SPED EC-12 Flashcards
(182 cards)
1
Q
A kindergarten teacher is planning a unit on financial literacy. What are some elements that the teacher should plan to include in this unit?
A
money models (pretend money), children’s books, guest speakers
Each of these would be appropriate to include for kindergarteners learning about financial literacy. Money models are a good tangible manipulative for students to use when identifying coins. Children’s books can be a good way to teach concepts such as income, wants, and needs. Guest speakers can talk with students about ways that they earn an income and provide a good real-world connection for students.
2
Q
If a student who uses a feeding tube at school experiences nausea or vomiting during or shortly after feeding, which of the following is the most likely cause?
A
too much formula or too high a feeding rate
The amount and rate of delivery of formula should be specified in the student’s IEP and closely monitored by caregivers who assist with feeding at school, as changes in either variable can lead to nausea or vomiting.
3
Q
Which of the following would be an appropriate method of assessment when reporting progress on an IEP goal that measures a student’s ability to understand and use newly acquired vocabulary?
A
Ask the student to choose from a word bank the vocabulary word that best fits the blanks in a series of sentences.
Properly using a vocabulary word in context is a fair and accurate measure of whether a student understands both the word’s definition and how to use the word.
4
Q
A key consideration when determining the least restrictive environment for a student is to consider:
A
whether the student is able to receive education to the maximum extent appropriate alongside peers who are not disabled.
A key consideration when determining the least restrictive environment is to consider whether the student is able to receive education to the maximum extent appropriate alongside peers who are not disabled.
5
Q
In reviewing the parent questionnaire before an initial IEP meeting for a second-grade student, a diagnostician discloses the following:
The student did not begin talking in complete sentences until his fourth year.
The student prefers soft fabrics and loose, elastic waistbands.
The student tends to melt down and throw tantrums when his hands get dirty.
The student is excessively interested in trains and only wants to discuss this topic, despite repeated attempts to engage his attention in other topics.
Based on this information, the student should be tested for:
A
autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
The combination of speech delay, sensory issues, and consistent perseveration in a narrow area of interest are typically associated with ASD and further testing is appropriate.
6
Q
Following the second reading fluency assessment of the school year, a third-grade teacher noticed that a few of her students have shown no or very little fluency growth from the first assessment nine weeks before. Which of the following would be the least effective way to support their fluency development?
A
increase the difficulty of their independent reading.
Independent reading should primarily be at the students’ current reading level. Increasing the difficulty to a frustration level will not improve fluency.
7
Q
Madison is a second-grade student who was recently diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability. Even though she has been educated in the general education classroom for the last two years with no issues aside from occasionally needing more academic support, during her initial IEP meeting, her parents express concern that she won’t receive the instruction she needs unless she is moved to a self-contained classroom. How should the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee respond to Madison’s parents’ concerns?
A
Emphasize the benefits of the general education classroom for students with disabilities and highlight the flexibility offered by the co-taught model of instruction
Parent concerns should always be treated with respect, but the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee also has a responsibility to provide accurate information regarding the least restrictive environment. Based on the evidence presented, Madison is able to function in the general education classroom and would benefit from maintaining that placement with a co-teacher added.
8
Q
After completing a unit on graphing data, students are given the following table and asked what type of graph is most appropriate for displaying this data. What should they use?
Preferred Flavor of Ice Cream Number of Students
None 6
Chocolate 184
Vanilla 109
Mint Chocolate Chip 88
Other 152
A
Circle graph
This would show parts of a whole, which is representative of this data.
IT NOT LINE GRAPH
A line graph shows changes over time and this data is not connected to time.
9
Q
Mr. Carter is a special education teacher who works with middle school students. He receives a request from a sixth-grade science teacher to help evaluate data for a new student whose primary home language is Spanish. Upon reviewing the student’s data, Mr. Carter finds that the student performs well on lab assignments and other hands-on tasks with visual elements, but that she struggles with tasks involving grade-level academic vocabulary. Which of the following would be the most logical next step for Mr. Carter to take?
A
Provide the science teacher with some options for including visual aids when introducing and testing new vocabulary and check back to see if the student’s performance improves.
Since it is likely that the student is struggling with connecting new vocabulary to existing knowledge as a result of her status as an English language learner, the logical first step is to provide visual aids as a support to see if her comprehension and performance improve.
10
Q
Brandi, a seventh-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has violated the district code of student conduct, and the campus discipline matrix stipulates that she will be placed in the district’s disciplinary alternative education program for a minimum of 30 days. Since this placement would take Brandi out of the general education setting for more than 10 consecutive days, the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must hold a manifestation determination review (MDR). The purpose of an MDR is to prevent:
A
MDR is to prevent students from being punished for behaviors that are a direct result of their disability.
An MDR must determine if the conduct in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability and if the conduct was a direct result of the local education agency’s failure to correctly implement the child’s IEP. If the answer to either question is “yes,” the student cannot be legally placed in an alternative setting.
11
Q
What is the primary benefit of educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms alongside non-disabled peers?
A
Special education students in general education classes benefit from accessing the gen-ed curriculum and gaining the same social and emotional experiences as their non-disabled peers.
All relevant research indicates that the best environment for academic and social growth by special education students is the general education classroom. Students tend to live up to the expectations which are set for them, whether those expectations are high or low. The higher expectations, both academically and socially, in a gen-ed classroom make for greater and longer-lasting growth in both areas.
12
Q
Which of the following are the best ways for a teacher to help students develop independent reading skills?
Select all answers that apply.
A
Provide in-class time for students to choose independent reading books and some time for quiet reading. This is a good way to encourage independent reading.
Facilitate peer conversations about their reading.
This is a good way to encourage independent reading.
13
Q
Which of the following actions by a teacher is most likely to help a second-grade student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) maintain focus and limit impulsive behaviors?
A
Assigning the student small chores that allow her to assist the teacher and require her to get up and move around at regular intervals during the school day.
Turning a fidgety student into a teacher aide can be an effective way to build in time for movement and talking during the day without disrupting the flow of instruction. Students with ADHD often need frequent breaks during the school day to move around and engage with others in their environment to help them reset their ability to focus.
Teachers should not outsource behavior management to students. This takes away from the peer partner’s time on task and is not a proven method for deterring disruptive behavior.
14
Q
Which skill is the focus of an activity in a second-grade resource class requiring students to look at animal pictures and say the letter sound that begins each animal name?
A
phonemic awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. The activity as described would be focused on improving phonemic awareness.
15
Q
During independent reading time, a teacher walks around and holds mini book conferences with each student. She asks basic comprehension questions like, “What’s happening now?” or “How did the character respond to X?” While conferencing with Jane, the teacher has trouble getting Jane to relate anything that has happened other than the characters’ names. In order to help Jane succeed, what is the first step the teacher should take?
A
Assess Jane’s current reading level and make sure the text is not above her independent reading level.
Finding Jane’s current reading level and ensuring that her novel selection is within an appropriate range is a good first step for helping Jane read texts that she can comprehend and discuss with less difficulty.
16
Q
If the parents of a student with an IEP express to the student’s special education case manager that they are dissatisfied with the progress their child is making, which of the following would be the best response for the case manager to make?
A
Ask the parents if they would like to request an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting to discuss potential changes to the IEP.
Transparency and open communication between district representatives and the parents of students with special needs is vital to helping the students succeed. Therefore, it is important to make sure parents know what their options are when requesting information or changes to their child’s IEP. A parent can request an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting at any time for any reason, and concerns over their student’s progress is certainly an acceptable reason to request such a meeting.
17
Q
Ms. Echeveria is a special education case manager for a group of fifth-grade students. A social studies teacher who works with several of the students on Ms. Echeveria’s caseload is absent due to the flu for several consecutive days. Ms. Echeveria is concerned that the substitute teachers may not understand how to provide necessary supports without explicit instructions, including IEP information specific to each student’s qualifying disability. Which of the following would be the best way for her to approach the situation?
A
Provide relevant sections of each student’s IEP to any substitute who will work with the class and make sure they understand how to implement appropriate accommodations.
Student IEPs can and should be shared with anyone who has an educational interest in the students in question, so it is legal to provide relevant portions of a student’s plan to substitute teachers.
18
Q
A fourth-grade teacher wants to provide realistic experiences in the understanding and development of graphic representations. After she models the development of a class birthday month bar chart, the teacher assigns her students to choose a question to investigate in order to develop their own bar chart. Which of the following questions would be least appropriate for students to investigate for the purpose of developing a graph?
A
What do you like best about school?
The answers to this question would not translate into concrete data that would fit into a bar chart.
19
Q
Direct instruction in the meaning and usage of various prefixes and suffixes would most likely help a student who is struggling with which of the following skills?
A
decoding and recognizing words
Intensive study of prefixes and suffixes is most helpful for students who struggle to decode and understand new words in context.
Example: Word UNHELPFUL
PREFIX UN
BASIC WORD HELP
SUFFIX FUL
20
Q
A third-grade student is struggling with rounding numbers to the nearest hundred. Which of the following is the best first step for his teacher to take?
