Specific Competencies and Skills Tested in this Assessment:
Health and Safety
- Identify safety hazards in and around the child care setting
- Instruct children in personal safety awareness (e.g., stranger danger, fire safety)
- Identify characteristics of common childhood diseases
- Describe universal (standard) precautions and infection control
- Explain rest and relaxation techniques
- Plan, prepare, and explain the importance of nutritionally balanced meals and snacks
- Identify indicators and reporting procedures involving child abuse/neglect
Cognitive Development
- Explain cognitive development stages and how they correlate to social, emotional, and physical development
- Provide examples of cognitive development
- Describe equipment and activities that promote cognitive development
- Identify learning opportunities and conditions that develop creative and critical thinking
- Recognize the factors that impact brain development
- Identify important theories and research involving cognitive development
Language Development and Communication
- Describe the stages of language development
- Describe strategies to encourage expressive and receptive language
- Identify materials that encourage and support literacy skills
- Demonstrate effective literacy strategies
- List various methods of story presentation
- Describe the factors affecting language development
Physical Development
- Explain the stages of fine and gross motor development
- Recognize the factors that impact physical development
- Describe strategies and conditions that encourage physical development
- Select age-appropriate indoor and outdoor play equipment and activities for physical development
- Describe the effects of play on children’s physical development
- Explain how physical development correlates to social, emotional, and cognitive development
Social and Emotional Development
- Discuss teaching techniques that encourage the development of a positive self-concept
- Describe the stages of social and emotional development of children
- Recognize the factors that impact social and emotional development
- Discuss caregiving techniques that develop appropriate social skills
- Identify positive techniques for conflict resolution and mediation
- List strategies to promote self-help skills and autonomy
Community and Family Relationships
- Describe the importance of cooperative relationships with families
- Identify and plan methods of family and community involvement
- Describe the components of effective school and home communication
Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
- Identify observation purposes, techniques, and tools
- Observe and record children’s developmental learning
- Interpret, communicate and apply observation results
Professionalism
- Identify career-related skills and employment opportunities
- Identify resources for professional development
- Recognize the need for self-assessment for continued professional growth
- Explain the role of a child advocate
- Identify the importance and legal mandates of confidentiality
- Exhibit appropriate characteristics in an educational team setting
- Identify research and current issues in the field of child development
- Apply the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct to professional practices
Classroom Organization and Arrangement
- Arrange an age-appropriate classroom environment
- Prepare and maintain materials and equipment storage
- Identify characteristics of a balanced daily schedule
- Implement developmentally appropriate activities
- Describe a variety of transition-time activities
- Demonstrate awareness of licensing laws and regulations
- Identify recordkeeping and clerical functions in a child care setting
Creativity
- List strategies for facilitating creative experiences
- Display or present creative products
- Identify appropriate materials and equipment that encourage creative development
- Explain sensory activities and supporting materials
Diversity in the Classroom
- Identify components of a diverse, multicultural curriculum
- Display awareness of diversities in family structures
- Describe ways to incorporate children’s home language and traditions
Inclusion of Children with Special Needs
- Identify characteristics of various types of exceptionalities
- Identify concerns and basic rights of children with special needs
- Differentiate the learning environment and curriculum to accommodate special needs
Positive Guidance Techniques and Reinforcement
- Demonstrate positive adult-child communication
- Describe positive classroom management
- Identify child guidance techniques
Written Assessment:
Administration Time: 3 hours
Number of Questions: 206
Areas Covered:
Health and Safety: 11%
Cognitive Development: 9%
Language Development and Communication: 9%
Physical Development: 9%
Social and Emotional Development: 9%
Community and Family Relationships: 4%
Observation, Documentation and Assessment: 6%
Professionalism: 12%
Classroom Organizational Arrangement: 11%
Creativity: 6%
Diversity in the Classroom: 4%
Inclusion of Children with Special Needs: 4%
Positive Guidance Techniques and Reinforcement: 6%
Sample Questions:
Finger plays are usually
A. poems or music the child acts out with hand movements
B. manipulative games played by children
C. presentations with puppets and vocal chorus
D. demonstrations of large motor activities
Children can express their feelings by
A. listening to music
B. participating in dramatic play
C. having a story read to them
D. playing a board game
When providing creative musical activities for children
A. show the children how to move and play the instruments
B. offer them only as a large group activity
C. offer them as a once-a-week activity
D. encourage conventional use of the instruments
Multicultural curriculum should be
A. used only during specific ethnic holidays
B. integrated into props, projects, and materials
C. offered on the first Friday of the month
D. integrated only when there is diversity in the room
Drawing a child’s attention toward a more appropriate behavior describes what type of guidance technique?
A. time-out
B. redirection
C. taking turns
D. cooperative play
Performance Assessment:
Administration Time: 3 hours
Number of Jobs: 3
Areas Covered:
30% Curriculum Planning
Participant will complete curriculum web form and small group Lesson Plan
40% Small Group Teaching
Participant will develop an appropriate Lesson Plan, introduce the lesson with a professional appearance and demeanor, implement the Lesson Plan, and demonstrate positive interaction with a group of three to five children (age 3 to 5).
30% Room Arrangement
Participant will arrange the room, indicate traffic patterns, and draw neat lines showing boundaries.
Sample Job:
Small Group Teaching
Maximum Job Time: 25 minutes
Participant Activity: Using a provided copy of the Small Group Lesson Plan, the participant will direct and supervise the activity with a group of preschool children.