Welcome to STR (293) Prep
Built on the official TEA competency framework and Gran Vía Pro proprietary training. Study all 4 domains, review 13 competencies, practice the constructed-response task, then simulate the real exam.
Questions90 Selected-Response + 1 CR
Time Limit5 Hours
FormatComputer-Adaptive
Competencies001–013
Exam Domains — Click to Study
Domain I: Reading Pedagogy
13%Foundations of the science of teaching reading, scientifically based reading research, and reading assessment.
Competencies 001–002
Domain II: Reading Development — Foundational Skills
43%Oral language, phonological/phonemic awareness, print concepts, phonics, syllabication/morphemic analysis, and fluency.
Competencies 003–008
Domain III: Reading Development — Comprehension
24%Vocabulary development, comprehension development, and comprehension of literary and informational texts.
Competencies 009–012
Domain IV: Analysis and Response
20%The constructed-response task — analyze a student's reading-assessment data and write an instructional response.
Competency 013 · Written Response
Official STR (293) Exam Framework
| Exam Name | Science of Teaching Reading |
| Exam Code | 293 |
| Time | 5 hours |
| Questions | 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question |
| Format | Computer-administered test (CAT) |
Domains and Competencies
| Domain | Title | % of Exam | Comps |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Reading Pedagogy | 13% | 001–002 |
| II | Reading Development: Foundational Skills | 43% | 003–008 |
| III | Reading Development: Comprehension | 24% | 009–012 |
| IV | Analysis and Response | 20% | 013 |
Passing Score: 240 (scaled 100–300) · Domain IV (20%) is scored entirely by the constructed-response task, not selected-response questions.
⭐ Gran Vía Pro — STR Test-Taking Strategy
- Domain II is nearly half the exam — Phonological awareness, phonics, and fluency (Comps 003–008) deserve the most study time.
- Know the Simple View of Reading — Decoding × Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension. Both factors matter; neither alone is sufficient.
- Systematic and explicit beats incidental — The STR consistently favors direct, sequential, evidence-based instruction over exposure-based or discovery learning.
- Assessment drives instruction — Diagnostic → instruction → progress monitoring. Never recommend "wait and see."
- The constructed response is 20% alone — Practice citing specific evidence from exhibits and explaining *why* a strategy works, not just naming one.
- Know your term pairs — Phonological vs. phonemic awareness, decoding vs. encoding, BICS-style social vs. academic language moves — the exam loves testing the boundary between look-alike terms.
Domain I: Reading Pedagogy
13% of exam · Competencies 001–002
Key Theme: Effective reading instruction is grounded in scientifically based research, is systematic and explicit, and is guided continuously by assessment data — not by intuition, incidental exposure, or a single test score.
🎯 Domain I — Answer Choice Signal Words
Scan answer choices for these words when you're uncertain which is correct
✅ Good Words — Usually Correct
systematic and explicit
evidence-based
data-based decision
assets-based
progress monitoring
multiple data points
prevention of difficulty
❌ Bad Words — Usually Incorrect
wait and see
incidental exposure only
single test score
skip the diagnostic
memorization over decoding
worksheets over whole texts
001
Foundations of the Science of Teaching Reading
- National Reading Panel's five pillars: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension — the research-based core of reading instruction.
- Simple View of Reading: Decoding × Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension. A student can be weak in either factor and still fail to comprehend text — both must be developed.
- Scarborough's Reading Rope: word-recognition strands (phonological awareness, decoding, sight recognition) and language-comprehension strands (background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge) become increasingly automatic and strategic, then weave together into skilled reading.
- Stages of reading development: emergent (pre-alphabetic) → beginning (partial- to full-alphabetic) → transitional (consolidated-alphabetic) → intermediate (reading to learn) → advanced (multiple viewpoints).
- Oral language, writing, and motivation are essential, interconnected contributors to reading growth — not separate add-ons.
- Instruction must be systematic, sequential, explicit, and strategic, and should aim to prevent reading difficulty rather than only remediate it after the fact.
- MTSS / RTI: tiered support built on universal screening, evidence-based core instruction, ongoing progress monitoring, and data-based decision making.
- Differentiation and flexible grouping should be driven by assessed, current needs — not fixed labels or permanent placements.
- Use an assets-based view of students' linguistic, cultural, and family backgrounds to inform instructional planning, not a deficit view.
