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Texas TExEs Special Education (161)
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Which of the following behaviors observed over time in a three-year-old child would be a clear indicator that the child may have an autism spectrum disorder? (A) Uncoordinated movements when walking (B) Lack of joint attention (C) Refusal to write the letters of the alphabet (D) Hitting other children - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). Lack of joint attention is one of the earliest signs of an autism spectrum disorder because it is the basis of human communication. Very young children will follow their parent's pointing finger to share in looking at something, like an airplane in the sky. Children with autism often lack this joint attention to objects and will not point themselves. (A) could be a sign of motor delays in an older child but uncoordinated movements are common in young children as part of normal development. (C) could be a behavioral issue or a lack of comfort or confidence on the child's part. Again, very young children do not yet have the fine motor skills necessary for neat writing. (D) is a behavioral issue that have to be addressed as not appropriate. In which academic area do the majority of learning disabilities fall? (A) Mathematics (B) Writing (C) Reading (D) Science - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). Statistics show that the predominant learning disability is in the area of reading, accounting for more than 80 percent of LD diagnoses. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education has urged states to implement Response to Intervention programs to target primary students who are falling behind in reading in hopes of reducing the number of LD diagnoses. (A) and (B) are also common learning disability categories, but they are not nearly as prevalent as reading. (D) is not considered an area of learning disability. If a student is struggling in science, it is generally related to a reading or mathematics difficulty. Which of the following situations would warrant recommending testing for a behavioral disorder?
(A) A student is sent to the principal's office for acting out in class (B) A student does not look his teacher in the eye after writing on his desk (C) A student gets upset when corrected and cries (D) A student gets angry every time anyone touches his/her belongings and stays angry for over an hour each time - ✔✔The correct response is ( D ). When a student shows a pattern of overreacting to a situation and not being able to calm down for long periods of time, it is an indication discipline issue. (B) is a common reaction in children who feel guilty. (C) is also a common reaction for some children who do not want to make mistakes. Which of the following statements would likely be true of an individual with ADHD? (A) The individual cannot communicate well (B) The individual is often inattentive (C) The individual has a difficult time making friends (D) The individual always finishes her/his assignments - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, so it is characterized by frequent periods of inattention. (A) is not connected to ADHD, but more likely a sign of either a speech/language disorder or autism. Similarly, (C) is more likely associated with either shyness, social skills deficits, or autism. (D) is not the correct answer because individuals with ADHD often leave assignments unfinished when their attention wanders during class or homework time. What would most likely be provided for a child with a documented OHI disability? (A) School-health services (B) After-school tutoring (C) Extended school year program (D) A full-time paraprofessional - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). OHI stands for Other Health Impairment and includes such diagnoses as epilepsy and heart conditions. Students with an OHI disability may not require any modifications or assistance in academic or social skills areas, but they may require health services if they experience a seizure or medical issue of some kind. (B), (C), and (D) would all be associated with disabilities that require academic intervention or close adult supervision.
prior to instruction to show gaps in student's knowledge or as standardized tests to diagnose a disability. (D) is incorrect because a teacher-created quiz is an informal assessment. Which of the following actions is an example of an assessment accommodation? (A) Highlighting keywords or phrases in the directions (B) Helping the student answer some of the questions (C) Excusing the student from the test (D) Writing the student's disability on the answer sheet - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). An assessment with disabilities. For a student who has trouble reading, highlighting the keywords or phrases in the directions helps focus the student on what the test expects them to do without giving away any of the answers. (B) and (C) are incorrect because accommodations are not about changing the content of the test or providing answers. (D) is incorrect because disability designations are confidential information that would never be shared on an answer sheet. What is one common use for formal assessment in Special Education? (A) Determining a student's grade in a class (B) Making daily decisions in the classroom (C) Deciding whether an inclusion teacher's test is too hard for a student (D) Determining a student's disability qualification - ✔✔The correct response is ( D ). In Special Education, norm- and criterion-referenced tests are primarily used to establish a disability designation or to confirm a disability designation in a child already in Special Education. (A) and (B) are incorrect because the determination of grades and daily teaching decisions result from a variety of informal assessments, including observations, checklists, and quizzes. (C) is incorrect because judgments about the difficulty or appropriateness of a teacher's exam are made by committees or supervisors. When preparing instruction for a student with special needs, where is the best place for a teacher to start? (A) The student's IEP goals and objectives (B) The student's grade level textbooks (C) The district's scope and sequence of skills
