ESL CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (A+)
Lau vs. Nichols - ANSWER- 1974- The US Supreme Court decision which found the
San Francisco Board of Education failing in the duty of providing equal access to
education of Chinese speaking students. This decision mandates that states address
the unique language needs of the second language learner. Must take steps needed to
provide EL's with an instructional program and be given equal access.
Castaneda vs. Pickard - ANSWER- A 1978 case establishing that effectiveness of an
ESL program must be evaluated after a trial period, must be based on sound
educational theory, and must have resources necessary. Three prongs
What are the three Prongs for Castaneda vs. Pickard - ANSWER- 1. Based on sound
educational research
2. Implemented with adequate commitment and resources
3. Evaluated and proven to be effective.
Grammatical Approach - ANSWER- Deductive- Part to whole- Classical Greek and
Latin Instruction
Communicative approach - ANSWER- Inductive Whole to part- 1960's - 1970's
constructivism and social interaction
Cognitive Approach - ANSWER- Inductive Whole to part- 1980's-1990's researching on
learning functions memory and cognitive
Behaviorism - ANSWER- Environment shapes behavior: knowing language but not how
to use the language
Sheltered Instruction - ANSWER- Grade-level content-area instruction provided in
English in a manner that makes it comprehensible to ELLs while supporting their
English language development.
Formative Assessment - ANSWER- Takes place during learning and is used to plan or
modify instruction
Summative Assessment - ANSWER- testing that follows instruction and assesses
achievement
To best support and encourage students' ongoing interaction with literature, it would be
most effective for the teacher to?
A- Help students learn how to select books that are likely to be comprehensible and of
interest to them.
,B-Encourage students occasionally to read literature independently without talking or
writing about it.
C- monitor the reader response groups and journals and correct students
misconceptions about the books.
D. Make presentations to students about standards guidelines for literacy evaluation
and criticism. - ANSWER- A- Help Students learn how to select books that are likely to
be comprehensible and of interest to them.
Which of the following is most important for effective second-language acquisition?
A- Engaging in social activities and meaningful interactions
B-Memorizing and practicing frequently used words and phrases
C- Interacting primarily with the teacher and other adults
D- Learning with various structured and rote activities - ANSWER- A- Engaging in social
activities and meaningful interactions.
Which of the following statements is primarily true about the relationship between a
students first- and second language acquisition.
A- Cognitive development in L1 should be discontinued through the elementary years in
order to achieve cognitive and academic success in L2
B Cognitive development in L1 should be limited through elementary years in order to
achieve cognitive and academic success in L2.
C- Students who receive formal schooling in L1 do better at acquiring L2 than students
with no schooling in L1
D. Students who receive formal schooling in L1 do worse at acquiring L2 than students
with no schooling in L1. - ANSWER- C- students who receive formal schooling in L1 do
better at acquiring L2 than student with no schooling in L1.
It is most important for a teacher who provides content instruction to ESL students to do
which of the following.
A- Expect the ESL students to remain academically behind their peers.
B- Discourage ESL students from using nonstandard English
C- Provide lower-level content instructional materials to the ESL students
D- Incorporate content materials that are culturally relevant to the ESL students. -
ANSWER- D- Incorporate content materials that are culturally relevant to the ESL
students.
Hanh, a Vietnamese student, has been in the United Stated for eighteen months. She is
progressing in her schoolwork, but she rarely speaks to her classmates or teachers.
Which of the following is the best action for the teacher to take to help increase Hanh's
oral proficiency in English?
A- Partnering Hanh with an English- speaking peer during oral discussion and
presentations
B- Incorporating daily lessons on social interactions that include role- playing
C- Providing Hanh with a list of common phrases in English for her to memorize and
practice.
, D. Providing individual social lessons for Hanh to practice speaking until she is
comfortable. - ANSWER- B- Incorporating daily lessons on social interactions that
include role- playing
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the transfer of literacy
knowledge and skills from L1 to L2
A- Literacy instruction should be confined to L1 to prevent negative transfer between L1
and L2
B- Literacy instruction should be confined to l2 to prevent negative transfer between l1
and l2
C- Literacy experiences developed in L1 with native language scaffolding have a
positive impact on literacy development in L2.
D- Literacy experience developed in L1 through home reading activities have a negative
impact on literacy development in L2. - ANSWER- C- Literacy experiences developed in
L1 with native language scaffolding have a positive impact on literacy development in
L2.
Which of the following is the best strategy to help ELLs when having phonetic
struggles?
A- Presenting small group lessons on digraphs, consonant blends, and vowel sounds.
B. Focusing on context clues and word structure analysis during read-alouds
C- Integrating actitivites with high-frequency words into learning centers
D- Modeling think-aloud strategies during guided reading. - ANSWER- A- Presenting
small group lessons on digraphs, consonant blends, and vowel sounds.
An ESL teacher wants to use graphic organizers to help ELLS understand expository
texts. Which Four of the following graphic organizers are best to use for this purpose?
A- Venn diagram
B- Time Line
C- Thinking map
D-Word web
E- Word Webb - ANSWER- A- Venn diagram
B- Time Line
C- Thinking map
E- Word Webb
An ESL teacher finds it difficult to set aside time to observe the specific academic
language proficieny of the ELLS in the classroom. therefore, the teacher makes notes
on ells progress as it is observed during the natural course of the school day. The
teacher is primarily using
A- an anecdotal log
B- a formal assessment
C-A performance-based assessment
D- A portfolio - ANSWER- A- an anecdotal log
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (A+)
Lau vs. Nichols - ANSWER- 1974- The US Supreme Court decision which found the
San Francisco Board of Education failing in the duty of providing equal access to
education of Chinese speaking students. This decision mandates that states address
the unique language needs of the second language learner. Must take steps needed to
provide EL's with an instructional program and be given equal access.