The National Reading Panel's 5 Pillars
The research-based core every reading program must include
isolating & blending sounds
Phonemic Awareness
letter-sound rules
Phonics
accuracy, rate, prosody
Fluency
word meaning, breadth & depth
Vocabulary
constructing meaning from text
Comprehension
The Simple View of Reading
Both factors are required — weak in either one means comprehension breaks down
Decoding
word-recognition skill
×
Language Comprehension
understanding spoken/written language
=
Reading Comprehension
the ultimate goal
It's multiplication, not addition — a student who scores zero in either factor cannot comprehend text, no matter how strong the other factor is.
Scarborough's Reading Rope — How the Strands Weave Together
Two groups of strands, each becoming more automatic/strategic with practice, braid into skilled reading
WORD RECOGNITION
(increasingly automatic)
(increasingly automatic)
Phonological awareness — syllables, phonemes
Decoding — the alphabetic principle
Sight recognition — of familiar words
LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION
(increasingly strategic)
(increasingly strategic)
Background knowledge — facts, concepts
Vocabulary — breadth & depth
Language structures — syntax, semantics
Verbal reasoning — inference, metaphor
Literacy knowledge — print concepts, genres
the two strand groups braid together into a single rope
SKILLED READING — fluent, coordinated execution of both strand groups
Stages of Reading Development
Readers progress through these phases — know which stage matches which classroom behavior
Emergent
pre-alphabetic; relies on picture/context cues
→
Beginning
partial- to full-alphabetic; sounds out words
→
Transitional
consolidated-alphabetic; chunks familiar patterns
→
Intermediate
reading to learn new content
→
Advanced
weighs multiple viewpoints & perspectives
Interconnected Contributors to Reading Growth
Not separate add-ons — each one feeds and reinforces the others
💬
Oral Language
vocabulary & comprehension built through talk long before formal reading
✍️
Writing
encoding practice reinforces decoding — the relationship is reciprocal
⭐
Motivation
engaged, confident readers read more, which builds every other skill
MTSS / RTI — Tiered Support Model
Support intensifies as students move up tiers — driven by data, not fixed labels
TIER 3 — Intensive
1:1 or very small group; frequent progress monitoring; may signal need for SPED evaluation
TIER 2 — Targeted
Small-group intervention for students needing extra, focused support
TIER 1 — Universal
Core, evidence-based whole-group instruction for all students; universal screening
Differentiation Lens: Assets-Based, Not Deficit-Based
Grouping and support should flow from current, assessed needs — not fixed labels
✅ Assets-Based View
Sees a student's linguistic, cultural, and family background as a resource to build instruction on; support is flexible and changes as data changes
❌ Deficit-Based View
Treats a student's background as a gap to fix; locks students into fixed groups or permanent labels regardless of new data
Big-Picture Study Map: Phonemes → Graphemes → Morphemes
Gran Vía Pro original study framework — how the building blocks of reading connect
PHONEMES
- Phonological Awareness (recognition): making sense of the sounds we hear
- Word recognition, rhyming, alliteration, syllables
- Learning phonemes through nursery rhymes and songs
- Rhyme — e.g., rock / sock
- Alliteration — e.g., 'Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore'
GRAPHEMES
- Grapheme: the picture, symbol, or visual representation of a letter
- Grapho-phonemic awareness: matching the letter-grapheme to its phoneme sound
- Decoding/blending: c-a-t, onset-rime (d-og, l-og, b-og); decodable and leveled readers
- Automaticity (fluency): reading smoothly — built through repetition
- Prosody: pausing and adding emotion/expression
- Then comprehension: discussion, high-interest and culturally responsive texts, graphic organizers, oral retell
MORPHEMES
- Morpheme: the smallest unit of a word that carries meaning
- Free morphemes: base words — walk, talk, run, home
- Bound/dependent morphemes: prefixes, suffixes, and root words
- Morphology ('morph' = to change; '-ology' = study of): the study of morphemes
- Academic vocabulary tiers: Tier 1 — everyday, high-frequency words; Tier 2 — academic language; Tier 3 — technical, content-specific words
READER / SPELLING-WRITING STAGES
Beginning / Pre-Phonetic
→
Phonetic
→
Transitional / Emergent
→
Fluent / Conventional
OVERALL CONTINUUM
Phonological Awareness
→
Phonemic Awareness / Decoding
→
Fluency / Automaticity
→
Comprehension / Encoding / Orthography & Spelling
002
Foundations of Reading Assessment
- Screening/universal screening: identifies which students may be at risk, given to all students periodically.
