Methods and strategies questions cover lecture, discussion, demonstration, inquiry, cooperative learning, and dozens of other approaches. The LET tests both definitions and which method fits a given learning goal.
Sample 1
Teacher Mara implements a 'no-talking' rule during individual seatwork. When a student whispers to a seatmate, she simply moves closer to the student without saying a word. This classroom management technique is known as:
- A Operant conditioning
- B Proximity control✓
- C Signal interference
- D Antiseptic bouncing
Answer: B
Proximity control is a low-key behavior management technique where the teacher moves physically closer to the misbehaving student as a subtle reminder without verbal correction. The presence or nearness communicates awareness and expectation, often deterring misbehavior. This technique preserves classroom flow and student dignity because there is no public correction or lecture. It is based on the principle that awareness (withitness) communicated nonverbally can redirect behavior before it escalates.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Operant conditioning uses reinforcement and punishment following behavior, not physical presence.
- C. Signal interference (Kounin) uses eye contact or a gesture to signal disapproval; proximity is physical movement, not signal-based.
- D. Antiseptic bouncing is quick redirection without dwelling on the misbehavior, different from proximity control.
Sample 2
Teacher Rico allows his students to choose their own projects and set their own learning goals, emphasizing individual freedom and personal responsibility. Which philosophy does he adhere to?
- A Realism
- B Existentialism✓
- C Behaviorism
- D Reconstructionism
Answer: B
Existentialism emphasizes individual choice, personal responsibility, and the freedom to create one's own meaning and essence. An existentialist teacher believes students must be free to choose their own learning paths and goals because individuals are responsible for defining themselves through their choices. Teacher Rico's approach reflects this: he trusts students to set their own learning goals and take responsibility for their own projects, rather than imposing a curriculum from above.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Realism focuses on objective reality and the transmission of established knowledge and skills.
- C. Behaviorism emphasizes external rewards and punishments to shape behavior, not individual freedom and personal responsibility.
- D. Reconstructionism aims to use education to transform society and solve social problems, not to emphasize individual freedom and choice.
Sample 3
In the 5E Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), which phase involves students working directly with materials and data to build a base of common experience?
- A Engage
- B Explain
- C Explore✓
- D Elaborate
Answer: C
The 5E model is a structured inquiry framework: Engage (hook interest), Explore (hands-on with materials), Explain (teacher provides formal terms and concepts), Elaborate (apply to new situations), Evaluate (assess understanding). The Explore phase specifically puts materials in students' hands so they can manipulate, measure, observe, and collect data before the teacher tells them the answer. This builds shared concrete experience and curiosity. Example: before teaching about simple machines, students spend time experimenting with ramps, pulleys, and levers to see effects firsthand, building intuition that formal explanations then organize.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Engage happens first and is meant to spark curiosity and motivation, not to provide hands-on material manipulation and data collection.
- B. Explain is when the teacher introduces formal vocabulary and concepts, which comes after students have concrete experience.
- D. Elaborate is when students apply the concept to new or complex situations, not when they first build shared experience with materials.