A
having the student plot numbers on a number line and identify the closest hundred value.
This is an effective strategy to use because it will provide the student with a visual representation of rounding.
21
Q
Which of the following could be considered assistive technology for a physical education class that includes several students with disabilities that impair their movement and force generation?
A
lowering the basketball hoop
While there may not be any real “technology” involved, lowering the basketball hoop to accommodate students who are unable to shoot baskets at regulation height qualifies as use of assistive technology.
using a beep-ball for kickball- A beep-ball is an example of assistive technology in physical education, but it is primarily used in throwing or striking games involving students with a visual impairment.
22
Q
Special education teacher Mr. Brown has been invited to observe Amanda, a sixth-grade student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who is on his caseload. Amanda’s science teacher reports that Amanda and several other children are disruptive and unruly during whole-group instruction and asks for Mr. Brown’s help in changing the behavior. The first thing Mr. Brown notices is that the front wall of the classroom is covered with vibrant, colorful, motivational posters, as well as student work. Additionally, when the teacher is delivering direct instruction, she positions herself at the front of the room near the smartboard and rarely moves. What advice should Mr. Brown offer after his observation?
A
The science teacher should remove some of the clutter that decorates the front wall of the room and try to move around more as she delivers instruction.
Students with ADHD often struggle to focus on one particular item or person when there is a busy background with many pictures and colors competing for their attention. Reducing the clutter on the front wall near the smartboard and making it a point to move around the room, thus changing her students’ focal point, would likely help minimize the behaviors the teacher described.
23
Q
Which of the following is the best method for demonstrating the concept of equivalent fractions to a group of fourth-grade students in an inclusion math class?
A
Using sidewalk chalk, explore how many student-length segments it would take to equal two teacher-length segments.
This activity provides visual cues to solidify understanding, and it also requires hands-on learning opportunities and cooperation with peers to complete. This is an advantage in inclusion settings as it involves multiple modalities to engage a diverse group of learners.
24
Q
Which of the following strategies aimed at reducing disruptive behavior is most likely to effect lasting change?
A
Provide praise and reward appropriate behavior while ignoring negative behavior.
Research-backed behavior theory indicates that rewarding desired behavior is significantly more effective than punishing unwanted behaviors. The goal in behavior modification should always be to REPLACE the unwanted behaviors, not simply eliminate them. Thus, feeding the positive behavior with praise and attention and starving the negative behavior is the path to long-term change.
25
After reading Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett, the teacher shows a short film clip of the animated feature film by the same title. This least enhances the comprehension skill of:
story recall and retelling.
Comparing the animated version to the written would not best enhance the student's ability to recall story points.
extended meaning.This is a skill of comprehension that can be enhanced through this kind of activity. Students can discuss how the visual retelling enhances their understanding of the text.
26
Which of the following skills are likely to be improved by regular work with an occupational therapist?
developing a comfortable and functional pencil grip.
Occupational therapists work with individuals who need to develop, improve, or maintain skills needed for daily living, such as developing a comfortable, functional pencil grip.
27
Which of the following would be the most appropriate use of wall space for a sixth-grade inclusion classroom consisting of multiple students with various disabilities?
Keep the space around the primary focal point of the room (smartboard/whiteboard) mostly clear and utilize space on the side walls toward the rear for anchor charts that reinforce key concepts and processes.
Students with disabilities of varying types (and many developmentally typical students, for that matter) can struggle to maintain focus when faced with an excess of visual stimuli. Keeping the area around the primary focal point of the classroom mostly clear gives the teacher a greater chance of maintaining student attention during whole-group instruction.
28
Which of the following is a correct factor tree for the prime factorization of the given number?
```
27
^
3 x 9
^
3 x 3
```
29
Caleb is a tenth-grade student with a learning disability and currently reads at a second-grade level. Which of the following is the most appropriate accommodation for Caleb's math teacher to provide during assessments?
oral administration of tests and assignments
Based on Caleb's reading level, oral administration is an appropriate accommodation. This will allow Caleb to demonstrate his knowledge of math skills rather than his ability to read the problems.
30
Which of the following would be considered assistive technology for a student with a visual impairment
magnifying prism
large print books and assignments
text-to-speech software
31
Which of the following functional goals would most likely be found in the IEP of a student on the autism spectrum who receives speech therapy once per week?
The student will wait for his turn without complaint in 3 out of 5 tries while participating in a preferred activity with a teacher and peer.
This is a functional social skill that often requires direct instruction for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and it is a goal that a speech therapist can implement and report on.
32
Which of the following strategies would be most effective in helping a fifth-grade student with dyslexia learn to decode words?
consistently reviewing and referring to the phonic alphabetic code chart
The phonic alphabetic code chart is a graphic breakdown of the 44 speech sounds (called phonemes) of the English language. The chart explains which letters combine to create which sounds. A review of this chart before or during reading can help students with dyslexia remember how to break difficult words down into their smallest pieces to decode and better understand them.
33
A teacher wants to model for students how to pull the main idea(s) from a nonfiction text. Which activity below would be the most effective way to demonstrate this for the students?
Read a text that's projected for the class and take notes in the margins while reading.
By modeling his thought process while reading, the teacher is able to demonstrate how a strong reader summarizes information during reading. The teacher is also demonstrating an effective tool students can use when they read on their own to find and summarize main ideas.
34
Which of the following is not a component of print concepts?
phonemic awareness
Phonemic awareness is the recognition of individual sounds that make up words. It is not a print concept
35
Hafsa, a first-grade student diagnosed with a developmental delay, has begun to recognize familiar words in the environment or in text. Which of the following literacy skills is she most likely to be working on during small-group guided reading
recognizing sight words and using illustrations and writing patterns to help decode each sentence.
This would be the most appropriate skill for Hafsa to be working on in a small group considering her reading level. Supported by the teacher in a small group, she would encounter sentences and read books that hinge on learning a sight word. For example, the book may be called "I like" and follow a pattern using sight words. A page might say: "I like to ride my bike" and have a picture of the character riding a bike. The student would know the pattern and see the picture and be able to read the sentence with prompting.
36
John is an incoming second-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who is enrolled in a new district and school. John's parents have expressed concerns about his transition to the new campus. Which of the following would be the best way to help John prepare for the new school year?
Offer to provide a private tour of the campus during which John and his parents can meet his teachers and the administrative staff.
Students with ASD often display anxiety when transitioning to new environments and routines, so a preview of the building with the chance to meet important people would be helpful in preparing John and his parents for the school year.
37
Sometimes reading difficulties are known not to be the outcome of lack of opportunities in education or limited intellect. Recent educational research has found that these difficulties are most often the result of what instead?
not being read to daily as a young child.
It is important for young children to be read to, but research has not shown that the lack of such activity is a major cause of problems in learning to read.
38
All of the following topics would be appropriate for discussion and consideration during an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting EXCEPT:
the student's interactions with specified classmates who have similar IEPs
Discussion of other students, disabled or otherwise, is not allowed during admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meetings.
39
Mrs. Latham is a tenth-grade English teacher with multiple inclusion classes. Which of the following reading strategies Mrs. Latham uses in class is most likely to be beneficial to students in other content areas?
annotating text to identify key information and concept
Text annotation is a valuable and flexible strategy for quickly identifying main ideas in any text across all academic disciplines.
40
Mrs. Johnson is teaching spatial reasoning to her eighth-grade resource math class. She wants to incorporate technology, so she finds a program that allows users to design a room. Her students create their dream bedrooms using 3D software, and then they print the bedroom designs and the furniture on separate papers. The students then move the furniture around the room until they like the designs. What shapes can the students use to recreate the furniture below?
set of squares
Squares can be used to create each of these. The chair is one square, the dresser and desk are two squares each, and the bed is three squares
41
A kindergarten teacher begins each class by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The teacher has a poster with the words to the Pledge of Allegiance and taps each word as the class recites the Pledge. By tapping the word on the poster in correlation with reciting the word, the teacher is best demonstrating which of the following?
concepts of print
The concept of print is the awareness of print in the everyday environment with an emerging understanding of how printed language works. In this example, the teacher points to the words as she says them, allowing the students to understand the correlation between the spoken and written words.
42
Which of the following would be illegal when considering a child for special education services?
Children must be tested in their native language. It is illegal to require all students to test in English.
43
Maxwell is a fifth-grade student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). During his annual IEP meeting, the special education teacher shares the results of Maxwell's most recent unit tests in the four core subjects. This data falls under which type of assessment?
summative assessment
A summative assessment evaluates student learning at the end of a unit of study grading each student's work based on a rubric or aligned standard.
44
Malcolm is a third-grade student with a mild intellectual disability. He reads with fluency that is only slightly below grade level but struggles to demonstrate comprehension of texts. Malcolm is significantly below grade level in written expression and often guesses at answers when given multiple-choice questions. Which of the following alternative means of assessment could best help Malcolm's teachers establish a baseline for his reading comprehension level?
