ESL 154 Study Guide

ESL 154 Study Guide

Mr. Gurolla is going to read a fictional book with a Thanksgiving theme to his sixth-grade ESL class that is composed of varying levels of ESL students. Many of the students have no previous experience with Thanksgiving. Which of the following activities will be most beneficial in activating the students’ prior knowledge to facilitate their comprehension of the book?

Asking students to discuss the holidays or traditions they observe with their families. This is the best option because it taps into students’ existing cultural knowledge. Since many of the students have no familiarity with Thanksgiving, asking them to reflect on their own holidays builds a bridge between what they know and what they are about to learn. It activates prior knowledge in a meaningful and inclusive way, fostering engagement and cultural relevance. The answer key incorrectly listed choice C, which assumes students already have an understanding of Thanksgiving traditions and thus may not be effective for all learners.Which of the following is the most appropriate strategy to help ESL students at the high school level who have difficulty understanding idiomatic expressions in speech?

Which of the following is the most appropriate strategy to help ESL students at the high school level who have difficulty understanding idiomatic expressions in speech?

Engaging students in dialogues modeling the use of idioms as they occur naturally in conversation.

Understanding idioms requires context. Rather than having students memorize lists of idioms, engaging them in conversations where idioms are used authentically allows them to infer meaning, ask questions, and hear idioms used with tone, gesture, and real-world references. This conversational modeling is far more effective than isolated definitions or literal matching games.

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An ESL teacher would use knowledge of English pragmatics to help students develop competency in what area?

Using English in different social contexts

Pragmatics is the study of how language is used depending on the situation. This includes understanding politeness, turn-taking, formality levels, and cultural cues. For example, saying “What’s up?” to a friend is appropriate in casual settings, while “Good afternoon, how may I help you?” fits formal situations. Helping ESL students navigate these social nuances is central to pragmatic instruction.

An ESL teacher explains to students that native speakers often make new words out of parts of existing words, such as “smog” from “smoke” and “fog” or “blog” from “web” and “log.” Which of the following processes is the teacher explaining?

Blending

Blending occurs when segments of two existing words are combined to form a new word, often with some part of each word removed or shortened. It’s a common process in informal and modern English vocabulary development. This is different from compounding, which keeps the full words intact (like “toothbrush”), and coinage, which involves making up entirely new words.

An ESL student writes: “They was watching my dog for me while my family went on vacation.” The teacher notes that the student has difficulty with which of the following?

C. Subject-verb agreement

The subject “they” is plural and requires the verb “were,” not “was.” Subject-verb agreement is a foundational grammar rule in English, and errors here often indicate that students are still internalizing verb conjugation patterns. It’s important to address this early, as agreement errors can make writing and speech difficult to follow.

A teacher provides a group of English language learners with a set of word cards and asks them to use the cards to create sentences.

A. Syntax. This activity targets students’ understanding of sentence structure, which is the essence of syntax. By manipulating word cards into grammatically correct sentences, students gain practice in proper word order and the rules that govern English sentence construction. This hands-on approach is especially helpful for ELLs because it makes abstract grammar rules tangible.

The question provides three sample responses to an introduction: “Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir,” “Nice to meet you,” and “Hey, how’s it going?”

C. Register. These responses illustrate different levels of formality in language use. “Pleased to make your acquaintance” is formal, “Nice to meet you” is neutral, and “Hey, how’s it going?” is informal. Register refers to how language changes depending on context, audience, and purpose. Teaching students about register helps them choose language that fits the situation, whether it’s a job interview or chatting with friends.

In a classroom scenario, Ms. Hill tells an ESL student, Edmund, “You have the green light,” and he responds with confusion because he thinks she’s referring to an actual light.

Pragmatics. Pragmatics deals with how meaning is derived from context, not just the words themselves. Edmund’s confusion shows a lack of understanding of this common idiom, which in English means permission to go ahead. He interpreted the phrase literally, highlighting the importance of teaching idiomatic expressions and their non-literal meanings in social contexts.

To help Edmund better understand the phrase “You have the green light,” Ms. Hill should provide visual support.

A. Drawing a traffic signal and asking Edmund what happens when the light turns green. This visual bridge links the abstract idiom to a concrete, real-world experience. Most students, even ELLs, are familiar with traffic signals, and connecting the “green light” to the idea of permission helps them internalize the figurative use of the expression in English.

