Study Guide
Early Childhood Education
Test Design and Framework
The test design below describes general assessment information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.
Test Design
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) and online-proctored test |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time* | 2 hours |
| Passing Score | 220 |
Test Framework
| Content Domain | Range of Competencies | Approximate Percentage of Test Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. | Child Development and Learning | 0001–0003 | 21% |
| II. | Language and Literacy Development | 0004–0007 | 29% |
| III. | Learning Across the Curriculum | 0008–0012 | 36% |
| IV. | Professional Relationships and Responsibilities | 0013–0014 | 14% |
Domain I–Child Development and Learning
Competency 0001–Understand early childhood development from birth through grade three and factors that influence young children's development and learning.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of theoretical foundations and current scientifically based research regarding the development and learning of children from birth through grade three.
- Recognize characteristics, progressions, and variations of development in the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, language, sensory, and aesthetic domains and the interrelationships between the various domains.
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate procedures for meeting the health, nutrition, and safety needs of infants, toddlers, and children through grade three.
- Demonstrate knowledge of exceptionalities and health conditions and their implications for development, safety, and learning.
- Recognize the role of play in development and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors (e.g., family, culture, community) that influence young children's development and learning and how these factors interact with one another.
- Analyze potential influences of early childhood education programs on short- and long-term outcomes for children.
Competency 0002–Understand the goals, benefits, types, and uses of assessment to support young children and families.
For example:
- Recognize types, characteristics, goals, uses, and limitations of various formal and informal assessments, including authentic assessment, and their applications in early childhood education programs.
- Apply knowledge of considerations and strategies for selecting, designing, adapting, and modifying assessments in given situations.
- Apply knowledge of strategies, procedures, and tools for administering assessments and documenting outcomes.
- Apply knowledge of the interpretation of assessment results and the use of that information to differentiate instruction and guide practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the rationales and strategies for involving families and other professionals in the assessment, application, and referral processes.
- Recognize legal and ethical issues related to assessment and responsible assessment practices.
Competency 0003–Understand how to create and manage positive learning environments for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of the development, characteristics, and needs of young children to create learning environments that are safe and healthy and that promote children's sense of security and independence.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for creating learning environments that reflect respect for children as individuals and for children's cultural, family, and community contexts.
- Apply knowledge of the development, characteristics, and needs of young children to create supportive and challenging learning environments that promote children's sense of competence and motivation to learn.
- Apply knowledge of how to develop curricula that build on children's individual interests and prior knowledge, respond to children's needs, and promote the development of prerequisite skills and positive dispositions toward learning in the content areas.
- Apply knowledge of how to select appropriate learning resources and materials, including technology, and how to set up the physical environment to meet the needs of all children, including those with exceptionalities.
- Apply knowledge of the continuum of strategies for promoting children's learning, ways to capitalize on incidental and spontaneous opportunities for teaching, and ways of using the environment, daily routines, personal and social interactions, and play to teach young children.
- Apply knowledge of how to manage the learning environment by creating schedules and routines, facilitating transitions, and addressing behaviors through scientifically valid, research-based, and developmentally appropriate guidance and behavior management strategies.
- Apply knowledge of how to develop positive relationships with children and how to facilitate children's acquisition of the social skills needed for building positive relationships and developing friendships with peers.
Domain II–Language and Literacy Development
Competency 0004–Understand oral language development and how to promote listening and speaking skills in children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of language development, factors that affect language development, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating exceptional abilities in language development.
- Apply knowledge of developmentally appropriate strategies for fostering the ability to listen and speak for various purposes (e.g., expressing needs, interacting with others, responding to experiences, developing concepts).
- Apply knowledge of the relationships between listening, speaking, reading, and writing and strategies for building on children's oral language to lay the foundations for formal reading and writing instruction.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how having a home language other than English may influence oral language development and strategies for using English language learners' linguistic and cultural backgrounds to promote their listening and speaking skills.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to infuse opportunities for meaningful language and communication into all areas of the early childhood education curriculum.
Competency 0005–Understand the foundations of literacy development in children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of literacy development, factors that affect the development of reading skills, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating exceptional abilities in reading.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the role of phonological and phonemic awareness in early reading development and apply knowledge of ways to assess phonological and phonemic awareness and strategies for fostering the development of phonological and phonemic awareness.
- Apply knowledge of print concepts (e.g., functions, organization, and basic features of print), ways to assess children's understanding of print concepts, and strategies and resources for promoting understanding in this area.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the alphabetic principle and its significance for reading, and apply knowledge of ways to assess children's understanding of the alphabetic principle and strategies for promoting skills and understanding in this area.
- Apply knowledge of spelling development and its relationship to reading, stages of spelling development, ways to evaluate children's spelling development, and strategies and resources for promoting spelling skills.
- Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating literacy with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
- Apply knowledge of the rationales and strategies for involving families and other professionals in literacy development.
Competency 0006–Understand research-based reading instruction for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of phonics and its role in decoding, ways to assess children's phonics skills, and strategies for promoting the development of phonics skills.
- Apply knowledge of decoding strategies other than phonics (e.g., using syllabication, knowledge of word structure, and context clues), ways to assess children's skills in word analysis and identification, and strategies for promoting the development of word analysis and word identification skills.
- Apply knowledge of the role of automaticity and sight words in reading, ways to assess children's skill in recognizing grade-appropriate regularly and irregularly spelled words, and strategies for promoting the development of sight-word recognition.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors affecting reading comprehension, dimensions of text complexity, and relationships between emergent text comprehension and text comprehension in later grades.
- Apply knowledge of the role of fluency in reading comprehension, ways to assess children's reading fluency, and strategies for promoting the development of reading fluency.