Allow Malcolm to draw pictures representing important elements of the texts he reads.
For a student who struggles with written expression, drawing important events from a story can be an effective means of evaluating comprehension.
45
If a student with epilepsy suffers a grand mal seizure during class, the best thing the teacher can do is:
The immediate priority is to minimize the chance that the student will hit his head and get help. Sending another student to get a nearby adult allows the teacher to stay engaged with the affected student and be available to provide support if the condition worsens, while the other adult can request additional help from the nurse or first responders.
46
A kindergartener has started showing the ability to decode words by breaking them into simple forms. Which of the following best describes this student's current stage of literacy development?
```
Beginning Reader (the answer) (second stage)
Beginning readers are beginning to make sense of the text on the page. They will begin to decode and recognize more words.
```
```
Emergent Literacy (first stage)
The emergent stage of development is when children understand that written language communicates meaning and will recognize some common words like their own name.
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Early fluent/fluent readers/proficient (third stage)
readers recognize many words and can apply phonics and word analysis skills to figure out unfamiliar words. Fluent readers do a better job at reading more easily and with accuracy and expression. These students are improving their skills in revising their writing and using correct punctuation and spelling.
47
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), what is the minimum number of days required for parents to receive prior written notice before changes to a student's IEP are implemented?
Schools must provide written notice at least five school days before IEP changes are to take effect unless the parent waives this requirement.
Five school days is the acceptable time frame for prior written notice of IEP changes unless waived in writing by the parent or guardian.
48
Which of the following would be most helpful for a first-grade student who is having difficulty understanding how letters combine to form words that represent real objects
using cards that pair three-letter words with pictures of the things or concepts the words represent
One of the foundational steps for developing readers is realizing that letters form words that represent real-world objects and actions. Providing a graphic representation of these words can help solidify the connection between written and spoken language.
49
Aryanna is a fourth-grade student with a learning disability. Recent assessment data shows that Aryanna is able to find the perimeter of rectangles but struggles to find the area. When asked to calculate area, she typically adds the length and width rather than multiplying. Which of the following interventions would best help Aryanna?
providing small-group instruction in which square tiles are used to cover the surface of a rectangle.
Based on the information provided in the question, it is likely that Aryanna is lacking a concrete understanding of the concept of area. Using tiles to cover the surface of a rectangle will help reinforce this concept.
50
Callie is a 4-year-old who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by a private diagnostician at her parents' expense. Callie has not previously been enrolled in preschool or daycare because both her parents work from home and have provided care themselves. After receiving the diagnosis, Callie's parents want to have her enrolled in the Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) to help prepare for her transition to public school. Which of the following is the logical next step in this process?
Callie needs a full individual evaluation (FIE) to determine if she is eligible for PPCD before being enrolled.
Even though Callie already has an ASD diagnosis, the test for determining eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is not the existence of a qualifying disability. The test is whether that disability impacts the student's opportunity to receive a free and appropriate education. This determination must be made by an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee following the completion of an FIE.
51
Which of the following is an important component of choral reading?
Select all answers that apply.
reading aloud
Reading aloud is a component of choral reading, and it is important to help build reading fluency.
hearing the teacher model oral reading
Hearing a story read fluently by the teacher is a component of choral reading. Hearing the story or sentences read by the teacher first, before a student reads it aloud independently, can improve reading fluency.
52
Which of the following difficulties displayed by a third-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in math calculation could be supported by allowing the student to complete his work on graph paper?
keeping place value consistent when performing calculations
The "boxes" created by the intersecting lines on a sheet of graph paper can be very effective in helping students maintain proper arrangement of multi-digit numbers when performing calculations that require extra steps, like borrowing or carrying.
53
Which of the following assistive technology devices would be most appropriate in supporting a medically fragile student who has lost the ability to speak clearly?
A touchscreen text-to-speech tablet programmed with key words and phrases the student can identify.
Text-to-speech technology is the best analog for a student who is unable to speak himself. Pre-programming key words and phrases and displaying them in a manner that is accessible to the student is also beneficial, since the student may not possess the typing skills necessary to communicate clearly.
54
Maddie is a first-grade student with a specific learning disability, specifically dyscalculia. During mathematics, Maddie's class is working on adding two-digit and one-digit numbers. One strategy that Maddie's special education teacher suggests to support Maddie in learning addition within the general education classroom is:
to allow Maddie to use graph paper to help her keep track of the placement of the numbers.
Allowing Maddie to use graph paper is the best strategy to support her in two and one-digit addition in the classroom. Students with dyscalculia often struggle with maintaining appropriate place value when adding or subtracting numbers with multiple digits, so performing these calculations on graph paper can help Maddie stay organized.
55
Jeremy is a third-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Jeremy's teachers report that he has begun disrupting class by loudly repeating the things that others say, until he is sent to a behavior redirection classroom, where he is allowed to work on a jigsaw puzzle to calm down. This behavior began shortly after Jeremy's most recent IEP meeting, where the redirection room was added to his IEP as a behavior support. The most likely explanation for the change in Jeremy's behavior is that:
he has learned that exhibiting disruptive behaviors in class will lead to the opportunity for a preferred activity in a relaxing environment.
It is important to remember that all behavior serves a purpose. If Jeremy prefers working on a puzzle to participating in class, he will likely continue to do the things that lead to the outcome he wants. A brief admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee meeting or a conference with Jeremy's case manager may be useful in readjusting how the redirection room will be implemented.
56
Which of the following supports would be most beneficial when introducing new vocabulary to a student with a mild intellectual disability?
Provide an image to help explain each new vocabulary word.
Students with intellectual disabilities often need concrete examples to help them absorb and understand new concepts and ideas. Providing images that help demonstrate the meaning of new vocabulary will help connect the words with their proper meanings and give students a better chance of recalling and using the word correctly in the future.
57
Which of the following would be most helpful in aiding a high school junior with a mild intellectual disability to prepare for a job placement as a stocker at a retail business?
Help her practice categorizing, organizing, and displaying various products that could be sold at the location.
Sorting and arranging products would be effective and applicable practice for the student's job as a stock-person at a retail location.
58
Mrs. Smallwood is a third-grade teacher in an inclusion classroom. Which of the following activities introducing her students to the concept of fractions is most likely to engage kinesthetic learners of all ability levels?
Have the students stand up and arrange themselves into groups of varying sizes to represent fractions related to the makeup of the class.
Kinesthetic learners tend to absorb new information better when they can take a hands-on approach and engage multiple senses in the process. Asking students to use themselves and their peers to represent fractional relationships in the classroom will allow them to collaborate with classmates and discuss different ways to represent fractions, while also giving them a concrete example of how parts combine to form a whole.
59
Who is responsible for understanding and implementing the IEP of a student with a disability?
any individual with a direct educational interest in the student
All of the teachers and paraprofessionals who interact with a disabled student during the course of a normal school day should understand and follow relevant portions of the student's IEP.
60
During its financial literacy unit of study, a seventh-grade math resource class has been introduced to and mastered the concept of computing credits and debits to keep a balanced checking account. Which of the following would be the logical next step in teaching this unit?
each the difference between static expenses and variable expenses.
Static expenses is a type of budget that anticipates a fixed amount.
Variable expenses are costs that change as the quantity of the good or services that a business produces changes.
Once students understand how to balance a checking account, the logical next step is to teach them how to plan and budget for various types of expenses that they may incur.
61
Bryce is a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who performs at grade level in math but whose reading ability is multiple grade levels below his current fifth-grade placement. Bryce has received instruction in a co-taught classroom for the last four years. At his annual IEP meeting, in preparation for his transition to middle school, his special education case manager recommends that Bryce be placed in a resource class for language arts to accommodate his lower reading level. His parents argue against this placement, saying that they don't want Bryce to feel singled out. Which of the following is the most appropriate response to this concern?
Emphasize to Bryce's parents that their input will always be a valuable component to any decisions regarding their child's education and explain how the lower student-to-teacher ratio in resource classes allows for more personalized instruction and support.
It is crucial to maintain cordial and respectful communication with parents, even when they disagree with the opinion of the majority of the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee. It is also important to make sure parents have all the information necessary to make educated decisions regarding their child's education.
62
A special education teacher in a first-grade inclusion class uses index cards to label places and objects in the room, like doors, windows, shelves, and desks. Which of the following concepts is the teacher most likely trying to reinforce?
the idea that words (symbols) represent real-world objects
Young students and developing readers need to be reminded of the fact that in both written and spoken language, we use symbols (words) to represent real things.
63
Jacob is a non-verbal fourth-grade student with a severe intellectual disability. Which of the following types of assistive technology would likely be most beneficial for Jacob and his teachers?
a picture exchange communication system (PECS)
The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an alternative communication system that uses picture cards to convey wants, needs, questions, or thoughts to another person using a series of six phases. It is an effective way to help nonverbal students to communicate.
