TEXES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test

Which of the following is an effective strategy for assessing literal comprehension skills?

1. Encourage students to create visual representations of texts

2. Facilitate group discussions on inferred meanings

3. Use worksheets for summarization exercises

4. Ask students to recall specific details from a text read aloud

The correct answer is: Ask students to recall specific details from a text read aloud

Asking students to recall specific details from a text read aloud is an effective strategy for assessing literal comprehension skills because it directly measures the student's ability to understand and remember factual information presented in the text. Literal comprehension focuses on understanding the explicit meaning of the words and sentences. When students are tasked with recalling specific details, they demonstrate their grasp of the narrative, characters, settings, and major events without requiring them to interpret or infer meaning beyond what is stated. This assessment approach clearly aligns with literal comprehension because it evaluates how well students can identify and articulate what is directly presented in a reading selection. It provides immediate feedback on their understanding of the material, which helps teachers identify areas where students may need additional support or practice in comprehending basic text elements.