Assessment Design and
Framework
Fields 036/037: Prekindergarten (Subtests I & II)
The assessment design below describes general assessment information. The frameworks that follow are detailed outlines that explain the knowledge and skills that this assessment measures.
Assessment Design
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions |
|
| Time* |
|
| Passing Score | 220 |
*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial
Framework
Subtest I (Field 036)
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
| Domain | Range of Competencies | Approximate Percentage of Subtest Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Professionalism and Building Relationships | 0001–0004 | 42% |
| II | Promoting Child Development and Learning | 0005–0010 | 58% |
Domain I–Professionalism and Building Relationships
0001 Understand the foundations of programs and services for young children (birth to five) and issues, laws, and policies that affect children, families, and programs.
Includes:
- Recognize the historical and philosophical foundations of services for young children, both with and without exceptional learning needs, and their influence on current practices in the field.
- Identify current issues and trends in programs and services for young children and analyze their significance for practitioners in the field.
- Demonstrate knowledge of laws and policies that affect young children, families, and programs for young children.
- Demonstrate familiarity with state and national standards relating to programs for all young children.
- Recognize ways in which local, state, and national regulations [e.g., Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)] influence programs for young children.
0002 Understand the roles and responsibilities of members of the early childhood profession.
Includes:
- Recognize the roles and responsibilities (e.g., promoting children's well-being and learning, working with families, reporting suspected abuse) of early childhood educators in various contexts.
- Recognize the roles and responsibilities of managing a birth to five program (e.g., record keeping, data collection, program evaluation).
- Demonstrate knowledge of ethical guidelines and professional standards related to early childhood and special education and how to incorporate them into professional practice.
- Recognize the importance of and strategies for serving as an informed advocate for children, families, and sound educational practices and policies.
- Demonstrate familiarity with the responsibilities and requirements associated with the development and implementation of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
- Recognize the importance of ongoing professional development and personal reflection and identify professional organizations, publications, and other resources relevant to the field.
0003 Understand the characteristics of families and communities and their roles in the development and learning of young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize the importance of knowing about and understanding family and community characteristics to help young children learn and develop well.
- Recognize the important roles of family members as young children's primary teachers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of various factors (e.g., socioeconomic conditions, crisis situations, family structure, culture, community resources, home language) on young children and families.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the complexity and dynamics of family systems and how to apply this knowledge when interacting with young children and families.
- Apply knowledge of how to build positive relationships by taking into account families' preferences and goals for their children and by considering family members as resources.
0004 Understand how to establish and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with families, other professionals, and community agencies and organizations.
Includes:
- Identify strategies and systems for initiating and sustaining effective communication with families.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for engaging families and communities in many aspects of young children's development and learning (e.g., curriculum planning, assessing children's learning, planning for children's transitions to new programs).
- Demonstrate familiarity with how to provide information, support, and referrals to families.
- Recognize the roles of other professionals and community agencies and organizations who provide related services (e.g., therapy, social work, early childhood special education, family resources) for young children and their families.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for collaborating and consulting with other professionals to respond to young children's needs and to enhance the learning environment.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the dynamics of team building, problem solving, and conflict resolution and how to apply models of team process in early childhood settings.
- Demonstrate knowledge of adult learning principles in supervising and training other adults and strategies for providing feedback, evaluating performance, and identifying staff development needs.
Domain II–Promoting Child Development and Learning
0005 Understand growth and development in early childhood and the characteristics and needs of young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of theoretical perspectives and current research on the growth, development (e.g., brain development, attachment, temperament), and learning of young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, progressions, and individual variations of typical development (e.g., cognitive, physical, social, emotional, language) in young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, progressions, and individual variations of atypical development (e.g., cognitive, physical, social, emotional, language, adapted) in young children.
- Recognize the role of play and activity in young children's development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of considering young children's ages and developmental characteristics when designing learning opportunities and environments.
0006 Understand factors that influence the development and learning of young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors (e.g., biological, environmental, nutritional, cultural, socioeconomic, medical, social) that affect young children's development and learning and how these factors interact.
- Recognize the influence of the family and home environment (e.g., expectations of families, availability of stimulating materials and activities) on young children.
- Recognize the influence of stress and trauma, protective factors and resilience, and supportive relationships on the social and emotional development of young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of various health or medical conditions, disabilities, and developmental delays and their implications for learning.
- Recognize how current and prior learning experiences may affect young children's self-concepts, perceptions, motivation, and attitudes about learning.
- Recognize the potential influence of programs for young children, including early intervention, on short- and long-term outcomes for young children.
