240's MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy Study Guide Is 97% Test-Aligned
240's MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy study guide is built around the official exam framework so you can study what is actually tested. This page shows exactly how the guide maps to the real exam — SMR by SMR and competency by competency — so you can see where coverage is strongest, where some depth gaps remain, and how each part of the guide supports your prep.
97%
test-aligned
74
Fully covered
4
Partially covered
0
Coverage gap
Based on a competency-by-competency review of the official framework and the lessons, practice questions, flashcards, videos, and study materials included in this guide.
1446
Practice Questions
271
Flashcards
69
Study Materials
21
Videos
Why Test Alignment Matters for Your MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy Study Guide
Certification test standards are broad, but the exam questions are very specific. Our team of curriculum experts uses the 240 Study Guide Creation Process to ensure the most aligned, specific content for your MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy (118) test — so you are not wasting time on broad subject review that may not show up on exam day.
Why 240 Is the Best Choice for the MTTC 118 Study Guide
- Built around the official exam framework
- Organized by the competencies actually used on the exam
- Shows exactly what is covered and where depth is partial
- Includes aligned questions, flashcards, study materials, and videos
- Helps candidates study what is actually tested instead of broad generic content
Transparent coverage is a strength. We show where the guide is strong, where depth is partial, and where a gap has been identified so you can make an informed study decision.
How to Read This Alignment Review
3 domains · 78 competencies reviewed · 97% test-aligned
Covered— competency is comprehensively supported by the guide
Partially covered— core content is covered, but some depth gaps remain
Coverage gap identified— a content gap has been identified
This study guide is based on the current official exam framework
We review and update alignment whenever the official framework changes so candidates are always studying current, accurate material.
LITERACY IN CONTEXT (DOMAIN I)
Partially covered
SMR I.1 Literacy Learning Environments
51 Qs3 Materials14 Cards1 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to facilitate children's access to a range of developmentally appropriate contemporary and classical digital and print materials of a variety of genres (e.g., informative/explanatory texts, narrative texts, signage including environmental print, poetry) and media (e.g., books, magazines, digital texts, audio text, speech-to-text technologies) for both in-school and out-of-school literacy. | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to create a variety of organized, safe, and respectful indoor and outdoor learning spaces and opportunities for learning that foster collaborative and meaningful literacy experiences (e.g., class meeting space, small-group area, furniture arrangement, writing center, reading areas, safe/appropriate use of digital technologies) | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to make accessible and actively use word-learning artifacts (e.g., word walls for content areas, themes, high-frequency words; online dictionaries and thesauruses). | ELA.Resources - Word Analysis Skills | Covered | 12 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (12 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to use materials and space to foster literacy inquiry (e.g., class question wall, inquiry notebooks, inquiry table). | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to provide access to materials for active literacy-enriched play (e.g., readers' theater scripts, plays, puppets, stationery, clipboards with paper or forms). | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| f. Support and guide integration of digital technologies to aid children's literacy and learning across disciplines (e.g., opportunities to create digital artifacts of learning, interactive simulations, digital stories and informational texts, digital presentations). | ELA.Teaching Technology - Literacy Skills | Covered | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (12 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
| g. Identify and use a variety of flexible grouping strategies that are based on the literacy task and children's specific literacy strengths, needs, prior knowledge, and interests. | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| h. Understand how to teach, model, facilitate, and provide independent practice with opportunities to use literacy for positive social interactions (e.g., solving conflicts, negotiating in collaborative projects). | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| i. Identify and use a range of digital and non-digital tools to support dramatic play for socialization, oral language, writing development, word study, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. | ELA.Developing Readers | Covered | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR I.2 Culturally Responsive Practices in Literacy
