Study Guide

Overview and Test Objectives
Field 106: Early Childhood Education (General and Special Education)

Test Overview

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Objectives

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 25%, Sub area 2 19%, Sub area 3 37%, and Sub area 4 19%.

Subarea I1—CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING

Objective 001—Understand the development of children from birth through age eight, and factors that influence development and learning.

Includes:

• theoretical foundations and current research regarding development and learning in young children
• characteristics and needs of young children, including typical and atypical growth and development in the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, language, and aesthetic domains
• ways in which development in one domain may affect development in other domains
• factors that influence young children's development and learning (e.g., cultural and linguistic context, family and community characteristics, learning style, motivation to learn, presence of exceptionalities, peer and adult relationships, influence of technology and the media, opportunities to play)
• signs of advanced abilities, delayed abilities, and common disabilities (e.g., speech-language impairment, cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder [ASD], physical disabilities, emotional impairment), how to respond appropriately to these signs, and their implications for development and learning in the early years
• signs of abuse, neglect, or emotional distress, and how to respond appropriately to these signs

Objective 002—Understand how to create learning environments that promote the development and learning of all children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• research-based strategies for creating safe and healthy learning environments that reflect young children's developmental characteristics and provide achievable and challenging experiences for all children, including children with exceptionalities and children who are English language learners
• learning environments that support and increase young children's positive attitudes and dispositions toward learning (e.g., initiative, curiosity, engagement, persistence, invention, imagination) and openness to new tasks and challenges
• activities, instruction, and curricula that build on children's needs and interests and support young children's ability to learn and make meaning from their own experiences through play, sensory exploration, spontaneous activity, incidental learning, guided investigations, and explicit instruction
• learning environments that show respect for children as individuals; affirm each child's culture, first language, family context, and community; reflect antibias perspectives; and link children's language, culture, and community to learning
• learning materials, resources, technologies (e.g., computer, digital camera), adaptive and assistive devices, classroom arrangements, and differentiated instruction that meet the needs of all children, including children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with advanced abilities, disabilities, or developmental delays
• individual and group guidance and problem-solving techniques that foster self-regulation, respect for others, and the development of conflict-resolution skills
• strategies for managing the learning environment, including establishing schedules, routines, and transitions; and adapting indoor and outdoor environments to meet the needs of individual children
• knowledge of Michigan's curriculum and program standards and age/grade-level expectations, and the appropriate implementation of those standards in early childhood settings

Objective 003—Understand the types, goals, benefits, and uses of assessment to promote the development and learning of children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• types, characteristics, goals, limitations, and responsible uses of various informal and formal assessments in early childhood education programs
• purposes of assessment, including developmental screening; monitoring child progress in the developmental and content areas; planning, implementing, and evaluating curricula; program accountability; and using assessment to facilitate data-driven decision making to align and adjust programming and curriculum
• strategies for selecting, adapting, modifying, differentiating, and administering assessments for all children, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities; for conducting ongoing systematic observations; and for documenting outcomes in various situations
• uses of differentiated assessment to plan for the needs of all children, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities (e.g., monitoring children's response to intervention, screening and referral, developing and implementing Individualized Family Service Plans [IFSPs] and Individualized Education Programs [IEPs], transition planning)
• methods of assessing children's social and emotional skills and strategies, and resources for addressing the needs of children who demonstrate challenging behaviors
• rationales and strategies for involving families and other professionals as partners in the assessment process, and for interpreting and communicating assessment results to families and others

