NES Profile: Early Childhood Education (Birth–Prekindergarten) (106)

Content Domain II: The Learning Enviroment—Birth To Age 4

Competencies:

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0004 Understand how to create, structure, and manage safe, supportive, and challenging learning environments for young children.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of effective developmentally and culturally appropriate routines and schedules to address the varying stages and needs of all young children from birth to age four.
Apply knowledge of practices and procedures to create intentional learning environments that encourage and support active engagement, exploration, construction of knowledge, and sense of autonomy.
Demonstrate knowledge of considerations in the organization of the physical learning environment (e.g., accessibility, space, orderliness, stimulation) to support the physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development of infants, toddlers, and young children.
Demonstrate knowledge of differences in children's strengths and needs and the instructional implications of such differences, including the importance of recognizing that every child can learn and communicating high expectations for all children's learning and progress.

Sample Item:

The teachers of a preschool class have prepared a number of learning centers (e.g., manipulatives, art, dramatic play, science) for the children to work in during free choice time. Which of the following guidelines would be most important for the teachers to follow with regard to the children's use of the learning centers?

ensuring that the children spend approximately equal amounts of time in each center on a given day
having the children put checkmarks by their names at each center to keep a record of the center's popularity
designing each center to include activities that pose a range of challenges at various difficulty levels
establishing a minimum amount of time that a child should spend at a center he or she has chosen

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

C. Preschool-age children demonstrate a variety of interests and strengths. Integrating learning center activities provides an ideal environment to allow young children to explore, create, and engage. In designing learning centers, teachers should seek to include a range of materials, activities, and experiences that provide challenges across developmental levels. By observing and interacting with the children in learning center activities, the teacher can adjust the level of challenge, support, and stimulation to maximize learning and engagement.

0005 Understand basic health, nutrition, and safety management practices and procedures.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of personal, interpersonal, and community health and safety practices and procedures relevant to infants, toddlers, and young children.
Apply knowledge of strategies and procedures for promoting health, nutrition, and safety in the learning environment and strategies for promoting health, nutrition, and safety practices and procedures for young children from birth to age four (e.g., universal precautions).
Demonstrate knowledge of signs of physical and emotional distress, trauma, potential abuse and neglect, and procedures for addressing such concerns (e.g., mandated reporting; access to family, community, and medical services to support the family and child).

Sample Item:

In terms of student safety, which of the following features of a school playground should a prekindergarten teacher be most concerned about?

The swings do not provide back support or seat belts.
The surface below the climbing structure consists of packed earth.
The platform at the top of the slide is five feet high.
The playing area includes a blacktop made of asphalt.

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

B. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of basic safety practices relevant to children. To minimize the potential for injury from a fall, the surface beneath playground climbing structures should consist of a material that will absorb an impact. Wood chips or rubberized materials have been proven effective for this purpose, while nonabsorptive surfaces, such as packed earth, statistically increase the chance of serious injury.

0006 Understand diversity and how to create and foster environments and learning opportunities that are safe, responsive, respectful, and inclusive.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity and its significance for development and learning.
Apply knowledge of strategies for working effectively with and meeting the needs of children with various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, talents, disabilities, family situations, socioeconomic circumstances, and prior learning experiences.
Demonstrate knowledge of practices that support inclusive learning environments and promote cultural and linguistic diversity in infants', toddlers', and young children's environments.
Demonstrate knowledge of the complexity and dynamics of family systems and the roles of parent/guardians as primary caregivers and as their children's first teachers.

Sample Item:

In the context of infant and toddler programs, the importance of family systems theory lies primarily in its examination and expression of which of the following factors related to an infant's growth and development?

the attitude held by the child's family regarding the purpose of schooling
the effect of the child's birth order on his or her status within the family unit
the role played by the child's family networks and relationships
the sequence in which the child achieves major developmental benchmarks

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

C. Within the realm of early childhood education, the family systems theory helps us to define, visualize, and understand the complex and diverse relationships within families. A fundamental principle in this relationship is that a family includes interconnected members, each influencing the others in unique, predictable, and sometimes unpredictable ways. An important factor in this interconnectedness is the role of the child's family networks (e.g., individual family members, caregivers, as well as cultural, faith and ethnic communities) and relationships with others. Early childhood teachers and programs can provide effective, developmentally and culturally appropriate educational experiences by understanding and engaging effectively within the family network.

0007 Understand how to use appropriate, authentic, and culturally responsive assessments and assessment strategies, including observation, to learn about young children, plan developmentally appropriate activities, and monitor progress.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of different types of informal and formal assessments (e.g., observations, screening tools, criterion- and norm-referenced tests, checklists).
Apply knowledge of considerations and strategies for conducting ongoing systematic observations and informal assessments using developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate assessment practices.
Demonstrate knowledge of the role of families as active participants in the assessment process and effective strategies to involve families in assessing the strengths and needs of infants, toddlers, and young children.
Demonstrate knowledge of strategies and methods for interpreting assessment results and how to use assessment results to design and/or modify instruction and make sound and developmentally appropriate educational decisions.

Sample Item:

Which of the following factors would most seriously compromise the validity of a teacher's anecdotal records?

The notes contain the first names of all students involved in the observed activities.
The teacher uses abbreviations, phrases, and shorthand to record the observations in real time.
The teacher uses evaluative language to explain possible feelings and motives of the student.
Observations were conducted in a variety of settings, time frames, and student groupings.

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

C. The primary guideline in the gathering and use of anecdotal records and notes is that they describe the events and actions of a student in objective, non-evaluative language. Observational notes and details should not include interpretation, judgements, inferences, or conclusions in order to be valid as a means of informal assessment. Anecdotal observations should contain specific, relevant information and be included with additional assessment tools as part of a valid, responsible assessment practice.

0008 Understand how to foster positive, collaborative, and culturally and linguistically responsive relationships with parents/guardians, families, other professionals, and community agencies.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of how to create a safe, collaborative environment for families and how to use family-centered skills and strategies to promote effective, ongoing communication and involvement with families and to encourage families' active involvement in their children's education.
Apply knowledge of skills and strategies for working effectively with families from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds and how to build positive relationships by respecting and valuing families' preferences and goals.
Demonstrate knowledge of the roles of professionals who provide related services to infants, toddlers, and young children and their families; and strategies for collaborating with colleagues and other professionals to respond to the needs and concerns of families.

Sample Item:

During a home visit, an early childhood teacher talks with family members of a three-year-old child. The teacher provides information about the current areas of study, activities, and scheduled field trips, and answers the family's questions. Then the teacher spends 15 to 20 minutes playing a game with the child and the parents. Which of the following outcomes is the most likely benefit of conducting this type of home visit?

establishing a foundation for a positive relationship between the teacher and the family
alerting the family to any areas of concern regarding the child's language and social-emotional development
aligning the values of the teacher and family members to appropriately support the child's learning
providing access to information related to child development and early childhood education policies

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

A. Home visits by teachers are becoming more widely used due to the benefits they have been shown to provide. Parents/guardians may be unable to attend back-to-school programs or other school-sponsored functions for a wide variety of reasons. Research has shown that home visits often provide the initial step in developing a collaborative and effective home–school relationship. Young children also benefit from observing their parents/guardians and teacher interacting in their home.

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