1

LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS (LET)Refresher Course

A reading teacher-

Goes through an active, purposeful, organized cognitive process that is used to make sense of the world, such process being improved by doing the following:

A. Becoming aware of one’s thinking processB. Carefully examining one’s thinking process and the thinking process of others C. Practicing one’s thinking abilities

To think critically a reading teacher -

must carefully examine his/her thinking and the thinking of others, in order to clarify and improve own understanding

should examine and test suggested solutions to see whether they will work

need to test ideas for flaws or defects and must not be inhibited by fear of being aggressive and destructive, nor have fear of retaliation, and over-evaluation

should engage in critical thinking activities such as thinking actively, carefully exploring situations with questions, thinking for oneself, viewing situations from different perspectives, and discussing ideas in organized ways

Critical thinking is -

from the Greek word for critic (kritikos), which means to question, to make sense of, to be able to analyze.

not simply one way of thinking; it is a total approach to understanding how we make sense of a world that includes many parts.

WHAT TO EXPECT

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Area: Developmental Reading

LET Competencies:

Use activities that enhance critical, creative, and metacognitive reading skills.

Analyze extrinsic and intrinsic factors that affect reading performance

PART I – CONTENT UPDATE

2

Critical thinkers are - Skeptical (Just because it’s in print doesn’t mean it is right) Fact-oriented (Give me the facts and convince me that they are the

relevant ones) Analytic (How has the work been organized? What strategies has the

writer used?) Open-minded ( Beprepared to listen to different points of view; do not be

restricted by personal biases)

Questioning (What other conclusions could be supported by the evidence?)

Creative ( What are some entirely different ways of looking at the problem or issue?)

Willing to take a stand (Is the argument convincing? What is my position on the issue?)

Those who show the ability to separate fact from opinion; recognizes propaganda techniques, compares different sources of information; recognizes important missing information; draws inferences that are not explicitly stated, and identifies the author’s background and purpose

To think creatively, a reading teacher must -

use his/her cognitive processes to develop ideas that are unique, useful, and worthy of further elaboration

discover a new or improved solution to a problem, or a set of new ideas

organize ideas in different ways, and make unusual comparisons

not be inhibited by conformity, censorship, rigid education, and desire to find an answer quickly

A reading teacher practices metacognitive skills by -

being aware of one’s mental processes such that one can monitor, regulate, and direct them to a desired end

having the ability to think about and control own learning

practicing self-regulation and monitoring comprehension by answering the following questions:

1. Are there any words I don’t understand?

2. Is there any information that doesn’t agree with what I already know?

3. Are there any ideas that do not fit together because I can’t tell who or what is being talked about?

4. Are there any ideas that do not fit together because I can’t tell how the ideas are related?5. Are there any ideas that don’t fit together because I think the ideas are contradictory?

6. Is there any information missing or not clearly explained?

3

A reading teacher has to be familiar with -

The constructivist’s view of comprehension

Comprehension is the act of making sense or constructing meaning of the text. Writers begin with texts-in-the-head and prepare, to the best of their linguistic and rhetorical competence, printed texts, which readers (with the help of their own linguistic and rhetorical competence) use as blueprints to construct their own meaning. However, the readers’ prior knowledge, particularly of word meanings, greatly affects the comprehension of texts.

Factors that affect comprehension

1. what the reader brings to the reading situation (developmental stages)

background experience knowledge of subject vocabulary purpose motivation

2. the characteristics of the written text (print material) content format readability concepts organization author’s purpose

3. the learning context that defines the task and the purpose of the reader (reading situation)

setting task environment outcome

4. the strategies consciously applied by the reader to obtain meaning

Strategy is a systematic plan, consciously adapted and monitored, to improve

one’s performance in learning (Harris and Hodges, 1995)

Major comprehension strategies

The preparational strategies

1. previewing2. activating prior knowledge3. setting purpose and goals4. predicting

The organizational strategies

1. comprehending the main idea2. determining important details3. organizing details4. sequencing5. following directions6. summarizing

The elaboration strategies 1. making inferences2. imaging

4

3. generating questions4. evaluating (critical reading)

The metacognitive strategies 1. regulating2. checking3. repairing

The three main groups of reading theories

1. Bottom-up – depicts reading starting with the input of some graphic signals or stimulus. The role of the reader is to get meaning from the text based on the stimulus or the words used. This is also called data-driven processing.

2. Top-down – depicts reading beginning with the cognitive processes occurring in the reader’s mind as he or she reads. The role of the reader is to give meaning to the text based on the information already held within the reader’s store of prior knowledge. This is also called concept-driven processing.

3. Interactive – depicts reading as the process of constructing meaning through the dynamic interaction among the reader’s existing knowledge, the information suggested by the written language, and the context of the reading situation.

