CALT Written Language and Composition Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CALT is analyzing a student's written narrative and notices that story grammar elements (e.g., problem, resolution) are consistently absent. The MOST direct intervention target is:
- Expanding vocabulary breadth
- Explicit story grammar instruction using visual frameworks (Correct answer)
- Phonics review for encoding accuracy
- Keyboarding speed training
Correct answer: Explicit story grammar instruction using visual frameworks
Explicit story grammar instruction using frameworks like story maps directly targets the missing macrostructural components of narrative writing.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the role of 'audience awareness' in written composition?
- Selecting appropriate vocabulary for a given reader's knowledge level (Correct answer)
- Ensuring correct letter formation
- Organizing ideas into paragraphs
- Using correct punctuation at sentence boundaries
Correct answer: Selecting appropriate vocabulary for a given reader's knowledge level
Audience awareness involves adapting word choice, tone, and assumed background knowledge to suit the intended reader.
Question 3: A student writes 'Their going to the store to by some food.' This sentence contains errors in:
- Verb agreement and punctuation
- Homophone selection and lexical retrieval (Correct answer)
- Subject-verb agreement and capitalization
- Clause boundaries and pronoun reference
Correct answer: Homophone selection and lexical retrieval
The errors 'Their' (should be 'They're') and 'by' (should be 'buy') are homophone confusions requiring accurate orthographic-semantic mapping.
Question 4: When scoring a written language sample using Correct Word Sequences (CWS), which pair of adjacent words would NOT be counted as a correct sequence?
- 'the dog' at the start of a sentence
- 'runs fast' used correctly in context
- 'goed home' as a past-tense attempt (Correct answer)
- 'happy child' as a noun phrase
Correct answer: 'goed home' as a past-tense attempt
CWS requires each adjacent pair to be semantically and syntactically acceptable; 'goed home' contains an irregular past-tense error, disqualifying that sequence.
Question 5: A student with dyslexia produces content-rich oral narratives but writes sparse, error-filled text. The MOST likely explanation is:
- Weak oral language foundation
- Cognitive overload from competing transcription demands during writing (Correct answer)
- Reduced working memory for listening comprehension
- Poor phonological awareness for oral tasks
Correct answer: Cognitive overload from competing transcription demands during writing
The cognitive demands of spelling and handwriting (transcription) deplete working memory resources, limiting the student's ability to express the same rich content in writing.
Question 6: Which of the following is a hallmark feature of expository writing that distinguishes it from narrative writing?
- Presence of a main character and conflict
- Use of text structures such as problem-solution or description (Correct answer)
- Chronological ordering of personal events
- Inclusion of dialogue between characters
Correct answer: Use of text structures such as problem-solution or description
Expository writing is organized around informational text structures (e.g., description, compare-contrast, problem-solution) rather than story elements.
Question 7: A CALT uses a 'think-aloud' protocol while modeling the writing process. This technique PRIMARILY targets which component of the writing model by Hayes and Flower?
- Transcription automaticity
- Planning and goal-setting processes (Correct answer)
- Revision of surface-level mechanics
- Handwriting fluency
Correct answer: Planning and goal-setting processes
Think-alouds make the internal planning and goal-setting processes visible, directly supporting students' development of self-regulatory writing strategies.
CALT Written Language and Composition Skills 5
A CALT is analyzing a student's written narrative and notices that story grammar elements (e.g., problem, resolution) are consistently absent.
The MOST direct intervention target is: