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Topic: ATS-W
Strategy
Used: Recognizing Distractors
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Regardless of the format used, the test maker has created one
best answer choice for each multiple-choice question on the
ATS-W. This does not mean that all the other answer choices are
clearly "wrong." However, there are some recognizable
characteristics of incorrect answer choices that can be
eliminated if you can detect them.
Usually each incorrect answer choice can be eliminated on the
basis of one or some combination of the following traits.
- Tempting terminology: The answer choice
contains phrases that point to ideas about teaching and
learning that are indeed consistent with a constructivist
philosophy and, thus, highly favored by the test maker—which
makes you think this could be the correct answer choice.
Decoy objective ideas: The answer choice
contains key concepts from an objective other than the
objective that is the primary focus of the question.
Practitioner's perspective: The answer choice
represents something you probably would do out of practicality
in the real world, but is not the best thing you should do if
you assume the ideal world of the test maker's mindset.
Improper teacher role: The answer choice
places the responsibility of the teacher on other parties, such
as students, parents, special needs personnel, supervisor,
etc.
Truism: The answer choice expresses a
self-evident truth that is too broad or too vague to address
the actual question stem.
Consider the following
example:
During the first week of school, Mr. Hadley has his class of
19 first graders participate in a whole-class activity in which
the success of the activity depends upon the cooperation and
participation of the entire group working as a team. Mr. Hadley's
primary purpose for the activity is:
- to foster a view of learning as a purposeful pursuit.
- to encourage students to assume responsibility for their
own learning.
- to encourage student-initiated activities.
- to promote student ownership in a safe and productive
learning environment.
Think about what aspect of the classroom situation is under
discussion in the question and which ATS-W objective is its
primary focus. Then read each answer choice, trying to eliminate
any that are clearly incorrect or implausible based on the
information provided in the question stem, your knowledge about
the relevant objective, and principles and concepts that relate
to the pedagogy of the situation.
When you read the question stem, two aspects that should catch
your attention is that Mr. Hadley's whole-group activity is
conducted during the first week of school, and that the success
of the activity depends on the class working as a team. These
ideas are related to classroom management, which is clearly the
primary focus of this question:
Understand how to structure and manage a classroom to create a
climate that fosters a safe and productive learning
environment.
Eliminate (A) and (B) because they deal with learning
processes and (C) because it deals with motivational
principles-all of which undoubtedly will receive Mr. Hadley's
attention after he has established a suitable climate for
learning. These distractors are examples of both tempting
terminology and decoy objective ideas. (Tempting terminology
often comes from the key ideas of nonrelated objectives.) These
ideas are not directly pertinent to what is actually being asked
in this question.
Mr. Hadley encourages the students to work as a team during
the class activity. Clearly, during this first week of school, he
wants to promote student ownership in a safe and productive
learning environment. Choice (D) is the correct response.
Other Strategy
Sessions:
