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Study Guide

Field 173: Bilingual Education Assessment—Russian
Interpretive Listening

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Directions for Interpretive Listening: English and Interpretive Listening: Russian

For the Interpretive Listening section of the test, you will listen to audio recordings containing spoken messages and answer selected-response (multiple-choice) questions based on each message.

There may be one question or multiple questions based on a spoken message. There will be a preview period of 20 seconds of silence per question at the beginning of each audio recording before you hear the spoken message. During this silent preview period, you should familiarize yourself with the selected-response question(s) presented on the screen. Each spoken message will play twice. The question(s) will remain on the screen while the spoken message plays.

The audio recordings will begin playing automatically. Once the audio recording begins, you will not be able to pause, stop, or replay it. Therefore, listen carefully.

If there are multiple questions associated with a single audio recording, you may need to scroll down to preview all the questions, and you will not be able to select your answer choices during the preview. After the spoken message has played twice, you must advance to the next screen to begin answering the questions.

Each question has four answer choices. Read each question and answer choice carefully and select the ONE best answer. You should answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all.

Note that in this section of the test, you can go back to previous screens to review or change your responses to questions. However, you will NOT be able to replay the audio recordings.

Please be aware that the visual enhancements Example of the Color Scheme visual enhancement control and Example of the Font Size visual enhancement control cannot be adjusted during this section of the test. You must make any desired adjustments now before you select "Next" to begin the Interpretive Listening section. You will not be able to adjust these features again until you have completed this section of the test.

Click the Next button when you have finished reading these directions and are ready to begin the Interpretive Listening section of the test. Once you advance to the next screen, the first audio recording will start automatically with a silent preview period for you to familiarize yourself with the question(s) presented on the screen before you hear the spoken message.

Be sure you have your headset on before proceeding.

Select the Next button to continue.

Interpretive Listening: English
Sample Selected-Response Questions

Competency 0003 
Interpretive Listening: English

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY the following directions:]

Speaker Control

The 60 seconds of silence has begun. Use this period of silence to familiarize yourself with the questions before the spoken message begins.

[Preview versions of the 3 questions appear on the actual test.]

Listen to the discussion taking place during a faculty meeting between a middle school principal and a faculty member; then answer the three questions. You will hear the discussion twice.

[After 60 seconds of silence, the examinee will hear the audio recording below, which includes a 60-second pause at the beginning:]

Having trouble with the audio player? Right-click and download the .mp3.

[The passage shown below is the transcript used to make the audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

Principal: Good morning, everyone. Let me share the good news right away. As you know, last year we worked toward providing laptops for all students in our school. We have made excellent progress, and I am pleased to announce that, at the beginning of this school year, each student in our school will receive a laptop computer. These laptops will be used during class time and at home.

Teacher: That sounds good, but what are the goals that we should set for students as they begin using their laptops?

Principal: Teachers will assign instructional materials for students to preview at home on their laptops prior to coming to class.

Teacher: So, class time will be used to answer students' questions and clarify learning? Will students work on class activities and assignments during class?

Principal: Exactly. We want to encourage more cooperative group work during class time. We are thinking that students will be better prepared for collaborative discussion in class and asking relevant questions.

Teacher: How do we know that this is a good approach?

Principal: Some of your colleagues have already tried this approach with their classes last year. The results were very good, and we saw significant improvement in students' performance.

Teacher: Last year you mentioned that we were going to get technological support as this project begins. Is this still the plan?

Now you will hear the discussion again.

[The examinee will hear the discussion again.]

Now answer the questions.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY.]

1. Which response from the school principal would logically continue this discussion?

  1. "Yes, I am about to explain our next steps for this project."
  2. "Yes, you can volunteer to provide training for the students."
  3. "Yes, we will have a whole year before we start this project."
  4. "Yes, your colleagues are continuing with their approach."
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A. This item requires candidates to choose an appropriate response to a question or comment likely to be encountered in a social, educational, or professional context or situation. The teacher's last question references the principal's previous statement regarding support for implementing a new policy. The teacher requests confirmation that the statement is still accurate: "Last year you mentioned that we were going to get technological support as this project begins. Is this still the plan?" The appropriate response from the principal is to confirm that the statement is accurate and introduce the kinds of supports that will be available.

2. According to the discussion, once the plan is implemented, class time will be used primarily for:

  1. accessing instructional materials on the laptop.
  2. engaging in collaborative activities and discussion.
  3. preparing materials to work on at home and setting goals.
  4. obtaining technical support and optimizing use of the laptop.
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. This item requires candidates to make inferences or draw conclusions based on the context, situation, and information given in a spoken message. The principal outlines the plan for the coming year to provide students with laptops. In an exchange between the teacher and the principal, the principal explains that the goal of the laptop program is to ask students to engage with lesson content independently in preparation for in-class cooperative work. The listener can conclude that class time will be used for collaborative activities and discussion.

3. Based on the discussion, which statement best supports the validity of the project?

  1. Goals for measuring progress would be set collaboratively by students.
  2. Students would be able to achieve individualized learning objectives.
  3. Last year's results showed significant improvement in students' performance.
  4. There was a plan for providing all students at the school with laptop computers.
Enter to expand or collapse answer. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. This item requires candidates to demonstrate the ability to discern and summarize a speaker's key ideas in a spoken message and evaluate the speaker's use of reasoning and evidence in presenting these ideas. The discussion about providing laptops to all students includes a question from the teacher about evidence supporting the program and instructional plan. The principal's response to the question states that there is evidence from the prior year that the program and instructional plan promoted students' academic progress: "Some of your colleagues have already tried this approach with their classes last year. The results were very good, and we saw significant improvement in students' performance."

