ELA CST UPDATED EXAM PRACTICE TEST 2026
FULL SOLUTIONS REVIEW PACK
◉ phonological processing.
Answer: -use of phonemes to process language
-includes 1. phonological awareness, 2. working memory, & 3.
retrieval
◉ 1. phonological awareness.
Answer: -awareness of and ability to manipulate sound structures in
a language
-includes segmenting/ blending, onset-rime, syllable, & phonemic
levels
◉ development of phonological awareness.
Answer: a. word awareness
b. rhyme & alliteration responsiveness
c. syllable awareness
d. onset & rime manipulation
e. phoneme awareness
◉ a. word awareness.
,Answer: -knowing that words have meanings
-strategies= *read alouds, alphabet chants, high frequency word
books*
◉ b. rhyme & alliteration responsiveness.
Answer: -reciting learned rhymes/ alliterations in familiar
storybooks/ nursery rhymes
-strategies= *poetry books, alphabet chants, rhyming pic flashcards
(sorting & classifying activities)*
◉ c. syllable awareness.
Answer: -counting/ tapping/ blending/ segmenting words into
syllables
-strategies= *flashcards w/ diff syllable words (sorting activities)*
◉ d. onset & rime manipulation.
Answer: -onset= beginning sound
-rime= vowel & remaining sounds
-knowing that rhyming words have the same rime
-strategies= *blending & substitution activities*
◉ e. phonemic awareness.
Answer: -knowing the smallest units of sound in a word
,-includes segmenting, blending, manipulating (removing, adding,
substituting) sound units
-strategies= *listen to alliterative passages, blend/ segment words,
manipulating sounds thru substitution/ deletion/ addition, elkonin
boxes (blending & segmenting activities)*
◉ 2. phonological working memory.
Answer: -storing phoneme info in short term memory
-info is readily available for use
◉ 3. phonological retrieval.
Answer: -ability to recall the phonemes associated with specific
graphemes
-assessed by rapid naming tasks
◉ phoneme manipulation task (strategy).
Answer: -tap into phonological processing
-ex) say cat w/o /k/
-strongly correlates & predicts ability to learn to read
◉ types of processing.
Answer: 1. orthographic
2. semantic
, 3. syntactic
4. discourse
◉ 1. orthographic processing.
Answer: -has to do with writing
-includes spelling, contractions, punctuation, capitalization
◉ 2. semantic processing.
Answer: has to do with the meanings of words
◉ 3. syntactic processing.
Answer: -has to do with the order of words in a sentence
-ex) cat on the mat vs mat on the cat
◉ 4. discourse processing.
Answer: has to do with comprehension
◉ development of oral language.
Answer: 1. cooing
2. babbling
3. one word stage
4. telegraphic stage
FULL SOLUTIONS REVIEW PACK
◉ phonological processing.
Answer: -use of phonemes to process language
-includes 1. phonological awareness, 2. working memory, & 3.
retrieval
◉ 1. phonological awareness.
Answer: -awareness of and ability to manipulate sound structures in
a language
-includes segmenting/ blending, onset-rime, syllable, & phonemic
levels
◉ development of phonological awareness.
Answer: a. word awareness
b. rhyme & alliteration responsiveness
c. syllable awareness
d. onset & rime manipulation
e. phoneme awareness
◉ a. word awareness.
,Answer: -knowing that words have meanings
-strategies= *read alouds, alphabet chants, high frequency word
books*
◉ b. rhyme & alliteration responsiveness.
Answer: -reciting learned rhymes/ alliterations in familiar
storybooks/ nursery rhymes
-strategies= *poetry books, alphabet chants, rhyming pic flashcards
(sorting & classifying activities)*
◉ c. syllable awareness.
Answer: -counting/ tapping/ blending/ segmenting words into
syllables
-strategies= *flashcards w/ diff syllable words (sorting activities)*
◉ d. onset & rime manipulation.
Answer: -onset= beginning sound
-rime= vowel & remaining sounds
-knowing that rhyming words have the same rime
-strategies= *blending & substitution activities*
◉ e. phonemic awareness.
Answer: -knowing the smallest units of sound in a word
,-includes segmenting, blending, manipulating (removing, adding,
substituting) sound units
-strategies= *listen to alliterative passages, blend/ segment words,
manipulating sounds thru substitution/ deletion/ addition, elkonin
boxes (blending & segmenting activities)*
◉ 2. phonological working memory.
Answer: -storing phoneme info in short term memory
-info is readily available for use
◉ 3. phonological retrieval.
Answer: -ability to recall the phonemes associated with specific
graphemes
-assessed by rapid naming tasks
◉ phoneme manipulation task (strategy).
Answer: -tap into phonological processing
-ex) say cat w/o /k/
-strongly correlates & predicts ability to learn to read
◉ types of processing.
Answer: 1. orthographic
2. semantic
, 3. syntactic
4. discourse
◉ 1. orthographic processing.
Answer: -has to do with writing
-includes spelling, contractions, punctuation, capitalization
◉ 2. semantic processing.
Answer: has to do with the meanings of words
◉ 3. syntactic processing.
Answer: -has to do with the order of words in a sentence
-ex) cat on the mat vs mat on the cat
◉ 4. discourse processing.
Answer: has to do with comprehension
◉ development of oral language.
Answer: 1. cooing
2. babbling
3. one word stage
4. telegraphic stage