- Diagnostic assessment: pinpoints the specific skill gap once a student is flagged as at-risk (e.g., which phonics pattern, which comprehension strategy).
- Progress-monitoring assessment: frequent, brief checks during an intervention to see whether it is working.
- Outcome/summative assessment: measures overall mastery at the end of a unit, semester, or year.
- Formative assessment: ongoing, informal checks embedded within daily instruction (thumbs up/down, exit tickets, quick checks) used to adjust teaching in real time — broader and more frequent than a formal progress-monitoring check tied to a specific intervention.
- Criterion-referenced assessment: compares a student's performance to a fixed mastery standard (e.g., decodes CVC words with 90% accuracy), not to other students. Example: STAAR.
- Norm-referenced assessment: compares a student's performance to a representative peer group, often reported as a percentile rank. Example: NWEA MAP.
- Common fluency-based measures include letter-naming fluency, phonemic-segmentation fluency, and nonsense-word fluency — brief, timed, and compared to grade-level benchmarks.
- Assessment results should directly drive instructional decisions — matching a diagnosed need to an appropriate, targeted strategy is the core skill tested on the constructed-response task.
- Use multiple data points rather than a single score before drawing conclusions about a student's needs.
The 5 Purposes of Reading Assessment
Same word "assessment," five very different jobs — know which one fits which classroom moment
🔍
Screening
Quick check of ALL students to flag who may be at risk
🩺
Diagnostic
Deep-dive to pinpoint the exact skill gap for a flagged student
💡
Formative
Ongoing, informal checks during daily instruction to adjust teaching in real time
📈
Progress-Monitoring
Frequent, formal checks during a specific intervention to see if it's working
✅
Outcome / Summative
Overall mastery check at the end of a unit, semester, or year
HOW THE SCORE IS INTERPRETED
Criterion-Referenced
Compares performance to a fixed mastery standard (e.g., 90% decoding accuracy) — not to other students
Example: STAAR
Norm-Referenced
Compares performance to a representative peer group, often reported as a percentile rank
Example: NWEA MAP
Domain II: Reading Development — Foundational Skills
43% of exam · Competencies 003–008 · the largest domain on the exam
Key Theme: Foundational skills build in a predictable sequence — oral language, then phonological/phonemic awareness, then print concepts, then phonics, then syllables/morphemes, then fluency — each stage supporting the next.
🎯 Domain II — Answer Choice Signal Words
Scan answer choices for these words when you're uncertain which is correct
✅ Good Words — Usually Correct
explicit, systematic phonics
oral, auditory (for PA)
decodable text
accuracy, rate, prosody
repeated reading
orthographic mapping
❌ Bad Words — Usually Incorrect
guessing from pictures
whole-word memorization only
speed over accuracy
printed letters (for PA tasks)
incidental phonics
003
Oral Language Foundations of Reading Development
- Oral language has five components: phonology (sound system), morphology (word parts), syntax (grammar), semantics (meaning), and pragmatics (social use).
- Listening comprehension in the early grades is a strong predictor of later reading comprehension.
- Vocabulary breadth (how many words) and depth (how well a word is known) both matter, and both begin developing through oral language long before formal reading instruction.
- English learners typically develop conversational language faster than academic language — a fluent-sounding conversation does not mean a student is ready for academic text without support.
The 5 Components of Oral Language
Oral language is the foundation the rest of reading is built on
Phonology
the sound system
Morphology
word parts
Syntax
grammar
Semantics
meaning
Pragmatics
social use
Conversational Language
everyday, face-to-face talk — develops faster, especially for ELs
Academic Language
textbook/content vocabulary — takes longer, needs explicit support
004
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
- Phonological awareness is the broad umbrella: awareness of words, syllables, onset-rime, and rhyme, in addition to individual sounds.
- Phonemic awareness is the narrower subset: awareness of individual phonemes — isolating, blending, segmenting, and manipulating them.
- Both are entirely oral/auditory skills — no print or letters are involved. This is the key distinction from phonics, which is print-based.
