Unofficial questions for Oklahoma's OSAT English as a Second Language test, field 177: language, culture, instruction, assessment and law.
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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with Oklahoma's Office of Educational Quality and Accountability or Pearson. Bank checked October 15, 2026.
A newcomer greets the principal with "Hey, what's up?" The sentence is grammatical. Which aspect of language should the teacher address?Wikipedia, Register (sociolinguistics), lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0001
A student reads "it's raining cats and dogs" and looks out the window, puzzled. Why do idioms cause English learners this trouble?Wikipedia, Idiom, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0001
How many morphemes does the word "unkindness" contain, and which of them can stand alone as a word?Wikipedia, Bound and free morphemes, lead and Roots and affixes. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0001
Krashen described the input that drives acquisition as "i+1". In that label, what does the "i" stand for?Wikipedia, Input hypothesis, Overview. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0002
Which hypothesis holds that learning takes place when learners, while producing the second language, meet a gap in what they know of it?Wikipedia, Comprehensible output, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0002
The WIDA English Language Development Standards describe six levels of English proficiency. Which level comes third, between Emerging and Expanding?CEOE study guide, OSAT English as a Second Language (177), test framework, competency 0002. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0002
The words "ship" and "sheep" have different meanings and differ in a single vowel sound. What do linguists call such a pair?Wikipedia, Minimal pair, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0001
Show all 50 questions (43 more)
Subarea II: Culture 7
A district proposes an annual tuition fee for each undocumented immigrant child it enrolls. Which Supreme Court decision struck down a fee of that kind?Wikipedia, Plyler v. Doe, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0004
A student who arrived three months ago was thrilled by her new school at first. Now she is anxious and frustrated by its differences. In the four-phase account of culture shock, which phase follows the honeymoon?Wikipedia, Culture shock, lead and Negotiation. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0003
A teacher calls a student "disrespectful" for looking down while she speaks, because in her own culture a listener meets the speaker's eyes. What is the teacher showing?Wikipedia, Ethnocentrism, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0004
A teacher tries to understand a family's expectations of school within that family's own cultural context, not by the standards of her own. Which view is she applying?Wikipedia, Cultural relativism, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0003
How are messages typically conveyed in a high-context culture?Wikipedia, High-context and low-context cultures, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0003
What does the "funds of knowledge" model ask a teacher to draw on?Wikipedia, Funds of knowledge, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0004
Which term names the change that follows direct contact between two cultures, in which people adapt to the dominant culture without giving up what makes their own distinct?Wikipedia, Acculturation, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0003
Subarea III: ESL instruction 22
A learner carries a sentence structure over from the first language into English, where the two languages differ, and the result is an error. What is this called?Wikipedia, Language transfer, Types of language transfer. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0008
A lesson shows that re- in "rewrite" and -less in "careless" change the meaning of a root. What is the term for adding a morpheme at the beginning of a word?Wikipedia, Affix, Affixes, infixes and their variations. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0006
A newly arrived kindergartner says nothing in English for weeks, yet follows directions and watches classmates closely. What is this phase called?Wikipedia, Silent period, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0007
A Portuguese-speaking student writes that his "parents" live in five different towns. He means his relatives: Portuguese parentes means "relatives". What are such look-alike words called?Wikipedia, False friend, lead and Definition and origin. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0006
A student says, "She have two brother." The teacher replies, "Oh, she has two brothers? Are they older than she is?" and the conversation goes on. Which technique did the teacher use?Wikipedia, Recast (language teaching), lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0007
A student's English essays follow the way of organizing ideas that is valued in writing in his first language. Which field studies this influence?Wikipedia, Contrastive rhetoric, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0008
A teacher says the word "map" and asks the children to say it again without its first sound. No letters are shown. Which skill is the class practicing?Wikipedia, Phonemic awareness, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0008
An English learner chats easily at recess but cannot yet follow her science textbook. In Cummins's terms, what has she still to develop?Wikipedia, Cognitive academic language proficiency, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0009
An English learner retells a story aloud when her teacher supplies picture cards and question prompts, but she cannot yet retell it unaided. Where does the retelling task sit for her?Wikipedia, Zone of proximal development, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0005
Before a unit on tornadoes, students fill in what they Know and what they Want to know on a KWL table. What is the table for at that point?Wikipedia, KWL table, lead and Classroom introduction. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0009
Beginners hear "Open your book" and "Point to the window" and show that they understand by doing each action, with no need to speak yet. Which method is the teacher using?Wikipedia, Total physical response, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0005
English speakers say "make a mistake", not "do a mistake". What is a word partnership of this kind called?Wikipedia, Collocation, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0006
For a lesson on community words a teacher brings a real bus schedule, coins and a grocery flyer. What are such classroom materials called?Wikipedia, Realia (education), lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0005
How is language learned in content-based instruction?Wikipedia, Content-based instruction, Methodology. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0009
In a dictogloss, what do students do after they listen to a short text and take notes?Wikipedia, Dictogloss, Positives. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0007
In a unit on Oklahoma weather, each member of a group reads a different text, and the group can finish its report only when every member has shared a part. Which technique organizes the class this way?Wikipedia, Jigsaw (teaching technique), lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0007
In communicative language teaching, which role does the teacher take?Wikipedia, Communicative language teaching, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0005
One student's town map shows where the library is; her partner's copy shows the post office instead. Each must question the other to finish the map. What kind of task is this?Wikipedia, Information gap task, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0007
Spanish has a shallow orthography and English a deep one. What does that mean for a student who reads Spanish and is learning to read English?Wikipedia, Orthographic depth, lead and By language. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0008
