Vocabulary Development Flashcards
6 cards from real MTEL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Vocabulary Development flashcards as text
On the MTEL Foundations of Reading, pre-teaching vocabulary before a reading lesson is recommended primarily because:
Answer: Knowing key words before reading reduces barriers to comprehension and allows students to focus on meaning
Pre-teaching critical vocabulary before reading reduces cognitive load during reading, helping students allocate attention to comprehension rather than stopping to puzzle out unknown words.
Isabel Beck's 'robust vocabulary instruction' approach, referenced on the MTEL Foundations of Reading, emphasizes:
Answer: Rich instruction that engages students in active processing — discussion, examples, comparisons, and multiple encounters
Robust instruction, per Beck, involves going beyond simple definitions to engage students in rich, active processing of words through discussion, diverse examples, and multiple meaningful encounters.
On the MTEL Foundations of Reading, which vocabulary assessment approach provides information about both breadth and depth of word knowledge?
Answer: A combination of word association tasks, use-in-context tasks, and definition tasks
Using multiple assessment formats (associations, context use, definitions) captures both the number of words known and the depth of understanding, giving a fuller picture of vocabulary knowledge.
Research on vocabulary instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs), as referenced on the MTEL Foundations of Reading, recommends which approach?
Answer: Providing explicit instruction with visual supports, cognate awareness, and multiple exposures in meaningful contexts
ELLs benefit from explicit vocabulary instruction that includes visual supports, use of cognates, and multiple meaningful exposures to words in both oral and written contexts.
A teacher selects words for direct instruction from an upcoming read-aloud. According to the MTEL Foundations of Reading, which words should receive the most instructional attention?
Answer: Tier 2 words that are important for understanding the text and are useful across other contexts (e.g., 'reluctant,' 'substantial')
Tier 2 words merit the most instructional time because they are essential for text comprehension and transfer across many other reading contexts.
How does text complexity relate to vocabulary development, according to the MTEL Foundations of Reading?
Answer: More complex texts expose readers to greater density of sophisticated vocabulary, supporting vocabulary growth when comprehension support is provided
Complex texts contain a richer density of sophisticated vocabulary; with appropriate scaffolding, exposure to complex texts accelerates vocabulary growth.