- Skills develop along a continuum from easier (rhyming, syllable counting) to harder (phoneme deletion, substitution).
- Blending and segmenting phonemes are the phonemic awareness skills most strongly linked to later decoding success.
Phonological Awareness Is the Umbrella
Phonemic awareness is the narrowest, most predictive slice inside it — both are 100% oral, no print involved
PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
words · syllables · onset-rime · rhyme
PHONEMIC AWARENESS
individual phonemes — isolate · blend · segment · manipulate
Easier → Harder Continuum
Rhyming
→
Syllable Counting
→
Onset-Rime
→
Blending / Segmenting
→
Deletion / Substitution
005
Print Concepts and Alphabet Knowledge
- Print concepts include book orientation, print directionality (left-to-right, top-to-bottom), and the concept that print — not pictures — carries the message.
- Word awareness includes recognizing spaces as word boundaries and distinguishing a letter from a word.
- Alphabet knowledge means knowing both letter names and letter sounds — both are strong predictors of early reading success.
- Adults modeling print referencing during shared reading (pointing to words, tracking text) builds these concepts in emergent readers.
3 Building Blocks of Print & Alphabet Knowledge
All three are strong predictors of early reading success — built through shared reading and modeling
📖
Print Concepts
book orientation, left-to-right/top-to-bottom directionality, print (not pictures) carries the message
␣
Word Awareness
recognizing spaces as word boundaries; telling a letter apart from a word
🔤
Alphabet Knowledge
knowing both letter names AND letter sounds
006
Phonics and Other Word Identification Skills
- Phonics applies letter-sound relationships to reading (decoding) and spelling (encoding) — it is print-based, unlike phonemic awareness.
- Explicit, systematic phonics instruction with a defined scope and sequence consistently outperforms incidental or embedded phonics teaching.
- Decodable texts let students practice only the patterns that have been explicitly taught, building confidence and accuracy.
- Decoding and encoding develop reciprocally and synchronously — spelling practice reinforces decoding and vice versa.
- Orthographic mapping is the process of connecting sounds to spelling patterns so a word can be stored in memory and retrieved automatically, rather than sounded out each time.
Phonics Scope & Sequence — Simple to Complex
Systematic phonics instruction follows a planned order — don't skip ahead before mastery
Letter-Sound Correspondence
single consonants & short vowels
→
CVC Blending
simple decodable words (cat, dog)
→
Digraphs & Blends
sh, ch, th; st, bl, tr
→
Vowel Teams & Silent-e
long-vowel spelling patterns
→
Multisyllabic Words
syllable division strategies
→
Prefixes & Suffixes
morphemes for decoding & meaning
Stages of Spelling (Encoding) Development
Invented spellings reveal a student's current phonics knowledge — read them as data, not errors
Precommunicative
Random letters/symbols with no sound-letter link yet
"elephant" → XKTB
Semiphonetic
One or two letters represent a whole word or syllable
"elephant" → ELFT
Phonetic
Every sound heard is represented, even if spelled unconventionally
"elephant" → ELEFUNT
Transitional
Applies conventional patterns (silent-e, vowel teams) but not always correctly
"elephant" → ELEPHENT
Conventional
Spells most grade-level words the standard way
"elephant" → ELEPHANT
007
Syllabication and Morphemic Analysis Skills
- Six syllable types (closed, open, silent-e/VCe, vowel team, r-controlled, consonant-le) help students decode longer, multisyllabic words systematically.
- Morphemic analysis — recognizing prefixes, suffixes, and root/base words — supports both decoding and determining word meaning.
- These skills become increasingly important in upper-elementary grades once basic single-syllable phonics is well established.
The 6 Syllable Types
Each type signals a different vowel sound — teach them in a planned, cumulative sequence
Closed
Vowel closed in by a consonant → short sound
hat · napkin
Open
Syllable ends in a vowel → long sound
hi · photo
Silent-e (VCe)
Final e is silent, makes preceding vowel long
cake · invite
Vowel Team
Two vowels together make one sound
rain · cloud
R-Controlled
Vowel followed by r — neither long nor short
star · corner
Consonant-le
Final stable syllable at the end of a word
table · purple
008
Reading Fluency
- Fluency has three components: accuracy, rate (automaticity), and prosody (expression, phrasing).
- Fluency is the bridge between decoding and comprehension — a reader who decodes accurately but slowly and effortfully has too little cognitive capacity left for comprehension.
