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LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS (LET)

Refresher Course

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

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 process

B. 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.
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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?
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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. previewing
2. activating prior knowledge
3. setting purpose and goals
4. predicting

 The organizational strategies

1. comprehending the main idea

2. determining important details
3. organizing details
4. sequencing
5. following directions
6. summarizing

 The elaboration strategies

1. making inferences
2. imaging
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3. generating questions
4. evaluating (critical reading)

 The metacognitive strategies

1. regulating
2. checking
3. 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
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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
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 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.
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 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
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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 Answering
Inserted Questions
Immediate Oral Feedback
Time Lines and Charts
Listing main Ideas
Outlining
Paraphrasing
Summarizing

 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 activities

2. Have students talk about what they read
3. Have students write about what they read
4. Have students make up tests on their reading
5. 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. DRTA
1. 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,
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“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
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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.

Language Arts Social Studies

Topic: Parts of Speech Topic: Roman Republic
Clink Clunk Clink Clunk
nouns adverbs dictator plebeian
verbs prepositions republic patrician
adjectives interjections veto consul

Science Math
Clink Clunk Topic: Equations and Inequalities
Concentrated saturated Clink Clunk
Matter diluted solving equations polynomials
colloid operations function notation

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

another group.

Social Studies Language Arts

Topic: Fall of Rome
Circle: Discuss text, including reasons for the fall of Rome.
Seat: Respond to questions and do worksheets.
Topic: Parts of Speech
Circle: 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.

Science
Topic: Matter in Solution
Circle: Discuss the types of solutions.
Seat: Complete worksheets or respond to questions at end of
section.
Center: Create charts to classify types of solutions.

 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.

Language Arts Social Studies

When reviewing a specific story, assign team members with When studying the five themes of geography, assign each
a component such as character, plot, setting, problem, or member of a team one of the topics: location, place, human-

Science Math
Give each member of a group a topic such as acids, bases, Use as review. After studying fractions, divide into groups
and salts. and assign each member a topic such as adding, subtracting,

 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.
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 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.

Language Arts Social Studies

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

Science
Topic: Plants
Students 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

 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.

Language Arts Social Studies

Topic: Short Section of a Story Topic: Earth’s Human Geography
Ask the following questions: Why did the main character Ask the following questions: Where do people live? Why do
react as he or she did? What is the importance of the setting they migrate? What problems will the growing population

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

 Assessment
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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.

Language Arts Social Studies

After covering a short story or selection, discuss character, After covering South America, discuss people, culture,
plot, motivation, setting, and resolution. religion, land, climate, and resources.

Science Math
After covering animal habitats, discuss what animals need After reading a word problem determine what is being
to survive and how different animals adapt. asked, what information is given, and what mathematical

 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

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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 probably

A. Suspicious of Johnny
B. Angry at Johnny
C. Afraid of Johnny
D. 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 as

A. uninformative and boring
B. sarcastic and ironic
C. short and direct
D. 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 reputation
B. destroy Harry Smith’s credibility
C. project a positive image of Harry Smith
D. 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-
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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. Reyes
B. Mrs. Reyes
C. Both
D. 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 is

A. 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 civilization
B. 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 model
B. Top-Down model
C. Interactive model
D. 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 model
B. Top-Down model
C. Interactive model
D. 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-school
B. Primary
C. Intermediate
D. 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 development
B. Physical development
C. Interest in reading
D. 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 interests
C. the pupils can respond to simple questions and instructions
D. 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. Organization
B. Format
C. Readability
D. 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 Instruction
B. Explicit Instruction
C. Intrinsic Instruction
D. 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 words
B. Content area words
C. High utility words
D. Difficult words

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

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

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

A. a son
B. a daughter
C. a sister
D. a brother

2. The word mean in paragraph 1 is used with the same meaning as the statement
A. 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 that

A. 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 as

A. 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 that

A. 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. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

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

A. Tories and loyalists
B. Patriots and British
C. Patriots and Tories
D. Shrewd men and active spirits

9. The writer tries to discuss the topic by

A. Comparing the two troops of fighters
B. Giving the reasons for winning a battle
C. Enumerating characteristics of British soldiers
D. Solving problems related to planning military tactics

10. The idea of the selection can best be summarized by the statement
A. 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 texts
B. construct multiple hypotheses
C. manipulate objects and ideas mentally
D. 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 reading
B. The development of genuine love for reading
C. The integration of whole language, literature, and explicit instruction
D. 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 comprehension
C. Word knowledge is learned best in isolation
D. 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 activities
D. 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 dictionary
D. 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. B
2. C 2. D
3. B 3. D
4. A 4. B
5. B 5. C
6. C 6. B
7. C 7. B
8. C 8. C
9. C 9. B
10. B 10. A
11. A 11. B
12. C 12. C
13. A 13. C
14. B 14. A
15. C 15. B
16. B 16. D
17. C 17. D
18. B 18. D
19. A 19. B
20. D 20. C