[The examinee answers the question on this screen and then clicks "Next" to advance to the next screen.]

In the next part of the Interpretive Listening section, the spoken messages and the selected-response questions are in Russian.

Once you advance to the next screen, the first audio recording will start automatically with a silent preview period for you to familiarize yourself with the question(s) presented on the screen before you hear the spoken message.

Be sure you have your headset on before proceeding.

Select the Next button to continue.

Interpretive Listening: Russian
Sample Selected-Response Questions

Competency 0004 
Interpretive Listening: Russian

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY the following directions:]

Speaker Control

The 20 seconds of silence has begun. Use this period of silence to familiarize yourself with the question before the spoken message begins.

[Preview version of the question appears on the actual test.]

Listen to the conversation between a caregiver and a student; then answer the question. You will hear the conversation twice.

[After 20 seconds of silence, the examinee will hear the audio recording below, which includes a 20-second pause at the beginning:]

Having trouble with the audio player? Right-click and download the .mp3.

[After 20 seconds of silence, the examinee will hear but not see the text below. The passage shown below is the transcript used to make the audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

Опекун: Вчера я встретила нашу соседку Латишу, которая работает в публичной библиотеке. Она рассказала мне о новой программе у них в библиотеке. Эту программу создали, чтобы помогать ученикам начальных классов с домашней работой. Сейчас они ищут волонтёров, которые могли бы работать с учениками.

Ученик: И ты вспомнила, что меня интересует такая работа! Я бы с удовольствием занимался с ребятами математикой. Как ты думаешь, они возьмут волонтёром ученика старших классов?

Опекун: Не знаю. Если ты хочешь это делать, мы можем спросить.

Ученик: Спасибо огромное!

Now you will hear the conversation again.

[The examinee will hear the conversation again.]

Now answer the question.

1. В начале разговора опекунша упоминает о встрече с соседкой Латишей в первую очередь чтобы:

  1. выразить беспокойство по поводу домашней работы ученика.
  2. подчеркнуть важность поддержки работников библиотек.
  3. начать разговор о потенциальной работе волонтером.
  4. объяснить плюсы работы с учениками начальных классов.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. This item requires candidates to determine an assumption, an intent, a perspective, or a point of view by analyzing the communicative strategies and social and cultural contexts of a spoken message. In the opening statement, the caregiver links meeting their neighbor to learning about a program seeking volunteers to help elementary school students. The student's reference to their caregiver remembering about their interest in volunteer opportunities ("И ты вспомнила, что меня интересует такая работа!") further signals that this is the intent of the caregiver's statement.

[The examinee will see on screen ONLY the following directions:]

Speaker Control

The 40 seconds of silence has begun. Below is a preview of the questions related to the recording. Use this period of silence to familiarize yourself with the questions before the spoken message begins.

[Preview versions of the 2 questions appear on the actual test.]

Listen to the phone conversation between a school counselor and a high school student; then answer the two questions. You will hear the conversation twice.

[After 40 seconds of silence, the examinee will hear the audio recording below, which includes a 40-second pause at the beginning:]

Having trouble with the audio player? Right-click and download the .mp3.

[The passage shown below is the transcript used to make the audio recording on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only. The examinee will not see transcripts that accompany audio recordings on the actual test.]

Господин Гавилла: Мартина, это господин Гавилла. Я хочу тебе сказать, что проверял твое расписание курсов и заметил там ошибку.

Мартина: Да? А в чем дело?

Господин Гавилла: В этом году ты записалась на четыре продвинутых курса, и в результате в твоем расписании нет места для курса по физкультуре. Ты не сможешь получить диплом об окончании школы без курса по физкультуре.

Мартина: Но мне необходимы эти продвинутые курсы для поступления в университет.

Господин Гавилла: Понятно! Ну, давай посмотрим. У тебя в расписании есть факультативный курс творческого письма, который не требуется для получения диплома. Что если мы заменим его на курс по физкультуре?

Мартина: Ой, нет! Я никак не могу пропустить этот курс! Госпожа Брунелли – моя любимая учительница.

Господин Гавилла: Понимаю. Давай еще раз посмотрим на твое расписание. Ты сможешь завтра подойти ко мне в офис, и мы вместе попробуем решить эту проблему?

Now you will hear the phone conversation again.

[The examinee will hear the conversation again.]

Now answer the questions.

2. Господин Гавилла позвонил Мартине, потому что:

  1. ее не было на уроке физической культуры.
  2. она записалась на слишком много курсов по письму.
  3. она должна записаться на обязательный курс.
  4. ей надо выбрать другие факультативные курсы.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. This item requires candidates to identify explicit and relevant information in a spoken message. In the phone conversation, Mr. Gavilla explicitly states that Martina is required to participate in a mandatory physical education class: "Ты не сможешь получить диплом об окончании школы без курса по физкультуре."

3. Что, скорее всего, произойдет после этого разговора?

  1. Господин Гавилла поговорит о проблеме с госпожой Брунелли.
  2. Мартина будет посещать уроки физкультуры.
  3. Госпожа Брунелли перенесет свой курс по письму.
  4. Мартина встретится с господином Гавиллой и обсудит проблему.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. This item requires candidates to make inferences or draw conclusions based on the context, situation, and information given in a spoken message. Throughout the conversation, Mr. Gavilla communicates the need for Martina to fulfill the physical education requirement and responds to Martina's concerns by suggesting other options. Mr. Gavilla's last statement implies that the two of them should meet to discuss how Martina can fulfill requirements while accommodating other plans: "Давай еще раз посмотрим на твое расписание. Ты сможешь завтра подойти ко мне в офис, и мы вместе попробуем решить эту проблему?"