- Repeated reading of connected text, teacher modeling, and practice at an appropriate difficulty level all build fluency.
- Fluency is not simply speed — a fast but inaccurate or flat, expressionless reader is not yet fluent.
The 3 Components of Fluency
All three must be present — speed alone is not fluency
🎯
Accuracy
reading words correctly, without errors
⏱️
Rate
automatic, effortless word recognition
🎭
Prosody
expression, phrasing, and intonation
Decoding
— Fluency is the bridge —
Comprehension
Steps to Building Fluency with Text
Fluency develops through plentiful practice at a high rate of success — these four strategies build it systematically
1. Repeated Readings
Reread the same passage several times, aiming to read faster and with fewer errors each attempt — alone, with a peer, or in a small group.
2. Progress Monitoring
Track words correct per minute against a weekly goal and an end-of-year grade-level target.
3. Corrective Feedback
Address errors immediately — the student sounds out the word, then rereads the sentence from the start.
4. Graphing Performance
Students visually track their own progress, comparing each read-through against the last.
Sample Fluency Practice Routine
A gradual-release routine for practicing fluency with a decodable passage
1 · Model
Teacher reads the passage aloud, demonstrating accurate, fluent reading
→
2 · Guided Practice
Students whisper-read the same passage while the teacher listens in for accuracy
→
3 · Independent / Partner Reps
Students reread 2-3 more times solo or with a partner, teacher continues to monitor
CORRECTING AN ERROR IN THE MOMENT
Name the correct word for the student
→
Student repeats the word back
→
Reread the sentence from the start, error-free
Fluency instruction alone won't work if a student has an underlying foundational-skills gap — always check for a decoding or phonics issue first, then pair fluency practice with targeted skill instruction.
Domain III: Reading Development — Comprehension
24% of exam · Competencies 009–012
Key Theme: Comprehension depends on vocabulary, background knowledge, and active strategy use — and looks different for literary text (character, plot, theme) versus informational text (structure, main idea, text features).
🎯 Domain III — Answer Choice Signal Words
Scan answer choices for these words when you're uncertain which is correct
✅ Good Words — Usually Correct
background knowledge
explicit strategy instruction
text structure
citing text evidence
depth of word knowledge
❌ Bad Words — Usually Incorrect
memorize definitions in isolation
skip background building
guess without evidence
ignore text structure
009
Vocabulary Development
- Tier 1 words are everyday, high-frequency words most students already know (e.g., "happy," "dog").
- Tier 2 words are high-utility academic words that appear across many contexts (e.g., "analyze," "compare") — the highest-value focus for direct instruction.
- Tier 3 words are domain-specific, technical terms (e.g., "photosynthesis," "isotope") best taught within content-area instruction.
- Vocabulary grows through a combination of direct instruction, wide independent reading, and morphological awareness (using word parts to infer meaning).
- Depth of knowledge (multiple meanings, nuance, connotation) matters as much as the sheer number of words known.
The 3 Vocabulary Tiers
Tier 2 is the highest-value target for direct instruction — high-utility words that cross every subject
TIER 3 — Domain-Specific
Technical terms taught within content areas — "photosynthesis," "isotope"
TIER 2 — High-Utility Academic ★ highest priority
Cross-content words — "analyze," "compare"
TIER 1 — Everyday
High-frequency words most students already know — "happy," "dog"
How Vocabulary Grows
Three pathways working together — none alone is enough
🎯
Direct Instruction
explicit teaching of Tier 2/3 words
📖
Wide Reading
independent exposure to new words in context
🧩
Morphological Awareness
using word parts to infer meaning
Breadth
how many words a student knows
Depth
how well each word is known — multiple meanings, nuance, connotation
010
Comprehension Development
- Core comprehension strategies: predicting, questioning, summarizing, visualizing, monitoring/clarifying, and inferring.
- Background knowledge (schema) is one of the strongest predictors of how well a reader comprehends a text.
- Awareness of text structure — narrative versus expository patterns — helps readers organize and retain information.
- Strategies are best taught through explicit instruction and modeling, then gradually released to independent use.