Stages of reading development(Importance: to provide greater understanding of the reading process as well as to have a sense of the scope of reading instruction )

Stage One. Emergent Literacy (Birth to Five Years)

learn primarily through direct sensory contact and physical manipulation perception-

based conclusions experience difficulty putting experiences into words rapid language growth explore writing in the form of scribbles, letter-like forms, or invented spelling egocentric love being read to and cannot hear their favorite tales often enough have poorly developed concept of causation like the elements of rhyme, repetition, and alliteration

Stage 2. Early Reading (Kindergarten and First Grade)

manipulate objects and ideas mentally can reason logically have difficulty comprehending underlying principles have evolving grasp of the alphabetic principle

Stage Three. Growing Independence (Grades Two and Three)

develop evolving fluency extensive reading of both fiction and nonfiction become more appreciative of stories involving the lives of others judge their reading affectively and personally rather than by using standards may have difficulty explaining why they like a selection

Stage Four. Reading to Learn (Grades Four through Six)

wide application of word-attack and comprehension skills much greater emphasis is placed on grasping informational text vocabulary and conceptual load increase significantly words in listening vocabulary increase

5

Step 5. Abstract Reading (Grades Seven and Up)

can construct multiple hypotheses become more elaborate in evaluation of readings and reflect an evolving set of standards for judging

Factors that Help Emergent Literacy Learners’ Reading Development

Background of experiences – exposure to various experiences, opportunities (oral

expression, listening, writing) and materials

Language facility – opportunities for oral expression (conversation, discussion, oral

reports, storytelling, drama, etc.), listening, writing

Interest in reading – oral reading, free silent reading, recreational reading, close

reading/study of literature, book clubs, paperbacks, magazines, and newspapers, poetry reading, poetry collections, etc.

Social and emotional development – individual and group communication and

participation; experiences structured so the child feels accepted and secure and develops desirable attitudes toward himself and others (Language is a prime catalyst in social and emotional development).

Physical development – other than good general health, vision and hearing acuity are most important. Auditory discrimination of speech sounds suggests ideas like rhyming words and initial sounds in words. The child’s need to make fine visual discrimination is obvious, suggesting early activities with forms and shapes, and letter recognition, words beginning or ending alike, etc.

Intelligence – data attest to the importance of mental age, but do not establish a particular point on the mental age, but do not establish a particular point on the mental age-continuum as the point below which children will not achieve success in reading. Prereading activities, socioeconomic factors, teachers, methods, and materials must be considered in each individual situation.

Beginning Reading

1. Who are beginning readers?

Kinder to grade 1 (Gunning, 2003) Anyone who have not been taught the conventional reading (Savage, 1994) A person learning to read in the second language (Folse, 1996)

What are their characteristics?

problem solvers needing plenty of opportunities for choice

6

motivated through novelty retaining information better if given a chance to master a few things well needing TIME for learning bringing more than an empty shell to school

2. When is the right time to teach beginning reading?

A child is never totally ready or unready to read. When learners have achieved unity of their capabilities, abilities with their

interests (Hittleman, 1978)3. Appropriate approach in teaching beginning reading

"Balanced Reading Instruction in Practice"

Start with whole text. Grounding instruction in whole texts provides the basis for meaningful literacy activities. Examples include the shared reading of poems or stories using big books or charts. An active demonstration of the teacher's own composing and spelling processes s extremely powerful, as he or she models at the chalkboard, thinking aloud about what word will come next or how a word is spelled. Focus on knowledge about the parts of language that may be useful for reading and writing. Responding to all texts only at the holistic level is not enough. Instruction should include a planned, systematic effort to highlight specific textual features and literary devices as a variety of materials are read, written, and discussed over time. Highlighting specific textual features helps children form generalizations about language that they can apply to their own independent efforts to read and write. Return to whole texts for application and practice. Planned opportunities to apply what has been learned about the parts of language allow students to move from simply knowing about a generalization to using that knowledge in a purposeful way. This also acknowledges the fact that isolated language elements behave differently depending on context. For example, the letter s behaves differently when paired with t as opposed to h. Words such as lead or wind not only mean different things in different contexts, they may be pronounced differently. Effective beginning readers use word meaning and sentence structure, along with sound-letter relationships, to approach unknown words.

The Four-Pronged Approach ( a literature-based integrated approach to teaching beginning reading)

1. The goal of this approach is the development of:

a genuine love for, habit and enjoyment of reading critical thinking skills, starting with noting the important details of a

selection, making interpretations, making judgments and valuing. oral language and using the grammatical structures correctly. decoding and encoding skills

2. Characteristics :

It is literature-based - uses a story or a poem (aside from a springboard for the other skills) for developing genuine love for reading.