74 Qs4 Materials14 Cards2 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Understand the importance of children's use of their first or home language(s) and dialect(s) and development of additional languages and literacies, and design instruction that builds on children's use of their first or home language(s). | ELA.ELL Strategies - Reading Comprehension; ELA.ELL Strategies - Oral Language | Covered | 40 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (40 questions, 2 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to select instructional materials, including print and digital texts, that value and reflect the multidimensionality of diversity represented in society and children. | ELA.Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction | Covered | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to provide access to and intentionally facilitate students' interactions with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse texts and high-interest, self-selected reading and writing materials with a range of text complexity. | ELA.Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction | Covered | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to critically analyze texts with children for social and cultural biases by analyzing language and visual representations in print and digital texts and media that perpetuate gender, social class, and racial/ethnic stereotypes. | ELA.Culturally Responsive Reading Instruction | Covered | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to engage children in the creation and use of visual representations of thinking and learning (e.g., anchor charts; graphic organizers; personal artifacts, such as learning/response journals). | ELA.Writing to Support Reading | Covered | 14 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (14 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.3 Literacy Curriculum Design and Assessment
175 Qs9 Materials44 Cards2 VideosPartially covered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding of inherent connections of literacy processes—reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing—and that the constructs of literacy3 are related in complex ways and are integrated in the service of meaningful reading and writing (e.g., to entertain, to persuade, to inform/explain). | ELA.Integration of Language Skills | Covered | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate understanding that all constructs of literacy will be developed throughout prekindergarten and elementary education (e.g., it is appropriate to develop both comprehension and phonological awareness in preschool) by building on their reciprocity, focusing on multiple constructs of literacy simultaneously (e.g., a single lesson could include phonological awareness, concepts of print, and composition). | ELA.Integration of Language Skills | Covered | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Understand that assessment of individual components of literacy is valuable, and demonstrate the ability to administer and interpret the results of multiple informal and formal assessments that examine the processes of reading and writing in their entirety. | ELA.Types of Assessment | Covered | 51 | 1 | 18 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (51 questions, 1 materials, 18 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Understand that a child's assessed literacy proficiency, such as reading "level," depends on a number of factors (e.g., background knowledge related to a text's topic, motivation and engagement, features of the literacy task) and may be used to help inform instructional decision-making. | ELA.Factors Affecting Reading Development | Partially covered | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (7 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content. |
| e. Select and use research-supported instructional techniques that focus on multiple constructs of literacy development simultaneously (e.g., a single practice could address phonological awareness, concepts of print, and composition), such as literacy-enriched dramatic play, storytelling/story acting, interactive read-aloud, shared reading, interactive writing, guided oral reading, disciplinary writing, and discussion of ideas with print and digital texts across disciplines. | ELA.Teaching - Read Alouds | Partially covered | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content. |
| f. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to design or adapt and implement literacy curricula that support literacy learning for whole class, small groups, and individual children in reading, writing, and other forms of communication, including all constructs of literacy. | ELA.Differentiation in Reading Instruction | Covered | 24 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| g. Demonstrate knowledge of how to observe and describe the impact of language on children's social and academic development and emerging identities as readers and writers, and of how to plan and implement instruction accordingly. | ELA.Differentiation in Reading Instruction | Covered | 24 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| h. Identify and value children's multiple ways of communicating, in- and out-of-school discourses, and variations in language expression, and leverage these to provide appropriate literacy instructional practices and social development of individual children. | ELA.Differentiation in Reading Instruction | Covered | 24 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| i. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of state standards and competencies applicable to literacy learning in grades PK–3. | ELA.Process of Learning - Literacy | Covered | 22 | 1 | 7 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (22 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos). |
| j. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to provide specific, constructive feedback that targets children's most critical needs during the process of reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing. | P.Effective Feedback | Covered | 25 | 1 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| k. Identify reasonable goals and expectations for children that align with their literacy development. | Sped.Process of Learning - Literacy Development | Covered | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
| l. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to select texts of varying complexity that align with instructional purposes (e.g., independent practice, study of author's craft and structure, integration of knowledge and ideas). | ELA.Measures of Text Complexity - Three-Part Model | Covered | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.4 Motivation and Engagement
