TEXES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test

Which concept is the second-grade teacher primarily addressing when discussing the long "a" sound?

1. Phonemic awareness

2. Alphabetic principle

3. Fluency

4. Schema

The correct answer is: Alphabetic principle

The second-grade teacher is primarily addressing the alphabetic principle when discussing the long "a" sound. The alphabetic principle refers to the understanding that the letters of the alphabet represent sounds in oral language and that these sounds can be used to form meaningful words. When students learn about different sounds associated with letters, such as the long "a" sound, they are developing their ability to connect letters to their corresponding phonemes. This understanding is crucial for reading and spelling because it helps students decode words and understand how letters combine to create sounds. By focusing on the long "a" sound, the teacher is reinforcing the concept that specific letters can produce specific sounds, a fundamental aspect of skilled reading and writing. Other options, while related to literacy development, do not directly address this specific skill.