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Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories and principles of development and stages and processes of development in various domains (e.g., physical, social-emotional, cognitive, language, aesthetic).
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the development in one domain relates to the development in other domains (e.g., relationships between language development and aspects of cognitive and social-emotional development; relationships between social-emotional development and learning).
- Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, progressions, and individual variations in typical and atypical development in young children from birth to age four.
Sample Item:
Which of the following behaviors is most typical of seven- to nine-month-old children?
- using fingers to point to things
- reaching for an object
- beginning to smile at people
- stacking up to four blocks
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
B. A typically developing child between the ages of seven and nine months old is becoming increasingly aware of and intrigued by his/her environment. The child, therefore, can be expected to reach for an object of interest. By this age a young child will often reach for a bottle or food item, a familiar comfort object, and the face of a caregiver.
Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the influence of stress, trauma, protective factors, and resilience; and supportive relationships on the cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical development of infants, toddlers, and young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors (e.g., family, culture, community) that influence development and learning and how these factors affect one another.
- Demonstrate knowledge of exceptionalities (e.g., giftedness and special needs) and/or health conditions and their implications for the development and learning of infants, toddlers, and young children.
Sample Item:
In his developmental theories, Jean Piaget sought to explain which of the following?
- how maturation, activity, and interpersonal experiences interact to influence
cognitive development
- how caregiver responsiveness influences social and emotional development
- how internal needs, desires, and conflicts interact to influence personality
development
- how guidance from knowledgeable others influences intellectual development
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
A. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of
theoretical foundations regarding the development of children from birth through age 8.
Piaget theorized that as children mature, they progress through four stages of cognitive
development and that, at each stage, their experiences are filtered through the cognitive
structure characteristic of that stage. He further argued that, as children act on the
world and interact with other people, they progressively adjust their thinking,
constructing new knowledge to fit new situations.
Descriptive Statements:
- Apply knowledge of the multiple functions of play in infant, toddler, and young children's development and learning and the role of play in enabling children to meet developmental benchmarks and learning progressions across domains.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of teaching strategies—from child-initiated activities to adult-guided instruction for promoting learning; strategies and methods to capitalize on spontaneous opportunities for teaching; and ways to use the environment, daily routines, and personal and social interactions to support learning and development of children from birth to age four.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) that supports and encourages young children's innate curiosity, self-initiated exploration, and intrinsic interest in learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the unique needs of English language learners (ELL/ESOL) and practices that build on home language systems to develop language proficiency.
Sample Item:
According to National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC®) guidelines regarding intentional teaching, a teacher's ability to make informed decisions about what is developmentally appropriate for children is most dependent on the knowledge of:
- state mandates and regulations
- current instructional technology applications
- fundamental pedagogical practice
- each child as an individual
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
D. NAEYC's position statement Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 (2009) described and explained the importance of intentional teaching to address instructional goals. Three core considerations were identified: knowledge of age-level characteristics in the development of children; knowledge of the social, cultural, and linguistic contexts specific to each child; and knowledge of each child as an individual. The consideration of these three areas enables a teacher to make informed decisions relevant to specific short-term and long-term instructional goals for children, which is the basis for both intentional and developmentally appropriate practice.
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