Ms. Calderone has a student who pronounces the initial /j/ sound like a /y/, a common phonetic issue for English learners. To address this, she plans to use an alliterative sentence.

The correct answer is D. John jokes about jam and jelly jars. This sentence provides repeated practice with the /j/ sound at the beginning of multiple words, making it ideal for phonemic instruction. Alliteration is a powerful tool for pronunciation practice because it reinforces target sounds through repetition and rhythm, helping students refine their articulation.

You are asked to identify whether certain activities support Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) or Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). The activities are: (1) Setting up a pretend restaurant for role-play, (2) Creating centers in which students can play games together, and (3) Asking students to create a storyboard about a book they recently read.

The correct answer is: BICS, BICS, CALP. The first two activities involve informal, everyday conversational language used in social settings, which is the essence of BICS. The third activity—storyboarding a book—requires students to use academic language to interpret and summarize a text, which falls under CALP. Understanding this distinction is crucial for ESL teachers because students may appear fluent in BICS long before they are proficient in CALP, which is essential for academic success.

An ESL teacher helps students identify subtle differences that distinguish assertions, persuasions, and requests.

The correct answer is A. Helping students identify the subtle differences that distinguish assertions, persuasions, and requests. This task is an example of discourse analysis, which focuses on language beyond individual sentences and explores how language functions in real communication. Teaching students how to analyze discourse helps them understand how intention, tone, and social context influence meaning—essential skills for navigating both academic and everyday conversations.

An ESL teacher observes that Carmen, an ELL, is becoming proficient in social English when interacting with classmates, but she still struggles during academic discussions in class.

The correct answer is C. The acquisition of BICS precedes the acquisition of CALP. This means that Carmen has developed conversational fluency (BICS), which typically occurs within one to two years, but she has not yet acquired the academic language skills (CALP) needed for more cognitively demanding tasks like class discussions. This explanation aligns with language acquisition research and highlights the importance of continued academic language development even after students seem fluent socially.

How many phonemes do the words “raise” and “ways” have in common

he correct answer is B. 2. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a word. “Raise” is made up of the phonemes /r/, /eɪ/, and /z/, while “ways” consists of /w/, /eɪ/, and /z/. These two words share the final two phonemes: /eɪ/ (as in “day”) and /z/. They do not share the initial sounds—/r/ versus /w/—which are distinct. This question often trips people up because the words rhyme and sound similar, but it’s crucial to analyze phonemes individually.

An ESL teacher uses an activity card that asks students to give directions from the school to their house and then write instructions using at least five sentences.

The correct answer is B. The imperative sentence. Imperative sentences are used to give commands or directions, such as “Turn left,” “Go straight,” or “Take the second right.” This task helps students practice forming sentences that are direct and instructional, which is an essential skill both in real-world contexts and academic language use.

After reading a short article, an ESL teacher gives students a scrambled version of the article and asks them to put the sentences in the correct order.

The correct answer is D. The students gain familiarity with discourse features of English. This activity helps students understand how English texts are organized, how ideas are linked, and how cohesion and coherence work in written language. It allows them to recognize patterns in narrative or informational writing and builds their understanding of logical flow.Sergio, a new ESL student, gives short one- or two-word responses, uses familiar phrases, and seems to understand basic instructions.

Sergio, a new ESL student, gives short one- or two-word responses, uses familiar phrases, and seems to understand basic instructions.

The correct answer is B. Early production. In this stage of second language acquisition, students begin using short phrases and simple responses. They may not produce full sentences yet, but they’re starting to engage in basic verbal interaction. Recognizing this stage helps teachers scaffold instruction appropriately by using visuals, modeling language, and encouraging simple verbal output.

Which of the following best describes the theory behind additive bilingualism?

The correct answer is A. The L1 is a valuable support for learning the L2 and is not something that interferes with the L2. Additive bilingualism encourages the development of both the first language (L1) and the second language (L2), with the belief that strong skills in the native language can support and enhance learning a new one. This is in contrast to subtractive bilingualism, which discourages use of the native language and can lead to loss of identity or decreased academic confidence.

A teacher conducts informal assessments during literature circles and observes that an English language learner uses basic vocabulary, simple sentence structures, and rarely uses the past tense.

A teacher conducts informal assessments during literature circles and observes that an English language learner uses basic vocabulary, simple sentence structures, and rarely uses the past tense.

The correct answer is C. Intermediate. This language proficiency level is characterized by the ability to communicate in simple, routine situations using basic vocabulary and grammar. The student’s limited use of past tense and short, simple structures fits this level. While the student is making progress, they still need support in more complex grammar and vocabulary.

