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Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, principles, theories, and processes of human development as related to students from early childhood through the elementary years.
- Recognize developmental milestones and developmental variation in the physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, affective, and moral domains and their significance for instructional decision making for students from early childhood through the elementary years.
- Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics and behaviors related to physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, affective, and moral development in students from early childhood through the elementary years and ways in which a student's development in one domain may affect development and performance in other domains.
- Apply knowledge of cognitive development in students from early childhood through the elementary years and how to plan learning experiences and environments that support students' cognitive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors that influence the development of students from early childhood through the elementary years, such as home and community environments, values, and cultural differences.
- Apply knowledge of the range of developmental differences in students within any given age group from early childhood through the elementary years and the implications of this variation for instructional decision making.
- Apply knowledge of typical developmental challenges for students from early childhood through the elementary years, such as those related to peer interactions, self-esteem, self-direction, decision making, and goal setting, and effective ways to help students address these challenges.
- Evaluate various instructional strategies, approaches, and learning goals in relation to the developmental characteristics and needs of students from early childhood through the elementary years.
Sample Item:
According to the theoretical framework developed by Lev Vygotsky, a young child's cognitive development is most strongly influenced by which of the following factors?
- encounters with conflicting ideas that lead to disequilibrium and motivate change
- positive reinforcement from key individuals in the child's life
- genetically programmed characteristics that unfold gradually throughout childhood
- conversations and other interactions with adults or more able peers
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the major theories of human
development as they relate to students from early childhood through the elementary years. Vygotsky's
sociocultural theory is based on the idea that social interactions are the most important factor in creating
cognitive structures and thinking processes. Higher mental processes, such as problem solving, are first
co-constructed during shared activities or discussions between the child and another person. These processes
are then internalized by the child and become part of the child's cognitive development.
Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of major theories and concepts related to the learning process and their application in educational contexts.
- Apply knowledge of processes by which students construct meaning and develop skills, including the use of different types of learning strategies and various types of play, and techniques for making knowledge accessible and meaningful for all students from early childhood through the elementary years, including students who are English language learners and students with exceptionalities.
- Identify strategies and technologies for facilitating learning for students with various characteristics and needs in given instructional contexts.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for promoting students' development of independent thinking and learning, reflection and higher-order thinking skills, organizational and time-management skills, and sense of ownership and responsibility with regard to their own learning.
- Apply knowledge of various teacher and student roles in the learning process and how different roles may affect learning processes and learning outcomes.
- Demonstrate awareness of factors in the home, school, and community that can affect student learning and the implications of these factors for teaching and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of various classroom practices, such as grouping practices and teacher-student interactions, and their significance for student learning.
Sample Item:
An elementary teacher wishes to use scaffolding to promote student learning. Which of the following is the best example of this strategy?
- prompting students to identify personal goals that they hope to achieve whenever they are preparing for an upcoming project
- giving students charts labeled with relevant variables on which to record data they gather during classroom science experiments
- holding weekly geography bees with students to review important information covered during recent lessons
- marking errors in students' descriptive paragraphs and then having the students rewrite the paragraphs correctly
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
B. This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of processes by which students
construct meaning and develop skills. Scaffolding is a method of supporting students' learning by providing
them with clues, examples, step-by-step instructions, or partially completed learning tasks. Adapting
instructional materials to students' current skill levels is one type of scaffolding. In the example given,
labeling a chart with relevant variables helps ensure that students record experiment data accurately and
independently.
Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of different types of student diversity, such as diversity in cultural or racial background, socioeconomic background, gender, linguistic background, religion, and family structure, and the implications of given types of diversity for teaching and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of different types of student exceptionalities, their characteristics, and their implications for teaching and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for enhancing one's own understanding of students' diverse backgrounds and needs, resources in the school and community for meeting individual student needs, and strategies for connecting students and their families to these resources.
- Identify strategies for working and interacting effectively in various classroom contexts with students with diverse characteristics and needs, including students who are English language learners and students with exceptionalities.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for planning and adapting instruction that is responsive to the characteristics, skills, strengths, and needs of all students and for ensuring that all students participate fully in classroom life and activities.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for creating a positive, supportive classroom environment for all students and for promoting students' understanding of and appreciation and respect for diversity within the classroom and the community.
Sample Item:
An elementary student who has a mild cognitive impairment is likely to experience the most difficulty in which of the following areas?
- generalizing learned skills to new contexts
- following classroom routines
- working with a peer on a class activity
- identifying personal interests
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
A. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of different types of student
exceptionalities, their characteristics, and their implications for teaching and learning. Cognitive impairment
is defined, in part, as a disability characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning.
While students with average cognitive abilities can be expected to generalize new knowledge or skills from one
situation to the next, often with minimal support, students with cognitive impairments need explicit instruction
in this process of generalization. To learn most effectively, students with cognitive impairments need frequent
opportunities to practice, with guidance, newly acquired knowledge and skills in appropriate and relevant
educational or real-world settings.
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