7

It integrates literature and skills

It is a balanced approach – uses whole language approach and explicit instruction

It is made up of four components:o Genuine Love for Reading (GLR) o Critical Thinking (CT) o Grammar and Oral Language Development (GOLD): has the following

parts: Presentation lesson or introduction - uses the story as a springboard Teacher Modeling or Direct Instruction Guided Practice Individual Practice

o Transfer Stage (TS)

How can teachers help improve comprehension?

assess prior knowledge and help them relate it to new ideas in the texts teach words in the texts that label schemata important to the writer’s

message help students sharpen cognitive skills they may need to comprehend the

texts show students the way writers organize printed texts to help them “read the

blueprints” more accurately

WHAT ARE EFFECTIVE COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES?

Before Reading – activities that can activate students’ prior knowledge, while

extending, refining, and sometimes building the schemata

1. Overview- a strategy in which teachers tell students about the selection or assignment prior to reading, serves to activate relevant schemata that students hold in long-term memory and often enrich and refine those schemata. Advance organizers and structured overviews are examples of this strategy.

2. Vocabulary Preview- a strategy that starts from identifying and selecting words that may cause problems, then proceeds to explaining in advance these unfamiliar words to students. Teaching problem words provides “anchors for new information”, provides opportunities to relate unfamiliar concepts to familiar ones, and is one aspect of developing the general background knowledge necessary for comprehension.

3. Structural Organizer- a strategy that teaches students to focus attention on the ways passages are organized. Before students read an assignment, teachers should point out the basic rhetorical frameworks underlying the discourse (enumeration, time order, cause-effect, problem-solution, comparison-contrast), call attention to specific plans of paragraph organization, signal words, main idea sentences, headings, and subtitles.

4. Student-Centered Study Strategies - PQRST, Triple S Technique, OK5R, PQ4R, S4R, PQ5R are some strategies that provide for previewing, student-centered questions, and establishment of purpose, as well as during- and post-reading activities.

5. Teacher-Directed Lesson Frameworks- Directed Reading Activity (DRA), Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA), Guided Reading Procedure, Reciprocal Questioning (ReQuest) are examples of strategies that give

8

teachers a plan on which they can build lessons while some give students strategies for approaching the texts.

While or During Reading - activities that can guide reader-text interactions, while reading is taking place

Question AnsweringInserted QuestionsImmediate Oral FeedbackTime Lines and ChartsListing main IdeasOutliningParaphrasingSummarizing

After or Post Reading- activities that help students remember new ideas and information, while providing teachers with feedback on how well texts have been understood

1. Follow-up pre- and during-reading activities2. Have students talk about what they read3. Have students write about what they read4. Have students make up tests on their reading5. Encourage students to respond to reading “creatively”

Teaching Guidelines

1. Show students what to do before they begin to read in order to improve their comprehension.

2. Plan activities to promote active involvement with texts while students read.3. Help students sharpen, develop and remember their interpretations of a text

with appropriate after-reading activities.4. Take steps to help students internalize instructional strategies so that they

become for them learning strategies.

Steps in Applying Selected Strategies

a. Vocabulary Previews

1. Check the assignment and list words that may be important for students to understand.2. Arrange these in a schema that shows the interrelationships particular to the learning tasks.3. Add to this schema words students probably already understand in order to highlight relationships between the new and the known.4. Double-check the overview to make sure that major ideas are clearly shown and in a way that students will understand.5. Share the structured overview with students, telling them why words were placed where they were and asking them to contribute other words.6. As students read, have them relate other new words and information to the graphic overview.

b. DRTA1. The teacher has students survey an assignment using titles, headings, and pictures to get a general idea of what the author is discussing. The teacher regularly asks,

9

“what do you think this section will be about? Why?”2. The students read up to a point predetermined by the teacher.3. The teacher asks similar questions but posed to reflect the reading; that is, “what was it about? were you correct? why did you predict incorrectly?”4. The group then reads on to the next stopping point, once again reading to find answers to their questions.5. The process continues until the completion of the assignment.

c. Guided Reading Procedure

1. Prepare students by explaining important concept, building appropriate background knowledge, and providing directions for the actual reading.2. Students read, trying to remember all they can.3. Students turn their books over on their desks and repeat all they can remember while the teacher records this on the board.4. The teacher calls attention to information not remembered and suggests that students reread to discover more.5. Students reread.6. Their new recollections are now recorded on the board but now in outline form.7. The teacher asks more questions to help students recall more from their reading and tries to synthesize the new information with the information obtained by the first reading.8. Immediate feedback is given to students through a quiz.

d. Request

1. Teacher and students read together a section of the text, usually the first sentence.2. The teacher closes the book and invites questions from the group.3. Next the students close their books, and the teacher asks them questions about what they have read.4. When the teacher believes that students understand that much of the text, the next section is read and steps 1 and 2 are repeated.5. Once students become familiar with ReQuest and with the text, the teacher incorporates predictions (as in DRTA).6. The group now reads the remaining sections.7. The teacher checks out the predictions: “Were your guesses right? Where do you think you went wrong?”

e. Encouraging Students to Talk About What They Read

1. Have students pretend to be television reporters who must sum up a “story” in two minutes. After allowing few minutes for preparation, they can have individuals tell the central idea to the group.2. Students can be encouraged to explain what an in-class reading was all about to another student absent the day it was read.3. Teachers can ask, “What do you think are the (four) main important ideas of this

10

text?”4. Students can be asked to use the “5W’s plus H” model for some selections.