(D) Activity books from a teacher supply store - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). A team of educators, parents, diagnosticians, related service providers, and administrators met and agreed on the student's goals and objectives in the IEP. For any student with special needs, these goals and objectives must form the basis for all instructional planning. Since these goals are aligned as closely as possible with the grade- level TEKS, a teacher can be assured that they will meet the basic requirements of the district and state, so (C) is not the best answer. (B) and (D) are incorrect responses as publishers' lesson plans and activities should be used to carry out or supplement the instructional objectives of the IEP. What is the best definition for an instructional accommodation? (A) Changes made to the content students are learning (B) Memorization technique (C) Changes made to the student's environment to improve learning (D) Teacher lesson plan - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). Instructional accommodations are changes made to the environment to improve student learning. Accommodations never involve changes to the content, so (A) is incorrect. Likewise, (B) and (D) are incorrect since they have nothing to do with the kinds of changes an accommodation would entail. An ALE teacher sets up a class store with various items such as pencils, stickers, and posters. She explains to students that they can earn "class cash" to spend in the store by following classroom rules, completing their work, and being supportive of their classmates. What kind of behavioral strategy is this teacher employing? (A) Applied behavior analysis (B) Detention (C) Token economy (D) Replacement behavior - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). A token economy is a form of behavior modification based around the consistent rewarding of positive or desired behaviors. When teachers see a positive behavior, they give a student a "token," some object that only has value in the classroom. That token can be turned in for a prize or something of value to the student. While token economies are common in applied behavior analysis settings, (A) is incorrect because applied behavior analysis is a much larger system of teaching through structured activities and rewarding targeted behaviors. In and of itself, ABA does not require a classroom store or a token economy to work. (B) is incorrect as detention is a form of negative reinforcement. (D) is incorrect because replacement behaviors are more appropriate responses that teachers and therapists help students acquire in place of undesirable behaviors.
(A) using an interactive whiteboard with student response clickers to assess students' understanding of the lesson as it progresses. (B) requiring students to come forward and work problems on the board in front of the class. (C) using math stations, with small groups rotating every 5 to 10 minutes. (D) doing a gallery walk with chart paper posted for writing responses. - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). Using an interactive whiteboard and student response clickers not only allows Tim to fully participate in class, but it does not call attention in any way to his disability. This technique also allows the teacher to use formative assessment to see how well the students are grasping the concepts being taught and what needs to be retaught. (B) is incorrect because it will take time for Tim to make it to the board, and he would be at a disadvantage to write on it due to being in a wheelchair. (C) is incorrect because it will be difficult for Tim to maneuver between stations, especially given the short amount of time expected at each station. (D) is incorrect because it would be difficult for Tim to maneuver through the classroom and awkward for him to try to write on posted chart paper. What is the most important thing to do when dealing with problem behaviors? (A) React immediately (B) Analyze the reasons for the behavior (C) Isolate the misbehaving student (D) Always call the assistant principal for help - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). As a Special Education teacher, being able to step back and analyze why a student is acting out is essential to solving behavior issues. By identifying the cause or the underlying reason for the behavior, appropriate interventions can be planned. (A) is incorrect because sometimes immediate reactions can be emotional or negative. Remaining calm when dealing with behavior issues is essential. (C) is incorrect because isolating a student is only necessary if the student requires a quiet atmosphere to calm down. With most challenging behaviors, applying the preset consequence and moving forward with the class is the best approach. (D) is incorrect because a teacher should be able to deal with the majority of behaviors in the classroom. Administrative intervention should only be necessary for severe behaviors or challenging behaviors that the teacher has not been able to divert any other way. BIP stands for (A) Behavior Improvement Program. (B) Bonded and Insured Paraprofessional. (C) Behavior Intervention Plan.
