FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

To help a 1st grade student who is having problems with reading, the teacher should first assess the student's

1. Vocabulary knowledge

2. Comprehension skills

3. Decoding skills

4. Fluency

The correct answer is: Decoding skills

Focusing on a first-grade student struggling with reading, the most logical first step is to assess the student's decoding skills. Decoding is the foundational skill that enables students to convert written words into spoken language. It involves recognizing letter sounds and blending them together to read words accurately. If a student is having difficulty with decoding, it will directly impact their ability to read fluently and to comprehend what they are reading. By assessing decoding skills, the teacher can identify specific areas of difficulty, such as challenges with phonemic awareness or letter-sound correspondence. Once these issues are recognized, targeted interventions can be implemented to help the student improve their reading capabilities. Understanding decoding issues first is essential before evaluating vocabulary knowledge, comprehension skills, or fluency, as these areas often depend on the student's ability to decode words correctly. Addressing decoding will lay the groundwork for enhancing overall reading proficiency, making it the most critical first assessment choice in this learning scenario.