47 Qs8 Materials11 Cards0 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that literacy motivation refers to the beliefs, values, goals, and dispositions that provide energy and direction for behaviors and thoughts of the individual related to literacy and is often conceptualized as intrinsic and extrinsic; and that literacy engagement refers to the cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors in academic or out-of-school settings that enable the individual to participate in literacy learning and gain expertise. | ELA.Effective ELA Learning Environment | Covered | 11 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that literacy motivation develops through meaningful observations and interactions with families, friends, teachers, and community members, combined with personal experiences, including various opportunities in which a child asks and seeks answers to their own and academic questions across disciplines. | ELA.Community Collaboration - Literacy Development; ELA.Community Collaboration - Promoting Fluency; ELA.Community Collaboration - Reading Comprehension; ELA.Community Collaboration - The Alphabetic Principle; ELA.Community Collaboration - Word Analysis Skills; ELA.Community Collaboration - Writing Skills | Covered | 23 | 6 | 4 | 0 | Covered by 6 topics (23 questions, 6 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate knowledge of how to assess literacy motivation and engagement through interviews or questionnaires with the child, which may be supplemented by teacher observation of child affect and actions, writing, logs, or academic work that reveals effort, persistence, care, commitment, and accomplishment. | ELA.Effective ELA Learning Environment | Covered | 11 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate knowledge of ways to select and use research-supported instructional practices to foster intrinsic literacy motivation, including setting expectations for classroom participation; assuring opportunities for developing self-efficacy through scaffolding, text and task selection, differentiation, goal-setting, and self-monitoring; offering children substantive options, choices, and input into learning activities; and arranging collaborative activities that foster literacy learning through social interactions. | ELA.Promoting a Love of Reading | Covered | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (13 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 0 videos). |
| e. Apply knowledge of ways to provide a variety of meaningful purposes for academic units and tasks; provide continual encouragement for academic and personal attainment and interests; emphasize the utility, value, and enjoyment of literacy and literacy tasks (e.g., word play, word inquiry, reading of high-interest texts, critical inquiry); and build interpersonal relationships with children that encourage mutual trust and commitment. | ELA.Promoting a Love of Reading | Covered | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (13 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 0 videos). |
LITERACY SKILLS - INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICES (DOMAIN II)
Covered
SMR II.5 Print Concepts
70 Qs3 Materials21 Cards1 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that print concepts, or concepts of print, are foundational knowledge about how print, in general, and books in particular, "work," such as understanding that print carries meaning, that print is authored, and that print is permanent; that graphics and print relate; that print is made up of graphemes, which are associated with phonemes (alphabetic principle), and includes, but is not limited to, knowledge of parts of texts (e.g., front cover, table of contents, diagrams), where to start reading within a text, directionality, return sweep, alphabetic principle, orientation of letters, concept of word, capitalization, and ending punctuation. | ELA.Teaching - Concepts of Print; ELA.Teaching - Alphabetic Knowledge and Principle | Covered | 59 | 2 | 13 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (59 questions, 2 materials, 13 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate knowledge that concepts of print develop through observation, interactions with others around print, and explicit instruction, noting that some of these concepts are language-specific (e.g., English and Arabic have different directionality), while others are universal. | ELA.Teaching - Concepts of Print; ELA.Diversity of Written Language and Effect on Literacy Development | Covered | 37 | 2 | 17 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (37 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate knowledge of how to measure concepts of print using observation and assessment tools that engage children in demonstrating the concepts in acts of reading and writing. | ELA.Teaching - Concepts of Print | Covered | 26 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (26 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate knowledge of research-supported instructional practices to develop concepts of print, such as print-referencing read-alouds, interactive writing, finger-pointing for print to speech match, literacy-enriched dramatic play, and other forums for modeling and explicit instruction. | ELA.Teaching - Concepts of Print | Covered | 26 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (26 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR II.6 Phonological Awareness and Phonics
