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MTEL English As A Second Language Test Answer Key

1. D: Language development is basically the same whether learning the native tongue as an infant or a second language later in life. The time it takes to learn any language is based on many factors: social, economic, personal, and the unique situation of the person. No matter what age, mastering a second language takes contact with people who speak the language fluently and years of practice.

2. C: American English has sixteen different combinations of vowels with sometimes only slight variations in the sound of the spoken word. Many languages have very few vowel sounds, which means students can have problems hearing, and consequently, pronouncing these sounds.

3. B: The English language has one of the largest vocabularies of any language currently in use. English has adopted, adapted and integrated words, phrases and expressions from many other languages. English uses more idiomatic words and phrases than most other languages and these idioms can be specific to a particular region of the country or a segment of the population.

4. B: Spoken English sounds different depending upon the country, geographic location, idioms used, and the education and ethnicity of the speaker. English speakers from different countries may have difficulty understanding each other because of these variations. The only clues in reading that might help are spelling (colour instead of color) or context (lift instead of elevator).

5. C: Matching and true/false questions are an excellent way to assess how well students remember specific facts. Multiple choice and short-answer questions require a deeper knowledge of the subject and better reasoning and thinking skills. Open-response questions can be used to evaluate in depth content knowledge, use of critical thinking skills and the ability to communicate thoughts and ideas through the written word.