EDS500 Chapter 6: Learners With Learning Disabilities

1) Dyslexia refers to a severe impairment in the ability to A) read. B) write. C) compute. D) use expressive language.

2) The majority of states use the definition of learning disabilities that is endorsed by A) AAIDD. B) NJCLD. C) LDA. D) the federal government.

3) Each of the following is an element of the NJCLD definition EXCEPT A) Learning disabilities are due to central nervous system dysfunction. B) Learning disabilities are a lifelong condition. C) Spelling is a specific manifestation of learning disabilities. D) Learning disabilities can occur concurrently with mental retardation.

4) Up until the recent ascendance of the response to intervention model, the identification of learning disabilities focused on A) IQ-achievement discrepancy B) learning problems due to visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage C) neurological evidence of brain injury D) deficits in adaptive behavior

5) According to law, states A) must require the use of severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement, but may permit the use of response to intervention. B) must not require the use of severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement, and must permit the use of response to intervention. C) must require the use of severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement, and must require the use of response to intervention. D) must not require the use of severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement, and must not require the use of response to intervention.

6) One of the major advantages of the response to intervention method of identifying learning disabilities is that A) it is easy to implement. B) it is not subject to the same "wait-to fail" criticism. C) it ensures that a student's low achievement is not simply due to ineffective instruction. D) A great deal of research has been done to show how best to implement RTI.

7) All of the following have been identified as concerns about response to intervention EXCEPT A) Most of what is validated about RTI is focused just on reading. B) Most of the research on RTI has focused on grades 3-5, leaving a vacuum of what we know about its implementation in 1 and 2, where it is most important to intervene. C) Some students do well enough in Tier 2 to return to Tier 1, but then they experience difficulties, resulting in returning to Tier 2. D) Currently, many general education teachers are failing to use evidence-based instruction in Tier 1.

8) In a typical school of 1000 students, about how many students identified as learning disabled would you expect to find? A) 10 B) 50 C) 150 D) 250

9) Changes in the number of students in the learning disabilities category has been attributed to all of the following factors EXCEPT A) poor diagnostic procedures. B) teachers' reluctance to change teaching methods. C) increase in poverty and stress on families and children. D) increase in prevalence of mental retardation.

10) Each of the following is suggested as an explanation for why boys outnumber girls in the learning disabilities category EXCEPT A) greater biological vulnerability of boys B) decrease in prevalence of intellectual disabilities C) other behavior by boys (hyperactivity) leads to referral D) lower academic expectations for girls

11) Research using neuroimaging suggests that some cases of learning disability are caused by A) poor nutrition. B) head wounds. C) structural and functional differences in the brain. D) allergies to food additives.

12) Research on the neurological basis of learning disabilities A) has been relatively consistent in pointing to the left temporal lobe as being involved. B) has made it possible to use neuroimaging as a screening tool for learning disabilities. C) has largely failed to find any connection between brain function and learning disabilities. D) has largely failed to find any connection between brain structure and learning disabilities.

13) Over the years, evidence has accumulated showing that learning disabilities A) dramatically improve in the adult years. B) can be inherited. C) manifest themselves in infancy. D) occur more often in first-born children.

14) All of the following are true EXCEPT A) Learning disabilities tend to run in families. B) Premature birth can result in learning disabilities. C) Toxins have been ruled out as a potential cause of learning disabilities. D) Most geneticists agree that there is no single gene that causes learning disabilities.

15) John, Jim, and Ann are fifth-grade students with learning disabilities. Which one of the following statements best illustrates the concept of interindividual differences? A) John has problems with math, while Ann has problems with reading. B) In comparison to the nondisabled students in her class, Ann scores lower in reading and math. C) Jim does well in reading, but not in math. D) John has high intelligence, but low achievement in spelling.

16) Freda, Sam, and Liz are eighth-grade students with learning disabilities. Which one of the following statements best illustrates the concept of intraindividual variation? A) Freda scores high in math, but not in spelling. B) In comparison to eighth graders nationally, Sam scores lower in reading and written expression. C) In comparison to Freda and Sam, Liz has higher achievement in math. D) Liz has lower reading scores than any of the nondisabled students in her class.

17) By definition, every student with learning disabilities has A) academic problems. B) brain damage. C) hyperactivity. D) deficits in all academic areas.

18) Which poses the most difficulty for most children with learning disabilities? A) reading B) spelling C) handwriting D) math

19) The ability to understand that specific words can be broken down into individual sounds is referred to as A) phonological awareness. B) phonemic awareness. C) decoding. D) reading fluency.

20) Students with poor phonological skills are most likely to have problems with which aspect of written language? A) handwriting B) spelling C) metacognitive strategies D) creative writing

21) When writing creatively, students with learning disabilities tend to A) use less complex sentence structures than their peers. B) write paragraphs that are generally as well organized as their peers. C) include about the same number of ideas as their peers. D) have the same type and degree of handwriting problems as their peers.

22) Gareth is a twelve-year-old with learning disabilities who makes many grammatical errors when speaking. Gareth has a problem with which aspect of language? A) phonology B) semantics C) pragmatics D) syntax

23) Pragmatics is the study of A) word order within sentences. B) the sound structure of words. C) the meaning of language. D) language use in social settings.