64
Matthew is a seventh-grade student who is suffering from an emotional disturbance following a recent traumatic experience that resulted in several physical injuries. His initial IEP meeting is scheduled for later this month, and the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee is requesting behavior data from Matthew's general education teachers. Which of the following behaviors is likely related to Matthew's disability?
avoidance of physical contact and a strong desire to control all interactions with others
Students who have recently experienced trauma with physical injuries may find physical contact with others uncomfortable, especially when it is unexpected. Additionally, students in states of high anxiety often seek stasis by seeking to control all aspects of their interactions with others.
65
Samuel is a third-grade student who is attentive and hardworking in class. He has good grades in math, science, and social studies, but struggles in reading. He has poor fluency, struggles to decode unfamiliar words, takes longer than other students to copy notes from the board, and struggles to answer questions that require a written response. Which of the following disabilities is Samuel most likely struggling with?
Dyslexia is often marked by poor fluency and decoding skills, along with far-copying (from whiteboard to paper, for example) difficulties and problems with written expression. A formal evaluation is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis, and Samuel should be referred for testing.
66
What is the value of allowing students in a fourth-grade language arts inclusion class to select books from their favorite genres during silent sustained reading?
Students are more likely to engage meaningfully with a text if it matches their personal interests.
Meaningful engagement with a text leads to greater metacognition through skills like inferencing and questioning. Allowing students to choose their own books for this activity makes it more likely that they will care about what they are reading and spend more time thinking about it.
67
Which of the following is an appropriate use of a behavioral redirection placement?
Marisol, a sixth-grade student with an emotional disturbance, is allowed to visit the redirection room when she gets overwhelmed by anxiety due to the amount of activity and noise in her general-education classes.
Students with ED should be provided with options to assist with self-regulation when the classroom environment becomes too stressful. The goal of redirection should be to de-escalate the student's heightened emotional state and help them return to the classroom as soon as is appropriate.
68
Which of the following procedural safeguards is included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?
Parents have the right to obtain an Individual Education Evaluation (IEE) if they are in disagreement with the school district's evaluation.
Parents have the right to request an IEE for each evaluation or re-evaluation conducted by the school district.
69
A first-grade student with a visual impairment has been added to an inclusion class. Which of the following would be most important for her teachers to keep in mind when arranging the classroom?
The student should be seated near enough important visuals for her to engage with material that is shared visually.
Visually impaired students who are not completely blind usually benefit from sitting closer to focal points like whiteboards or projection screens. Other considerations include understanding which eye is dominant or stronger and how overhead or indirect light affects the student's ability to see text and materials at their seats.
70
Marvin, a sixth-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading fluency also receives speech therapy for a slight stutter and is hesitant to read aloud during class. Which of the following strategies would best help Marvin gain confidence for oral reading and allow him to work on his fluency?
Provide Marvin with a preview of any text to be read aloud in class so he can practice the night before. Then, encourage him to volunteer to read as much or as little of the text as he's comfortable with.
The chance to practice ahead of time is an effective way to build confidence in hesitant readers, and will also allow Marvin the opportunity to work on his fluency at home by pre-reading the text
71
Which of the following activities is most likely to aid a seventh-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in written expression who frequently writes incomplete sentences?
each the student to diagram his sentences and identify which parts of speech are missing when he writes sentence fragments.
Sentence diagramming is a meaningful way for students to see concrete examples of how different parts of speech work together to create a complete thought.
72
A formative assessment is intended to:
measure learning at various incremental points within a larger unit of study.
Formative assessments are intended to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback as the class progresses through a unit of study.
73
Mr. Sanders, a special education teacher in a language arts inclusion classroom, is working to improve the reading comprehension of several students in his class. Which of the following strategies is Mr. Sanders most likely to use?
emphasizing the use of context clues to help decode text
Use of context clues can help decode and understand difficult language and increase overall comprehension of any passage.
74
Richard is an eighth-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At his annual IEP meeting, Richard's parents expressed a desire to dismiss him from speech therapy services since he has no trouble speaking clearly, and they are concerned that his weekly sessions with the campus speech therapist are causing him to fall behind in his classes. The speech therapist has previously told Richard's case manager that their sessions focus on intentionally teaching Richard how to interpret the facial expressions and body language of others and how to positively engage in social interactions through reciprocal communication. What is the best response to Richard's parents' concerns?
Encourage the speech therapist to share data that measures Richard's ability to engage in and maintain a conversation and how their sessions aim to help him build this skill.
All admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee decisions should be data-backed and supported by research. Students with ASD often require direct instruction to learn social behaviors that developmentally typical students absorb and implement naturally.
75
A second-grade student has shown strength in memorizing sight words and reading common, familiar words in books, but she consistently struggles with unfamiliar words even if they are decodable. Based on her specific challenge, in which of the following skills does she require further instruction?
direct phonics instruction
Direct phonics instruction teaches students to sound out words. This described student is able to read familiar words, but not new words, so she appears to be depending on her memory to recognize words and not her ability to sound them out.
76
When the parent of a school-aged student expresses concerns about their student's lack of academic progress, and a disability is suspected, the first step of the process is for the district to obtain:
signed written consent for evaluation from the parents.
The first step in the process for completing an initial evaluation for special education is to get signed consent from the parent(s) giving the local education agency (LEA) permission to evaluate the student.
77
Which of these is a primary benefit of placement in a resource classroom?
All instruction is tailored to students with special needs.
A resource class is typically comprised of a small number of students with special needs who function at similar levels of academic achievement. This allows the instructor to focus more narrowly on specific skill development unique to special education populations.
78
Students in Mrs. Wilson's class have mastered multiplication and have been introduced to division. Mrs. Wilson gave a test over introductory concepts in division and found that a number of students struggled. Which of the following strategies is best to help improve the students' understanding of division?
Use manipulatives to model division and connect it to multiplication.
Using manipulatives is the first stage of understanding in mathematics. Starting here allows the teacher to identify any misunderstandings before moving on and allows students to connect prior learning.
79
What is the primary benefit of framing behavior redirection responses in a positive manner (telling the student what they SHOULD do), rather than a negative manner (telling the student what they SHOULDN'T do)?
Modeling or describing the desired behavior creates a more positive interaction and gives the student a positive expectation to try and meet instead of a negative limit to stay within.
Behavior research shows that the most effective way to change undesired behavior is to teach the student to replace it with a better option.
80
Ms. Nakaroti wants to teach her students about properties of points, lines, planes, and angles. Which of the following should she include in her planning for the unit?
Analyze the standards to determine learning objectives before she starts writing lesson plans.
The standards should always be consulted before beginning lesson planning.
81
Which of the following behaviors are appropriate for learners in the Early or Beginning stage (Stage 2) of literacy development?
using a finger to move through a text, word-by-word
It is appropriate for learners in the Early or Beginning stage (Stage 2) of literacy development to "finger-point" as they move from word to word within a text.
82
Alfredo is a fourth-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading comprehension. During a small-group activity that incorporates oral reading, Alfredo's special education teacher notes that while he correctly pronounces most grade-level words, he reads in a robotic, monotonal voice and that his pauses and pacing do not match the punctuation of the text. Which of the following would be the best way for Alfredo's teacher to help him improve his reading comprehension during future small-group work?
Utilize dramas with stage directions that cue emotional affect and break the speaking parts into short lines among multiple characters.
In the situation described above, Alfredo displays poor fluency, which can contribute to comprehension deficits. When text is read with poor expression and attention to punctuation, it can seem choppy and disconnected, interfering with comprehension. If the small group switches its focus to dramas for a short time, Alfredo and the other students will get the benefit of cues to how the lines should be read, increasing emotional affect. Additionally, the division of a drama script into lines of dialogue can help students improve their recognition of punctuation, creating a more natural flow both when reading orally and silently.
83
Which is the most appropriate section of a student's IEP to include information about the student's post-secondary goals as well as activities and services that the student can access now to prepare for post-secondary education and/or employment?
transition plan
The transition plan includes information about transition assessments, the student's course of action, the student's post-secondary goals, and activities and services that will be implemented in the coming year to prepare the student to meet those goals.
84
A seventh-grade student with an intellectual disability is working on basic algebra problems. His special education teacher notices the following mistake:
6 * X=24
divide sign 6
X=24
Which of the following would be the best intervention to try with the student?
Use an equal arm balance scale and dried beans to illustrate the concept of adding and removing things to and from both sides to keep the scale even.
Because the student only divided 6 from one side of the equation, the teacher can assume that the student is struggling with the central algebraic concept of keeping both sides equal. Using a hands-on intervention that demonstrates why you cannot take something from one side if the equation needs to remain equal would help the student understand and remember that he needs to alter both sides each time he performs an operation.
85
Which of the following would likely be most important for a sixth-grade English language arts teacher to keep in mind when planning instruction for a class that includes a student with muscular dystrophy?
Build in breaks during written assignments to allow for muscle fatigue and recovery.
Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. Muscle fatigue due to repetitive motions, like writing, is common among students with muscular dystrophy, so it is reasonable to expect such a student to need regular breaks during written assignments.
86
Which student profiled below would more than likely qualify for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?
a student who needs related services
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act offers related services.