A science teacher assigns students to groups with at least one ELL per group. Each group investigates water pollution in a specific body of water using the internet and library, then participates in a jigsaw activity to share their findings.

The correct answer is B. The ELLs can acquire content area knowledge and language through interactions during the group activities. This collaborative, inquiry-based approach supports both language and academic development. ELLs engage in meaningful communication, which helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and oral fluency within an academic context.

Avi, an advanced ELL who is new to U.S. schools, is not used to using content-area textbooks. The best way to help Avi transition is

Teaching Avi the different parts of textbooks and how to use each part most effectively. Many ELLs struggle not with the reading itself, but with navigating features like glossaries, indexes, headings, and charts. Directly teaching these skills empowers students to access academic content more independently and effectively.

A high school ESL teacher notices that native Spanish-speaking students capitalize names and places but often do not capitalize months and days of the week.

The correct answer is C. The students are unsure of differences in writing conventions between Spanish and English. In Spanish, months and days are not capitalized, which is a standard writing convention. This transfer from L1 to L2 is common and reflects interference rather than a lack of knowledge about English in general. Explicit instruction in these differences can help eliminate such errors.

A middle school ESL teacher wants to provide authentic language experiences that promote social interaction inside and outside of school. The most effective activity is

Planning a field trip to a local restaurant where ELLs must ask questions about the menu and order a meal. This real-world experience gives students a low-risk opportunity to use English in a social, practical context. It integrates listening, speaking, and cultural learning, reinforcing language skills in an engaging and memorable way. It also supports functional language use, which helps ELLs navigate their communities confidently.

A second-grade ESL teacher wants to assess students’ comprehension after they finish reading a short story. The most appropriate performance-based assessment is

Create a puppet show that highlights the main actions of the story. Performance-based assessments allow young learners to demonstrate understanding through action rather than written output, which can be especially helpful for students with limited English proficiency. A puppet show lets them sequence events, use language creatively, and express comprehension in an age-appropriate and engaging way.

Which of the following best describes a formative assessment?

Checking the students’ comprehension through informal questioning. Formative assessments are ongoing checks during instruction that help guide teaching and learning. Informal questioning allows the teacher to gauge student understanding in real time and make necessary adjustments. This contrasts with summative assessments, which measure what students have learned at the end of a unit or course.

Ms. Beeman, a sixth-grade ESL teacher, is beginning a unit on Greek mythology and realizes many of the vocabulary terms may be unfamiliar to her students. To best promote comprehension, she should choose

Teach each word in the context of the literature in which it appears. Teaching vocabulary in context helps students derive meaning through usage, which improves retention and understanding. Isolated word lists or definitions may not provide enough depth for ELLs to grasp how the word is actually used in academic texts.

Ms. Lopez teaches science to students with varying English language proficiency levels. To help them understand content objectives, the best strategy is

Group students for instruction. Grouping students allows for peer support and differentiated instruction. It enables students to use both social and academic language, build confidence, and process information collaboratively. Strategic grouping is an essential ESL teaching practice, particularly in content-based instruction.

Which of the following words is most suitable for teaching one-to-one letter-sound correspondence in English?

Dog. The word “dog” is a regular, phonetic word with a clear, predictable sound-letter match for each letter: /d/ /ɒ/ /g/. This makes it ideal for introducing phonics principles. Words like “bear,” “fish,” and “horse” contain irregularities or letter combinations that may confuse beginners when learning to decode English words phonetically.

A third-grade ESL student glues two-dimensional models of planets in the order of their size instead of their position from the sun. The best teacher response is

Reteaching the lesson to the student using comprehensible input that will improve his comprehension and listening skills. This indicates that the student misunderstood the instructions, possibly due to language barriers. Comprehensible input—language that is slightly above the student’s current level but supported with visuals, modeling, or gestures—helps the student access both the directions and the content. Simply repeating the same instructions without adjustment would not resolve the confusion.

To build background knowledge for a social studies unit on economics, a teacher asks students to draw product labels they are familiar with. The most effective support strategy for ESL students is

Passing around grocery items for students to observe. Concrete, hands-on materials like real products help ELLs connect vocabulary to familiar objects. This method supports visual and tactile learning, builds vocabulary, and gives students authentic context to draw from during the activity.

