GACE Elementary Education Questions
With Correct Answers
1. In a first-grade class, the teacher reads a story aloud while the students echo the words the teacher
has read. Which of the following approaches to reading is the teacher using?
A. Reader's workshop
B. Shared reading
C. Round robin
D. Guided reading -ANS-Option B is correct. In shared reading, an interactive reading experience,
children join in the reading of a big book or other enlarged text as guided by a teacher or other adult.
2. Which of the following statements best demonstrates an example of an allusion?
A. "Samantha eats chocolates every day. Chocolates are her Achilles' heel."
B. "Juanita and Marco disagreed about where they should take what they had found."
C. "In the high winds, the crew was barely able to keep the sails from dipping sideways."
D. "Celine struggled to walk through the cold, blowing wind." -ANS-Option A is correct. An allusion is a
figure of speech that makes references to a person, an event, or a place. Achilles is a character in Greek
mythology, and "Achilles' heel" defines an area of vulnerability. The statement implies that Samantha
has a weakness for chocolates.
3. Which of the following strategies is most beneficial for students during the revising stage of the
writing process?
A. Using a graphic organizer
B. Brainstorming ideas as a class
C. Holding peer conferences
D. Typing their work on a computer -ANS-Option C is correct. During the revising stage, the writer
consults with peers or the teacher to improve the writing piece.
4. Which of the following is the primary purpose of having a student retell a story?
A. To assess the student's level of comprehension
B. To measure the student's vocabulary development
C. To determine the student's fluency rate
,D. To evaluate the student's oral reading progress -ANS-Option A is correct. Asking a student to retell a
story is an informal way to assess reading comprehension.
5. Which of the following concepts involves understanding that spoken words consist of a sequence of
individual sounds?
A. Morphology
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Alphabetic principle
D. Syntax -ANS-Option B is correct. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken words consist
of a sequence of individual sounds.
6. A student is actively engaged in reading a book and is making judgments and decisions beyond what is
stated in the text. Which of the following methods of comprehension is the student using?
A. Inferential
B. Literal
C. Vocabulary
D. Internal -ANS-Option A is correct. Inferential questions require students to use their background
knowledge and the clues within the story to answer questions beyond what is explicitly stated in the
text.
7. After a class reading of an informational text about endangered animals, a teacher instructs students
to prepare an oral presentation on an animal of their choice. Which of the following guidelines will best
help students produce an engaging presentation?
A. Including words and phrases that will make the speech entertaining
B. Writing detailed notes to read from during the presentation
C. Maintaining eye contact with the audience while presenting
D. Using a loud voice to make sure everyone can understand the presentation -ANS-Option C is correct.
Making eye contact with the audience makes them feel connected with the presenter and engaged with
the presentation.
8. A teacher reads the following section of text aloud to the class.
The people elected a new president. Everyone thought he was the best ruler for the country.
, After reading, the teacher asks students, "What does the word 'ruler' mean as used by the author?" The
teacher asks this question most likely to help students learn to
A. identify sight words.
B. decode unknown words.
C. develop vocabulary.
D. use context clues. -ANS-Option D is correct. Context clues include information from pictures or words
surrounding an unknown word that helps readers figure out the meaning of an unknown word.
9. Each day during calendar time, Ms. Nelson sings songs with her kindergarten students. Using a chart
containing the words to the songs, Ms. Nelson taps a pointer on each word as the students sing. Ms.
Nelson is demonstrating which of the following?
A. Concepts of print
B. Decoding
C. Thinkingaloud
D. The alphabetic principle -ANS-Option A is correct. Concepts of print is defined as an awareness of
print in the everyday environment with an emerging understanding of how printed language works. In
the scenario, the teacher points at the written words that match each word she sings.
10. Which of the following words is best to use as an example when demonstrating structural analysis
for vocabulary development?
A. Count
B. Inactive
C. Retail
D. Maintain -ANS-Option B is correct. Structural analysis involves using prefixes, suffixes, and root words
to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The word "inactive" is the only word that has both a
prefix (in) and a root word (active), so it would be most useful in teaching structural analysis.
11. Ms. Richards has the students do the following:
• Determine a writing audience
• Identify a purpose
• Provide a list of writing topics
Based on the list of activities, which stage of writing is Ms. Richards' class most likely working on?