87
Which of the following is the first step in drafting an effective behavior intervention plan (BIP)?
identifying the behavior that is to be replaced
Once an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines that a behavior intervention plan is needed, the first step toward drafting that plan is to identify the behavior that the committee hopes to reduce or replace. This step is often accomplished during the same IEP meeting that introduces the need for a BIP.
88
The most effective way to ensure that IEP goals are properly written and implemented is to align them to:
state standards in which the student has displayed a weakness over multiple assessment opportunities.
IEP goals should reflect an academic weakness that would benefit the student if improved upon. Accurate identification of strengths and weaknesses requires multiple data points and, possibly, multiple modes of assessment.
89
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), IEP goals must meet all of the following criteria:
IEP goals must be measurable
IEP goals must include a clear statement of when progress will be reported.
IEP goals must include a standard of performance against which progress will be measured.
90
Which of the following behaviors would most likely be exhibited by a student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
inability to focus on one task or subject for extended periods and poor impulse control
Students with ADHD struggle to maintain focus for extended periods and tend to display impulsive behaviors and speech.
91
Which of the following questions should take precedent when determining the least restrictive environment for any student during the initial referral process for special education services?
Which instructional arrangement will provide the best opportunity for the student to demonstrate her strengths while receiving support for her weaknesses?
Least restrictive environment means the greatest access possible to the general education curriculum. Therefore, an honest assessment of the student's strengths and weaknesses is required so that the student can be matched with the learning environment that will best allow her to continue to develop her strengths while improving on her areas of weakness.
92
Charles is a high school junior with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He performs above grade level in all core subjects, but struggles with decision-making in non-school settings and suffers extreme anxiety when dealing with the unexpected. During transition planning prior to his annual IEP meeting, Charles has expressed interest in web development as a career, even though he has not gained any real-world training or experience in this pursuit. Which of the following resources would be most helpful for a member of the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee to provide to Charles and his family?
a list of colleges and universities that offer online degrees in website development
Based on the available information, Charles has a career goal that could be aided by continuing his education after high school. Additionally, an online degree program would allow Charles to access the post-secondary curriculum without the added stress and anxiety of leaving home and living independently before he is ready to do so.
93
Which organization below specifically provides information to parents, communities, educators and the general public on specific disabilities; programs and services for infants, children, and youth; U.S. special education law; and effective educational practices?
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) provides information to parents, communities, educators and the general public on specific disabilities; programs and services for infants, children and youth; U.S. special education law; and effective educational practices.
94
Kayla is a fifth-grade student who is in the evaluation phase of an initial referral for special education services. Her parents have expressed frustration with her inability to follow instructions when completing chores at home. Her teachers report that she is easily distracted and exhibits impulsive actions in class, although she is respectful and easily redirected. Kayla is undergoing diagnostic testing with a district representative. In the meantime, which of the following actions by the special education teacher assigned to the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee would be most helpful?
Provide Kayla's parents and teachers with some strategies for improving focus and impulse control in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Based on the information available, it would be appropriate to give Kayla's caregivers and instructors information that could help manage some of the behaviors she exhibits, even if the official diagnosis has not been completed. It is important to note that this is not the same as implementing academic accommodations or modifications or implementing a behavior intervention plan (BIP), neither of which should be done until after the IEP meeting. Additionally, staff should avoid explicitly telling Kayla's parents that they suspect she has ADHD until testing is complete and a diagnosis is available.
95
The parents of an eighth-grade student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) email their son's language arts teacher with concerns about his lack of progress in writing. They request that he be allowed to type his essays on a computer instead of writing them by hand. Which of the following would be the most logical course of action for the teacher to take before drafting a reply?
Evaluate the student's available written work in various formats to determine if he is more successful on written assignments when using word processing software.
Gathering data to compare the student's written work when typing vs. writing by hand is the logical step to take before replying to the parents' request. It is important to honor parent concerns and use data to drive decision-making when it comes to accommodations.
96
A special education teacher is working on reinforcing foundational reading skills in order to support her student's literacy development. She writes the letter H on the board and makes the /h/ sound. She asks the class to name as many words as they can that start with the letter H. Which of the following is this activity most focused on improving?
phonemic awareness
Students must apply the phonemic awareness to generate words that start with the /h/ sound.
97
Mrs. Price is a language arts teacher in a sixth-grade inclusion class. She is preparing to have her students compose an expository essay answering the following question: Why is honesty important? Which of the following types of graphic organizer would be most effective in helping Mrs. Price's students with a specific learning disability (SLD) in written expression compose an essay that aligns with the prompt?
a brainstorming web with space for personal observations related to a specific topic
A web encouraging students to note their own ideas related to a specific topic is an effective first step toward organizing their thoughts into a format that fits the style of an expository essay, where they are required to support their thesis with multiple examples.
98
Mr. Jackson is a seventh-grade science teacher who teaches multiple inclusion classes. Before beginning a unit of study on cell structure and function, Mr. Jackson instructs his students to combine their knowledge and complete a chart detailing what they already know and questions they have about specific cell organelles. The primary benefit of this type of frontloading activity is that:
it stimulates background knowledge and gives Mr. Jackson insight into the level of understanding his students possess.
Requiring students to access their own background knowledge and discussing a common topic with peers is a good strategy for introducing a new concept. When students can connect new information with something they've already learned, they have a greater chance of fully absorbing and understanding the new concept.
99
What is the first step in initiating a referral when the district suspects a student may require special education services?
Request consent from the student's parents or guardian to begin an evaluation for possible disability.
The first step in any initial evaluation for special education services is to obtain parental consent for evaluation.
100
A teacher in the district's Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) is preparing to receive a new student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading comprehension. What steps should the teacher take to prepare for the student's arrival?
Contact the case manager, request and review the IEP, request and review the student's most recent assessment data in core classes.
When receiving a new special education student who is experiencing a change in placement, it is crucial for the teacher of record to access and utilize existing IEP paperwork and assessment data to drive instruction and maintain academic progress.
101
Which of the following is an example of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)?
text-to-speech software applications
picture boards
American sign language (ASL)
102
To help encourage a third-grade student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to maintain focus and complete assignments, which of the following would be the best approach?
Offer him short-term incremental rewards that add up for the opportunity to earn larger rewards.
Students diagnosed with ADHD have trouble organizing and planning for the future, so a long-term goal, even if it comes with a larger or better reward, may not be an effective incentive. It is best to start with small rewards and praise for short bursts of focus and work completion, then build up to goals that span longer time periods and come with larger rewards.
103
When helping a general education teacher plan instruction for a student with a specific learning disability, the first thing the special education teacher is likely to share is:
the relevant sections of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) in the IEP.
The PLAAFP should include functional and behavioral data, as well as academic strengths and weaknesses relevant to specific core subjects. The PLAAFP helps justify the student's IEP goals as well as the various classroom supports, so it is the logical place to begin when planning instruction.
104
Transcription support, such as having an adult bubble in an answer document, would most likely benefit a student with which of the following disabilities?
specific learning disability (SLD) in written expression
Students with a specific learning disability in written expression typically suffer from poor fine motor control, so transcription support would likely be a helpful accommodation for such students.
105
Which of the following is the most prevalent cause of due process hearings in the state of Texas?
disputes regarding the IEP
According to a 2017 study conducted by Sage Journals, in which the authors analyzed 139 due process hearings in Texas between 2011 and 2015, 62% of all hearings included a dispute over the IEP.
106
Which of the following are the most important considerations when drafting IEP goals?
Identifying data-supported weaknesses the student has displayed and aligning goals to curriculum standards that will allow the student to practice and improve on their deficiency at the appropriate rigor
IEP goals should be individually tailored to student deficiencies in their respective content areas and should be adjusted in rigor to meet the student's individual developmental level.
107
How might a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading comprehension impact a student's ability to demonstrate mastery in math?
Students with reading comprehension deficiencies will likely struggle to decode and solve word problems.
Students with deficiencies in reading comprehension often lack sufficient vocabulary and background knowledge to decode word problems and understand what is being asked of them; therefore, they may struggle to solve these problems.
108
During a parent-teacher conference, the father of a non-disabled student in an inclusion class mentions that his child has had friction in the past with another student in the class who has an emotional disturbance. The father mentions several disagreements that the two have had and then asks if any progress has been made in the disabled student's classroom behavior. How should the teacher respond?
Thank the father for his time and his concerns and firmly but politely indicate that you are only allowed to discuss his own child during the parent-teacher conference.
When communicating with parents, teachers should limit the discussion to that parent's respective children and never share information about other students, including students with a disability.
109
Which of the following supports would be most beneficial in helping a fifth-grade student who is deaf participate in an activity that requires students to listen to selected song lyrics to identify and decode examples of figurative language?
Provide a transcript of the lyrics with multiple choice options to help identify the figurative language in each song.
A transcript of the song lyrics the class will analyze can help the disabled student access the curriculum. Adding options to help stimulate recognition of the figurative language is an important component since the teacher will be asking this student to read and decode lyrics, while the rest of the class merely has to listen and respond.