Objective 004—Understand how to create learning environments that promote the well-being and social competence of children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• learning environments that promote children's physical and emotional security; foster attachment, trust, and a sense of connection; and help children develop the autonomy and initiative to explore and learn
• strategies for promoting children's increasing ability to recognize their own emotions, regulate their own behavior, and express their feelings appropriately
• strategies for fostering a sense of self and encouraging children's development of positive feelings about their own family, culture, race, language, and gender
• learning environments that foster healthy relationships with other children and adults and promote the development of interpersonal problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills through discussion, modeling, role-playing, and taking advantage of teachable moments
• strategies for fostering a sense of belonging, contribution, and community in all children, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities (e.g., by valuing and using children's first languages; incorporating culturally diverse books, toys, and activities; arranging space and adapting materials to foster all children's full participation)
• learning environments that promote children's increasing understanding of the nature and boundaries of acceptable behavior and that foster self-esteem based on a growing self-awareness and sense of self-control

 

Subarea II2—COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE, AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT

Objective 005—Understand communication and language development in children from birth through age eight, and ways to promote communication development, including preverbal and nonverbal communication.

Includes:

• typical and atypical language and communication development in young children, factors that affect young children's communication and language development, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties in these areas
• dispositions and skills related to early communication, including the desire to interact and increasing facility in using various communication modes (e.g., gesture, facial expressions, sounds, movement, words, pictures)
• learning environments that promote English language learners' listening and speaking skills in the first language and in English
• ongoing development of children's receptive and expressive vocabulary in the context of everyday experiences, events, core content knowledge, and use of technology (e.g., responding to their spoken language, using descriptive words, introducing relevant terms and figures of speech)
• experiences that foster children's ability to use expressive language in various contexts and for various purposes (e.g., group discussions, role playing, play activities, storytelling) and to communicate with increasing comfort and confidence
• strategies for promoting children's ability to engage in reciprocal communication, to assume various roles in conversations (e.g., listening attentively, making related comments, asking relevant questions), and to use and interpret nonverbal expressions and gestures that reinforce spoken expression
• relationships between listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing; and strategies (e.g., incidental teaching and learning, thematic teaching, multidisciplinary instruction) for building on young children's oral language to lay the conceptual, experiential, and language foundations for learning to read and write and for learning world languages
• strategies for embedding meaningful language and communication experiences into all areas of the early childhood curriculum
• issues related to differentiated instruction and assessment for English language learners, and resources for addressing these issues

Objective 006—Understand the foundations of literacy development in children from birth through age eight, how to create a literacy-rich environment that motivates young children's interest in reading, and ways to foster early literacy development.

Includes:

• strategies for fostering children's oral and expressive language development and enjoyment of language (e.g., through word play, rhyming games, nursery rhymes, finger plays, acting out stories, singing songs, riddles, puns, jokes, dramatic performance)
• strategies for creating meaningful, culturally diverse, literacy-rich learning environments that promote children's conception of themselves as literate beings and that foster positive attitudes toward reading
• strategies for promoting children's development of concepts of print (e.g., recognizing environmental print; understanding that pictures and visual cues hold meaning; recognizing differences between pictures, letters, and print) and for encouraging children to express themselves in a variety of modes (e.g., through pictures, symbols, multimedia materials)
• strategies for developing children's phonological awareness (e.g., identifying word boundaries, syllables, onset/rime) and phonemic awareness (e.g., recognizing that words are made up of separate phonemes; distinguishing initial, medial, and final phonemes; deleting and substituting phonemes)
• strategies for encouraging young children's understanding of and personal response to written materials, including the development of preferences for favorite authors, stories, and types of books
• factors that may affect young children's development of early literacy and reading skills, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating advanced abilities in reading
• strategies for encouraging young children's use of reading-like behaviors (e.g., pretend-reading, creating oral narratives for wordless books) and progress toward becoming conventional readers
• strategies for promoting young children's emerging ability to recognize letter shapes and to associate letters with their names and sounds
• strategies for decoding and reading printed text (e.g., phonics, sight words, structural analysis, syllabication) and developing children's reading fluency
• strategies for promoting young children's knowledge and vocabulary through literary experiences such as read-alouds and discussions of stories, nonfiction works, and other written information and genres
• strategies for fostering young children's emerging ability to locate, organize, and use information from a variety of sources and formats, including technology, to solve problems, communicate ideas, and answer questions