0007 Understand basic health, nutrition, and safety management practices for young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize types and characteristics of childhood illnesses and communicable diseases and strategies for managing them in an early childhood environment.
- Recognize signs of abuse and neglect and appropriate reporting procedures.
- Demonstrate knowledge of health-check procedures and appropriate steps for referral and ongoing follow-up.
- Demonstrate knowledge of nutrition, nutrition plans, and feeding strategies for young children, including those with special needs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of medical care considerations for premature or low-birth-weight babies and for babies and young children with other medical and health conditions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of current health practices (e.g., diapering, toileting, handwashing, sanitizing).
- Demonstrate knowledge of current safety practices (e.g., administering medication, supervising children).
0008 Understand human diversity and how to create an environment that is inclusive and respectful of individual differences.
Includes:
- Recognize the significance of public policies and sociocultural contexts for the development and learning of young children who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
- Apply knowledge of considerations and strategies for working with a diverse range of children and families.
- Demonstrate knowledge of types of exceptionalities and their implications for learning and development.
- Identify resources to address individuals' needs.
- Apply knowledge of strategies to ensure that all young children are able to participate to the greatest extent possible in learning activities and experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for using the diversity that exists in the learning environment and community to enhance young children's learning and development.
0009 Understand communication and language development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics, processes, and progressions in the development of receptive and expressive language and speech.
- Identify factors that influence young children's communication and language development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of second-language acquisition and bilingualism.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the unique needs of young English Language Learners and ways to build on young children's home language systems and assist them in adding another language.
0010 Understand how to create and maintain environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Apply knowledge of practices for promoting children's physical and psychological health, safety, and sense of security.
- Identify considerations in the organization of the physical learning environment (e.g., accessibility, space needs) and in setting up routines and schedules for young children.
- Recognize how to create stimuli-rich indoor and outdoor environments that encourage young children's initiative, active involvement, exploration, construction of knowledge, and sense of autonomy.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to create nurturing environments that are responsive to children's differences and that promote children's sense of achievement and competence.
- Identify procedures for establishing environments that emphasize collaborative and supportive interactions, respect for diversity and individuality, and active engagement in learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to select appropriate learning materials and construct appropriate learning environments that provide challenging, yet achievable, experiences for all young children.
Subtest II (Field 037)
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
| Domain | Range of Competencies | Approximate Percentage of Subtest Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Teaching and Learning | 0011–0015 | 50% |
| II | Building a Meaningful Curriculum | 0016–0020 | 50% |
Domain I–Teaching and Learning
0011 Understand how young children (birth to five) learn and construct knowledge and how to use this understanding to create opportunities for young children to explore and learn.
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories and processes related to young children's learning.
- Apply knowledge of how to identify and build on young children's prior knowledge, interests, and abilities.
- Recognize how motivation affects learning and factors that influence a young child's motivation to learn.
- Recognize the roles of active engagement, exploration, inquiry, creative thinking, and questioning in building knowledge, concepts, and skills.
- Identify strategies for encouraging the development of dispositions that support learning (e.g., confidence, curiosity, persistence, creativity).
- Apply knowledge of how to construct integrated learning experiences that reflect developmentally appropriate learning goals and standards, support young children's progress, and prepare them for successful transitions.
0012 Understand how to plan effective and appropriate learning goals and experiences for young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize the roles of various factors (e.g., developmental continuum, children's prior knowledge, learning styles, future educational settings, available resources, family and community characteristics) in planning learning goals and experiences for young children.
- Demonstrate knowledge of issues and considerations in planning learning experiences for young children of different ages and abilities.
- Apply criteria (e.g., age-appropriateness; responsiveness to young children's experiences, needs, and interests) for evaluating learning goals for young children.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of given materials, activities, and resources for addressing particular learning goals and needs.
- Recognize the roles of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) in planning learning goals and experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for collaborating with others (e.g., children, families, communities, special service providers) in planning learning goals and experiences for young children.
0013 Understand appropriate instructional practices for promoting positive development and learning in all young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of various types of developmentally, culturally, and functionally appropriate learning experiences (e.g., play, individual exploration, small-group projects, learning centers, family activities).
- Demonstrate knowledge of effective learning experiences for achieving particular goals (e.g., promoting social competence, acquiring skills or concepts) and for making modifications to meet the needs of individual children, including those with diverse backgrounds and needs.
- Recognize how to adjust and scaffold learning experiences in response to feedback from young children.
- Apply knowledge of how to use materials and resources, including technology and adaptive equipment, to support young children's development and learning.