110
A teacher is planning a formative assessment to determine how well his students can differentiate between the concepts of area and volume. Which of the following formative assessments would be the most appropriate for this topic?
sorting drawings of shapes into area and volume categories
Sorting drawings of different shapes according to area and volume will show whether students can differentiate between the two concepts. This assessment will be quick to perform and quick for the teacher to grade.
111
A first-grade student is struggling to decode words containing multiple syllables. While investigating what could be causing the problem, the teacher notices that she is able to read and spell single-syllable words accurately most of the time. What skill should the teacher revisit to help improve this student's decoding skills?
structural analysis
Based on the teacher's observations, the student should have better luck reading words with multiple syllables once she is better able to break the word into recognizable parts.
112
Marisol is a second-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in math calculation. Which of the following supports can best help Marisol learn to complete two-digit subtraction problems?
concrete reinforcers, such as counting sticks and blocks
Concrete reinforcers, like connecting blocks or tokens, can help a student who struggles with basic calculation to better visualize and understand what a math problem is asking her to do.
113
All of the following are benefits of using pre-planned visual cues to remind a student of available behavior supports :
it can help the student recognize that she is engaging in behavior that may result in consequences.
it reminds the student that she is in control of her choices and that she has options for managing her emotions and behavior.
it allows the teacher to give notice that behavior needs correction without calling the student out in front of the class.
114
A fourth-grade teacher in a language arts class uses the following assessments in class:
An early, mid-year, and final measure of the number of words students can read correctly in 60 seconds.
A rating scale for emotional affect displayed when students read aloud during any activity.
Charting student attention to punctuation while reading aloud, both before and after direct instruction on the topic.
The data collected from these assessments would be most appropriate in measuring progress toward an IEP goal in which of the following areas?
reading fluency
Reading fluency is a measure of a student's reading rate combined with their awareness of punctuation and emotional affect when reading aloud. Reading with grade-level fluency is a fundamental step toward developing stronger reading comprehension.
115
Which of the following accommodations would be helpful for a medically fragile sixth-grade student who struggles with mobility and gross motor control?
transcription support
paraprofessional support during transitions
adaptive physical education
116
A fifth-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in written expression would likely benefit most from which of the following supports when completing an assigned essay?
a graphic organizer with sentence stems and transition sentences related to the essay's topic already printed
Students who struggle with written expression often have trouble organizing their thoughts and translating them to the written word. A graphic organizer with sentence stems and a selection of common transition phrases can help these students see how the essay should be organized and give them support in making their ideas fit the essay prompt.
117
Of the following, which parental concern is most likely to result in an evaluation of a child under the age of three?
failure to meet multiple milestones of adaptive development
Adaptive development milestones include self-help skills related to the activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, eating, and continence). For a child younger than three to have missed multiple such milestones could be an early indicator of a disability or developmental delay.
118
Regan is a ninth-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in reading comprehension. During Regan's annual IEP meeting, her father requests that she be dismissed from special education services since her last report card showed As and Bs in all core classes. The most appropriate response to Regan's father is to:
point out that the classroom accommodations Regan receives as part of her IEP are likely contributing to her academic success and that she may struggle or regress without these supports.
It is important to communicate clearly with parents when discussing IEP supports and the impact they have on student success. A more appropriate first step–that may also serve as a compromise–would be to evaluate which accommodations Regan no longer needs and analyze her progress without these supports.
119
What is the primary benefit of having students paraphrase or summarize a text after they've read it?
It increases metacognition and is the purest way for a student to prove he or she understands the text.
Requiring students to interpret and then explain, in their own words, the important parts of a text passage forces them to engage with the text at a higher level since they must decode the text, connect with it in a meaningful way, and then create an appropriate summary.
120
Which of the following is the proper next step for a local education agency (LEA) to take once it has received communication from a parent within its district who believes her preschool-aged child may have a developmental disability?
Investigate the parent's concerns, and, if necessary, initiate the procedure for completing a full individual evaluation (FIE) of the child.
As part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), public schools are required to identify, locate, and evaluate any child who may need special education. Schools are not required to agree to every request for evaluation, but the school must consider every request.
121
Ms. Hernandez is a second-grade inclusion teacher who will be meeting with her students' parents for back-to-school night. Ms. Hernandez will have the opportunity to share a brief presentation regarding topics of study this school year. She has asked each family to fill out an index card with key information. Which of the following items would be important for her to ask parents to include?
parents/guardians' preferred contact number during the school day
It is important to have contact number(s) for parents/guardians on file and know which numbers are best to reach them during the school day.
122
Which of the following is an important consideration when determining the least restrictive environment for a student with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
access to the general education curriculum
the student's social and emotional skill level
the extent that the student's disability impacts his ability to learn
123
Which of the following practices by a first-grade teacher is the most important to developing independent readers?
facilitating a variety of literary experiences
Exposing students to texts they enjoy and providing time to experience all different forms of reading is key to developing independent readers.
124
A teacher has provided her class with a descriptive writing assignment. The students have chosen a topic and are now filling out a sensory-focused graphic organizer in which they list descriptions that align with each of the five senses. What step in the writing process are the students most likely to be in?
prewriting
Before beginning descriptive writing, students should brainstorm ways in which they might describe the topic. The graphic organizer is created for this purpose.
125
Mrs. Gonzalez is a special education teacher assigned to co-teach with the sophomore English language arts team. At the team's first common planning time meeting, team members are establishing norms and choosing which of the shared responsibilities they will take on. Which of the following roles would be the most logical fit for Mrs. Gonzalez?
make needed accommodations to assignments and tests
The special education teacher who partners with an instructional team should be the group's subject-matter expert on how to accommodate or modify assignments and tests.
126
A third-grade teacher notices that some of her students are struggling with putting fractions in order from least to greatest. What would be the most appropriate manipulative to help students with this concept?
fraction strips
Fraction strips provide students with a concrete representation of what each fraction looks like. By using these to model different fractions, students can see that certain fractions are larger or smaller than others.
127
Who should be interviewed when collecting data for a functional behavior assessment (FBA)?
multiple people who have observed the target behavior in a variety of settings and conditions
It is important to collect multiple perspectives on the environmental factors and resulting consequences of the behavior to help develop a total overall picture of what causes it and what its function is for the student.
128
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) specifies that no more than 1 percent of all students should take alternate assessments not aligned to the academic standards of their grade level. For which of the following students would an alternate assessment be most appropriate?
a student with a severe intellectual disability who receives all instruction in a self-contained classroom
Of the scenarios described, this student would be most likely to take an alternative assessment, since she receives no instruction in the general education classroom.
129
Which of the following activities is most likely to help assess and build reading comprehension among students in a fifth-grade language arts inclusion class?
In small groups of three to four, have students read and discuss a passage, then develop a group summary to share with the class.
Discussion of a text with peers increases metacognition during reading, and collaborating to construct a suitable summary requires the use of higher-level thinking to weed out unimportant details and prove that the students understand the main ideas or themes of the passage.
130
A special education teacher has been working with a student on phonological awareness skills. Which of the following skills is most likely to be the final phonological awareness skills that the student will master before the teacher transitions from phonological awareness to explicit phonics instruction?
manipulating phonemes
Manipulating phonemes is a more complex aspect of phonological awareness and would likely be one of the last skills prior to explicit phonics instruction.
131
Which of the following should be part of post-secondary schooling transition planning for a high school sophomore with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?
Establishing whether the student plans to live independently or in a supportive environment.
An important part of transition planning involves making sure the student and his family are considering options for the future, such as where and with whom the student plans to live. The student's input and preference are valuable parts of the planning process that can help guide decisions to make adequate preparation for the transition from secondary school to adult life.
132
Cody is a sixth-grade student with a moderate intellectual disability who performs below grade level in language arts and math. He struggles with executive function, impulse control, and work completion, but has shown that he can be academically successful with close supervision and redirection. Which of the following placements would be most appropriate for Cody?
resource for language arts and math and general-education classes for other core subjects and electives with paraprofessional support in all classes
Since Cody has demonstrated success under close supervision with redirection, paraprofessional support throughout his school day is appropriate. Additionally, resource placement for language arts and math is appropriate since he performs below grade level in both subjects.
133
When preparing for a student's annual IEP meeting, the special education teacher should be sure to solicit input from:
all general education teachers who work with the student, regardless of subject taught.
When preparing for an IEP meeting, it is important to gather data and reports from all teachers who have a part in implementing the student's IEP. The student may behave and perform differently in different classes and situations, and each teacher may be able to provide valuable insight to the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee.
134
Following the distribution of periodic IEP goal progress reports, the parent of a seventh-grade student contacts Ms. Simpson, a special education case manager, to express concern over her child's lack of progress in her math goal. How should Ms. Simpson respond?
Provide copies of assignments and tasks used to compile the data for the progress report and explain how the work relates to the student's goal while soliciting parent input for how to provide better support for the student.
Providing parents access to the sources of data for progress reporting can help them understand exactly where their student experiences difficulty and can facilitate a better discussion of how to support the student more appropriately in pursuit of academic growth.
135
Student groups are given a six-sided die, with each side labeled a number 1 through 6. Each student group rolls the die 75 times and records the number that is rolled. If there are 8 groups of students participating in this activity, which of the following is most likely the total number of times a 4 was rolled?
98
There are a total of 600 rolls for the class as each group records 75 rolls. The theoretical probability of rolling any number is 1/6 or about 16.7%, and one-sixth of 600 is 100. So, the students will roll a 4 about 100 times.
136
Bailey, a fourth-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD) in math problem-solving, struggles to solve word problems that require multiple computations. Which of the following would be an appropriate support for Bailey's math teacher to implement?
Highlight the key information and operational signal words within the word problems on Bailey's worksheets and give her direct instruction on how to find and emphasize this information herself.
Emphasizing key information is an effective strategy for students who struggle with multi-step problems. Bailey still gets to practice reading and solving word problems with the support of guidance toward identifying which numbers and operations to use.
137
Which of the following is the best activity for reviewing percentages with fifth-grade students?
using a variety of methods and scenarios to determine percentage
Presenting percentages in a variety of real-world scenarios helps students to review and fully grasp the concept as they practice using them.
138
Matilda is a fourth-grade student who has a specific learning disability (SLD). Matilda's parents have asked the special education teacher to provide some suggestions for how to make homework completion more manageable. Which of the following recommendations is most appropriate for the special education teacher to advise Matilda's parents to try at home?
Read aloud with Matilda and ask questions to aid in comprehension.
Reading aloud with Matilda will help her to focus on comprehension of the content. By asking questions, her parents will be able to keep her engaged and determine her level of understanding.
139
Which of the following mathematics lessons would be most helpful in preparing a high school resource class for independent living
a lesson on managing a personal checking account and paying bills
Managing money and paying bills are important skills of daily living for students who want to live independently.
140
A second-grade reading teacher plans to regularly incorporate all of the skills that support reading comprehension. For an upcoming reading activity, the teacher has marked several locations in the text. When the students reach each of the pre-marked locations, they will stop and turn to their partner to make a comment, ask a question, make a connection, or make a prediction. Which reading comprehension skill is the teacher supporting with this activity?
self-monitoring or metacognition
This activity requires students to check in periodically and think about what they are reading. This will help them self-monitor their comprehension.
141
The Texas Education Code (TEC) sets legal standards for all schools in the state of Texas. What schools are required to abide by these laws?
any public school that receives taxpayer funds
All public schools receive taxpayer funds and must abide by the TEC.
142
Kate, an eighth-grade student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), struggles with organization and planning in her life outside of school. She is able to complete and submit most in-class assignments with little trouble, but when it comes to longer projects, she often misses deadlines or forgets to complete her work. Kate's district provides all students with tablets, which can be utilized off-campus. Which of the following supports discussed in her annual IEP meeting would be most helpful for Kate as she transitions to high school?
an electronic calendar that coordinates with the district's learning management system (LMS)
A calendar that syncs with assignments posted in the district's LMS would give Kate one location to check on and keep track of which work is due in which class, without requiring extra steps on her part.
143
Which landmark special education court decision held that school districts may be required to reimburse parents of students with special needs for the costs of private education in certain situations?
Burlington School Committee v. Massachusetts Board of Education
In Burlington, the court ruled that parents can be reimbursed by the local education agency (LEA) for the costs of private education if the following criteria are met: (1) the IEP and placement offered by the LEA are inadequate or inappropriate, (2) the parents' private placement is appropriate for the child's needs, and (3) the balance of the equities favors reimbursement.
144
Jackson is a graduating senior with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who will soon begin a new job shelving books and helping to maintain records at the local library. Which of the following is the best way Jackson's special education case manager can support him in preparing for this transition from school to work?
Review Jackson's existing IEP accommodations with him to analyze which supports would be feasible and helpful in his new position.
It is important to make sure that transitioning students with disabilities understand the supports that can help them succeed in daily life. It is also beneficial to give these students a chance to practice advocating for themselves in the workplace through role-play and direct teaching.
145
As part of the prereferral intervention in cases where a disability is suspected but not yet confirmed, all of the following are acceptable means of gathering data:
engaging in an informal conversation with the student to assess his level of comfort with a range of academic skills.
allowing the student to complete written assignments using a word processor to assess the potential benefit of assistive technology.
giving the student a variety of standard accommodations across a range of tasks to analyze which are likely to be helpful.
146
Which of the following strategies would be most effective in helping a struggling reader in first grade apply rules of phonemic awareness to decode new words?
Group words according to consonant blends or interior vowel sounds, starting with words the student knows and progressing to new words which follow the same patterns.
Starting with a known word and allowing the student to explore new words that follow a similar pattern can help build phonemic awareness and decoding skills.
147
When collaborating with stakeholders about the goals and services for a student who receives special education services, a key aspect of the collaboration is:
to ensure that the student is successful and learns.
The focus should always be on the success and learning of the student.
148
Which part of the transition planning process is most valuable in helping students establish a purpose for education as they move into high school and toward post-secondary life?
Creating the transition plan with the student so that it focuses on and reflects the student's true interests and goals for their future.
Student buy-in is a crucial element of successful transition planning; therefore, any good transition plan should start with an honest and open inventory of the student's interests and goals. These interests and goals should also be reevaluated annually while making appropriate adjustments to the transition plan.
149
Roman has recently started on medication for ADHD. His mother sent an email to the teacher to let her know that his behavior and attentiveness should improve. What negative side effects may the parent ask the teacher to monitor?
lack of hunger or excessive thirst
150
Which of the following would be an appropriate use of group work in a middle-elementary special education math class?
reinforcing learning by having students solve problems independently and then explain their reasoning to their partner to check their work
This would be an appropriate group-work activity as teaching others and explaining reasoning can be a very effective means of reinforcing understanding. Additionally, other students might learn from listening to the thought processes of their peers.
151
Mr. Ortiz is a paraprofessional that provides in-class support for second-grade students with emotional disabilities. He has two students with Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) that center around work completion. One component of the plan is that the students will receive 5 minutes of free choice time if they complete work independently. Mr. Ortiz often prompts the students to begin working and reminds them of their free choice activities, but he doesn't consistently follow through with providing free choice options before moving onto the next activity.
How can his supervisor help with the implementation of the BIPs?
Explain the effects of assigning consequences and not following through on them, especially with students who have behavior concerns.
This should help Mr. Ortiz understand that the students' BIPs include natural consequences (students must finish work before moving onto the preferred activity). If Mr. Ortiz does not implement the plan, he is not encouraging work completion but offering the free choice activity.
152
Which of the following guarantees free and appropriate public education for individuals with disabilities in the United States?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees that all students with disabilities can have access to free and appropriate public education.
153
Which of the following standards would a third-grader most need to master before learning ordinality of large numbers?
value of a digit
Ordinality relates to ordering objects (eg. determining which object or number is bigger). In order to understand which six-digit numbers are larger than others, a student must first understand how place value affects the value of a digit. Without this foundational knowledge, a child might believe that 77,000 is larger than 111,000 because 7 is a bigger number than 1.
154
A 5th-grade student with a learning disability generally comprehends engaging, narrative texts, but is struggling with content-specific informative texts. The teacher regularly implements pre-reading activities for the class as a whole. Which of the following strategies should the inclusion teacher implement to help this student when reading informative texts?
decrease reading rate
When reading to learn and reading something outside of your comfort zone, it is often helpful to read more slowly than usual.
155
The parent of a seventh-grade student with a specific learning disability in reading and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) informs the special education teacher that he has begun a new medication for ADHD. The student begins falling asleep regularly in class and often sleeps through lunch. What steps should the special education teacher take to address the student's sleeping?
collect data on how often they are sleeping and notify the parent about the change
Medication can often cause a drastic change in behavior in students with disabilities. Informing the guardian with proper evidence of the frequency of sleeping will allow them to address the change in behavior with their pediatrician.
156
A third-grade student with an emotional behavior disorder is engaging in high rates of problem behavior in his current placement. The administrators and behavior specialist decide that an ARD meeting should be held to move the student to a more restrictive placement. What necessary steps should the administrators address in the ARD meeting?
parental consent for the more restrictive placement
Parental consent is required for any move to a more restrictive environment. Students should be educated in their least restrictive environment (LRE) unless agreed upon by the ARD committee (which includes parent/guardian).
157
Which of the following activities would be the best measure of whether a first-grade student understands the relationship between numbers?
ability to place multiple numbers in the appropriate spots on a blank number line
Requiring a student to rank numbers on a blank number line is a strong indicator of whether he understands the relationship between numbers. It is a visual representation of the numbers' symbolic value and indicates that the student understands what each number represents.