176 Qs6 Materials29 Cards4 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that phonological awareness is a set of foundational oral language skills that involve conscious awareness of sounds within the speech stream and the segmentation and blending of sounds and has reciprocal relationships with word reading, spelling, and vocabulary. | ELA.Phonological Awareness | Covered | 36 | 1 | 13 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (36 questions, 1 materials, 13 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that phonics is a connection between individual and groups of graphemes (letter symbols) and phonemes (letter sounds) that, among other things, allows readers to translate written symbols into meaningful words (decoding), and understand the related terms consonant, vowel, hard c/g, soft c/g, r-controlled vowel, blend, digraph, diphthong, types of syllables, and schwa. | ELA.Teaching - Phonics and Decoding | Covered | 47 | 1 | 14 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate knowledge of the difference between phonological awareness and the related terms phonology, phonics, phonemic awareness, including the importance of phonological and phonemic awareness in developing strong foundational literacy skills. | ELA.Impact of Phonological Awareness on Literacy | Covered | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (12 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate knowledge of the common, yet not rigid, developmental progression of phonological awareness skills, including multiple levels of sounds within words (e.g., syllables, rhyme, onset, rime, initial sounds, other phonemes), expectations by grade level, and the differences among various phonological manipulations, including identifying, matching, blending, segmenting, deleting, and substituting sounds. | ELA.Teaching - Phonological Awareness | Covered | 47 | 1 | 12 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate an understanding of methods for using observation, screening, diagnostic and/or assessment tools to inform instruction and engage children in demonstrating phonological and decoding skills in acts of reading and writing, being cognizant of the language(s) and dialect(s) spoken by the child, and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek appropriate intervention resources and instructional support from an appropriate specialist. | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Phonological Awareness | Covered | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (16 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
| f. Apply knowledge of research-supported instructional strategies, techniques, and targeted interventions to develop phonological awareness, phonics, and decoding skills, by providing explicit instruction, modeling, and scaffolding, fostering awareness of articulatory features, stretching words, playing with words (e.g., alliteration), sorting words by sounds, encouraging invented or estimated spelling based on letter-sound knowledge, and multimodal and multisensory activities with letters and sounds. | ELA.Teaching - Phonics and Decoding; ELA.Teaching - Phonological Awareness | Covered | 94 | 2 | 26 | 2 | Covered by 2 topics (94 questions, 2 materials, 26 cards, 2 videos). |
| g. Demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between phonics and decoding, including analyzing letter-sound relationships, and problems with phonics generalizations that are too broad to be accurate. | ELA.Process of Learning - Decoding | Covered | 18 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR II.7 Spelling and Handwriting
78 Qs4 Materials29 Cards1 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that spelling is a connection between individual and groups of phonemes (letter sounds) and graphemes (letter symbols) and morphemes (meaning units) that, among other things, allows readers to translate thoughts into written words (encoding). Spelling instruction enables writing and also improves the specific reading skills of decoding and word reading and whose influences include phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge, and morphological awareness. | ELA.Teaching - Spelling | Covered | 26 | 1 | 19 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (26 questions, 1 materials, 19 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that handwriting and spelling develop through a series of common, yet not rigid, stages, with phases within each stage; that stages are variously named (e.g., emergent, letter-name alphabetic, within-word, syllables and affixes, derivational relations); and that spelling development relies particularly on developing phonological awareness, phonics knowledge, morphological knowledge, orthographic knowledge, and vocabulary knowledge. | ELA.Process of Learning - Spelling | Covered | 18 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of screening tools and diagnostic assessments to inform instruction, while being cognizant of the language(s) and dialect(s) spoken by the child, such as assessments of alphabet knowledge; knowledge of more complex sound-letter relationships; stage of spelling development; and spelling performance within meaningful writing, recognizing that spelling performance may reveal information about children's phonemic awareness, phonics, morphological, orthographic, and vocabulary knowledge. | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Spelling | Covered | 20 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use engaging and multimodal, research-supported instructional techniques for handwriting (e.g., pencil grip and letter formation) and spelling, including practices that simultaneously address both phonics and spelling, to explicitly teach, model, and provide guided and independent practice with, and provide feedback regarding letter-sound relationships and spelling strategies, involving children in synthesis, analysis, and manipulations of graphemes and morphemes within and across words (e.g., word ladders, word sorting), and provide opportunities for fluent application in meaningful writing. | ELA.Teaching - Fine Motor Skills for Writing; ELA.Teaching - Spelling | Covered | 40 | 2 | 20 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (40 questions, 2 materials, 20 cards, 0 videos). |
| e. Adapt spelling instruction for children with needs in working memory and executive functioning skills, such as attention and processing speed, and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek appropriate intervention resources and instructional support from an appropriate specialist. | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Spelling | Covered | 20 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
