Texas STR Certification Exam 2023 Questions
and Answers
Culturally Responsive Instructional Practices
This refers to practices that recognize and incorporate the assets and strengths all students bring to
the classroom and ensure that learning experiences are relevant to all students.
Assets-Based Teaching Approach
This refers to viewing diversity of thought, culture, and traits as a positive asset as students are valued
for what they bring to the classroom rather than being characterized by what they are lacking.
Phonemes
The specific units of sounds in a language that distinguish one word from another (e.g., "b" and "t"
in "bat" and "tab")
Morphemes
The smallest unit of meaning in a language (e.g., "ed" changes a word to past tense)
Decoding
The ability to use letter-sound relationships to correctly sound-out and pronounce written words.
Discourse
Written or spoken communication or debate (e.g., talk and conversation)
Language Demands
The tools (vocabulary, syntax, discourse) students use to participate in the content they are learning
Deep Orthography
This phrase refers to a spelling system that is more difficult to decode because there is not a direct
correlation between the letters and sounds in the language.
Shallow Orthography
This phrase refers to a spelling system that is easier to decode because there is a direct correlation
between. the letters and sounds in the language.
Emergent Literacy
The term used to explain a child's knowledge of reading and writing skills before they learn to read
and write (e.g., recognizing a stop sign, cereal box).
Phonological Awareness
the ability to hear and manipulate all units of sound including words, syllables, onset, rimes, and
phonemes in spoken language.
Pragmatics
The practical rules that guide our use of language in social contexts
,Morphology
the study of the structure of words and how meaningful units are combined in text (e.g., prefixes,
suffixes, root words).
Transitional Bilingual Education
A program in which two languages are used to provide content instruction. Over time, use of the
native language is decreased and use of English is increased until only English is used for instruction.
Sheltered Instruction
An approach to teaching English language learners that integrates language and content instruction.
BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills)
Development of fluency in conversations - social language
CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency)
Development of content and subject area language.
Comprehensible Input
The part of a language that is understood by listeners when learning a second language
Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning
Acquiring language through subconscious processes vs. learning a language through direct instruction.
Receptive Language
The ability to understand words and language
Phonology
The study of sounds, their patterns and meanings and the way they combine to form words and
language.
Semantics
The study of meaning in words, phrases, sentences, or text
Repetition and Practice
A teaching strategy that helps bring skill knowledge from conscious to subconscious.
Oral Language Rehearsal
A strategy that gives students the opportunity to 'write aloud' before they begin a written language
assignment; provides time for them to rehearse how written forms differ from spoken forms
Language Systems
Interdependent structures or systems that support the language foundation necessary for reading
, Orthographic Mapping
The process of matching letters and letter sequences with sounds in a word, and storing those words
for future use; necessary for spelling, pronouncing words correctly, and developing sight words and
vocabulary.
Frontal Lobe
Area of the brain that 1) supports phonological processing system (enables us to pronounce and
articulate words); 2) controls planning and decision making
Temporal Lobe
Area of the brain that 1) supports phonological processing (processes sound and connects
printed letters to sounds); 2) connects spoken words with meaning
Occipital Lobe
Area of the brain responsible for 1) recognizing print, punctuation, diacritical marks, or spaces in print;
2) houses the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA) - "Brain's Letterbox".
Planum Temporale
Area of the brain where phonological and orthographic processing systems meet; connects phonemes
(sounds) with graphemes (printed letters).
Visual Word-Form Area/Brain's Letterbox
A small area of the brain that visually processes print (the curves, squiggles, and lines that are
combined into letter shapes)
Four-Part Processing Model for Word Recognition
A four-part process that explains how children recognize words
Lexicon
The brain's dictionary of word meanings
Phonological Processing System
Supports perception, memory, and production of sounds in language
Orthographic Processing System
Perceives and processes print
Semantic Processing System
Connects words with their meaning
Context Processing System
Interacts with and supports the meaning processor; provides a frame of reference to interpret the
meanings of words.
