VRA Exam – feedback from students

 There will be multiple choice and 3 short answer (essay) questions.

 Quite a few ‘scenario’ questions – you have a child with ‘x’ problem, what is the best
instruction or you see ‘x’ in the classroom, what is the teaching trying to achieve.
 Will often ask what you as the teacher would do “first” – tricky to answer. You should
reread the question for clues as to the answer that the test wants.
 Study the practice test and the glossary – particularly the glossary – one student found it
helpful to cross-reference the definitions using texts from 366 and 436.
 Use the test blueprint to determine what to study.
 Information was more recent after 436.
 Know activities for the stages of readers and know at least one comprehension activity
really well.
 On the VRA you can go back and forth between the multiple choice and the essays.
 Study notes/books from 366 and 436 Words Their Way was particularly helpful.
 Use essays as opportunities to show that you know and can use the terminology. Most
students found these questions to be the most difficult.
 These topics have been on the test:
o Phonemic awareness
o Phonological awareness
o Phonemes
o Morphemes
o Informal reading assessments
o Emergent, beginning, and instructional stage strategies
o Characteristics of readers at different stages (emergent, beginning, instructional)
o Comprehension
Glossary of Terms Needed to Know