assessment
  3. oral vocabulary only
  4. independent silent reading stamina

Explanation

Interactive writing is a shared composing and writing activity in which the teacher and students negotiate text and share the pen. It supports early writing concepts, phonics, and spelling.

Question 45Reading Pedagogy

Allowing students to choose among several books for independent reading is most likely to increase...

  1. motivation and reading engagement Correct answer.
  2. phonemic segmentation accuracy
  3. decoding of nonsense words
  4. letter-naming speed

Explanation

Choice supports motivation and engagement by giving students autonomy and interest-based reading opportunities. It does not directly train sound awareness or decoding.

Question 46Reading Pedagogy

A student's spelling errors include 'fone' for 'phone,' 'nite' for 'night,' and 'becuz' for 'because.' These errors most strongly suggest a need for instruction in...

  1. conventional spelling patterns and word structure Correct answer.
  2. concepts of print such as directionality
  3. oral fluency, including phrasing and expression
  4. phonemic blending of the first sounds in words

Explanation

These errors show reliance on sound-spelling approximations while missing conventional patterns and meaning-based spellings, such as ph in phone and the silent gh in night. Instruction should address standard spelling patterns and word structure.

Question 47Reading Pedagogy

A student reads grade-level passages with 98% accuracy but much more slowly than peers and with flat expression. The most appropriate instructional focus is...

  1. basic vocabulary definitions
  2. phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge
  3. concepts of print
  4. fluency, including rate and prosody Correct answer.

Explanation

High accuracy with slow rate and flat expression indicates a fluency need, specifically rate and prosody. The student already decodes accurately, so basic phonics is not the primary focus.

Question 48Reading Pedagogy

Which approach best reflects explicit comprehension strategy instruction with gradual release of responsibility?

  1. The teacher models, guides practice, then releases students to apply the strategy. Correct answer.
  2. Students read silently and then take a quiz without any strategy instruction.
  3. Students choose any book they like and read without teacher feedback or discussion.
  4. The teacher assigns a strategy handout for students to complete at home only.

Explanation

Gradual release involves teacher modeling, guided practice with feedback, and independent application. This sequence makes a comprehension strategy explicit and supports transfer.

Question 49Reading Pedagogy

A first-grade student can segment and blend phonemes orally but struggles to decode simple CVC words. Which instructional focus is most appropriate?

  1. vocabulary building through read-alouds
  2. comprehension strategy instruction with chapter books
  3. more phonemic awareness practice without letters
  4. explicit phonics instruction linking letters to sounds Correct answer.

Explanation

The student has adequate oral phonemic awareness but is not connecting phonemes to letters for decoding. Explicit phonics instruction linking letters and sounds addresses that gap.

Question 50Reading Pedagogy

For beginning readers, which text type best supports application of newly taught phonics patterns?

  1. informational texts with multisyllabic words
  2. predictable texts with repetitive sentence patterns
  3. grade-level chapter books with rich vocabulary
  4. decodable texts using the taught correspondences Correct answer.

Explanation

Decodable texts are controlled to emphasize the letter-sound correspondences students have learned, giving practice applying phonics. They support beginning readers in transferring phonics to connected text.