| f. Understand that handwriting is formation of letters in written text by hand, the legibility of which affects judgment and communicativeness of writing and the fluency of which affects the quality of written composition. Handwriting develops in the context of graphomotor development more broadly and through a series of common, yet not rigid, stages, which can be assessed by observation. | ELA.Teaching - Fine Motor Skills for Writing | Covered | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (14 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR II.8 Word Recognition
96 Qs4 Materials19 Cards0 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that word recognition is the ability to translate written words into known words within the lexicon; that words may be recognized based on decoding, prediction (for example, through initial letters, syntactic context, and semantic context), analogy, and sight; and that the ultimate goal is to read each word at sight (automatically), but in order to attain this goal with large numbers of words, each word, including high-frequency as well as low-frequency words and words that are not spelled as might be expected, must be fully analyzed graphophonemically and morphophonemically; and understand the related terms high-frequency word, sight word, and decodable. | ELA.Teaching - Word Identification Skills; ELA.Teaching - High-Frequency Words | Covered | 46 | 2 | 11 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (46 questions, 2 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that word recognition develops through experience with words and instruction through a series of common, yet not rigid, stages in overlapping waves, for example in Ehri's (2014) terms, from pre alphabetic to partial alphabetic, to full alphabetic, to consolidated alphabetic, relying particularly on developing phonological and orthographic awareness, phonics knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, and constructing and monitoring for meaning throughout the reading process. | ELA.Stages of Word Recognition | Covered | 13 | 1 | 7 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (13 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use screening tools and diagnostic assessments to inform instruction, such as word reading outside of context, with attention to, but not only to, high-frequency words and word reading in context, with attention to multiple word recognition strategies; and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to conduct assessment of phonological awareness and seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist. | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Phonics and Word Analysis | Covered | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (37 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use engaging and multimodal, research-supported instructional techniques to explicitly teach, model, and provide guided and independent practice with phonology, morphology, and word recognition strategies to develop fluent application in meaningful reading, while being cognizant of each child's experiences, strengths, needs, and interests. | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Phonics and Word Analysis | Covered | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (37 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR II.9 Morphology
62 Qs2 Materials13 Cards1 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that morphology is an oral and written language concept comprising the system by which the smallest units of meaning, called morphemes (bases and affixes), combine to form complex words and that morphological/structural analysis and synthesis are important to both decoding and encoding and are related to vocabulary development and reading comprehension. | ELA.Word Analysis from Roots and Affixes | Covered | 25 | 1 | 11 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that much of children's early acquisition of morphology is a natural part of oral language learning; that over time, children learn to analyze the morphemic structure of words for spelling, word reading, and comprehension of written texts, as well as to understand and use academic language, including academic root words; and that children are likely to carry out deliberate analysis of the morphemic composition of words. | ELA.Word Analysis from Roots and Affixes | Covered | 25 | 1 | 11 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use word-reading and spelling assessments that include multi-morpheme words and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist (e.g., literacy specialist, speech and language pathologist). | ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Phonics and Word Analysis | Covered | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (37 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use engaging and multimodal, research-supported instructional techniques such as providing a language-rich classroom; promoting curiosity about words, word structure, and word meaning, including morphologically complex words in word reading, spelling, and vocabulary lessons from the earliest grades; and explicitly teaching, modeling, and providing guided and independent practice with morphemes, while being cognizant of each child's experiences, strengths, needs, and interests. | ELA.Word Analysis from Roots and Affixes | Covered | 25 | 1 | 11 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate knowledge of methods to engage children in activities that include synthesis, analysis, and manipulations of morphemes within and across words, including application in meaningful reading and writing, and that take into account children's working memory and executive functioning skills, such as attention and processing speed. | ELA.Word Analysis from Roots and Affixes | Covered | 25 | 1 | 11 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR II.10 Syntax