24) An academic area that may cause just as much trouble for students with learning disabilities as reading is A) spoken language. B) science. C) written language. D) math.

25) Researchers have found that one of the major reasons that children with learning disabilities perform poorly on memory tasks is that A) they fail to use strategies. B) their working memory is much more advanced so it interferes with short term memory. C) they have been exposed to too much direct instruction. D) they are either auditory or visual learners but not both.

26) Students with learning disabilities have what type(s) of memory problems? A) working memory only. B) short term memory or working memory and retrieval of information from long-term memory. C) short term memory only. D) retrieval of information from long-term memory only.

27) Students with learning disabilities A) have problems with working memory but not long term memory. B) have problems with long term memory but not working memory. C) can have problems in working memory and/or long term memory. D) are no different in memory skills from nondisabled peers as long as they are motivated properly.

28) Which one of the following problems best illustrates difficulty in metacognition? A) Joelle reverses b and d. B) Simon is always active and out of his seat. C) Rita can't tell the difference between the spoken words think and thing. D) Oscar neglects to slow down when reading a difficult passage.

29) Difficulties experienced by students with learning disabilities in interpreting the feeling and emotions of others reflects a problem with A) visual perception. B) social cognition. C) affective disorder. D) referential communication.

30) Individuals who have a cluster of disabilities in social interaction, math, visual-spatial tasks, and tactual tasks are referred to as having A) nonverbal learning disabilities. B) motivational problems. C) social cognition problems. D) locus of control deficits.

31) Brianna is a junior in high school who has a learning disability and an external locus of control. When she succeeds on a homework assignment in math, she is most likely to attribute her success to A) effort. B) luck. C) math ability. D) intelligence.

32) Cognitive training involves all of the following EXCEPT A) changing thought processes. B) providing strategies for learning. C) teaching self-initiative. D) multisensory training.

33) Making students aware of the stages of problem-solving tasks while they are performing them and bringing behavior under verbal control is A) self-instruction. B) self-monitoring. C) scaffolded instruction. D) reciprocal teaching.

34) A method in which assistance is provided to students when they are first learning tasks, then gradually reduced until the students do the tasks independently is A) scaffolded instruction. B) self-monitoring. C) prompted instruction. D) self-regulated strategy development.

35) A method in which the teacher-student relationship is similar to that of an expert and an apprentice is A) reciprocal teaching. B) scaffolded instruction C) co-teaching. D) team teaching.

36) Repeated readings is a technique specifically used to improve A) phonemic awareness. B) reading fluency. C) phonics. D) reading comprehension.

37) Effective writing instruction involves teaching systematic strategies for each of the following EXCEPT A) planning. B) handwriting skills. C) revising. D) editing.

38) Which approach to mathematics instruction is most efficient for students with learning disabilities? A) constructivist B) discovery-oriented C) teacher-directed D) student-centered

39) Visual devices that employ lines, circles, and boxes to organize information are A) mnemonic organizers. B) linear organizers. C) graphic organizers. D) geometric organizers.

40) All of the following are features of Direct Instruction EXCEPT A) fast-paced lessons. B) emphasis on drill and practice. C) student-centered lessons. D) precisely sequenced.

41) A method involving breaking down academic problems into their component parts that can be taught separately and then combined is called A) direct instruction. B) scaffolded instruction. C) cognitive training. D) task analysis.

42) Each of the following is true of peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS) EXCEPT A) it involves pairing a higher-performing student with a lower-performing student. B) it is not effective for high school students without learning disabilities. C) students take turns being "coach" and "reader." D) students participate in highly structured tutoring sessions each week.

43) The most common placement for students with learning disabilities is A) self-contained special classes. B) special schools. C) resource room. D) general education classroom.

44) The part of the graph typically used with curriculum-based measurement to depict where a student should be performing at a given point in time is the A) baseline data point. B) expected growth norm. C) aim line. D) goal.

45) All of the following practices are typical of curriculum-based assessment EXCEPT A) frequent observation of child's behavior. B) testing completed by classroom teacher. C) comparison of child to national norms. D) use of curriculum the student has been exposed to.

46) An informal reading inventory is primarily used to A) provide practice in reading for the student. B) explain the cause of a student's reading problems. C) estimate the appropriate difficulty level of reading materials. D) design instructional interventions.

47) The most common testing accommodations for students with learning disabilities are A) extended time and small group administration. B) dividing assessment into multiple sessions and individual assessment. C) having directions read aloud and group administration. D) extended time and group administration.

48) Rather than talking about identification of learning disabilities at the preschool level, educators emphasize A) causation/etiology. B) prediction. C) adaptive behavior. D) classification.

49) According to the Council for Exceptional Children special education teachers of students with learning disabilities should be able to do all of the following EXCEPT A) address a variety of academic learning problems, such as reading, math, and spelling. B) help students apply these academic skills in the general education content areas, such as science and social studies. C) teach the exact same content as the general education teacher. D) to teach academic skills in several different settings, such as individually or in small or large groups.

50) In addition to a transition plan, federal law now requires that schools develop a(n) A) summary of performance B) exit interview. C) assessment review. D) list of ongoing accommodations.