Other Strategies in Reading in the Content Areas

1. Clink and Clunk

Click and Clunk is an excellent means to assess what information the students have learned and what information needs to be covered in more depth. This strategy helps students recognize the information they do not understand, and assists them in getting the information they need. It motivates students as they attempt to increase the information they understand (“clinks”) and decrease what they do not understand (“clunks”).

Procedure

Have students create two columns on their paper and label them “Clink” and “Clunk.” Next, have the students read a passage, then list what they really understand (Clink) and what they do not understand (Clunk). As a group, discuss the “Clunks” and try to clarify the information. This can be done through direct teacher instruction or by allowing students who understand the issue to explain it to the class.

Assessment

After covering the material, discuss the Clink-Clunk list again to see if all the “Clunk” items can be moved to “Clink.” Those terms in the “Clunk” column that are clearly understood can be moved to the “Clink” column and any terms remaining in the “Clunk” column should be explained further.

2. Circle-Seat-Center

This strategy allows students to work in small peer groups and go over all the information the teacher would like to cover. The strategy is an excellent way to reinforce information in a variety of ways: The Circle group focuses on verbal learning, the Seat group focuses on visual learning, and the Center group focuses on tactile learning. This also allows students who learn through different modalities the opportunity to learn through their strength.

Procedure

First, instruct students to read the text. Following this, divide the class into three groups based on instructional needs. Give each group an assignment: Circle, Seat, or Center. The Circle group covers information in the text with your assistance. The Seat group members work individually or within their group to go over the text information using worksheets and study sheets. The Center groups works on projects, individually or in the group, related to the information

Language ArtsTopic: Parts of Speech

Clink Clunknouns adverbsverbs prepositionsadjectives interjections

Social StudiesTopic: Roman Republic

Clink Clunkdictator plebeianrepublic patricianveto consul

Science

Clink ClunkConcentrated saturatedMatter diluted

colloid

MathTopic: Equations and Inequalities

Clink Clunksolving equations polynomialsoperations function notation

11

covered in the text. After a designated amount of time, students rotate to another group.

Assessment

Use teacher observation of information covered during discussion, correct answers on worksheets, and evaluate of information covered in projects to determine students’ level of comprehension.

Jigsaw

Jigsaw allows students to work with their peers and to learn information from one another. This strategy allows for all members of the class to receive information about an entire section in a text. It is a collaborative strategy that ensures the participation of all students.

Procedure

First, group three to six students in teams. Give each team member a topic on which to become an “expert.” The teams then split up and find the students from the other teams who are working on their topic. After working in the topic groups, students return to their teams and present the information they gained.

Assessment

Determine students’ level of comprehension by the correct number of responses in a quiz or through discussion of information presented by each team.

4. Partner Prediction

This strategy gives students the opportunity to work with their peers and make predictions about as story or section. Because students are sharing their ideas with a partner, more students will be able to discuss prediction and they will not feel self-conscious about speaking in from of the entire class. If a student is having difficulties with prediction, partner him or her with someone who is able to do it, and he or she will have the opportunity to see how the process is done.

Language ArtsTopic: Parts of SpeechCircle: Discussion and clarify the topic for students.Seat: Students work identifying the parts of speech using worksheets or skills sheets.Center: Students create cards to be used in a game.

Social StudiesTopic: Fall of RomeCircle: Discuss text, including reasons for the fall of Rome.Seat: Respond to questions and do worksheets.

ScienceTopic: Matter in SolutionCircle: Discuss the types of solutions.Seat: Complete worksheets or respond to questions at end of section.Center: Create charts to classify types of solutions.

Language ArtsWhen reviewing a specific story, assign team members with a component such as character, plot, setting, problem, or

ScienceGive each member of a group a topic such as acids, bases, and salts.

Social StudiesWhen studying the five themes of geography, assign each member of a team one of the topics: location, place, human-

MathUse as review. After studying fractions, divide into groups and assign each member a topic such as adding, subtracting,

12

Procedure

First, identify places in the text to stop and predict what might happen next. Then read the title and first portion aloud and ask what students think the story will be about. Students should be seated next to partners so they can share their ideas with each other. This process is repeated throughout the reading. When the end of the selection is near, stop and ask how students think it will end.

Assessment

Through teacher observation and discussion, determine accuracy of student predictions. Monitor the involvement of individual, students during the paired retelling. Discussion can be used to determine students’ level of comprehension by assessing their responses after reading. Encourage responses from students who appear off task. Students should correctly respond to 80% of the questions during a discussion. Change partners to increase accuracy if necessary.