164 Qs8 Materials46 Cards4 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that syntax is an oral and written language concept comprising a set of principles that govern phrase and sentence structure; that in English syntax, these principles specify the relation of word order and meaning; that the grammar of the language indicates how words are combined to convey meanings; that understanding syntax involves knowledge of parts of speech (e.g., verb, noun, adverb) and word order (which may vary from children's home language); that phrases and sentences vary in complexity (simple, compound, complex, compound/complex); and that analysis of syntax helps to link structure and meaning. | ELA.Parts of Speech; ELA.Types of Sentences (Grammar); ELA.Basic Linguistic Concepts | Covered | 81 | 3 | 31 | 2 | Covered by 3 topics (81 questions, 3 materials, 31 cards, 2 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that young children begin to develop an understanding of syntax through listening and speaking in home and school in languages and dialects that may differ by setting; that in oral and written academic texts, children's attention is directed to the relation of word order and sentence structure and meaning; and that children acquire facility in manipulating word order to convey particular meanings or to place emphasis on particular words or ideas. | ELA.Oral Language to Support Reading and Writing | Covered | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate an understanding of how to use observational checklists and rubrics for oral and written language samples (including miscue analysis), and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist. | ELA.Assessment - Oral Language; ELA.Assessment - Running Records; ELA.Assessment and Intervention - Proper Writing and Grammar Conventions | Covered | 44 | 3 | 13 | 1 | Covered by 3 topics (44 questions, 3 materials, 13 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use research-supported instructional techniques such as modeling, sentence framing, sentence expanding, and sentence combining to provide authentic opportunities during reading and writing to examine how specific syntactic constructions function in texts and children's own writing, while being cognizant of each child's experiences, strengths, needs, and interests. | ELA.Teaching - Oral Language | Covered | 19 | 1 | 4 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (19 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos). |
LITERACY PROCESSES - INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICES (DOMAIN III)
Partially covered
SMR III.11 Reading Fluency
133 Qs6 Materials27 Cards2 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that fluency entails accuracy, automaticity, and prosody; its role in reading development; and reciprocal relationships with, among other constructs, background knowledge, motivation, orthographic knowledge, morphological awareness, word recognition, syntax, and reading comprehension (although strong fluency does not guarantee reading comprehension). | ELA.Measures of Fluency; ELA.Impact of Fluency on Comprehension | Covered | 29 | 2 | 5 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (29 questions, 2 materials, 5 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that fluency development entails progression in phonological awareness; rapid processing; and aspects of expression, including volume, phrasing, smoothness, and appropriate pace (which will vary based on what is being read, the purpose for reading, and other factors) within and across texts. | ELA.Impact of Phonics and Word Decoding on Fluency and Vocabulary | Covered | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (6 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate knowledge of methods to assess each dimension of reading fluency (accuracy, automaticity, and prosody), orally and silently (for automaticity); this can best be accomplished by using tasks that also incorporate an evaluation of reading comprehension (e.g., through comprehension questions and dialogic conversations about the reading). | ELA.Process of Learning and Intervention - Reading Fluency; ELA.Assessment - Reading Fluency | Covered | 51 | 2 | 9 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (51 questions, 2 materials, 9 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use research-supported instructional techniques to build reading fluency, such as repeated reading, partner reading, echo reading, reading while listening to recorded books, and other models of fluent reading, and a large volume of developmentally appropriate silent and/or oral reading, in coordination with techniques that build word knowledge and skills from foundational to fluency. | ELA.Teaching - Reading Fluency | Covered | 47 | 1 | 13 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 13 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR III.12 Vocabulary
106 Qs5 Materials22 Cards1 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that vocabulary is an oral and written language construct that is central to everyday and academic language, which includes general and discipline-specific vocabulary and involves knowledge of word meanings and the conceptual knowledge that underlies them; that it includes understanding multiple meanings across contexts, figurative language, and morphological structure of words; and that it is central to oral language, academic language, reading comprehension, and written composition. | ELA.Teaching - Increasing Vocabulary | Covered | 53 | 1 | 14 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (53 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that vocabulary develops through oral and written language exposure, inquiry, experiences, and explicit and implicit instruction (including explicit instruction in word meanings, vocabulary strategies [e.g., looking for a possible synonym in the sentence], and deliberate