- Apply knowledge of the role of vocabulary development in reading, ways to assess children's vocabulary development, and strategies for promoting vocabulary development that supports ongoing reading development.
- Apply knowledge of various comprehension strategies (e.g., previewing, self-monitoring, self-correcting, rereading), ways to assess children's reading comprehension, and strategies for promoting the development of reading comprehension and use of comprehension strategies.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for promoting children's active engagement in reading activities, their motivation to read independently, and their ability to locate, organize, and use information from various sources for purposes such as answering questions, solving problems, communicating ideas, and making connections.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for promoting children's developing understanding and analysis of key ideas and details, craft, and structure in literature and informational texts and their skill in integrating knowledge and ideas in texts.
Competency 0007–Understand writing processes and strategies for developing children's writing competence.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of children's writing development, including stages of early writing development; factors that influence the development of writing skills (e.g., phonemic awareness, fine-motor skills); and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties in written language development.
- Apply knowledge of strategies and resources for promoting children's development and application of skills for communicating through writing (e.g., writing in various formats and for various purposes, applying conventions of standard English, using effective writing processes).
- Apply knowledge of strategies for integrating writing instruction with the other language arts and other content areas.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how having a home language other than English may influence children's writing development and apply knowledge of strategies for using children's linguistic and cultural backgrounds to promote their writing development.
Domain III–Learning Across the Curriculum
Competency 0008–Understand music, drama, creative movement, dance, and visual arts and how to facilitate arts learning for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of music and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful music experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of drama, creative movement, and dance and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful drama, creative movement, and dance experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of the visual arts and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful art experiences.
- Recognize connections between the arts and effective approaches for integrating the arts with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
Competency 0009–Understand physical development, health, and safety and how to facilitate learning about health and safety and participation in physical activities for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles and practices of personal, interpersonal, and community health and safety relevant to children.
- Apply knowledge of strategies and procedures for promoting children's health and safety in the learning environment and strategies for promoting understanding and application of health and safety principles and practices.
- Demonstrate knowledge of various types of age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate motor skills and physical activities; indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties in motor skills development; and skills, techniques, and safety practices for leading children in a variety of physical activities.
- Apply knowledge of how to plan activities for children, including integrating health and safety principles and physical activities with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities; strategies for modifying activities to address individual needs; and strategies for promoting social skills, confidence, and enjoyment of movement.
Competency 0010–Understand mathematical concepts, processes, and skills and how to facilitate mathematical learning for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts, processes, and skills related to the various areas of mathematics (e.g., number and operations; patterns and relationships; geometry and spatial sense; measurement; data and probability).
- Identify characteristics of and processes in children's mathematical development, including elements of early mathematical understanding, such as object permanence and one-to-one correspondence; and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating exceptional abilities in mathematics.
- Apply knowledge of approaches for determining children's current mathematical knowledge, identifying their individual needs, and providing instruction that follows a logical progression, builds on previous learning, challenges children appropriately, and is well integrated across grades and developmental levels.
- Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources, including technology, for promoting children's understanding of basic concepts and acquisition of mathematical skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
- Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating mathematical content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
Competency 0011–Understand social studies concepts and skills and how to facilitate social studies learning for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of culture, geography, U.S. and world history, economics, government, and civics and the relationships between the areas of social studies.
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes, skills, technologies, and resources used in exploring and understanding social studies content and phenomena.
- Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate resources and learning experiences (e.g., helping create classroom rules, performing classroom jobs) for promoting children's understanding of basic social studies concepts and acquisition of social studies skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
- Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating social studies content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of human diversity and strategies for promoting children's ability to appreciate, understand, and respect all people.
Competency 0012–Understand science concepts and skills and how to facilitate science learning for children from birth through grade three.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of physical science, life science, and Earth and space science.
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes, skills, technologies, and resources used in exploring and understanding science content and phenomena.
- Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources (e.g., exploratory play, observations of nature, simple experiments) for promoting children's understanding of basic concepts and acquisition of science skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
- Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating science content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
Domain IV–Professional Relationships and Responsibilities
Competency 0013–Understand strategies for building positive, collaborative relationships with children's families, other professionals, and community agencies and organizations.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles of parents/guardians as primary caregivers and informal teachers of children, factors in the home and community that may affect children's development and learning, and strategies for working collaboratively with all families.
- Apply knowledge of the role of family dynamics in building positive and supportive relationships with children and their families.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for initiating and sustaining communication with families to promote children's development and learning and for providing families with information, support, and referrals.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for creating meaningful, respectful, and reciprocal relationships with all families and for engaging families' and communities' active participation in promoting children's development and learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles of other professionals, community agencies, and organizations that provide services to young children and their families and strategies for working effectively with such entities.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for building collaborative partnerships with colleagues, supervisors, support staff, and administrators.
Competency 0014–Understand the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and philosophical foundations of early childhood education and their influence on practices in the field.
- Recognize the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators (e.g., promoting children's learning; advocating for children, families, and early childhood programs; reporting suspected abuse and/or neglect).
- Demonstrate awareness of current issues and trends in programs and services for young children and their significance for early childhood professionals.
- Demonstrate knowledge of major laws, regulations, guidelines, and ethical standards related to early childhood education.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the responsibilities and requirements of early childhood educators regarding the development of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for engaging in ongoing professional development and personal reflection, including developing, implementing, and evaluating professional development plans.
- Demonstrate knowledge of organizations, publications, and other resources relevant to the field of early childhood education.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators in regard to organizational skills (e.g., time management; record keeping; stress reduction; developing, implementing, and evaluating lesson plans).