The best strategy for helping beginning-level ELLs develop phonemic awareness is

Familiar songs and rhymes. Songs and rhymes are highly effective for early language learners because they emphasize sound patterns, repetition, and rhythm, which build phonemic awareness naturally. These activities are also engaging and help build confidence in listening and speaking skills. While direct instruction can be useful, it’s often too abstract for students just starting to develop basic sound recognition in a second language.

A teacher reads a passage from a fictional story that includes a key sequence of events. The instructional strategy that would best promote comprehension is

Identifying transition words throughout the passage. Transition words like “first,” “then,” “after,” and “finally” guide readers through the structure of a story or process. Teaching students to notice these words enhances their ability to follow the logical flow of events, which is essential for both reading comprehension and writing organization.

An ESL teacher introduces hypothetical situations and has students write their own conditional statements. Many students struggle with the grammar and the concept. The teacher should primarily focus on

Conditional forms. Hypothetical statements often use conditional sentences (e.g., “If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world”), which require understanding of specific verb tenses and sentence structures. By focusing on conditional grammar forms, the teacher can directly address the root of students’ difficulty and help them accurately express imaginary or unreal situations.

Mr. Simon, a high school social studies teacher, directs questions to ESL students but tends to answer them himself and leads mostly teacher-centered instruction. Ms. Lowe, the ESL teacher, observes this and wants to recommend a strategy to encourage more student participation. The best recommendation is

Extend the wait time slightly between questions and answers because it might enable more correct student responses. ESL students often need additional processing time to understand the question, mentally translate it if needed, and form a response. Pausing after posing a question allows them to fully engage and participate rather than defaulting to silence or being bypassed.

Ms. Lowe suggests Mr. Simon incorporate small group work in his class. This approach is most likely to benefit ESL students b

Allowing them to negotiate meaning. In small groups, ESL students can ask for clarification, rephrase ideas, and collaborate using language in a lower-pressure environment. Negotiating meaning is a key part of second language development, as it involves real-time communication and comprehension checks, which promote deeper understanding of both language and content.

Mr. Reid introduces his beginning ESL students to past tense verbs through a variety of activities, such as storytelling, experiments, and writing about past experiences. This instructional method reflects

Teaching language in meaningful contexts rather than in isolation. Grammar instruction is most effective when embedded in real-world or content-based tasks. Students are more likely to retain and use grammatical structures when they practice them in authentic communication, not through drills or isolated sentence correction.

Teacher questions are most likely to elicit conversation and promote English language communication when

There is no one correct answer, and the teacher does not already know the answer. For example, asking “What did you do on your trip?” invites students to share personal experiences, which leads to more natural, extended responses. These open-ended questions foster genuine communication and provide more opportunities for language production compared to questions with one correct answer (e.g., “What is the capital of Texas?”).

To best measure an ESL student’s ongoing academic progress and identify learning needs, the most effective assessment method is

Teacher observations. Continuous observation allows the teacher to monitor how the student performs across contexts, identifies patterns in language use, and adjusts instruction accordingly. Unlike standardized tests or multiple-choice assessments, teacher observations offer a holistic, flexible, and immediate understanding of student growth and challenges, particularly in classroom interactions.

Ms. Burnett, a first-grade ESL teacher, uses a listening center where students follow recorded directions such as drawing shapes and listening to a story about shapes. The main benefit of this activity is

Developing their receptive language skills. Receptive language involves understanding spoken or written language. Activities that require students to listen and follow instructions strengthen their ability to comprehend English in meaningful contexts, an essential foundation for further language development.

Mainstream teachers report that some ESL students who struggle in class seem to converse easily with peers outside of class. In response, ESL teachers should explain the difference between BICS and CALP, and the correct answer is

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS). BICS refers to conversational fluency in social settings, which develops much faster than the more demanding academic language needed for school success (CALP). Just because a student is conversationally fluent doesn’t mean they are ready for complex academic tasks, which often require years of instruction.

In Texas, one responsibility of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) is

Designating the proficiency level of ESL students and making recommendations for placement in ESL programs. LPAC plays a crucial role in evaluating English learners’ needs, reviewing assessment data, and placing students in appropriate instructional settings. Their work ensures that ESL students receive services aligned with their proficiency levels and academic goals.

o introduce a unit on the Great Depression, an ESL teacher plans to use a short chapter book. The best prereading strategy to support understanding is

Guiding students through a chapter book to identify and discuss illustrations and chapter headings. This method helps ESL students preview the structure and content visually, giving them context and cues about what to expect. This strategy builds schema and helps students make predictions and connect ideas before reading.