Students compare frogs and toads by writing in two overlapping circles. What kind of tool are they using?Wikipedia, Graphic organizer, lead and Types of organizers. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0009
The traditional strategic model of the writing process names four stages. Which one comes first?Wikipedia, Writing process, Traditional Models of Writing. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0008
What is the aim of sheltered instruction?Wikipedia, Sheltered instruction, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0005
Subarea IV: Assessment 7
A report says a student scored at the 60th percentile of a national sample. What kind of test produced that score?Wikipedia, Norm-referenced test, Common uses. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0010
A teacher blanks out words in a passage and asks students to supply them from context. What is this assessment called?Wikipedia, Cloze test, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0011
A writing rubric gives one score for ideas, another for organization and another for conventions. What type of rubric is it?Wikipedia, Rubric (academic), Types. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0011
Newcomers who know the mathematics score low on a word-problem test written in English. Which quality of the test is in doubt for them?Wikipedia, Test validity, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0010
Oklahoma's reading screening law lets a school exempt certain students. Which English learner may be exempted?Oklahoma Statutes, Title 70, Schools (Oklahoma Legislature), 70 O.S. § 1210.508C(C)(1)(d). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0010
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, a state plan must assure that students who may be English learners are assessed for that status within how long after enrolling in a school in the state?United States Code, 20 U.S.C. § 6823(b)(2) (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0010
WIDA ACCESS score reports give scores for four language domains. Which are they?WIDA, ACCESS Scores and Reports. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0011
Subarea V: Professionalism 7
A child is identified as an English learner in January and placed in a language instruction program paid for with federal funds. How soon after the placement must the district notify the parents?United States Code, 20 U.S.C. § 6312(e)(3) (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0013
A group of parents asks what the Equal Educational Opportunities Act requires of schools. What must an educational agency take to overcome language barriers that impede students' equal participation?United States Code, 20 U.S.C. § 1703(f) (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0013
The Fifth Circuit's three-part Castañeda assessment of a program for English learners asks first that the program be based on what?Wikipedia, Castañeda v. Pickard, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0012
For state aid, Oklahoma law counts as "bilingual" those students who have limited English speaking abilities or who come from homes of what kind?Oklahoma Statutes, Title 70, Schools (Oklahoma Legislature), 70 O.S. § 18-109.5(A)(16). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0012
In Lau v. Nichols (1974), what did the Supreme Court find violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964?Wikipedia, Lau v. Nichols, lead. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0012
In the alternative teaching model of co-teaching, what does the second teacher do while the first manages most of the class?Wikipedia, Co-teaching, Models. Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0012
Under the same federal notice rule, what right do parents have once their child is in a language instruction program?United States Code, 20 U.S.C. § 6312(e)(3)(A)(viii) (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to the OSAT English as a Second Language (177) framework, competency 0013
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the test design and framework of Oklahoma Subject Area Tests field 177, English as a Second Language, in the study guide on the Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators website (https://www.ceoe.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/OK_SG_OBJ_177.htm, copyright 2016 Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and Pearson Education, Inc.; test page https://www.ceoe.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/OK177_TestPage.html, read 2026-10-15): 80 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response assignment in 4 hours at a test center or 3 hours with an online proctor, passing score 240; selected response weighs Language and Language Learning (competencies 0001 and 0002) 12%, Culture (0003 and 0004) 12%, Planning, Implementing, and Managing ESL Instruction (0005 to 0009) 37%, Assessment (0010 and 0011) 12% and Professionalism (0012 and 0013) 12%, and the constructed response, Analysis and Application (0014), 15%. The bank holds 50: 7, 7, 22, 7 and 7. Every fact was read on the public page named under its question: the named Wikipedia articles, the United States Code in the Legal Information Institute copy, the WIDA website, the framework itself and Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes in the Oklahoma Legislature's own file, last changed December 31, 2025. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
Free and unofficial, this OSAT English as a Second Language practice test asks 50 questions of our own on field 177. The site is not affiliated with Oklahoma's Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, Pearson or WIDA.
Read the full guide
OSAT English as a Second Language (177): five selected-response subareas
By the framework read October 15, 2026: Language and Language Learning, 12% of the test; Culture, 12%; Planning, Implementing, and Managing ESL Instruction, 37%; Assessment, 12%; Professionalism, 12%. The bank holds 7, 7, 22, 7 and 7. The other 15% is a written assignment on assessment data for a small group of English learners, which this page does not practice.
WIDA and the law in the bank
The framework names the six WIDA proficiency levels; one question asks their order and another the four domains that WIDA ACCESS reports. Six more cite law: the federal assessment and notice deadlines, the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, and two sections of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, in the Legislature's file last changed December 31, 2025.
Keep the two federal notice deadlines apart: 30 days after the school year begins, or 2 weeks after a mid-year placement.
Castañeda v. Pickard is a Fifth Circuit decision, not a Supreme Court one, and it applies a 1974 federal statute.
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the OSAT English as a Second Language test?
Eighty selected-response questions and one constructed-response assignment, by the test page for field 177. A test center gives 4 hours of testing and an online proctor 3 hours, each after a 15-minute tutorial and nondisclosure agreement.
Can you take the OSAT ESL test online?
Yes: from home with an online proctor, in one-week windows each month, with no breaks allowed. At a test center it runs year-round by appointment, Monday through Saturday, and restroom breaks come out of the testing time.
What is the passing score for the OSAT ESL test?
The test page gives 240. Part of that score comes from the written assignment, so this page reports how many you got right and no verdict.
What is on the OSAT ESL (177) test?
Linguistics and language acquisition theory; culture and acculturation; planning, vocabulary, oral language, literacy and content-area teaching; assessment; and the laws, program models and family partnerships of the field. No reference materials are provided.
Is this OSAT ESL practice test free?
It is free and needs no account. The questions are original to this site: none comes from the real test, the official sample questions or the practice test for field 177.