(D) Behavior in Individuals Is Positive. - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). BIP stands for Behavior Intervention Plan, and a BIP is required to be part of any Individual Education Program where a student is unable to follow the Student Code of Conduct because of the nature of his or her disability. (A), (B), and (D) are all incorrect choices. Who is involved in the transition process for Special Education students in Texas? (A) Students, family, Special Education teachers, general education teachers, and administrators (B) Parents and the primary Special Education teacher only (C) Transition agency personnel (D) Students and Counselors only - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). Transition planning involves a number of people to ensure that the interests and needs of the student are met. First and foremost, the student is involved if at all possible as it is his or her postschool life that is being planned. Parents, family members, special and general education teachers, and administrators must all be involved just as they are with an ARD. (B) is incorrect because it leaves out a number of the required participants, including the student. (C) is incorrect because, while agency representatives may be involved if permission is obtained by the family or an adult student, they are not the sole participants. (D) is incorrect because transition planning involves a much wider team than just the student and counselor. In Texas, transition planning is expected to begin at age (A) 12. (B) 13. (C) 14. (D) 15. - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). While IDEA 2004 makes 16 the legal age when transition planning must begin, in Texas, the expectation is that it will begin by age 14 so that high school course choices can be considered. (A), (B), and (D) are all incorrect, as 14 is the agreed-upon age to begin transition planning in Texas. A Special Education teacher wants to assess her students' fluency. What is NOT an area she will assess when listening to her students read orally? (A) Rate (B) Expression
A research-based technique for helping students in the prewriting stage is (A) circling spelling errors. (B) providing graphic organizers. (C) having them memorize the steps for writing an essay. (D) providing a punctuation chart. - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). Graphic organizers are powerful tools for helping students organize different types of writing. These visual tools help students lay out their thoughts in an organized way so that they are ready to write. (A) is an incorrect answer because identifying spelling errors is a part of the editing stage, not the prewriting stage. (C) is not the correct answer since memorizing the general steps for writing an essay does not help students put together specific thoughts on what they want to write about. (D) is not the correct answer because addressing punctuation is a part of the editing stage, not the prewriting stage. A seventh-grade teacher works with students who failed the STAAR® reading assessment the previous year. Many of these students have learning disabilities. The teacher has the students work in pairs to create a picture that shows the meaning of a selected word from the story they just read. Partners then share their drawings with the class. What is the purpose of this activity? (A) Sight-word recognition (B) Symbolic representation of text (C) Vocabulary acquisition (D) Phonemic awareness - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). Pairing a word with a visual image is a powerful strategy to help students remember the word's meaning. By having the students work in pairs and create the drawing themselves, the teacher is helping the students "own" the word and add it to their vocabulary. (A) is not the correct answer because the words selected for an activity like this would not be sight words; they would be words with a clearer meaning. (B) is not correct because the students are not creating pictures of the story itself. Rather, the pictures are related to the specific meanings of the words. (D) is not the correct answer because phonemic awareness is an early emergent-reader skill where students are assessed on their recognition of individual letter and rhyming sounds. A sixth-grade student with ADHD has been struggling on his mathematics tests particularly on questions that involve solving complex word problems. The most effective strategy to teach this student would be (A) benchmarking.
(B) highlighting vocabulary. (C) fact automaticity. (D) verbalization. - ✔✔The correct response is ( D ). Verbalization is a method that helps students think through the stages of solving a math program, slowing down to say each step aloud as they take it. For students with ADHD who are often impulsive, this method can help them self-regulate the problem- solving process. (A) is incorrect because benchmarking is an assessment procedure. (B) is incorrect because highlighting vocabulary is a technique that helps students think about which operation(s) to use in solving a word problem, but that is only one part of solving a complex word problem. (C) is incorrect because there is no sign that the student does not know his or her operational facts. The issue seems to be with figuring out what to do to solve a complex word problem. A Special Education teacher wants to scaffold mathematics instruction for a group of students with learning disabilities. What kind of examples should the Special Education teacher show students first? (A) Abstract examples (B) Concrete and real-life examples (C) Graphic examples (D) Pictorial representations - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). Scaffolding learning involves helping students understand mathematical concepts with the most concrete examples first and then moving to the abstract examples. The first step should involve concrete, real-life examples. (A) is incorrect because abstract examples can be the hardest to grasp and should be the last part of a scaffolded sequence. (C) and (D) are incorrect because graphic or pictorial representations are the middle step in a scaffolded lesson. Mrs. Takei, a third-grade teacher, maintains mathematics performance folders for each of her students. She frequently uses these folders at parent-teacher conferences and individual tutoring sessions. For her Special Education students, she takes these folders to the students' ARDs. The kind of assessment that these performance folders represent is (A) formative. (B) standardized. (C) summative. (D) diagnostic. - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). An individual performance folder is composed of a collection of a student's work over the course of a school year. Performance folders are great tools for showing student growth over time and for assessing how students are progressing in their goals during
(A) Lessons Ready for Educators. (B) Laws of Regular Education. (C) Least Restrictive Environment. (D) Learning to Read English. - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). LRE stands for Least Restrictive Environment, an extremely important requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. A student with disabilities must be educated in the least restrictive environment, the educational setting that provides the most opportunities to be educated with regular education peers while still meeting the needs of the student with disabilities. Therefore, (A), (B), and (D) are all incorrect responses. According to published guidelines for ARD committees in Texas, which of the following is NOT a special factor that must be considered and communicated to parents? (A) Behavior (B) Residential preferences (C) Assistive technology (D) Autism - ✔✔The correct response is ( B ). The Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee must consider several special factors and communicate their decisions on these factors to parents as well as document them in the IEP. However, a student's residential preference is not one of those special factors. (A), (C), and (D) are all incorrect because behavior, assistive technology, and autism are all special factors that must be addressed in a student's IEP, according to ARD guidelines. How many days in advance must parents be provided written notice of an ARD committee meeting? (A) Three (B) Four (C) Five (D) Six - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). According to law, parents must be provided written notice of an ARD committee meeting five days in advance. Therefore, (A), (B), and (D) are all incorrect as the correct number is five. A Special Education teacher wants to collaborate with other Special Education teachers, share experiences in the classroom, and discuss appropriate teaching strategies for various disabilities. The most appropriate group for this teacher to join would be
(A) CEC.