5. Reciprocal Teaching

This strategy allows students to begin to work together and to “teach” each other as they take over the discussion.

Procedure

Begin by dividing the class into small groups. Each group should then read and discuss a short section from the text. After all the groups have completed this, bring the entire class together and discuss the information that was covered. Start by leading the discussion, then gradually decrease your input and allow student input to increase. Encourage the participation of all students.

Assessment

Language Arts Topic: “Cats on the Run”Students discuss what this story may be about. As reading begins, students discuss what might happen in the story.

Social StudiesTopic: “Cats on the Run”Students discuss what this story may be about. As reading begins, students discuss what might happen in the story.

ScienceTopic: PlantsStudents discuss what they know. Reading covers types of trees and flowers. Students discuss how to tell the difference and which ones they have seen, and they discuss what else might be covered in the text

Language ArtsTopic: Short Section of a StoryAsk the following questions: Why did the main character react as he or she did? What is the importance of the setting

Social StudiesTopic: Earth’s Human GeographyAsk the following questions: Where do people live? Why do they migrate? What problems will the growing population

ScienceGo over types of matter, or ask, What is an ecosystem?

13

Use discussion, quizzes, and observation to determine if material is understood. Observation should include monitoring the involvement of individual students and their responses. Discussion can be used to determine students’ levels of comprehension by assessing their responses after reading. Encourage responses from students who appear off task. Students should correctly respond to 80% of the question during a discussion or given on a quiz. Encourage students to assist one another.

6. Think-Pair-Share/Think-Pair-Square

This is a partner or group activity that allows students to work together to check for comprehension.

Procedure

After reading a story or section of text, students should think of things they already know, decide what the reading reminds them of, and determine what might happen next. Students then “Pair and Share” (two students) or “Pair and Square” (four students) and discuss the things they have thought about.

Assessment

Use discussion, quizzes, or tests during or following the activity. Discussion can be used to determine students’ level of comprehension by assessing their responses after reading. Encourage responses from students who appear off task. Students should correctly respond to 80% of the questions during a discussion or given on a quiz or test.

PART II – ANALYZING TEST ITEMS

Language ArtsAfter covering a short story or selection, discuss character, plot, motivation, setting, and resolution.

ScienceAfter covering animal habitats, discuss what animals need to survive and how different animals adapt.

Social StudiesAfter covering South America, discuss people, culture, religion, land, climate, and resources.

MathAfter reading a word problem determine what is being asked, what information is given, and what mathematical

14

Exercise: Read critically as you compare the pair of sentences marked A and B given below. Then answer the questions that follow. Write only the letter of the best answer.

A. I saw Johnny slink out of the yard hiding something behind his back.B. I saw Johnny walk out of the yard with the bike tire.

1. The speaker in sentence A is probablyA. Suspicious of JohnnyB. Angry at JohnnyC. Afraid of JohnnyD. Happy with Johnny

This is a question on inferring the speaker’s feeling. Remember that one’s feeling about people and situation can be revealed through the words used to express it. Notice in sentence A the words slink out and hiding something as opposed to walk out in sentence B. The feeling evoked by the words in A is not positive, but negative. Looking at the choices, only choice D contains positive feeling, so this is not what you are looking for; this is a distracter. If you compare choices A to C, you will realize that they are negative words, but the clue word hiding something will lead you to select A – suspicious of Johnny. This is because when you say hiding something, you feel something is kept as secret, and this makes you feel suspicious first, not angry or afraid.

A. After Congressman Jones wasted as much time as he could, he stumbled through his speech.B. After Congressman Jones weighed every aspect of the important controversy, he rendered his momentous decision.

2. The speaker in sentence A views Congressman Jones’ speech asA. uninformative and boringB. sarcastic and ironicC. short and directD. well-delivered

This is a question on noting the speaker’s point of view in sentence A, which is revealed through the choice of words such as wasted as much time and stumbled. Sentence B, on the other hand, described the same speech with the phrases weighed… important controversy, and … momentous decision. Choices B and C are incorrect because there is no clue from the text that will tell there is irony and sarcasm. Neither is there any indication that it is short and direct. Since the clues tell negative comments about the speech, choice D is not the right answer. It is choice A that shows the point of view of the speaker about the speech – uninformative and boring.

A. Harry (“Killer”) Smith, the notorious gambler, was questioned by the police about a gangland slaying.B. Mr. Harold Smith, well-known in local racing circles, was asked by the authorities to comment about the recent events in the city.