Objective 007—Understand writing processes and strategies for developing young children's writing competence from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• factors that may influence young children's development of writing skills (e.g., fine-motor skills, phonemic awareness), and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating advanced abilities in written language development
• emerging concepts about writing (e.g., ideas can be written down, written words can be read by others) and forms and stages of early writing (e.g., scribbling, drawing, use of letter strings, copied environmental print, writing familiar words, emergence of phonetic spelling, conventional spelling and grammar)
• learning environments that promote young children's understanding of purposes for writing (e.g., representing their own experiences, communicating with others) and that encourage children's use of writing for expressive or functional purposes
• ways in which having a first language other than standard English may affect writing development, and methods for using young children's linguistic and cultural backgrounds to promote writing competence
• strategies for embedding writing into all areas of the early childhood curriculum (e.g., writing down children's ideas during discussions; providing writing materials throughout the classroom; labeling materials in learning centers; encouraging writing for authentic purposes, such as writing get-well notes to classmates, response to reading)
• knowledge of tools that promote young children's writing skills and competence (e.g., chunky crayons, markers, computers, interactive whiteboards, projectors)

 

Subarea III3—LEARNING IN THE CONTENT AREAS

Objective 008—Understand mathematics concepts, processes, and skills and how to promote mathematical learning in children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• emerging concepts and skills in mathematics (e.g., patterns; number sense, one-to-one correspondence, and counting; comparing, classifying, and sorting; nonstandard and standard units of measurement; types and characteristics of geometric shapes; mathematical problem solving; place value)
• characteristics, processes, and progressions in young children's development of mathematical understanding, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulty or demonstrating advanced abilities in mathematics
• learning environments that provide the experiential foundations for understanding mathematical concepts (e.g., environments that allow infants and toddlers to explore different play spaces, to observe familiar things from different positions and perspectives, to examine a wide variety of objects and materials, to make choices, to learn from trial and error, to solve arithmetic problems)
• learning environments that foster young children's ability to use mathematical skills and concepts in their daily lives (e.g., exploring simple measurement concepts by using their own feet as units of measure, counting change, telling time)
• developmentally appropriate learning experiences, materials, resources, and technology for promoting young children's emerging understanding of mathematical concepts, skills, and vocabulary
• learning environments that reflect cultural diversity in materials, activities, resources, and instruction and that promote a positive attitude toward mathematics in all students, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities
• strategies for reinforcing mathematics learning and skills development throughout all areas of the early childhood environment and curriculum (e.g., in activity centers, dramatic play areas, whole-class projects)

Objective 009—Understand science concepts and skills and how to promote scientific learning in children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• emerging concepts and skills in the life sciences, Earth and space sciences, and physical sciences (e.g., differences between living and nonliving things, characteristics of weather, observable properties of Earth materials, physical features of familiar objects)
• learning environments that provide the experiential foundations for understanding scientific concepts (e.g., environments that encourage infants and toddlers to use their senses to observe the world around them, to explore and gain familiarity with a variety of materials, to learn about similarities and differences, to experiment with the properties of objects, to gain understanding of cause and effect)
• developmentally appropriate learning experiences, materials, resources, and technology for fostering young children's emerging understanding and acquisition of scientific concepts, skills, and vocabulary
• learning environments that reflect cultural diversity in materials, activities, resources, and instruction and that promote early learning in the sciences for all children, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities
• strategies for developing young children's positive attitudes and growth of knowledge in the sciences (e.g., basing science activities on children's interests, sharing pleasure over children's discoveries, using play as a basis for scientific explorations, helping children recognize the effects of natural phenomena in their daily lives)
• characteristics, processes, and progressions in young children's development of scientific inquiry and understanding of the scientific method, and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulty or demonstrating advanced abilities in science
• strategies for reinforcing scientific learning, inquiry, and skills development throughout all areas of the early childhood environment and curriculum (e.g., in activity centers, dramatic play areas, whole-class projects)

