Correct Response: C. Two of the most effective instructional strategies for promoting English learners' comprehension of a content-area text are activating the students' prior knowledge of the text's content and contextualizing new concepts and vocabulary through the use of visuals, demonstrations, multimedia presentations, and/or hands-on activities. To contextualize new vocabulary related to plants and animals, the use of illustrations and photographs would be the most effective (and efficient) strategy to use and would also activate any prior knowledge the students had regarding the topic. The strategies described in Options A, B, and D are not likely to be particularly effective in promoting English learners' comprehension of the text because they neither build nor activate background knowledge related to the topic, and they do not help contextualize new vocabulary for learners.