6 Core Comprehension Strategies
Explicitly taught and modeled, then gradually released to independent use
🔮
Predicting
❓
Questioning
Bloom's levels →
📝
Summarizing
🎨
Visualizing
🔍
Monitoring / Clarifying
💡
Inferring
Reading Questioning for Depth of Knowledge
Based on Bloom's Taxonomy — move students from recalling text to creating something new from it
| Level | Asks the Reader To... | Example Reading Question Stems |
|---|---|---|
| Remember | Recall facts stated directly in the text | "Who was...?" · "What happened after...?" · "Where did...take place?" |
| Understand | Explain the meaning in their own words | "What was the main idea of...?" · "Can you summarize...?" · "Why do you think...?" |
| Apply | Use the text's ideas in a new situation | "How would you use this strategy if you were...?" · "What would happen if you tried...?" |
| Analyze | Break the text into parts to find patterns | "How is...similar to...?" · "What evidence supports...?" · "Why did...change when...?" |
| Evaluate | Make a judgment using evidence and criteria | "Was the character's choice justified? Why?" · "Do you agree with the author's argument?" |
| Create | Produce something new inspired by the text | "Write an alternate ending where..." · "Design a solution to the character's problem..." |
Gradual Release of Responsibility
How a strategy moves from teacher-led to fully independent
"I Do"
teacher models the strategy aloud
→
"We Do"
guided, joint practice with support
→
"You Do"
independent, flexible application
Narrative Structure
story-based — character, setting, plot
Expository Structure
fact-based — organized to explain or inform
011
Comprehension of Literary Texts
- Story elements: character, setting, plot, conflict/resolution, and theme.
- Literary devices: figurative language, point of view, and author's craft/purpose.
- Strong literary comprehension includes inferring character motivation and identifying theme — going beyond simple plot recall.
Literary Text — Elements & Devices
Strong comprehension goes beyond plot recall — into motivation, theme, and craft
STORY ELEMENTS
Character
Setting
Plot
Conflict / Resolution
Theme
LITERARY DEVICES
Figurative Language
Point of View
Author's Craft / Purpose
Point of View — Who's Talking?
The number tells you the narrator's relationship to the story — not how many characters are in it
🙋
1st Person
I · me · we · us
The narrator IS a character, telling their own story
👉
2nd Person
you
The narrator speaks directly TO the reader (rare in fiction; common in directions/persuasive writing)
👥
3rd Person
he · she · it · they
The narrator is outside the story, describing characters from a distance
Gran Vía Pro Memory Trick
"I'm ONE, You're TWO, Everyone ELSE is person THREE!"
012
Comprehension of Informational Texts
- Text features (headings, captions, diagrams, glossaries, bold terms) support navigation and understanding of informational text.
- Common informational text structures: cause/effect, compare/contrast, sequence, problem/solution, and description.
- Key skills include determining main idea and supporting details, distinguishing fact from opinion, and evaluating an author's purpose and credibility.
Informational Text Features
Tools built into nonfiction text that support navigation and understanding
🏷️
Headings
🖼️
Captions
📊
Diagrams
📚
Glossary
🔤
Bold Terms
5 Informational Text Structures
Recognizing the structure helps readers predict and organize what's coming
Cause & Effect
Multi-Flow Map
one event leads to a result, which leads to another
Compare & Contrast
Venn Diagram
similarities and differences between two or more things
Sequence
Flow Map
chronological or step-by-step order
Problem & Solution
Two-Box Map
an issue is presented, then a fix is proposed
Description
Circle Map
characteristics or details about a topic, with no causal chain
Main Idea & Details
Fact vs. Opinion
Author's Purpose & Credibility
Domain IV: Analysis and Response
20% of exam · Competency 013 · Constructed-Response Task
Key Theme: Domain IV is not selected-response — it is a single written constructed-response question worth 20% of your total score, scored on a 4-point rubric.
013
Analysis and Response
- You will be given exhibits of assessment data for one fictional student (e.g., a word-reading assessment, a passage-reading assessment, fluency scores, and a comprehension transcript).
- Your response must: (1) identify one significant need in foundational reading skills, citing specific evidence from the exhibits; (2) describe an effective instructional strategy to address it; (3) identify one significant need in reading comprehension, citing specific evidence; (4) describe an effective instructional strategy to address it; and (5) explain why each strategy would be effective, grounded in the TEKS for ELAR.
