OSAT ELEMENTARY ED 2026-2027 EXAM
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | A+ GRADE STUDY GUIDE
Strategies to promote oral language Correct Answer 1.
adapt activities to include authentic talk (discussion
opportunities - Ss can contribute more than one sentence)
2. use activities that develop strong language (Ss talk to
diff partners to develop stronger clearer answers, or
groups talk with other groups)
3. use strong discussion prompts (foster evaluation which
is needed for ranking, prioritizing, and choosing - use
deeper questions or clarifying questions, ex. How did Civil
War MOST affect southern families?)
interview grid Correct Answer Students talk with one
different partner each time, making their answers stronger
and clearer each time, taking minimal, if any, notes on the
chart. Note that this activity can also work using inner-
outer conversation circles
Opinion Formation Cards Correct Answer Students
receive a quotation from the text (before it's read) that
includes evidence for one side or the other of an issue.
Students share their quotations and their evolving
opinions, with reasons and evidence for them.
Opinion Continuum Correct Answer Students share where
they fall on the continuum of a two-sided issue and why.
,At the end, they share if they shifted at all along the
continuum based on their conversations with partners.
strategies to get Ss to read for meaning Correct Answer -
Give students a list of "agree or disagree statements"
about assigned texts.
Ask students to preview the statements and begin reading
the text.
Ask students to indicate whether they agree or disagree
with the statements based on what they read.
Have students justify their agree/disagree positions by
citing appropriate evidence from the text.
choose books that appeal to reluctant readers Correct
Answer * Appealing covers and larger print.
* format is visually appealing, artwork & illustrations
realistic, interesting, & diverse.
* text written clearly (no confusing sentences or
sophisticated language)
* Strong literary quality.
* opening of the novel is exciting & draws in reader.
* characters realistic and reader can relate to them.
* plot s/b interesting and appealing to young adult readers.
Plot developed through dialogue
* literature that explores the lives of other teens
* Humor is present.
* preferrably written in 1st person POV
more Ss read better they become Correct Answer directly
tied to improve Ss reading, must provide books that peak
,S interest, must be S-centered basically
_______________
phonemic awareness Correct Answer the ability to notice,
think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken
words. An example of how beginning readers show us
they have phonemic awareness is combining or blending
the separate sounds of a word to say the word ("/c/ /a/ /t/ -
cat.")
difference between phonics and phonemic awareness
Correct Answer Phonemic awareness is the
understanding that the sounds of spoken language work
together to make words. Phonics is the understanding that
there is a relationship between letters and sounds through
written language.
instruct identification of phonemes Correct Answer 1.
show S printed material & talk about sounds & structure of
words (point to each letter and say each sound)
2. play letter games/phoneme substitution games
3. use auditory, visual, tactile (touch), kinesthetic
(movement) representations of sounds
Provide Early Writing Activities Correct Answer Let your
child guess how to spell words - correct? talk about why -
incorrect? provide guidance on what letters need to be
changed and why
, If they can't write letters - have them tell you what letters
they think would make up a word, or use play-doh,
magnetic letters, blocks or the computer to make words.
Show your child how to take your thoughts and put them
on paper. Use simple sentences like "I am hungry" or "I
love cats!"
play letter games/phoneme substitution games Correct
Answer * take turns thinking of word, adult/child say sound
each sound in word, write down word & say each sound
as point to letter
* pick word, take turns changing first or last sound in word
& see how it changes
* put letters on index cards, give child a few cards, ex. t, c,
a and have child manipulate to create "cat"
* play rhyming game, take turns thinking of words that
rhyme, look @ words, talk about structure & what makes
them rhyme
Use auditory, visual, tactile (touch), and kenisthetic
(movement) representations of sounds Correct Answer *
auditory cues are in play when Ss are asked to clap the #
of syllables they hear in a spoken word. (Let's clap the
sounds in cat!)