Objective 010—Understand social studies concepts and skills and how to promote learning in the social studies in children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• emerging concepts and skills in the various domains of social studies (e.g., awareness of oneself as an individual with a history, concept of family, learning about and respecting human differences, developing an emerging sense of time, becoming aware of the reasons for rules, distinguishing between wants and needs)
• learning environments that provide the experiential foundations for understanding social studies concepts (e.g., environments that encourage infants and toddlers to watch and join with other children, to empathize with and help others, to develop positive and accepting attitudes toward children who are different from themselves, to gain a sense of themselves as part of a community)
• developmentally appropriate learning experiences, materials, resources, and technology for fostering young children's emerging understanding and acquisition of social studies concepts, skills, and vocabulary
• learning environments that reflect cultural diversity in materials, activities, resources, and instruction and that promote early learning in the social studies for all students, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities
• strategies for integrating social studies content with other areas of the curriculum and with children's daily lives (e.g., involving children in creating classroom rules, discussing children's roles as members of the classroom community, encouraging children to draw or write about their personal histories and experiences)
• learning environments that promote young children's appreciation and understanding of and respect for people and cultures
• strategies for reinforcing social studies learning and skills development throughout all areas of the early childhood environment and curriculum (e.g., in activity centers, dramatic play areas, whole-class projects)

Objective 011—Understand creative arts development in children from birth through age eight and how to promote young children's learning in and through the visual arts, music, creative movement, and dramatic play.

Includes:

• learning environments that foster young children's enjoyment of and pleasure in the arts (i.e., visual arts, music, creative movement, and dramatic play) and their use of the arts to express how they feel, what they think, and what they are learning
• characteristics, elements, tools, and materials of the visual arts; and strategies for creating developmentally appropriate visual arts experiences for young children
• characteristics, elements, tools, and materials of music; and strategies for creating developmentally appropriate music experiences for young children
• characteristics, elements, tools, and materials of creative movement and dance; and strategies for providing developmentally appropriate creative movement and dance experiences for young children
• learning environments that foster children's use of dramatic play and dramatic performance to express feelings, ideas, concepts, and life experiences
• learning environments that reflect cultural diversity in materials, activities, resources, and instruction and that promote learning and self-expression in the arts for all students, including English language learners and children with exceptionalities
• types and uses of technology to foster young children's creative expression and skills development in the arts
• learning environments that foster children's development of rich and rewarding aesthetic lives (e.g., developing their own preferences in the arts, appreciating their own and others' artistic heritages, discussing their creations with peers and adults)
• strategies for embedding the arts into all areas of the early childhood environment, reinforcing young children's learning in and through the arts, and integrating the arts with children's daily lives

Objective 012—Understand health, safety, and physical activities for children from birth through age eight and how to promote young children's learning about lifelong health and safety.

Includes:

• learning environments that help young children learn to value their bodies and keep themselves healthy and safe
• strategies for promoting young children's emerging understanding and control of their bodies and knowledge of the importance of healthy physical activity and exercise
• knowledge of young children's gross- and fine-motor development and of how physical skills development affects development in other areas (e.g., understanding of spatial relationships, hand-eye coordination, social interaction skills, problem-solving skills)
• knowledge of developmentally appropriate physical activities for young children (e.g., activities that value group cooperation, foster social skills, promote the enjoyment of movement, and build children's sense of accomplishment and pride in their growing abilities)
• strategies for fostering young children's growing awareness and development of nutritional habits that contribute to good health
• strategies for fostering young children's knowledge of and ability to make age-appropriate healthy choices in daily life (e.g., in regard to self-care and hygiene; preventing the spread of germs and disease; personal safety, including learning how to ask for help and to say "No"; recognizing potentially hazardous activities, substances, and situations)
• knowledge of how to foster young children's understanding of and growing ability to apply practices of lifelong personal, interpersonal, and community health and safety
• strategies for embedding children's learning and skills in health and safety into all areas of the early childhood environment and curriculum (e.g., in activity centers, dramatic play areas, cafeteria; on the playground; during whole-class projects)