- Scored on three criteria: Completion (did you address every part of the prompt?), Application of Content (is your reading-pedagogy knowledge accurate and correctly applied?), and Support (do you cite specific evidence and give well-reasoned explanations?).
- Score points range from 4 (thorough, accurate, well-supported) down to 1 (little understanding demonstrated), with "U" for unscorable and "B" for blank responses.
- The strongest responses name a specific pattern of evidence (not just "he made some errors") and explain the strategy's effectiveness using reading-pedagogy reasoning — not generic teaching advice.
The 4 Exhibits You'll Analyze
All data belongs to one fictional student — your job is to find the pattern across exhibits
🔤
Word-Reading Assessment
📄
Passage-Reading Assessment
⏱️
Fluency Scores
💬
Comprehension Transcript
The 5-Part Response You Must Write
Miss a part and Completion score drops — treat this as a checklist
1
Identify one significant foundational-skills need — cite specific evidence
2
Describe an effective instructional strategy to address it
3
Identify one significant comprehension need — cite specific evidence
4
Describe an effective instructional strategy to address it
5
Explain why each strategy works — grounded in the TEKS for ELAR
3 Scoring Criteria
Every response is judged against all three — strength in one doesn't offset a gap in another
☑️
Completion
did you address every part of the prompt?
🎓
Application of Content
is your reading-pedagogy knowledge accurate and correctly applied?
🔎
Support
do you cite specific evidence and give well-reasoned explanations?
The Score-Point Scale
Aim for the top of the scale — thorough, accurate, and well-supported
4
thorough, accurate, well-supported
3
generally accurate, adequately supported
2
limited understanding or support
1
little understanding demonstrated
"U" — unscorable
"B" — blank response
Strong Response vs. Weak Response
The difference is specificity and reasoning, not length
✅ Strong
Names a specific pattern of evidence ("reads CVC words accurately but cannot decode vowel teams") and explains why the strategy works using reading-pedagogy reasoning
❌ Weak
Vague evidence ("he made some errors") and generic teaching advice not grounded in reading-pedagogy or the TEKS
Ready to practice the real format?
Work through original student-data scenarios with the official-style rubric and score-point guidance.
Constructed-Response Practice
Domain IV · 20% of your score · 1 written response, ~400–600 words
On the real exam you'll be given exhibits of one student's reading-assessment data and asked to: identify one need in foundational reading skills with evidence, describe a strategy to address it; identify one need in reading comprehension with evidence, describe a strategy to address it; and explain why each strategy would work. Practice with the original scenario below, then compare your response to the rubric and sample approach.
Practice Scenario: Maya, Age 6, First Grade
Maya is a first-grade student whose primary language is English. The assessment data below were collected during the ninth week of the school year. Using your knowledge of reading pedagogy and the developmental progression of foundational reading skills and reading comprehension as described in the TEKS for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR), analyze the exhibits and write a response of approximately 400–600 words in which you:
- identify one significant need Maya demonstrates related to foundational reading skills, citing specific evidence from Exhibits 1 and 2;
- describe one appropriate, effective instructional strategy that would address that need;
- identify one significant need Maya demonstrates related to reading comprehension, citing specific evidence from Exhibit 3;
- describe one appropriate, effective instructional strategy that would address that need; and
- explain why each strategy would be effective in helping Maya reach grade-level standards as described in the TEKS for ELAR.
Exhibit 1 — Word-Reading Assessment
Maya read a list of words aloud. A check mark (✓) indicates an accurate, automatic response; bracketed text shows what Maya said instead.
| Target Word | Maya's Response |
|---|---|
| cat | ✓ |
| shop | ✓ |
| cake | [cak] |
| time | [tim] |
| plane | [plan] |
| note | [not] |
| bend | ✓ |
| slip | ✓ |
Exhibit 2 — Passage-Reading Assessment
Maya read the following sentence aloud: "Jake ate a slice of the cake and then went to play a game." Maya read: "Jake at a slic of the cak and then went to play a gam." Maya paused before each underlined-pattern word and did not self-correct.
Exhibit 3 — Comprehension Assessment
The teacher read aloud a short nonfiction passage about how bees make honey, then asked Maya questions.
Teacher: What was this passage about?
Maya: Bees.
Teacher: What do bees do in the passage?
Maya: They fly around. And make stuff.
Teacher: Can you tell me the steps bees follow to make honey, in order?