Once a student has been enrolled in an ESL program, the primary role of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) is

Assessing the student’s progress in English language learning throughout the school year. Ongoing monitoring ensures that instruction remains appropriate and that students are making adequate gains in language development. LPAC uses this data to determine continued placement, accommodations, and support strategies tailored to each student’s needs.

When selecting instructional materials for a content-based unit for ESL students, the most important consideration is

Whether the materials adequately cover the topic and are comprehensible to students. While it’s helpful for materials to include reinforcement activities or translations, they must first and foremost make the content clear and accessible. If students cannot understand the content due to complex language or unclear structure, learning will be hindered. Comprehensible input—making academic material understandable—is a core principle in ESL instruction.

An ESL teacher needs to distinguish between formal and informal assessments. The question provides three assessments: (1) “Thumbs up, thumbs down” responses, (2) Observation of student discussion groups, and (3) A unit test to measure student progress.

The correct classifications are Informal, Informal, Formal. Informal assessments occur during instruction and help teachers adjust teaching in real time. Examples include nonverbal checks and class discussions. Formal assessments are structured and typically graded, such as unit tests that measure mastery of standards or learning objectives.

To be most effective, feedback on an ESL student’s writing should

Cite specific elements in the text and avoid generalities. Specific feedback, such as “You used strong verbs here” or “Consider clarifying this sentence,” helps students understand exactly what they did well and what needs improvement. Vague or overly negative comments don’t provide enough guidance, and overly detailed grammar corrections can overwhelm students. Clear, supportive feedback promotes growth and confidence in writing.

Which of the following describes a test with harmful washback—negative effects on teaching and learning?

It draws on a narrow sample of language. A test that only measures a small range of skills—like isolated vocabulary or grammar questions—can encourage teachers to “teach to the test” and neglect broader communication skills. Effective assessments should reflect real-world language use and the instructional goals of the class, not narrow, decontextualized language snippets.

Which personal factor is most likely to positively impact an ESL student’s literacy development in English?

The student’s family members regularly read books and other print materials in the native language. Literacy skills in a first language (L1) transfer to a second language (L2). A family that values reading and models it at home supports cognitive and language development, even if that reading takes place in the home language rather than English. This exposure fosters habits, vocabulary growth, and comprehension strategies that carry over to learning English.

An ESL teacher recommends that content area teachers use a variety of activities—like whole-class discussions, small group hands-on tasks, and writing exercises—when introducing new topics. The best rationale for this approach is

It provides students with multiple opportunities to develop an understanding of new content. ELLs learn best when they encounter information in different formats. Multimodal instruction allows students to use speaking, listening, reading, and writing, reinforcing academic content through various forms of engagement and offering multiple entry points into learning.

Mr. Warner, a fourth-grade science teacher with ESL students at varying levels of proficiency, wants to teach a unit on the rock cycle while also promoting oral language development. The best strategy is

Assigning a student each day to present an oral summary of the day’s lesson to the class. This activity gives students a real purpose for using academic language and encourages them to process and articulate their understanding. Oral summaries build confidence, reinforce key concepts, and support the development of both speaking and content-area skills.

Before reading a text on a new topic, Mr. Brice wants to assess what his ESL students already know. The most effective strategy is

Leading a class discussion and recording student responses about the topic on a concept chart. This activity activates prior knowledge while giving students visual support through the chart. It also helps the teacher assess background knowledge, identify misconceptions, and introduce key vocabulary. Concept charts are a great way to make thinking visible and scaffold future instruction.

Ms. Boone gives each student an index card with a paragraph on one side and a list of key words from the paragraph on the other. After reading, students use the key words to retell the paragraph to a partner. This activity primarily supports

Paraphrasing. By restating the paragraph in their own words, students demonstrate comprehension and practice using new vocabulary in context. This is an important academic skill that improves reading comprehension, retention, and oral language fluency.

An ESL teacher is creating a math assessment to test whether students understand that the area of a rectangle is found by multiplying length and width. The best test item for intermediate ELLs is

If the length of a sheet of paper is 11 inches and the width is 8 inches, what is the area of the sheet of paper? This question uses clear, accessible language and places the concept in a familiar real-world context. It assesses understanding of both the math concept and relevant academic vocabulary without requiring advanced English grammar.