Grapheme
and Answers
Culturally Responsive Instructional Practices
This refers to practices that recognize and incorporate the assets and strengths all students bring to
the classroom and ensure that learning experiences are relevant to all students.
Assets-Based Teaching Approach
This refers to viewing diversity of thought, culture, and traits as a positive asset as students are valued
for what they bring to the classroom rather than being characterized by what they are lacking.
Phonemes
The specific units of sounds in a language that distinguish one word from another (e.g., "b" and "t"
in "bat" and "tab")
Morphemes
The smallest unit of meaning in a language (e.g., "ed" changes a word to past tense)
Decoding
The ability to use letter-sound relationships to correctly sound-out and pronounce written words.
Discourse
Written or spoken communication or debate (e.g., talk and conversation)
Language Demands
The tools (vocabulary, syntax, discourse) students use to participate in the content they are learning
Deep Orthography
This phrase refers to a spelling system that is more difficult to decode because there is not a direct
correlation between the letters and sounds in the language.
Shallow Orthography
This phrase refers to a spelling system that is easier to decode because there is a direct correlation
between. the letters and sounds in the language.
Emergent Literacy
The term used to explain a child's knowledge of reading and writing skills before they learn to read
and write (e.g., recognizing a stop sign, cereal box).
Phonological Awareness
the ability to hear and manipulate all units of sound including words, syllables, onset, rimes, and
phonemes in spoken language.
Pragmatics
The practical rules that guide our use of language in social contexts
,Morphology
the study of the structure of words and how meaningful units are combined in text (e.g., prefixes,
suffixes, root words).
Transitional Bilingual Education
A program in which two languages are used to provide content instruction. Over time, use of the
native language is decreased and use of English is increased until only English is used for instruction.
Sheltered Instruction
An approach to teaching English language learners that integrates language and content instruction.
BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills)
Development of fluency in conversations - social language
CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency)
Development of content and subject area language.
Comprehensible Input
The part of a language that is understood by listeners when learning a second language
Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning
Acquiring language through subconscious processes vs. learning a language through direct instruction.
Receptive Language
The ability to understand words and language
Phonology
The study of sounds, their patterns and meanings and the way they combine to form words and
language.
Semantics
The study of meaning in words, phrases, sentences, or text
Repetition and Practice
A teaching strategy that helps bring skill knowledge from conscious to subconscious.
Oral Language Rehearsal
A strategy that gives students the opportunity to 'write aloud' before they begin a written language
assignment; provides time for them to rehearse how written forms differ from spoken forms
Language Systems
Interdependent structures or systems that support the language foundation necessary for reading
, Orthographic Mapping
The process of matching letters and letter sequences with sounds in a word, and storing those words
for future use; necessary for spelling, pronouncing words correctly, and developing sight words and
vocabulary.
Frontal Lobe
Area of the brain that 1) supports phonological processing system (enables us to pronounce and
articulate words); 2) controls planning and decision making
Temporal Lobe
Area of the brain that 1) supports phonological processing (processes sound and connects
printed letters to sounds); 2) connects spoken words with meaning
Occipital Lobe
Area of the brain responsible for 1) recognizing print, punctuation, diacritical marks, or spaces in print;
2) houses the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA) - "Brain's Letterbox".
Planum Temporale
Area of the brain where phonological and orthographic processing systems meet; connects phonemes
(sounds) with graphemes (printed letters).
Visual Word-Form Area/Brain's Letterbox
A small area of the brain that visually processes print (the curves, squiggles, and lines that are
combined into letter shapes)
Four-Part Processing Model for Word Recognition
A four-part process that explains how children recognize words
Lexicon
The brain's dictionary of word meanings
Phonological Processing System
Supports perception, memory, and production of sounds in language
Orthographic Processing System
Perceives and processes print
Semantic Processing System
Connects words with their meaning
Context Processing System
Interacts with and supports the meaning processor; provides a frame of reference to interpret the
meanings of words.
Grapheme