With Correct Answers
1. In a first-grade class, the teacher reads a story aloud while the students echo the words the teacher
has read. Which of the following approaches to reading is the teacher using?
A. Reader's workshop
B. Shared reading
C. Round robin
D. Guided reading -ANS-Option B is correct. In shared reading, an interactive reading experience,
children join in the reading of a big book or other enlarged text as guided by a teacher or other adult.
2. Which of the following statements best demonstrates an example of an allusion?
A. "Samantha eats chocolates every day. Chocolates are her Achilles' heel."
B. "Juanita and Marco disagreed about where they should take what they had found."
C. "In the high winds, the crew was barely able to keep the sails from dipping sideways."
D. "Celine struggled to walk through the cold, blowing wind." -ANS-Option A is correct. An allusion is a
figure of speech that makes references to a person, an event, or a place. Achilles is a character in Greek
mythology, and "Achilles' heel" defines an area of vulnerability. The statement implies that Samantha
has a weakness for chocolates.
3. Which of the following strategies is most beneficial for students during the revising stage of the
writing process?
A. Using a graphic organizer
B. Brainstorming ideas as a class
C. Holding peer conferences
D. Typing their work on a computer -ANS-Option C is correct. During the revising stage, the writer
consults with peers or the teacher to improve the writing piece.
4. Which of the following is the primary purpose of having a student retell a story?
A. To assess the student's level of comprehension
B. To measure the student's vocabulary development
C. To determine the student's fluency rate
,D. To evaluate the student's oral reading progress -ANS-Option A is correct. Asking a student to retell a
story is an informal way to assess reading comprehension.
5. Which of the following concepts involves understanding that spoken words consist of a sequence of
individual sounds?
A. Morphology
B. Phonemic awareness
C. Alphabetic principle
D. Syntax -ANS-Option B is correct. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken words consist
of a sequence of individual sounds.
6. A student is actively engaged in reading a book and is making judgments and decisions beyond what is
stated in the text. Which of the following methods of comprehension is the student using?
A. Inferential
B. Literal
C. Vocabulary
D. Internal -ANS-Option A is correct. Inferential questions require students to use their background
knowledge and the clues within the story to answer questions beyond what is explicitly stated in the
text.
7. After a class reading of an informational text about endangered animals, a teacher instructs students
to prepare an oral presentation on an animal of their choice. Which of the following guidelines will best
help students produce an engaging presentation?
A. Including words and phrases that will make the speech entertaining
B. Writing detailed notes to read from during the presentation
C. Maintaining eye contact with the audience while presenting
D. Using a loud voice to make sure everyone can understand the presentation -ANS-Option C is correct.
Making eye contact with the audience makes them feel connected with the presenter and engaged with
the presentation.
8. A teacher reads the following section of text aloud to the class.
The people elected a new president. Everyone thought he was the best ruler for the country.
, After reading, the teacher asks students, "What does the word 'ruler' mean as used by the author?" The
teacher asks this question most likely to help students learn to
A. identify sight words.
B. decode unknown words.
C. develop vocabulary.
D. use context clues. -ANS-Option D is correct. Context clues include information from pictures or words
surrounding an unknown word that helps readers figure out the meaning of an unknown word.
9. Each day during calendar time, Ms. Nelson sings songs with her kindergarten students. Using a chart
containing the words to the songs, Ms. Nelson taps a pointer on each word as the students sing. Ms.
Nelson is demonstrating which of the following?
A. Concepts of print
B. Decoding
C. Thinkingaloud
D. The alphabetic principle -ANS-Option A is correct. Concepts of print is defined as an awareness of
print in the everyday environment with an emerging understanding of how printed language works. In
the scenario, the teacher points at the written words that match each word she sings.
10. Which of the following words is best to use as an example when demonstrating structural analysis
for vocabulary development?
A. Count
B. Inactive
C. Retail
D. Maintain -ANS-Option B is correct. Structural analysis involves using prefixes, suffixes, and root words
to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The word "inactive" is the only word that has both a
prefix (in) and a root word (active), so it would be most useful in teaching structural analysis.
11. Ms. Richards has the students do the following:
• Determine a writing audience
• Identify a purpose
• Provide a list of writing topics
Based on the list of activities, which stage of writing is Ms. Richards' class most likely working on?