3. The speaker in sentence B is trying to A. save Harry Smith’s reputationB. destroy Harry Smith’s credibilityC. project a positive image of Harry SmithD. recall events that make Harry Smith famous

This is a question on identifying the speaker’s purpose. Take note of the words killer, notorious gambler, and gangland slaying in sentence A, and the words/phrase well-

15

known in local racing circles, authorities, and recent events. Since the question is focused on sentence B, one can see that the clues are all good comments about Harry. So choice B is a distracter – it contains a negative thought of Harry. Choice D is partially correct, but one does not write just for the purpose of recalling events in this context. Choice A may also be correct, but it can just be a result of choice C – a projection of positive image. Perhaps it would save, perhaps it would not save his reputation. One cannot be sure which might happen between the two. But one can be certain that the purpose of the writer is C – to project good image of Harry.

Read the selection and answer the questions that follow. Encircle the letter of the best answer for each item.

Mr. and Mrs. Reyes are looking for a new house. Read what they say about it.

Mrs. Reyes: This is a large, beautiful house.Mr. Reyes: It only has 1000 square meters as floor area.Mrs. Reyes: It seems very clean. It has two windows in every room.Mr. Reyes: It appears to have a nice view from the terrace. But it costs 2.5 million pesos. It seems to be very expensive.Mrs. Reyes: I think it seems reasonable for such a nice house.Mr. Reyes: Well it does have four bedrooms and two bathrooms but it still appears to be too big for our family.

- from Feuerstein and Scheolnik, 1995

1. Which of Mrs. Reyes’ statements is a fact?A. This is a large, beautiful house.B. It seems very clean.C. It has two windows in every room. D. I think it seems reasonable for such a nice house.

2. Which of Mr. Reyes’ statement is an opinion?A. It only has 1000 square meters as floor area.B. But it costs 2.5 million pesos.C. It seems to be very expensive.D. Well it does have four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

3. Who appears to be more eager to have the house?A. Mr. ReyesB. Mrs. ReyesC. BothD. None

Cancer is a growth, and since growth is an essential part of life itself, it would be expected that cancer would be found in all living things. Such indeed is the fact. The disease is universal in scope. It develops in all strata of plant and animal life. It has existed at least since the beginning of recorded history and affects men impartially – wherever they live and whatever their race or color or level of culture or material progress. Cancer is not a special disease of civilization, except insofar as civilization enables more people to live longer and except as civilization introduces certain carcinogenic agents.

4. The main idea of the selection isA. Cancer is found in all living things.B. Cancer is an essential part of life itself.

16

C. Cancer is found in plants.D. Civilized living contributed to cancer.

5. Which of the following is the topic sentence? A. Such indeed is the fact. B. The disease is universal in scope.

C. It develops in all strata of plant and animal life. D. It has existed at least since the beginning of recorded history.

6. Which of the following statements maybe deleted from the selection?A. Cancer is not a special disease of civilizationB. It affects men impartially.C. Such indeed is the case.D. Cancer is a growth.

7. What is the author’s purpose for writing the selection? A. To enumerate the effects of cancer B. To convince people not to be afraid of cancer C. To explain the nature of cancer D. To warn people about cancer

As early as 1961, dire predictions were being made of the effect of automation on employment. According to one estimate, about 25, 000 jobs are eliminated every week by automation. As the years pass, however, predictions of displaced workers and extensive unemployment have not materialized. In fact, Charles Silbeman in Myths of Automation demonstrates that automation is not producing unemployment and argues that the new technology is “enlarging the spheres of human action and choice”. It cannot be refuted that automation and new technology have brought man a powerful new assistant in the production of goods and services, yet this new apprentice must be regarded with apprehension.

8. Which statement from the selection shows a contrasting view?A. It cannot be refuted that automation and new technology have brought man

a powerful assistant.B. According to one estimate, about 25, 000 jobs are eliminated every week by automation.

C. As the years pass, however, predictions of displaced workers have not materialized. D. As early as 1961, dire predictions were being made of the effect of automation.

9. How does the writer view automation and new technology?A. They compete against human labor.B. They minimize production of goods.C. They provide people with help at work.D. They find ways to lessen human involvement in production.

10.What message does the author want to leave to the readers? A. That new technology and automation are harmless.B. That new technology and automation can be beneficial to man.C. That new technology and automation cost less than manual labor. D. That new technology and automation are investments for a better economy.

11. Ms. Padilla is a Grade 1 Teacher who is concerned with building letters into words and words into sentences. She uses flashcards so the pupils can sound out syllables and words correctly.

17

What reading model is reflected in Ms. Padilla’s instruction?

A. Bottom-Up modelB. Top-Down modelC. Interactive modelD. Schema model

12. Mr. Morauda is a Grade 1 Teacher who plans reading instruction as a part of the language block. He provides varied reading experiences that involve children sitting quietly, silently reading library books or making a book based on their own experiences.

What theoretical model of reading does Mr. Morauda show?A. Bottom-Up modelB. Top-Down modelC. Interactive modelD. Schema model

13. Ms. Torres believes that her pupils need direct sensory contact and physical manipulation

in the classroom so that they learn easily and recall input effortlessly. What is the grade level of Ms. Torres’ class?