- Identify various teacher roles (e.g., mentor, facilitator, role model, instructor) and their uses in addressing particular learning goals.
- Apply strategies that support and facilitate the active involvement of families in instructional and learning activities for their children.
0014 Understand strategies for promoting positive relationships and supportive interactions.
Includes:
- Demonstrate familiarity with research-based guidance approaches to meet individual children's needs.
- Analyze factors to consider in identifying appropriate guidance and socialization strategies, including young children's cultural backgrounds, personal characteristics, and family beliefs and practices.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for helping young children develop self-regulation, self-awareness, confidence, self-efficacy, and relationships with others.
- Demonstrate knowledge of approaches to meet the needs of young children with challenging behaviors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of effective and appropriate individual and group management strategies.
0015 Understand the characteristics, goals, benefits, and uses of various assessment strategies.
Includes:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of different types of informal and formal assessments (e.g., observation, portfolios, screening tools, standardized tests) to evaluate young children's cognitive, language, motor, emotional, social, adaptive, behavioral, and creative development.
- Identify developmentally and culturally appropriate assessment methods for given purposes.
- Recognize the use of authentic, performance-based assessments of children's learning to assist in planning, to communicate with children and families, and to engage children in self-assessment.
- Identify approaches for involving families and other professionals throughout the assessment process.
- Apply knowledge of principles and concepts related to assessment (e.g., alignment, validity, reliability) to determine the appropriateness of an assessment instrument in a given situation.
- Apply skills for interpreting assessment results and using those results to plan and modify instruction and to make educational decisions.
- Recognize legal and ethical issues, current educational concerns and controversies, and responsible practices in the assessment of diverse young children.
Domain II–Building a Meaningful Curriculum
0016 Understand how to facilitate physical development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize the relationship between physical development and learning in other developmental areas.
- Demonstrate knowledge of indicators of physical development in young children of various ages.
- Recognize the importance of and strategies for collaborating with families to promote young children's physical development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of age- and developmentally appropriate practices and resources for fostering young children's gross and fine motor skills, self-help skills, and health and safety habits.
- Identify ways to promote young children's expression of creativity through movement.
0017 Understand how to facilitate emotional and social development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize the relationship between learning and emotional and social development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of indicators of emotional and social development in young children of various ages.
- Recognize the importance of and strategies for collaborating with families to promote young children's emotional and social development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of individual and group guidance and problem-solving techniques for developing positive and supportive relationships between adults and young children, for developing positive social skills and interactions among young children, and for promoting positive strategies of conflict resolution.
- Recognize activities (e.g., dramatic play, art, music) and resources for facilitating young children's creative self-expression.
0018 Understand how to facilitate language and literacy development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize how early language and literacy form the basis for later learning.
- Demonstrate familiarity with research-based knowledge and practices related to promoting language and literacy development in young children.
- Recognize the importance of and strategies for collaborating with families to promote young children's language and literacy development.
- Apply knowledge of methods for promoting young children's receptive and expressive (e.g., sounds, signs, words, gestures) language skills.
- Apply knowledge of practices and resources for promoting young children's positive attitudes toward literacy, phonological awareness, print awareness, emergent literacy, and early reading.
- Recognize strategies for promoting the language and literacy development of young children with diverse language backgrounds.
- Apply knowledge of ways to create a language-rich environment that encourages all young children to learn to communicate effectively.
- Recognize strategies for encouraging young children's creativity through language.
0019 Understand how to facilitate cognitive development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize how early cognitive development and learning experiences form the basis for later learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of indicators of cognitive development in young children.
- Recognize the importance of and strategies for collaborating with families to promote young children's cognitive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the influence of learning styles on cognitive development.
- Demonstrate knowledge of engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for developing mathematical reasoning and logical thinking (e.g., identifying simple patterns) and knowledge of basic mathematics concepts (e.g., numbers, measurement).
- Demonstrate knowledge of engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for developing scientific inquiry skills (e.g., exploring the environment, asking questions) and knowledge of basic science concepts (e.g., properties of objects).
- Demonstrate knowledge of engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for developing the foundations for social studies and knowledge of basic social studies concepts (e.g., community roles, location).
0020 Understand how to facilitate creative development in young children (birth to five).
Includes:
- Recognize the relationship between creative development (e.g., in visual art, music, movement, and drama) and learning in other developmental areas.
- Demonstrate knowledge of learning experiences for promoting arts concepts and skills and for encouraging young children's creativity and aesthetic appreciation.
- Demonstrate knowledge of engaging, developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for promoting artistic expression and creativity.
- Recognize practices in the arts that are sensitive to young children's individual differences.