 

Subarea IV4—PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Objective 013—Understand strategies for building positive, collaborative relationships with the families of children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• knowledge of the importance, basis, and application of building positive, collaborative relationships with the families of all children
• strategies for creating safe and welcoming environments that foster all families' active engagement in their children's education (e.g., by demonstrating respect for all families, cultures, and heritages; recognizing families as their children's first teachers; incorporating families' values and goals for their children into the educational program)
• knowledge of the complexity and dynamics of family systems and structures, and how to use this knowledge to respond sensitively and appropriately to individual families
• strategies for establishing and maintaining effective, ongoing communication with all families (e.g., using families' preferred languages or modes of communication, putting communication systems in place, initiating alternative means of communication when necessary)
• strategies for establishing reciprocal relationships with all families and for encouraging and enabling staff and family members to serve as resources for one another
• strategies for collaborating with parents/guardians to design and implement assessments and/or intervention plans to meet their children's individual needs
• strategies for encouraging families' involvement in program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation (e.g., by inviting parents/guardians to serve on the advisory council, by asking families to review and provide input on program policies, procedures, and activities)
• strategies for making participation, enrichment, and educational opportunities available to all families (e.g., offering workshops on child development, creating a lending library of educational materials, facilitating family involvement in support groups)

Objective 014—Understand strategies for establishing and maintaining positive, collaborative relationships with other professionals, staff members, and community agencies and organizations to support learning and development in children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• knowledge of the importance, basis, and application of establishing and maintaining positive, collaborative relationships with other professionals, staff members, and community agencies and organizations
• roles and responsibilities of other professionals, staff members, and community agencies and organizations in regard to the well-being of young children and their families
• knowledge of how to develop effective partnerships with other caregivers, assistant caregivers, administrators, specialists, paraprofessionals, support staff, and volunteers in early childhood classrooms and programs
• knowledge of team-building techniques (e.g., collaborative planning, joint problem solving, information sharing, conflict resolution) to create effective teaching/caregiving teams in the early childhood classroom
• strategies for promoting the growth and development of staff members, volunteers, and others working in the early childhood classroom (e.g., through training, supervision, evaluation, delegation, and professional development activities)
• strategies for working cooperatively and collaboratively with other early childhood educators to promote young children's transitions (e.g., between classrooms, teachers, and programs)
• strategies and responsibilities for communicating and collaborating with other professionals, community agencies, and cultural and service institutions to foster the well-being of young children and their families
• knowledge of community assets and resources that serve young children and their families, and ways to assist families in identifying and obtaining assistance from such resources
• strategies for promoting community members' and organizations' support of early childhood programs (e.g., through funding, volunteering, participation in program development and planning, coordination of services and resources)

Objective 015—Understand the professional, legal, and ethical roles and responsibilities involved in the education of children from birth through age eight.

Includes:

• roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators (e.g., creating inclusive, caring, and respectful environments for all children and families; advocating for children, families, and early childhood education programs; monitoring and evaluating programs; implementing programs that are consistent with program philosophy and responsive to the children and families served)
• knowledge of child-care licensing rules, legal and ethical guidelines, state and professional standards for early childhood programs, and major laws and regulations related to early childhood education (e.g., laws regarding early intervention and referral, procedures for reporting suspected abuse or neglect)
• responsibilities of early childhood educators in regard to the identification of children who may require additional supports or specialized interventions and in the development and implementation of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• knowledge of the nature and purpose of school policies and of the importance of and rationales for following school and program policies
• strategies for engaging in ongoing professional development and self-reflection
• knowledge of professional organizations, publications, and other resources relevant to the field of early childhood education
• knowledge of public-policy issues and processes and their effects on early childhood education

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