Chapter 5: Literacy Programs and Approaches

Pre-reading questions

  1. In the 1960s-70s, reading and writing instruction focused on decoding and grammar because:
  1. whole language was found ineffective in teaching how to read and write
  2. that was how the previous generation learned to read, and the country had flourished
  3. the public’s reaction to Sputnik and publications about the failing education system
  4. textbook publishers make many instructional decisions, and this approach sold well
  1. The most common reading material in this country:
  1. textbooks
  2. basals
  3. tradebooks
  4. novels
  1. Teachers often implement their reading and writing programs because:
  1. it matches their teaching style
  2. research says it is the best program
  3. it is how they were taught
  4. it is mandated by their school district
  1. From the late 1970s through the mid-1990s, reading and writing instruction was taught this way:
  1. whole language
  2. phonics
  3. direct instruction
  4. critical literacy
  1. Prescriptive reading programs operate on the premise that:
  1. all children learn the same way
  2. teachers should make the important curricular decisions
  3. differentiated instruction works best
  4. short stories are easiest to teach and understand

Post-reading questions

  1. In the 1960s through early 70s, when decoding was emphasized, skills were acquired through:
  1. authentic text
  2. studying context clues
  3. direct instruction and drills
  4. whole language
  1. During a guided reading lesson, the teacher’s main role is to:
  1. monitor the comprehension center
  2. listen and take notes on students’ reading of text
  3. teach a skill lesson
  4. set the purpose
  1. Writing as a recursive process is:
  1. publishing
  2. writer’s workshop
  3. the writing process
  4. authoring cycle
  1. Phonics-oriented basals emphasize:
  1. decoding skills
  2. vocabulary development
  3. authentic pieces of children’s literature
  4. integrating reading and writing
  1. DR-TA stands for:
  1. Diverse Reading-Translation Activity
  2. Directed Reading-Thinking Activity
  3. Drills in Reading-Training Activity
  4. Distance Reading-Teacher Access
  1. The Reading and Writing Workshop approach is an example of:
  1. basal + books curriculum
  2. basal curriculum
  3. book curriculum
  4. books + basal curriculum
  1. An important aspect of sustained silent reading is:
  1. author
  2. choice
  3. length
  4. genre
  1. According to the text, a criticism of phonics-based basal reading programs is:
  1. rely heavily on workbooks
  2. not enough time is spent reading
  3. only poor urban districts use them
  4. they are repetitive and ritualized
  1. In the mid-1990s, a shift in reading and writing instruction away from whole language occurred, in part, because:
  1. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was implemented
  2. Textbook sales were flat; a new model would generate interest in new books
  3. Children were not learning how to read well
  4. Poor text scores in California on national assessments
  1. Literature-based basal reading programs emphasize:
  1. poetry
  2. skill development workbooks
  3. contemporary and classical literature
  4. vocabulary development
  1. A major component of reader’s and writer’s workshop is:
  1. leveled books
  2. spelling program
  3. vocabulary centers
  4. individualized instruction
  1. Flexible grouping:
  1. takes place in a writing center
  2. bases groups on needs or interests
  3. is a main component of a basal reading series
  4. is part of the classroom library
  1. Which of the following is not usually a component of a basal reading lesson?
  1. reader’s workshop
  2. preview and predict
  3. activate prior knowledge
  4. comprehension questions
  1. The National Reading Panel determined that methods for teaching reading should be:
  1. authentic
  2. based on a predictable text structure
  3. scientifically based
  4. integrated with other content areas
  1. A student’s independent reading level is when he/she can read words with ______accuracy:
  1. 100%
  2. 95%
  3. 80%
  4. 75%
  1. Trade books are:
  1. technology-based
  2. literature-based basals
  3. basal readers
  4. novels
  1. According to the International Reading Association (IRA), at least how many books should be contained in a classroom library?
  1. 7 per child
  2. 150 books
  3. 5 per child
  4. 100 books
  1. A difficult aspect of reader/writer workshop is:
  1. not emphasizing discrete skills
  2. classroom organization
  3. determining the flexible groups
  4. allowing time for sustained reading
  1. Including text sets in your classroom allows students to:
  1. do more writing
  2. learn more vocabulary
  3. see multiple perspectives
  4. compare themes
  1. The whole language approach to teaching reading and writing emphasizes:
  1. social responsibility
  2. authentic text
  3. direct instruction
  4. controlling new vocabulary
  1. Decodable texts:
  1. start with the smallest units of sound
  2. start by teaching context clues
  3. use authentic pieces of literature
  4. emphasize reading
  1. The “balanced approach” to teaching reading and writing should incorporate:
  1. the Open Court basal reading series
  2. the National Report Card
  3. standardized tests
  4. aspects of phonics and whole language
  1. An important aspect of guided reading lessons is:
  1. skills’ instruction
  2. the child’s independent reading level
  3. flexible grouping
  4. enrichment projects
  1. When tradebooks drive instruction with the basal series used occasionally, it is called:
  1. book curriculum
  2. books + basal curriculum
  3. basal curriculum
  4. basal + books curriculum
  1. The DR-TA format promotes:
  1. tradebooks
  2. vocabulary
  3. decoding skills
  4. comprehension
  1. A good mini-lesson will:
  1. introduce a strategy incorporating a piece of literature
  2. include sustained silent reading
  3. include 20-30 minutes of independent writing
  4. incorporate a book talk
  1. The best example of a reader/writer workshop activity is:
  1. vocabulary lesson
  2. K-W-L chart
  3. author’s circle
  4. comprehension questions
  1. A criticism of basal reading programs is:
  1. they are not research-based
  2. they do not provide enough supplemental materials
  3. they do not focus enough on skill acquisition
  4. teachers have little decision-making regarding student needs
  1. A strength of reader/writer workshop is:
  1. literacy experiences that have many purposes
  2. a longer time for English Language Arts (ELA)
  3. the prescriptive nature of the literacy process
  4. classroom management
  1. A basal reading series is:
  1. a total package of materials; all you need to teach reading
  2. a condensed compilation of classic literature
  3. a book with stories and comprehension questions
  4. a set of leveled books