TEXES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test

Which instructional practice encourages students' comprehension of text by activating prior knowledge?

1. Reading comprehension tests

2. Questioning strategies before reading

3. Written summaries after reading

4. Word frequency analysis

The correct answer is: Questioning strategies before reading

The practice of using questioning strategies before reading is particularly effective in activating students' prior knowledge, which plays a crucial role in enhancing comprehension. This approach prompts students to think about what they already know related to the text, thus allowing them to make connections between their existing knowledge and the new information they will encounter. Engaging students in discussions or encouraging them to pose questions can stimulate their thinking, activate relevant schemata, and prepare their minds to engage more deeply with the content. In contrast, reading comprehension tests assess understanding after reading, but they do not actively contribute to activating prior knowledge beforehand. Written summaries after reading focus on summarization skills and reflection, but do not initiate the connection with prior knowledge prior to the reading experience. Word frequency analysis pertains to a quantitative measure of words in a text and does not directly engage students’ prior understanding or comprehension strategies. Each of these other methods serves a different function in the reading process but does not specifically aim to activate prior knowledge as effectively as pre-reading questioning strategies do.