(B) TCEA.
(C) IRA.
(D) ASCD. - ✔✔The correct response is ( A ). CEC is the Council for Exceptional Children, a national organization for educators and parents that is committed to issues related to children and adults with exceptionalities. Members of CEC can join groups within the organization that are specific to their interests, such as intellectual disabilities or research. Texas has its own state chapter of CEC. (B) is incorrect because TCEA is the Texas Computer Education Association. (C) is incorrect because IRA is the International Reading Association. (D) is incorrect because ASCD is the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Parents of a child who has been referred for Special Education evaluation speak only Mandarin Chinese. No one in the school district knows how to speak this dialect, although there is a custodian who speaks Cantonese. When scheduling the ARD, the school district must (A) write everything down in English and give copies of the proceedings to the parents so they can have them translated. (B) ask the custodian to attend and orally translate everything into Cantonese. (C) have an educational interpreter present, who can translate everything spoken into sign language. (D) locate, if at all possible, a Mandarin speaker who can translate during the meeting. - ✔✔The correct response is ( D ). When notifying parents of ARD meetings and conducting ARD meetings, it is expected that parents have full access to the information being shared in their native language. A school district, must, if at all possible, have a translator available who can explain the proceedings to the parents in their native language and communicate their thoughts to the rest of the ARD committee. (A) is incorrect because it is the district's responsibility to communicate in the parents' native language, not the parents' responsibility to find their own translator. (B) is incorrect because Cantonese and Mandarin are distinctly different Chinese dialects. Most Mandarin speakers cannot understand spoken Cantonese. (C) is incorrect because the parents, in this case, speak a different language. They are not deaf or in need of sign language. that go beyond parents not liking the teacher. (D) is incorrect because the student cannot be moved until the entire ARD committee agrees to an alternative placement. A Special Education teacher has been trying to get in touch with the parents of a student with learning disabilities to set up a conference. The teacher has left a message on the parents' home phone and sent a note home with the student. One evening, the teacher runs into the student and his family at the local grocery store. The parents ask the teacher what she wants to talk about. The most appropriate response by the teacher is to
A new Special Education teacher is accustomed to texting as a primary means of communication. At school orientation night, he asks all the parents to write down his mobile phone number and text him with any concerns or updates about their children. The teacher assumes if he does not receive a text from a parent that all is well. Halfway through the school year, the principal calls the teacher into her office to discuss complaints from several parents who feel the teacher has been showing favoritism to certain students by communicating frequently with their families, but not others. The teacher notes that the parents who have complained have never texted him, not even once. The teacher could have potentially avoided this situation by (A) using email as the primary communication rather than texting. (B) texting every parent once a week. (C) asking each student's parents to tell him their preferred method of communi - ✔✔The correct response is ( C ). Effective teacher-parent communication involves reaching out to parents and finding out their communication preferences. Despite most people having cell phones, not everyone does. And even some who have cell phones do not use texting as a primary means of communication. In this situation, the teacher should have adopted a more balanced and responsive communication style, using texting, email, and written communication to talk to parents. (A) is incorrect because using email as the primary means of communication assumes every parent checks email regularly. Some will not. (B) is incorrect because it is already clear that several parents do not use texting as a means of communication. (D) is incorrect because communicating only through official documents does not allow for proactive discussions about behavior and academic work that can prevent issues before they occur. It also does not communicate a sense of caring on the part of the teacher. A seventh-grade Texas history teacher and her Special Education co-teacher feel strongly that all students have learning strengths. They plan lessons where each of them presents the same information, but one emphasizes visual and auditory activities, while the other emphasizes tactile and kinesthetic activities. They divide the class by learning modality strengths and simultaneously teach their lessons. What kind of co-teaching model are these two teachers implementing? (A) One teach, one drift (B) Paired reading (C) Station teaching (D) Parallel teaching - ✔✔The correct response is ( D ). Parallel teaching is a co-teaching model where both teachers present the same information simultaneously to two separate groups in the same classroom. (A) is incorrect because the one teach, one drift model involves only one teacher leading the lesson while the other teacher moves around the room assisting individual students. (B) is incorrect because paired reading is a reading strategy where students are paired up and given the same reading
assignment. (C) is incorrect because the station teaching model involves each teacher having different content and a different area of the room for instruction. Students rotate from one station to another.
