RICA SUBTEST TWO 2026 EXAMPREP MASTER
REVISION RESOURCE
◉ Listening Vocabulary. Answer: words you understand when
listening to others speak.
◉ Speaking Vocabulary. Answer: the words we use when we speak
(it is always smaller than listening vocab)
◉ Writing Vocabulary. Answer: words you use when you write.
◉ Sight Vocabulary. Answer: words that a child can immediately
recognize and pronounce while reading (sight words)
◉ Meaning Vocabulary. Answer: words you understand when
reading silently.
◉ Academic Language. Answer: Language used in textbooks and
tests. It is the language of the classroom.
◉ Technical Academic Language. Answer: words related to a specific
discipline. Words only used in one subject. (Sovereignty, tyranny,
and monarchy are technical language in History)
,(AKA specific academic language or domain-specific academic
language)
◉ Nontechnical Academic Language. Answer: Runs across
disciplines and would include such words as theory, hypothesis,
analysis and synthesis.
(AKA general academic language)
◉ Background Knowledge. Answer: refers to what you know about a
topic. required in order for a student to comprehend academic
language.
◉ Define the role of vocabulary, academic language, and background
knowledge in reading development. Answer: Knowledge of technical
academic language becomes more important as children enter upper
elementary grades and middle school. Vocabulary is a key indicator
of comprehension. Background knowledge is key into understanding
next part and establishing building blocks.
In order to comprehend a text a reader must have adequately
developed meaning vocab, academic language knowledge, and
background knowledge
, ◉ Vocabulary knowledge and Concept learning. Answer: Reciprocal
relationship: The more words you know, the more concepts you
learn. The more concepts you learn, the more words you know.
◉ Matthew Effect. Answer: The gap between high achieving and low
achieving readers widens.
◉ Vocab Learning is Incremental. Answer: 1. Unknown: words
cannot be defined, not even partially
2. Acquainted (familiar): you have some level of understanding. You
know parts of their meanings
3. Established: Words you know well and immediately
The most challenging task for teachers is teaching words in the
unknown category
◉ When deciding which words to teach directly to students. Answer:
Based on 3 criteria:
1. Frequency: how often will students encounter the word when
they read, the more often = the more important to teach
2. Utility: how important is the word? is it essential to
comprehending the text?
3. Level of Knowledge: the less students know about a word, the
more important it becomes to teach
REVISION RESOURCE
◉ Listening Vocabulary. Answer: words you understand when
listening to others speak.
◉ Speaking Vocabulary. Answer: the words we use when we speak
(it is always smaller than listening vocab)
◉ Writing Vocabulary. Answer: words you use when you write.
◉ Sight Vocabulary. Answer: words that a child can immediately
recognize and pronounce while reading (sight words)
◉ Meaning Vocabulary. Answer: words you understand when
reading silently.
◉ Academic Language. Answer: Language used in textbooks and
tests. It is the language of the classroom.
◉ Technical Academic Language. Answer: words related to a specific
discipline. Words only used in one subject. (Sovereignty, tyranny,
and monarchy are technical language in History)
,(AKA specific academic language or domain-specific academic
language)
◉ Nontechnical Academic Language. Answer: Runs across
disciplines and would include such words as theory, hypothesis,
analysis and synthesis.
(AKA general academic language)
◉ Background Knowledge. Answer: refers to what you know about a
topic. required in order for a student to comprehend academic
language.
◉ Define the role of vocabulary, academic language, and background
knowledge in reading development. Answer: Knowledge of technical
academic language becomes more important as children enter upper
elementary grades and middle school. Vocabulary is a key indicator
of comprehension. Background knowledge is key into understanding
next part and establishing building blocks.
In order to comprehend a text a reader must have adequately
developed meaning vocab, academic language knowledge, and
background knowledge
, ◉ Vocabulary knowledge and Concept learning. Answer: Reciprocal
relationship: The more words you know, the more concepts you
learn. The more concepts you learn, the more words you know.
◉ Matthew Effect. Answer: The gap between high achieving and low
achieving readers widens.
◉ Vocab Learning is Incremental. Answer: 1. Unknown: words
cannot be defined, not even partially
2. Acquainted (familiar): you have some level of understanding. You
know parts of their meanings
3. Established: Words you know well and immediately
The most challenging task for teachers is teaching words in the
unknown category
◉ When deciding which words to teach directly to students. Answer:
Based on 3 criteria:
1. Frequency: how often will students encounter the word when
they read, the more often = the more important to teach
2. Utility: how important is the word? is it essential to
comprehending the text?
3. Level of Knowledge: the less students know about a word, the
more important it becomes to teach