Elisa is a recently arrived English language learner who is illiterate in her native language and needs orientation to school and life in the U.S. The best program placement for Elisa is

Newcomer center. Newcomer programs are specifically designed to support newly arrived students who have limited or interrupted formal education. These programs provide foundational instruction in English, acculturation, and basic academic skills, offering a gentle and structured entry point into the school system.

Mr. Terhune observes that many of his ESL students are hesitant to interact with native English-speaking peers and lack familiarity with youth culture in the U.S. To help bridge this gap, the best strategy is

Plan several lessons for the ELLs that focus on the language and content of popular community events and activities. Teaching students about local customs, events, and social norms gives them relevant vocabulary and cultural knowledge, which boosts confidence and increases opportunities for meaningful interaction with peers.

Mr. Salazar teaches in a classroom with roughly equal numbers of language minority and majority students. He uses both students’ native language and English for instruction. This setup describes a

Dual-language program. Dual-language programs promote bilingualism and biliteracy by providing instruction in both English and the students’ first language. These programs support both language groups in learning academic content while maintaining and developing both languages.

Which of the following best characterizes an English immersion program? The correct answer is

Students receive all information in English, however, lessons are enriched by the use of visuals and manipulatives as well as extensive use of repetition and application of language development tasks. Immersion programs are designed to expose ELLs to English throughout the day while supporting comprehension through strategies like scaffolding, modeling, and nonverbal aids. The goal is for students to acquire English naturally through content instruction.

To ensure that parents of ESL students understand what is communicated during a parent-teacher conference, the most appropriate first step is

Providing clear explanations of key educational terms. Many school terms—like “promotion criteria,” “benchmark assessment,” or “IEP”—may be unfamiliar or confusing. Taking time to explain these in simple language builds trust, increases clarity, and empowers families to advocate for their children. This step is essential before diving into performance data or academic plans.

Which of the following statements best explains how culture affects language development in second language learners? The correct answer is

Cultural values and norms influence the ways in which students learn and use language. Students from different cultural backgrounds may have different expectations regarding communication, such as when to speak, how to show respect, or how to express disagreement. These cultural influences shape not just how students learn English, but also how they interpret classroom interactions and participate in discussions. Understanding this helps teachers create a culturally responsive environment.

Which of the following would be most effective in promoting the English oral language development of students at the intermediate level of proficiency? The correct answer is

Providing students with sentence stems to use during small-group discussions. Intermediate ELLs often need support to expand their speaking from simple phrases to more complex structures. Sentence stems such as “I agree with ___ because…” or “One example from the text is…” help students participate more confidently and correctly in academic conversations while practicing more sophisticated language forms.

In an ESL class, the teacher creates a word wall that includes vocabulary words grouped by academic subject areas. This approach is most effective because

The students will more easily retain the words as a result of the contextualization. Organizing vocabulary by subject area—like math, science, or social studies—helps students make connections between words and the content they’re learning. It reinforces both subject knowledge and language, increasing the chances that students will recall and use the vocabulary in the appropriate contexts.

Which of the following strategies would best promote language development and comprehensible input for ESL students during a content-area lesson? The correct answer is

Using visuals, realia, and hands-on activities to support verbal instruction. Comprehensible input refers to language that is just slightly above the learner’s current level but made understandable through supports. Visuals, real objects (realia), and hands-on experiences provide contextual clues that help students grasp meaning, especially when academic vocabulary is new or complex.

A fifth-grade ESL teacher reads aloud a short story while students follow along in their copies. The teacher then pauses to ask questions, model how to make inferences, and clarify unfamiliar words. This strategy is effective because

It scaffolds reading comprehension by supporting listening and vocabulary development. Reading aloud with interactive support helps students hear fluent English, understand story structure, and acquire new words. It also builds listening comprehension while linking spoken and written language, which is especially important for students still developing decoding and fluency skills.

Which of the following teacher actions would most effectively promote literacy development for English language learners in the early stages of language acquisition? The correct answer is

Reading aloud high-interest picture books and discussing them with the class. Reading aloud provides rich language input, exposes students to correct pronunciation, and models expressive reading. When paired with discussion, it allows for vocabulary building, comprehension checks, and student interaction—all essential for students in the early stages of acquiring English. Picture books provide important visual context, which supports meaning-making.