Castaneda vs. Pickard - ANSWER- A 1978 case establishing that effectiveness of an
ESL program must be evaluated after a trial period, must be based on sound
educational theory, and must have resources necessary. Three prongs
What are the three Prongs for Castaneda vs. Pickard - ANSWER- 1. Based on sound
educational research
2. Implemented with adequate commitment and resources
3. Evaluated and proven to be effective.
Grammatical Approach - ANSWER- Deductive- Part to whole- Classical Greek and
Latin Instruction
Communicative approach - ANSWER- Inductive Whole to part- 1960's - 1970's
constructivism and social interaction
Cognitive Approach - ANSWER- Inductive Whole to part- 1980's-1990's researching on
learning functions memory and cognitive
Behaviorism - ANSWER- Environment shapes behavior: knowing language but not how
to use the language
Sheltered Instruction - ANSWER- Grade-level content-area instruction provided in
English in a manner that makes it comprehensible to ELLs while supporting their
English language development.
Formative Assessment - ANSWER- Takes place during learning and is used to plan or
modify instruction
Summative Assessment - ANSWER- testing that follows instruction and assesses
achievement
To best support and encourage students' ongoing interaction with literature, it would be
most effective for the teacher to?
A- Help students learn how to select books that are likely to be comprehensible and of
interest to them.
,B-Encourage students occasionally to read literature independently without talking or
writing about it.
C- monitor the reader response groups and journals and correct students
misconceptions about the books.
D. Make presentations to students about standards guidelines for literacy evaluation
and criticism. - ANSWER- A- Help Students learn how to select books that are likely to
be comprehensible and of interest to them.
Which of the following is most important for effective second-language acquisition?
A- Engaging in social activities and meaningful interactions
B-Memorizing and practicing frequently used words and phrases
C- Interacting primarily with the teacher and other adults
D- Learning with various structured and rote activities - ANSWER- A- Engaging in social
activities and meaningful interactions.
Which of the following statements is primarily true about the relationship between a
students first- and second language acquisition.
A- Cognitive development in L1 should be discontinued through the elementary years in
order to achieve cognitive and academic success in L2
B Cognitive development in L1 should be limited through elementary years in order to
achieve cognitive and academic success in L2.
C- Students who receive formal schooling in L1 do better at acquiring L2 than students
with no schooling in L1
D. Students who receive formal schooling in L1 do worse at acquiring L2 than students
with no schooling in L1. - ANSWER- C- students who receive formal schooling in L1 do
better at acquiring L2 than student with no schooling in L1.
It is most important for a teacher who provides content instruction to ESL students to do
which of the following.
A- Expect the ESL students to remain academically behind their peers.
B- Discourage ESL students from using nonstandard English
C- Provide lower-level content instructional materials to the ESL students
D- Incorporate content materials that are culturally relevant to the ESL students. -
ANSWER- D- Incorporate content materials that are culturally relevant to the ESL
students.
Hanh, a Vietnamese student, has been in the United Stated for eighteen months. She is
progressing in her schoolwork, but she rarely speaks to her classmates or teachers.
Which of the following is the best action for the teacher to take to help increase Hanh's
oral proficiency in English?
A- Partnering Hanh with an English- speaking peer during oral discussion and
presentations
B- Incorporating daily lessons on social interactions that include role- playing
C- Providing Hanh with a list of common phrases in English for her to memorize and
practice.
, D. Providing individual social lessons for Hanh to practice speaking until she is
comfortable. - ANSWER- B- Incorporating daily lessons on social interactions that
include role- playing
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the transfer of literacy
knowledge and skills from L1 to L2
A- Literacy instruction should be confined to L1 to prevent negative transfer between L1
and L2
B- Literacy instruction should be confined to l2 to prevent negative transfer between l1
and l2
C- Literacy experiences developed in L1 with native language scaffolding have a
positive impact on literacy development in L2.
D- Literacy experience developed in L1 through home reading activities have a negative
impact on literacy development in L2. - ANSWER- C- Literacy experiences developed in
L1 with native language scaffolding have a positive impact on literacy development in
L2.
Which of the following is the best strategy to help ELLs when having phonetic
struggles?
A- Presenting small group lessons on digraphs, consonant blends, and vowel sounds.
B. Focusing on context clues and word structure analysis during read-alouds
C- Integrating actitivites with high-frequency words into learning centers
D- Modeling think-aloud strategies during guided reading. - ANSWER- A- Presenting
small group lessons on digraphs, consonant blends, and vowel sounds.
An ESL teacher wants to use graphic organizers to help ELLS understand expository
texts. Which Four of the following graphic organizers are best to use for this purpose?
A- Venn diagram
B- Time Line
C- Thinking map
D-Word web
E- Word Webb - ANSWER- A- Venn diagram
B- Time Line
C- Thinking map
E- Word Webb
An ESL teacher finds it difficult to set aside time to observe the specific academic
language proficieny of the ELLS in the classroom. therefore, the teacher makes notes
on ells progress as it is observed during the natural course of the school day. The
teacher is primarily using
A- an anecdotal log
B- a formal assessment
C-A performance-based assessment
D- A portfolio - ANSWER- A- an anecdotal log