A. Pre-schoolB. PrimaryC. IntermediateD. High School

14. One Grade 3 teacher of English to multilingual learners has just finished reading a story aloud to the class.

Which of the following is the best post – reading activity for the learner?A. Provide students with a guide for reader-text interactions. B. Have students write about what they have read.C. Give them comprehension questions.D. Let them rest for a while.

15. Mr. German is a teacher handling English for a culturally-diverse class. He would regularly read aloud to his pupils, would provide time for free silent reading, recreational reading, and would lend them magazines and newspapers.

What factor in reading does Mr. German want to cultivate among his pupils?A. Emotional/social developmentB. Physical developmentC. Interest in readingD. Intelligence

16. Mr. Arce is a new grade 1 teacher who is unsure whether the pupils are ready for beginning reading instruction. Before he begins his lessons, he must observe that

A. the pupils are emotionally prepared for social interaction and competition B. the pupils have achieved unity of their capabilities with their interestsC. the pupils can respond to simple questions and instructionsD. the pupils show desire to learn in class

17. Teacher Millicent knows well that the text or the print material is one factor that affects reading. So she tries to match the text with the ease or difficulty of students’ comprehension based on the style of writing.

18

What text factor does Teacher Millicent consider in the choice of reading materials for her class?

A. OrganizationB. FormatC. ReadabilityD. Content

18. Ms. Morallos teaches her grade 6 class how to write a summary of an expository text. In her discussion, she explains what it is, models it through think aloud, and informs her pupils when and how this skill learned in the classroom can be used even during their own free silent reading. She provides them with guided and independent practices before she conducts an evaluation.

What approach to teaching is reflected in Ms. Morallos’ practice?A. Indirect InstructionB. Explicit InstructionC. Intrinsic InstructionD. Independent Instruction

19. ReQuest is a strategy used to develop learners ability in asking significant questions. The teacher needs to model questioning skills and let the pupils practice the same until the learners are ready to use the skill automatically.

What is the best reason for teaching the learners this skill?A. Learners become purposive when they set their own questions while

reading.B. Teachers become confused by the questions asked by the learners.C. Teachers find time to review the questions of the learners.D. Learners feel important when they make questions.

20. Mr. Gutierrez is planning to have a list of 200 words in Science for the school’s vocabulary development program. After going through all the books used by his fourth grade pupils, he is still in the dark as to what words need to be included in his list.

Which of the following criteria should NOT be the basis of Mr. Gutierrez for word selection?

A. High frequency wordsB. Content area wordsC. High utility wordsD. Difficult words

Read the selection and answer the questions that follow. Write only the letter of the best answer for each item.

Mama Sewing1 I don’t know why Mama ever sewed for me. She sewed for other people, made

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

19

beautiful dresses and suit and blouses, and got paid for doing it. But I don’t know why she sewed for me. I was so mean. It was all right in the days when she had to make my dresses a little longer in the front than in the back to make up for the way I stood, with my legs pushed back and my stomach stuck out. I was little then, and I trusted Mama. But when I got older, I worried.

2 Mama would turn the dress on the wrong side and slide it over my head, being careful not let the pins stick me. She’d kneel on the floor with her pin cushion, fitting the dress on me, and I’d look down at that dress, at the lop-sided, raw-edged, half-basted, half-pinned thing – and know that it was never going to look like anything. So I’d pout while Mama frowned and sighed and kept on pinning.

3 Sometimes she would sew all night, and in the morning I’d have a perfectly beautiful dress, just right for the school program or the party. I’d put it on, and I’d be ashamed of the way I had acted. I’d be too ashamed to say I was sorry.

4 But Mama knew.

- Eloise Greenfield and Lessie Jones Little

1. The speaker in the selection is perhapsA. a sonB. a daughterC. a sisterD. a brother

2. The word mean in paragraph 1 is used with the same meaning as the statementA. My classmates mean to see me in the hospital, but they can’t.B. The mean of the students’ scores is unexpected. C. The words mean the same to me.D. Be kind to your classmates; don’t be mean.

3. The fourth paragraph tells thatA. The speaker is ashamed.B. The speaker knows Mama.C. Mama knows the speaker is worried.D. Mama knows the speaker is sorry.

4. The theme of the selection can be stated asA. Mothers stay true to their calling.B. Mothers know what is best for their children.C. Mothers forgive and forget always.D. Mothers work to earn for the children.

The American family of today is smaller than it used to be in several ways. On the average there are fewer children (although this trend may be changing). Birth control techniques and changing values have led to fewer large families. The American family is also small in that it is a nuclear rather than the extended family. Grandparents and other relatives live elsewhere, and in fact the children will leave too at an earlier age.

20

5. The selection implies thatA. American family today is smaller than it used to be. B. Values held by families change through the years.C. The kind of family affects the size of American family.D. The relatives live in another place.