An ESL teacher provides students with repeated opportunities to practice using academic vocabulary in a variety of meaningful contexts. The primary benefit of this approach is that

The vocabulary becomes internalized and more easily retrieved. When students use new words repeatedly and in different settings—such as discussions, writing, and group work—they are more likely to remember and apply those words independently. Repetition alone isn’t enough; it must be tied to meaningful use for vocabulary to stick and become part of the student’s working language.

A fifth-grade ESL teacher plans a collaborative writing project where students work in pairs to compose short informational texts about animals. The students then edit each other’s work and present their finished products to the class. The main instructional benefit of this activity is

It integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening in a purposeful way. This type of project-based learning allows students to use all four domains of language authentically. They research (reading), write together (writing), revise (listening and speaking during peer feedback), and present (speaking). Integration of language skills mirrors how language is used in the real world and supports holistic development.

Which of the following strategies would best help beginning-level ELLs access the content of a grade-level science textbook? The correct answer is D. Providing visual aids and hands-on experiences related to the text

Beginning ELLs often struggle with dense, abstract text. Supplementing with visuals—like diagrams, labeled pictures, or graphic organizers—and hands-on activities (e.g., simple experiments or models) makes the content more accessible and builds background knowledge, supporting both language and concept acquisition.

An ESL teacher regularly gives students opportunities to write in journals about topics of personal interest. This practice is most beneficial because

It encourages self-expression while developing writing fluency. Journaling gives students a low-stress way to practice writing. Since the focus is on expression, not grammar, students can take risks and build confidence. Over time, regular writing builds fluency, vocabulary, and comfort with written English, especially when students can connect personally with the content.

An ESL teacher introduces a graphic organizer that helps students identify the main idea and supporting details of a nonfiction passage. This strategy is especially effective for ELLs because

It visually represents the relationships between key concepts in a text. Graphic organizers help ELLs break down complex information and see how ideas connect. They also support comprehension by allowing students to focus on the structure and meaning of a text rather than getting lost in difficult vocabulary. Visual tools reduce cognitive overload and make academic texts more accessible.

Which of the following activities best supports ELLs in understanding and using content-specific vocabulary in a science class? The correct answer is

Having students label diagrams of scientific processes. Labeling allows students to associate academic terms with visual representations, making the vocabulary more meaningful. This is especially helpful in science, where many terms are abstract or unfamiliar. Matching words to diagrams strengthens both conceptual understanding and word retention.

A middle school ESL teacher reads a story aloud and pauses frequently to ask prediction and clarification questions. This strategy primarily benefits students by

Promoting active engagement and improving comprehension. Stopping to ask questions keeps students thinking critically as they listen, helps them monitor understanding, and clarifies confusion in real time. Predicting encourages them to use context and background knowledge, while clarifying checks their grasp of vocabulary and plot points. This approach supports comprehension and participation for ELLs.

During a social studies lesson, an ESL teacher defines new vocabulary, uses visuals, and checks for understanding through questioning. These actions are examples of

Scaffolding. Scaffolding involves providing temporary support that helps students complete a task they couldn’t do independently. It’s especially important in ESL classrooms, where content and language demands are high. By simplifying and breaking down tasks, teachers give ELLs access to grade-level content while supporting language development.

A teacher asks ESL students to write a short paragraph explaining a science concept they just learned. To best support their success, the teacher should first

Provide a model paragraph and review key vocabulary. Modeling shows students what a strong paragraph looks like in terms of structure, language, and content. Reviewing vocabulary ensures they have the tools to express their understanding clearly. These supports help reduce frustration and set clear expectations for the writing task, leading to better academic and language outcomes.

Acculturation

The process of learning or adapting new information WITHOUT replacing first culture

Dialogue Journals

An effective strategy in supporting ELL and acculturation by offering a “safe place” to reflect and ask questions; supports communication, language, and literacy development.

Comprehensible Input

When language learners understand the message in the targeted language. Uses familiar text structures, decodable text, and illustrations to help students draw on multiple cues to determine meaning.

Low Affective Filter

A state of low stress in the learning enviornment where students feel comfortable taking risks, enhancing speaking and listening skills. Students learn more when relaxed.

Lau v. Nichols

Supreme Court case stating identical education does not constitute equal education. Providing ELLs with the same materials is not enough.

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

ESL program where English is the primary language. Instruction is tailored to ELLs needs with minimal native language support. Focus is on learning English before academic content.

Castaneda v. Pickard

Court ruled bilingual programs must be based on research, have adequate resources, and provide students access to a full curriculum.

High affective filter

harder to process and remember information