analysis of the morphemic composition of words), with particular complexity for children whose home language is not the language of instruction. | ELA.Teaching - Increasing Vocabulary Using Writing | Covered | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate the ability to examine children's breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge, recognizing that children may have knowledge of vocabulary not in the language of instruction; assess vocabulary through use of observational checklists and rubrics for oral and written language samples and assessments of vocabulary that have been taught; and demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist. | ELA.Assessment - Vocabulary; ELA.Intervention - Vocabulary | Covered | 31 | 2 | 6 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (31 questions, 2 materials, 6 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use research-supported instructional techniques to develop vocabulary, including for children whose home language is not the language of instruction, through a large volume of oral and written language exposure (e.g., through conversation, read-aloud, audio books, silent reading, and inquiry); selecting appropriate words for instruction; providing accessible, explicit explanations of the meaning of words, including, as appropriate, examples and non-examples, visual supports such as video, photo, or props, movement, analogies, and other comparisons; producing the word for children orally; having children repeat the word; providing a visual representation of the word once children are reading conventionally; providing multiple exposures to target words in different contexts over time; explicitly teaching morphology and etymology; and other techniques. | ELA.Teaching - Increasing Vocabulary; ELA.Choosing Targeted Vocabulary Words | Covered | 64 | 2 | 16 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (64 questions, 2 materials, 16 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR III.13 Comprehension
135 Qs4 Materials30 Cards2 VideosPartially covered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that comprehension is the ultimate purpose of reading instruction and involves the ability to extract and construct meaning through interaction and involvement with oral, written, and visual language separately or in combination. | ELA.Fundamentals of Reading Comprehension | Partially covered | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (5 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 1 videos); limited supporting content. |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that comprehension of oral, print, and digital texts develops through the integration of many areas, including language development (e.g., morphological knowledge and awareness, vocabulary depth and breadth), word knowledge development, and, in the case of written language, development in fluency, written textual knowledge, comprehension strategies, metacognition, and attitudes specific to written and visual language (e.g., a disposition to read actively to make sense of text), and working memory and executive functioning skills, such as attention and processing speed. | ELA.Fundamentals of Reading Comprehension | Partially covered | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (5 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 1 videos); limited supporting content. |
| c. Demonstrate an understanding of ways to assess reading comprehension through tasks including questioning, retelling, dialogic conversations, summarizing, and application tasks (e.g., carrying out a procedure while reading a procedural text); demonstrate knowledge of how to decide whether to seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist; and recognize that not all reading comprehension difficulties have the same cause nor do they require the same instructional responses. | ELA.Assessment - Reading Comprehension | Covered | 28 | 1 | 7 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (28 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use research-supported instructional techniques to develop comprehension, including instruction in many of the other areas in the literacy strand of the Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Lower Elementary (PK-3) Education (e.g., phonics, fluency) and daily time for children to read in motivating and engaging contexts for the purposes of building disciplinary knowledge and/or advancing personal interests; comprehension strategy instruction; modeling and guiding children to be metacognitive while reading; instruction in text search, navigation, and evaluation; focused, high-quality discussion of the meanings of text; text structure and feature instruction; and application tasks (e.g., building an argument from textual evidence). | ELA.Teaching - Reading Comprehension (All Texts) | Covered | 94 | 1 | 20 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (94 questions, 1 materials, 20 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate the ability to select and analyze texts for their affordances and challenges, including for specific disciplinary contexts. | ELA.Teaching - Small-Group Reading Texts | Covered | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR III.14 Composition
116 Qs4 Materials21 Cards0 VideosCovered