158
In a co-taught, seventh-grade math class, the special education teacher notices that two of her students with mild intellectual disabilities are struggling to multiply fractions. She sees them counting on their fingers as they try to do math in their heads and writing additional problems in which they are adding the same number multiple times. Which of the following would be an appropriate aid to provide to these students to help them complete the assignment?
a multiplication chart
Based on the behavior seen by the teacher, the problem appears to be that these students do not have their multiplication facts memorized. They are working to count up or add for each step of the multiplication. Providing a multiplication chart will help them work faster and reinforce their memory of these basic facts, without removing them from what they are actually doing as a calculator might.
159
Which characteristics are common to students with visual impairment?
Select all answers that apply.
stumbling or uncoordinated movement
| heightened senses to accommodate for the lower functioning sense of sight
160
An elementary teacher is planning an instructional unit on some of the most common communication conventions (i.e., punctuation, spelling, and grammar) used in digital media. Which of the following activities would best help support the teacher's goal?
Separate the characteristics of the most common communication conventions using a Venn diagram
This is the best answer option, as the students are able to see how different communication conventions overlap in function and also how they are different in helping deliver the information.
161
Which of these behaviors would be concerning when evaluating a 3-year-old's speech/language development?
identifying 5 out of 10 common objects correctly
At age three, children should be able to identify 10 out 10 common objects. This may indicate a delay in expressive language development
162
An IEP meeting for a 13-year-old with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and emotional disturbance is next week. A general education teacher suggests a goal for the student to remain on-task for an entire 120-minute reading block. What steps should the special education teacher take following this suggestion?
Determine how long students without disabilities are on task during their reading block.
On-task behavior for individuals with disabilities is important to ensure they are receiving adequate access to the curriculum. However, intervention should be directed toward the goal of generalization. By gathering information on peer behavior, a realistic and appropriate target can be set.
163
A second-grade teacher is planning to use an informational text about the accomplishments of Amelia Earhart as an opportunity for her students to practice their summary skills. Prior to independently reading the text, the teacher will show the class a photograph of Earhart in the cockpit of a plane, and the class will watch a short video that overviews the history of aviation. The teacher's lesson plans demonstrate her understanding of the skills that support reading comprehension. Which of the following best describes her goal for the pre-reading activity?
Schema development supports comprehension.
The teacher is supporting schema development prior to reading the text. Building background knowledge and activating prior knowledge will improve comprehension.
164
An eighth-grade student has just moved to the United States from Syria with his family. They are considered refugees. He uses a wheelchair, and his mother has requested special education services because she believes he has an orthopedic impairment. The school has conducted a full and individual evaluation (FIE) in his native language, which is also the primary language spoken at home.
Who are the members of the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee that must be there to determine if he needs services?
parent, special education teacher, general education teacher, an administrator, an evaluator(s), and an interpreter
IDEA requires that an IEP team include the special education teacher, general education teacher, an administrator (LEA designee), and someone who is qualified to conduct/interpret evaluation results when considering eligibility. Each of these individuals must be present, and the school must offer to provide an interpreter for the parent. The child may attend if he wishes to and the parent agrees; however, he is not required to attend.
The student is not required to be invited unless he/she is 14 years or older and the IEP team is developing a post-secondary transition plan. The age of majority in Texas is age 18 (rights transfer from parent to student).
165
A first-grade teacher takes three small square tiles and sits across from one of her students. She says, "I'm going to say a word and then its sounds: mat ... /m/ … /a/ … /t/." Then she passes the tiles across the desk to the student and says, "Can you think of another one-syllable word with three sounds?" This activity furthers the student's reading abilities by helping them:
understand that words are made up of separate sounds.
This activity helps the student learn how to segment individual sounds in a word by creating a visual representation of each separate sound. Segmenting and blending are the two most important aspects of phonemic awareness for students to master as they are learning to read.
166
A middle school student with a mild intellectual disability has difficulty recalling basic addition and subtraction facts. Which of the following strategies would most likely help the student meet the math standards for their grade level?
allowing the student to use a calculator for basic addition and subtraction facts
A basic calculator that can be used for addition and subtraction is an appropriate strategy to use for this student. This will allow the student to solve more complex math problems without having to remember basic addition and subtraction facts.
167
A special education teacher has three students in a fourth-grade reading group who are frequently distracted during tests. The students often bubble incorrectly during testing and do not finish in the allotted time. The special education teacher should:
consider providing testing accommodations for the students at their next IEP meeting.
Providing testing accommodations for students can assist with issues in test completion. However, testing accommodations have to be agreed upon in an IEP meeting before being implemented.
168
A kindergarten student has been identified by a general education teacher as having repetitive behaviors and language delays. After evaluation, the Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) determines the student is on the autism spectrum. What steps are required for the student to access special education services?
an ARD meeting must be held to review the evaluation and offer services
Once evaluation is complete, an ARD meeting must be held to review evaluation data and determine if the parent agrees to the student entering special education services.
169
A seventh-grade science class is beginning a unit on experimentation. One student in the class has cerebral palsy and cannot effectively use some of the equipment in the experiments. What can the teacher do to incorporate this student into the activities?
Have the experiment be completed in groups with specific roles, most of which the student can effectively complete.
By assigning specific roles, this allows the student to choose a role he can successfully complete alongside his peers. This method provides the student appropriate access to the general education curriculum.
170
A third-grade student with no history of seizures begins having a seizure in the special education classroom. In this case, the first thing the teacher should do is:
instruct a staff member or administrator to call 911.
Students with a history of seizure may have a plan in place that does not require a 911 call; however, any student with no history of seizures should receive emergency medical attention.
171
A fourth grader, Vincent, is struggling with divisibility rules. He cannot consistently remember and apply all of the rules when given a number which frustrates him. The teacher feels that his behavior is becoming increasingly disruptive during math time. He has a behavior intervention plan (BIP) and accommodations. What should the special education teacher recommend?
Address the issue now while continuing with the current planned curriculum.
This does need to be addressed, but Vincent cannot miss other concepts due to frustration with this one. He can be provided a rules sheet when working division problems to assist him until he has memorized the facts. The reacher should also review Vincent's BIP and accommodations to ensure that the plan is followed with fidelity, especially during math time.
172
A third-grade class is reading a biography of a famous inventor. Before reading, the teacher shows images of some of the inventions and the class discusses how they have interacted with the inventions in their lives. While reading, the teacher pauses to ask herself, "Why did he switch from copper to aluminum for the outside? Let me read this again." Then reviews the text aloud to find the answer. The teacher's actions while reading best depict her knowledge of which factor of reading comprehension?
monitoring for comprehension while reading
Students need to know how to check for comprehension and ask self-monitoring questions while reading independently. Teachers can encourage this skill by modeling the skill during whole-group readings.
173
A fifth-grade student with dyslexia continues to struggle with reading even though she has received special education services for over a year. The teacher would like to use assistive technology (AT) to help her. What would be the first low-tech type of assistive technology that may be considered for addition into her Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and why?
colored overlays, because they are low cost and do not disrupt the classroom setting
Colored overlays are helpful for students with dyslexia as it reduces eye strain and allows for easier reading. This is low cost and can be used on any reading passage.
174
Which of the following prohibits discrimination of individuals based on their disabilities?
Section 504 is a anti-discrimination statute which prohibits discrimination due to disabilities.
175
A special education teacher is planning phonological awareness instructional activities to support a group of students struggling with these skills. To properly scaffold instruction in phonological awareness, a teacher should present skills in which order
Rhyming, Onset Identification, Phoneme Blending, Phoneme Manipulation
This option has the skills correctly listed from easiest to most difficult and would be the best order to follow to properly scaffold student instruction.
176
A special education teacher is approached by a general education teacher regarding a student on her caseload. She is requesting support on how to appropriately implement the student's behavior intervention plan (BIP) in her classroom. The special education teacher should:
provide an overview and tips to help support the student's behavior in general education.
By providing an overview of the BIP, the special education teacher is effectively supporting the student in his least restrictive environment and allowing him to appropriately access the general education curriculum.
177
In a middle-school language arts classroom, a successful reading program should:
allow for student-selected texts.
By middle school, students are developing more autonomy and allowing them to choose books should encourage engagement in reading.
178
The case Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017) influenced which of the following aspects of special education?
provision of FAPE
The Endrew F. decision raised the standard for meaningful educational progress. The judge ruled that "every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives."
179
A special education teacher is teaching a high-school vocational class for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The current unit is on scheduling vocational activities. The special education teacher wants to create a relevant activity in a community setting. An appropriate lesson for this unit would be:
having the students research and schedule public transportation to various places in the city.
Scheduling transportation is a vital vocational skill for transition-age students with disabilities. This lesson provides a community-based means to practice these skills.
180
An elementary teacher should teach students to determine the functions and purposes of media. These include which of the following?
education, information, and persuasion
181
Public Law 94-142:
was signed into law in 1975 and requires all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities.
Public Law 94-142 was signed into law in 1975 and required all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities.
182
Which of the following statements is true of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)?
1% of students per state may be eligible for alternative assessment.
ESSA set forth more strict requirements for students who are eligible to participate in alternative assessments. Some schools and states have submitted waivers to document why more than 1% of the population is participating in alternative assessment.
