Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) Practice Exam

What characterizes Tier I vocabulary?

1. Low-frequency academic words

2. Basic words learned at home or in the community

3. Words relating to specific subject matter

4. Advanced words used in scholarly writing

The correct answer is: Basic words learned at home or in the community

Tier I vocabulary is characterized by basic words that are commonly learned at home or in the community. These words are fundamental and are often part of everyday conversation. They typically describe simple concepts and tangible objects that children encounter regularly in their environment, which aids in the development of their foundational language skills. This type of vocabulary is not specialized and does not require significant academic instruction to acquire. In contrast, low-frequency academic words, subject-specific terminology, and advanced scholarly terms represent higher tiers (II and III) of vocabulary, which are more complex and often require explicit teaching and experience to master. Understanding the categorization of vocabulary words helps educators target instruction according to students' varying levels of language proficiency and ensures that foundational knowledge is established before moving on to more advanced concepts.