FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What resource can provide a teacher with data for grouping students before reading instruction?

1. The student's testing history

2. State curriculum standards

3. Students' pressure to succeed

4. Peer assessments

The correct answer is: The student's testing history

The student's testing history is a valuable resource for grouping students before reading instruction because it provides insights into each student's current reading level, strengths, and areas that need improvement. This data allows the teacher to make informed decisions about how to group students in a way that is both effective and conducive to learning. By analyzing testing history, teachers can identify which students are performing at similar levels or require similar types of support. Furthermore, this historical data can include information about past performance trends, helping the teacher to anticipate potential challenges or successes that particular groups might encounter during reading instruction. In contrast, state curriculum standards outline the expectations for what students should learn but do not provide specific information about individual students' abilities or needs. Students' pressure to succeed is more of a psychological factor that may influence motivation and does not directly provide data for instructional grouping. Peer assessments can offer insights into social dynamics and student perceptions but may not give an accurate reflection of individual reading competencies, which are essential for forming effective instructional groups.