* use visual/tactile cues like blocks or chips to represent
each sound in a word - e.g., writing each sound or letter
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | A+ GRADE STUDY GUIDE
Strategies to promote oral language Correct Answer 1.
adapt activities to include authentic talk (discussion
opportunities - Ss can contribute more than one sentence)
2. use activities that develop strong language (Ss talk to
diff partners to develop stronger clearer answers, or
groups talk with other groups)
3. use strong discussion prompts (foster evaluation which
is needed for ranking, prioritizing, and choosing - use
deeper questions or clarifying questions, ex. How did Civil
War MOST affect southern families?)
interview grid Correct Answer Students talk with one
different partner each time, making their answers stronger
and clearer each time, taking minimal, if any, notes on the
chart. Note that this activity can also work using inner-
outer conversation circles
Opinion Formation Cards Correct Answer Students
receive a quotation from the text (before it's read) that
includes evidence for one side or the other of an issue.
Students share their quotations and their evolving
opinions, with reasons and evidence for them.
Opinion Continuum Correct Answer Students share where
they fall on the continuum of a two-sided issue and why.
,At the end, they share if they shifted at all along the
continuum based on their conversations with partners.
strategies to get Ss to read for meaning Correct Answer -
Give students a list of "agree or disagree statements"
about assigned texts.
Ask students to preview the statements and begin reading
the text.
Ask students to indicate whether they agree or disagree
with the statements based on what they read.
Have students justify their agree/disagree positions by
citing appropriate evidence from the text.
choose books that appeal to reluctant readers Correct
Answer * Appealing covers and larger print.
* format is visually appealing, artwork & illustrations
realistic, interesting, & diverse.
* text written clearly (no confusing sentences or
sophisticated language)
* Strong literary quality.
* opening of the novel is exciting & draws in reader.
* characters realistic and reader can relate to them.
* plot s/b interesting and appealing to young adult readers.
Plot developed through dialogue
* literature that explores the lives of other teens
* Humor is present.
* preferrably written in 1st person POV
more Ss read better they become Correct Answer directly
tied to improve Ss reading, must provide books that peak
,S interest, must be S-centered basically
_______________
phonemic awareness Correct Answer the ability to notice,
think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken
words. An example of how beginning readers show us
they have phonemic awareness is combining or blending
the separate sounds of a word to say the word ("/c/ /a/ /t/ -
cat.")
difference between phonics and phonemic awareness
Correct Answer Phonemic awareness is the
understanding that the sounds of spoken language work
together to make words. Phonics is the understanding that
there is a relationship between letters and sounds through
written language.
instruct identification of phonemes Correct Answer 1.
show S printed material & talk about sounds & structure of
words (point to each letter and say each sound)
2. play letter games/phoneme substitution games
3. use auditory, visual, tactile (touch), kinesthetic
(movement) representations of sounds
Provide Early Writing Activities Correct Answer Let your
child guess how to spell words - correct? talk about why -
incorrect? provide guidance on what letters need to be
changed and why
, If they can't write letters - have them tell you what letters
they think would make up a word, or use play-doh,
magnetic letters, blocks or the computer to make words.
Show your child how to take your thoughts and put them
on paper. Use simple sentences like "I am hungry" or "I
love cats!"
play letter games/phoneme substitution games Correct
Answer * take turns thinking of word, adult/child say sound
each sound in word, write down word & say each sound
as point to letter
* pick word, take turns changing first or last sound in word
& see how it changes
* put letters on index cards, give child a few cards, ex. t, c,
a and have child manipulate to create "cat"
* play rhyming game, take turns thinking of words that
rhyme, look @ words, talk about structure & what makes
them rhyme
Use auditory, visual, tactile (touch), and kenisthetic
(movement) representations of sounds Correct Answer *
auditory cues are in play when Ss are asked to clap the #
of syllables they hear in a spoken word. (Let's clap the
sounds in cat!)
* use visual/tactile cues like blocks or chips to represent
each sound in a word - e.g., writing each sound or letter