Maya: Um... they get the flower stuff. Then... I don't remember what's next.
Teacher: The passage said bees first collect nectar, then bring it back to the hive, then other bees fan it with their wings to make it thicker. What happens after they collect the nectar?
Maya: They eat it?
0 words
Curriculum Foundations: TEKS & ELPS
The state standards that ground every STR (293) constructed-response answer
The Domain IV constructed-response task explicitly requires you to explain why each instructional strategy works, grounded in the TEKS for ELAR. Knowing the strand structure — and where your English learners' ELPS proficiency level fits in — is what separates a generic answer from a strong one.
TEKS for ELAR — The 7 Strands
Every grade-level ELAR standard falls under one of these seven strands
1 · Foundational Language Skills
Listening, speaking, discussion, thinking, and vocabulary — developed and sustained across every grade
2 · Comprehension
Self-sustained reading and the strategies students use to construct meaning from text
3 · Response
Using text evidence to develop and support an interpretation in writing or discussion
4 · Multiple Genres
Recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary and informational genres
5 · Author's Purpose & Craft
Analyzing how authors choose language, structure, and technique to achieve a purpose
6 · Composition
The writing process, conventions, and genres of writing students produce
7 · Inquiry & Research
Asking questions, then gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing information from sources
ELPS — Current 4 Proficiency Levels
19 TAC §74.4 — in effect through the 2025–2026 school year
Beginning
Little or no English; relies heavily on visuals, gestures, and native-language support
Intermediate
Understands and uses simple English; needs support with academic language
Advanced
Understands and communicates in English with some errors; growing academic vocabulary
Advanced High
Communicates effectively in English, comparable to native-English-speaking peers, with occasional support
ELPS Update — Starting the 2026–2027 School Year
Adopted by the SBOE in September 2024 (19 TAC Ch. 120), effective February 2, 2025 — implementation begins 2026–2027
5 NEW PROFICIENCY LEVELS
Pre-Production
Beginning
Intermediate
High Intermediate
Advanced
2 NEW GRADE BANDS
Grades K–3
Grades 4–12
WHAT'S CHANGING
CURRENT (through 2025–2026)
4 proficiency levels · one framework for all grades
NEW (starting 2026–2027)
5 proficiency levels · separate K–3 and 4–12 grade bands · supported by TEA's new ELPS Guide (teksguide.org)
References
Study supports, rubrics, and quick-reference guides
Practice Quiz
20 mixed questions · Domains I–III · Immediate feedback
How It Works
- 20 selected-response questions drawn from Domains I–III (Domain IV is practiced separately in the Constructed-Response tab)
- Tap an answer to see immediate feedback and explanation
- Your score and a domain breakdown appear at the end
- Retake as many times as you like
STR Vocabulary Bank
90 key terms across foundational skills, comprehension, assessment, and pedagogy
Simulated Exam
90 selected-response questions · Full-length · CAT format simulation
Exam Details
Questions: 90 SR (+ 1 CR practiced separately)
Time Allowed: 5 hours
Format: Computer-Adaptive
Passing: 240 (scale score, 100–300)
Domain Distribution (selected-response only):
🟢 Domain I (Reading Pedagogy): 15 questions
🔵 Domain II (Foundational Skills): 48 questions
🟣 Domain III (Comprehension): 27 questions
🟠 Domain IV (Analysis and Response): scored via the separate constructed-response task, not included here
🟢 Domain I (Reading Pedagogy): 15 questions
🔵 Domain II (Foundational Skills): 48 questions
🟣 Domain III (Comprehension): 27 questions
🟠 Domain IV (Analysis and Response): scored via the separate constructed-response task, not included here
Test-Taking Tips:
Read every word — the STR rewards precision between look-alike terms (phonological vs. phonemic, decoding vs. encoding).
Look for systematic, explicit, evidence-based, and data-driven answer choices.
Match the diagnosed need to the specific strategy — don't pick a generically "good" strategy that targets the wrong skill.
Trust your first instinct unless you find a clear reason to change.
Read every word — the STR rewards precision between look-alike terms (phonological vs. phonemic, decoding vs. encoding).
Look for systematic, explicit, evidence-based, and data-driven answer choices.
Match the diagnosed need to the specific strategy — don't pick a generically "good" strategy that targets the wrong skill.
Trust your first instinct unless you find a clear reason to change.