| Official Competency | Matching 240 Topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate an understanding that composition is the process of conveying meaning through oral, written (print or digital), and/or visual language, separately or in combination in many types of text (e.g., opinion, informative/explanatory, narrative); that it is important to active citizenship, many professions, and daily life; and that it requires applications of writing conventions to construct clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate for specific tasks, purposes, and audiences across disciplines. | ELA.Writing Types and Various Contexts | Covered | 52 | 1 | 12 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (52 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate an understanding that written composition develops through a series of common, yet not rigid, stages, including writing through drawing, writing through scribbling, writing through letter-like forms, writing through letter strings, writing through estimated/invented spelling, and writing through conventional spelling, in a manner that may vary across disciplines, genres, and modes of communication; may be influenced by a child's home language(s) or dialect(s); and integrates many areas, including language development (e.g., morphological knowledge and awareness, vocabulary depth and breadth), word knowledge, textual knowledge, and knowledge of composition strategies, working memory, and attitudes specific to written and visual language. | ELA.Stages of Writing Development | Covered | 24 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Demonstrate an understanding of methods to assess the overall quality of a composition (the effectiveness of a specific piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience), print or digital, through observation, checklists, rubrics, and other tools and of how to use intermediary outcomes toward overall quality of a composition, including writing output, mechanics, vocabulary, sentence structure, organization, ideation, voice, and genre (or text) elements and, if warranted by oral and/or written language difficulties, whether to seek additional assessment and/or instructional support from an appropriate specialist; and that not all composition difficulties have the same cause nor do they require the same instructional responses. | ELA.Assessment - Writing Skills | Covered | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate the ability to identify and use research-supported instructional techniques to develop children's written composition abilities, such as interactive writing (PK to grade 1); daily time for children to write across disciplines in motivating and engaging contexts; instruction in writing processes and strategies, particularly those involving researching, planning, revising, and editing writing in print and digital contexts; opportunities to study models and non-models of and write a variety of texts for a variety of purposes and audiences, with scaffolding and with attention to disciplinary context; and explicit instruction in capitalization, punctuation, sentence construction, keyboarding, word processing, and additional areas addressed in this literacy strand of the Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Lower Elementary (PK-3) Education (e.g., handwriting, spelling), while being cognizant of each child's experiences, strengths, needs, and interests. | ELA.Teaching - Writing Skills | Covered | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos). |
How 240 Creates The MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy (118) Study Guide
Learn more →Every 240 study guide starts with the official exam framework. From there, we organize lessons, practice, and study tools around the categories the exam uses to measure candidate knowledge.
1
Review the official exam framework
We begin with the standards, domains, competencies, objectives, or content categories published by the testing authority.
2
Map the tested categories
We map every major area the exam is designed to cover so the guide reflects the real structure of the test.
3
Build lessons around tested content
We create study materials to support the official blueprint, not broad filler content.
4
Cross-check practice against exam expectations
We review practice content against the framework and real exam patterns so preparation stays targeted.
5
Review and update as standards change
When official frameworks change, we review guides and update alignment as needed.
Reviewed by subject-matter experts and maintained to reflect current standards.
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Why 240 Is Better Than Other Generic Study Guides
Not all study guides are built the same way. Here is what separates a test-aligned guide from a generic one — and why it matters when you are preparing for the MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy.
Generic
Generic Prep
✕Covers broad subject areas without structure
✕No clear connection to the official exam framework
✕Practice questions may not reflect the real test format
✕May not update when official standards change
~Can be helpful for quick, broad review
Test-aligned
240 Test-Aligned MTTC 118 Prep
✓Every lesson maps to an official domain or competency
✓Built directly from the official exam framework
✓Practice questions aligned to what the exam actually measures
✓A clear study path by tested category
✓Study smarter and enter test day more prepared
FAQs About the MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy Study Guide
The questions teacher candidates ask us most often about the MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy study guide.
1
Is 240 a good study guide for MTTC Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education Subtest 2: Literacy?
240 is a strong option because the guide is built around the official exam framework and shows detailed alignment by SMR and competency.
2
How closely does 240 align to the MTTC 118 exam?
This guide is 97% aligned based on a competency-by-competency review of the official framework and the study resources included in the guide.
3
Does 240 cover every competency?
This page shows coverage transparently across covered, partially covered, and identified gaps so candidates can see exactly how the guide maps to the exam.
4
What does “partially covered” mean?
Partially covered means the guide addresses the core parts of a competency, but some depth or subtopics may still be limited.
Study What's Actually on the MTTC 118 Exam
Start with a study guide built around the real exam. 240's guide maps lessons and study tools to official competencies so you can prepare more efficiently and more confidently.