6. The selection mentions ___ kinds of family.A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4

7. The writer gives ____ reasons to account for having smaller American family today. A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4

The revolt against the British government was not a vast, spontaneous movement. Instead, it was carefully planned by shrewd men and laboriously and sagaciously executed by some of the most active spirits on the continent. It could never have succeeded if it had been left unorganized. It was because the patriots were well organized, and because the Tories or loyalists were not, that the former won the day.

8. The two warring camps mentioned in the selection are theA. Tories and loyalistsB. Patriots and BritishC. Patriots and ToriesD. Shrewd men and active spirits

9. The writer tries to discuss the topic byA. Comparing the two troops of fightersB. Giving the reasons for winning a battleC. Enumerating characteristics of British soldiersD. Solving problems related to planning military tactics

10. The idea of the selection can best be summarized by the statementA. Nothing beats a well-planned action.B. The pen is mightier than the sword.C. Forewarned is forearmed.D. Life is full of battles.

Read the given situations below. Write the letter of the best answer for each situation described.

11. Among native speakers of English, students from Grade 7 and up are supposed to be

ready for abstract reading. This means that learners on this stage are able to ________

A. grasp informational textsB. construct multiple hypothesesC. manipulate objects and ideas mentallyD. judge affectively and personally than by using standard

12. All the three reading theories recognize the role of reader and text in the comprehension

process. However, only the interactive model accounts for the role of the reading situation in the meaning-making process.

21

This factor is known as ______A. Outcome B. Task C. Context D. Purpose

13. The four-Pronged Approach upholds the holistic and balanced instruction in beginning reading. One important characteristic of this approach is _______

A. The inclusion of critical thinking skills after readingB. The development of genuine love for readingC. The integration of whole language, literature, and explicit instructionD. The heavy emphasis on grammar and oral language development

14. The reader’s prior knowledge plays a vital role in negotiating meaning and transacting with the text. To enhance the schemata of the learners, Teacher Arabella exposes her grade 2 pupils to the pragmatic use of language in their day to day life experiences so that they develop rich vocabulary.

Teacher Arabella believes that ________A. Word meanings aid textual understanding B. Word pronunciation builds comprehensionC. Word knowledge is learned best in isolationD. Word familiarity is gained in the classroom

15. In one Grade 6 reading class in public school, Teacher Samantha conducts a regular 10- minute silent reading of an expository text in Science.

What is the best silent reading activity that Teacher Samantha can give her students?

A. Invite resource person to discuss the content of the material.B. Prepare reading road maps to guide reader-text interactions.C. Instruct them to write reflection journals on their notebook.D. Check understanding by asking post-reading questions.

16. Mr. Siruet is a Science Teacher in Ilocos. He strongly believes that devoting 10-15 minutes for real-time reading in the classroom and guiding the pupils’ interaction with Science materials before or after doing an activity is better than just assigning them to read at home and make sense of the text on their own.

What could be the best explanation for Mr. Siruet’s reading practice?A. That Science is one subject that calls for inquiry and discovery.B. That Science class does not require actual reading time in class.C. That time can be spent in more meaningful hands-on activitiesD. That experience with print enriches vocabulary and understanding of Science

concepts.

17. Teacher Jeremiah is planning an integration lesson using Social Studies text for his Grade 5 English class.

Which of the following is the best thing to do to activate his pupils’ background knowledge?

A. Ask several critical questions.B. Make the pupils prepare an outline.C. Unlock difficult words by using the dictionaryD. Present advance organizer of the topic.

22

18. Ms. Yelena handles Grade 4 classes in Makabayan. Before conducting any discussion, she makes sure that her pupils have read the text by allotting 7-10 minutes of silent reading in the classroom.

Which of the following should NOT be done by Ms. Yelena during the silent reading

activity?A. Insert questions in selected parts of the text as guide.B. Make students fill in the blanks of the structured overview.C. Let students fill in the L column of the KWL chart.D. Leave students to do what they want in reading silently by themselves.

19. As a post-reading activity in any content-area reading class, which of the following should be avoided by the teacher?

A. Have students talk about what they read.B. Ask questions to score comprehension.C. Have students prepare make up test on their reading.D. Go back to the Anticipation Guide for some correction.

20. Reading in the content area aims to help students make sense of the text and negotiate meaning as readers actively interact with the text.

Which of the following activities will best achieve this goal?A. Have the reading of the text be done at home.B. Make them read silently.C. Allow students to ask questions.D. Practice oral reading for fluency.

PART IV– KEY TO CORRECTION

23

Part ll – Analyzing Test Items Part lll – Enhancing Test-Taking Skills

1. C 1. B2. C 2. D3. B 3. D4. A 4. B5. B 5. C6. C 6. B7. C 7. B8. C 8. C9. C 9. B10. B 10. A11. A 11. B12. C 12. C13. A 13. C14. B 14. A15. C 15. B16. B 16. D17. C 17. D18. B 18. D19. A 19. B20. D 20. C