PRAXIS II Education of Exceptional Students: Learning Disabilities Exam

You will be given one hour to complete this exam of 30 multiple-choice questions and three essay questions. The three essay questions a will assess your knowledge of how to handle classroom situations. This exam is for individuals who would like to teach learning disabled students from preschool through 12th grade.

Historical and Professional Content and Basic Definitions
This section of the exam will assess your knowledge of the following: identification and prevalence of learning disabilities, medical treatments for ADHD and learning disabilities, federal definition of IDEA 2004, professional organizations and publications, current and past educational philosophies, the societal and historical foundation of education for individuals with learning disabilities; and the causes of learning disabilities.

Characteristics of Individuals with Learning Disabilities
This section of the exam will cover the following: the impact of learning disabilities on social and emotional development, academic skills, visual processing skills, auditory processing skills, and risk factors for learning disabilities. Your knowledge of the impact of learning disabilities on attention, memory, intelligence, perception, organizational skills, information processing, and executive functioning will also be assessed.

Delivery of Services
This section of the exam will cover the following: classroom management, behavior modification, placement options, curriculum, instructional methodology, and assessment methods for disabled students.

PRAXIS II Education Of Exceptional Students: Learning Disabilities Practice Questions

1. Behavior that may indicate a learning disability includes:

A. trouble remembering new data
B. difficulty getting organized
C. making inappropriate comments
D. All of the above

2. Which of the following is not a characteristic of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

A. Talking a lot
B. Inattention
C. Hyperactivity
D. Impulsivity

3. Which of the following is not part of processing information in the brain?

A. Visual and auditory impulses
B. Light
C. Sequencing
D. Abstraction

4. Which of the following definitions is incorrect?

A. Short-term memory is the ability to retain data while focused on the information.
B. Long-term memory stores learned data until needed and retrieved.
C. Demand language provides time to answer.
D. Spontaneous language is organized and put together.

5. Which of the following should not be part of behavior modification?

A. Conditioning
B. Biofeedback
C. Punishment
D. Reinforcement

Answer Key For Education Of Exceptional Students: Learning Disabilities

1. Answer: D

Since teachers have regular contact with students and can usually be objective, they are in a unique position to observe students' behavior. Awkward interactions with peers, difficulty with normal classroom requirements, and frustrated attempts to master tasks are signs of potential problems and may indicate the presence of a learning disability.

These additional signs are not diagnostic tools, so they should be weighed against the student's age and considered hints rather than markers:

• Trouble understanding and remembering newly learned data
• Difficulty with getting and staying organized, following clearly defined directions, remembering and honoring deadlines
• Problems using basic reading, writing, spelling, and math skills
• Making inappropriate comments, difficulty interacting with peers and teachers.
• Problems expressing thoughts, inability to use proper grammar in speaking and writing.

2. Answer: A

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a behavior problem that affects all areas of life: home, school, and social relationships. While some children with ADHD also have various learning disabilities, ADHD is not classified as a learning disability. Scientists are making a case for ADHD to be included because it directly impacts functions needed to learn.

The main characteristics of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. At times everyone can be absent-minded, fidgety, or impulsive, so why are some children diagnosed with ADHD while similar behavior in others is considered normal? The difference is the degree of the behavior: when, where, how much, how often. In people with ADHD, these behavior patterns are the rule, not the exception.

ADHD is a complex behavior disorder and symptoms vary. Some individuals are hyperactive; some are underactive. Some children may be unable to pay attention for more than a minute or two but have few problems with impulsive behavior. Some children may only have minor problems with paying attention but are unable to curb impulsive actions. Some may have problems in all three areas.

3. Answer: B

The brain receives information as impulses from the eyes (visual input) and the ears (auditory input). The process is called perception. If there are problems with or interruptions in the process, it has nothing to do with vision or hearing issues; perception takes place in the brain, not the eyes and ears. Some children have one or the other or both disabilities. Some children have problems when required to use both processes simultaneously.

After information comes into and is registered in the brain, to be useful the data must be understood. Integration is accomplished through sequencing and abstraction. Sequencing puts data symbols in the correct order. From that unique order, the brain determines the meaning of the information. Once the brain determines the correct order of the symbols, it must figure out the meaning of the symbol because a word has both a general meaning and a specific meaning. "A" cat is different from "my" cat. The ability to understand the difference in the subtle meanings of the same word is called abstract thinking (abstraction).

4. Answer: C

Short-term memory is the ability to retain data for as long as the person is focused on the particular information. Examples of short-term memory issues: knowing the history dates the night before but not remembering them the next morning.

Long-term memory stores learned data until the information is needed and retrieved. If someone has a long-term memory disability, he would be diagnosed with some type of retardation because he would be unable to function in daily life without assistance.

In spontaneous language, the speaker chooses the topic, organizes his thoughts, and puts together words before he speaks. In demand language, the listener is expected to get his thoughts together, find the correct words, and answer appropriately in a split second. A child with a language disability has no problem with spontaneous language. When he voluntarily answers, he may sound normal. But when called on to answer, he may respond with "Huh?" or "What?" or not answer at all. The child chattering just a moment earlier may be completely unable to respond. The inconsistency can be startling.

5. Answer: C

The American Heritage College Dictionary defines behavior as "actions or reactions of persons… in response to external or internal stimuli." Behavior modification is "the use of basic learning techniques, such as conditioning, biofeedback, reinforcement, or aversion therapy, to alter human behavior." All behavior follows consistent rules; if the rules change, the conduct changes. All students (with certain exceptions) function best when they know the rules and understand the consequences of those rules.

Consequences are "something that logically follow from an action." Reinforcement is "an event that increases the likelihood that a given response will recur in a similar situation." To modify behavior, the consequences must be relevant and follow immediately after the action. Paying attention to unacceptable behavior stops the conduct at the moment, but it does little to permanently alter the behavior. Reinforcement of the desired behavior is much more effective in bringing about lasting change. Rewarding desired behavior is used more frequently with younger children than with adolescents. This needs to change. Studies show (and anecdotal evidence agrees) that, no matter the age, reinforcement strengthens behavior, while punishment weakens it.