Study Guide
Test Design and Test Objectives
Field 83: Special Education: Early Childhood
Test Overview
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) and online-proctored test |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 selected-response questions |
| Time | 2 hours and 30 minutes (does not include 15-minute tutorial) |
| Passing Score | 240 |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
Test Objectives
| Subareas | Range of Objectives | Approximate Test Proportions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Understanding Young Children with Special Needs | 01–06 | 27% |
| II | Promoting Young Children's Growth and Development | 07–19 | 59% |
| III | Working in a Collaborative Learning Community | 20–24 | 14% |
| Total Proportion | 100% | ||
Subarea I–Understanding Young Children with Special Needs
Objective 0001: Understand typical processes of human growth and development.
For example:- Typical and atypical characteristics and progressions relating to the essential domains of early childhood development (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Interactions among essential domains of development (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Factors that may influence young children's growth and development in the essential domains (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
Objective 0002: Analyze the developmental significance of disabilities.
For example:- Effects of disabilities on the development of the essential domains (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Developmental similarities and differences between young children with disabilities and their nondisabled peers.
- How disabilities relating primarily to one domain of development may affect other domains.
- Strategies for fostering development that are responsive to young children's individualized needs and optimize their capabilities.
Objective 0003: Understand learning processes.
For example:- Processes by which young children's learning typically occurs in the essential domains of development (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Recognition of learning as an active, constructive process.
- Applications of learning theories.
- Factors that may influence young children's learning, including environmental, genetic, health-related, economic, cultural, and linguistic factors.
Objective 0004: Analyze the significance of disabilities for learning.
For example:- Effects of various disabilities on young children's learning in the five essential domains of development (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Similarities and differences with regard to the learning processes between young children with disabilities and their nondisabled peers.
- Factors that may facilitate or impede learning in young children with disabilities.
- Strategies for promoting learning that are responsive to young children's individualized needs and optimize their capabilities.
Objective 0005: Understand assessment procedures for evaluating individual differences and making placement and programming decisions for young children with disabilities.
For example:- Types and characteristics of informal and formal assessments used in placement and programming decisions for young children (e.g., screening, diagnostic assessment, Multi-Tiered System of Supports [MTSS]/Response to Intervention [RTI]).
- Principles and procedures for screening and diagnosing young children with disabilities.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment information to identify and understand young children with special needs and to make placement and program recommendations.
- Assessment-related issues and evidence-based practices in special education (e.g., early identification and intervention, differentiated instruction, nondiscriminatory assessment).
- Strategies and guidelines for using assessment data and multiple sources of information to inform instruction, plan interventions, and monitor student progress.
- Procedures for developing, implementing and evaluating Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and understanding of similarities and differences between IFSPs, IEPs, and 504 plans.
Objective 0006: Understand medical aspects and physical management implications of disabilities.
For example:- Medical knowledge (e.g., disease etiology, syndromes, impact of chronic illness) required by teachers working with young children with disabilities.
- Procedures for the physical management of young children with disabilities.
- Emergency procedures that may be used in special education settings, including those related to medical conditions and mental health issues.
- Role of assistive, alternative, and augmentative technology and procedures in fostering optimal student development, participation, and access.
Subarea II–Promoting Young Children's Growth and Development
Objective 0007: Apply procedures for structuring space and time to create safe, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate learning environments for children with disabilities.
For example:- Relationships between young children's developmental characteristics and needs and teacher decisions about structuring learning environments.
- Strategies for structuring the physical environment, planning learning areas, and scheduling different types of activities to promote young children's development in all domains.
- Procedures for modifying learning environments in the context of different program models (e.g., inclusive, resource room, self-contained, least restrictive environment [LRE] placement options) to address young children's diverse physical, social/emotional, cultural, linguistic, and cognitive needs.
Objective 0008: Apply procedures for using developmentally appropriate individual and group management strategies to provide an atmosphere that enhances young children's learning.
For example:- Factors, processes, and issues related to individual and group management in a classroom that includes young children with disabilities (e.g., play-based learning, appropriate expectations for students).
- Strategies for managing routines and transitions and for establishing and maintaining developmentally appropriate standards of behavior.
- Strategies for creating productive, cooperative, and inclusive learning environments and experiences.
- Procedures and criteria for conducting and interpreting functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and for developing, implementing, modifying, and monitoring behavior intervention plans (BIPs) and positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS).
Objective 0009: Apply procedures for establishing a positive and supportive classroom climate that promotes all children's self-esteem and sense of competence.
For example:- Procedures for establishing a classroom climate that is responsive to the cognitive and social/emotional needs of all young children.
- Strategies for ensuring that all young children, including those with cultural and language differences, develop relationships, feel a sense of membership in a supportive learning community, and develop a sense of achievement and competence.
- Recognition of the effects of teacher behaviors and expectations on young children's self-esteem, attitudes toward learning, and social acceptance of differences.
Objective 0010: Understand how to promote young children's self-regulation and autonomy.
For example:- Recognition of how self-regulation and autonomy develop in young children.
- Strategies for fostering self-regulation and autonomy in young children with disabilities.
- Learning experiences and environments that promote self-regulation and autonomy (e.g., those that offer young children opportunities to apply decision-making, self-assessment, and self-help skills).
Objective 0011: Understand how to promote young children's social development.
For example:- Developmentally appropriate expectations for young children's social/emotional behaviors.
- Strategies for fostering social/emotional development in young children with disabilities.
- Assessment of social/emotional skills and interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Strategies for addressing young children's behaviors and developing the social/emotional skills of young children with specified needs.
- Ways to provide young children with opportunities to interact productively with peers and adults in various settings.
Objective 0012: Understand how to promote young children's receptive language development.
For example:- Factors that may affect young children's receptive language development (e.g., disability, a home language other than English).
- Informal and formal assessment procedures for evaluating needs and progress in receptive language.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Selection and adaptation of methods, resources, and technologies to help young children meet specified goals and compensate for receptive language impairments.
- Strategies for providing young children with opportunities for functional and social communication in authentic settings.
Objective 0013: Understand how to promote young children's expressive language development.
For example:- Factors that may affect young children's expressive language development (e.g., disability, a home language other than English).
- Informal and formal assessment procedures for evaluating needs and progress in expressive language.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Selection and adaptation of methods, resources, and technologies to help young children meet specified goals and compensate for expressive language impairments.
- Strategies for providing young children with opportunities for meaningful expressive communication in authentic settings.
Objective 0014: Understand emergent literacy and how to encourage the emergence of literacy in young children.
For example:- Recognition of how literacy emerges and develops, and the relationship between literacy and language development.
- Strategies for fostering the development of emergent literacy in young children with disabilities.
- Strategies for creating a print-rich environment that offers young children opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and positive attitudes related to emergent literacy and to interact with print in varied and meaningful contexts.
Objective 0015: Understand how to promote young children's cognitive development.
For example:- Strategies for fostering the development of cognitive skills and abilities in young children with disabilities.
- Informal and formal assessment procedures for evaluating needs and progress related to cognitive skills development.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Selection and adaptation of methods, resources, and technologies to help young children develop cognitive skills and meet specific cognitive goals.
Objective 0016: Understand how to promote young children's daily living skills.
For example:- Strategies for fostering the development of skills relating to physical health and well-being in young children with disabilities.
- Assessment procedures for evaluating young children's needs and progress in developing skills in the areas of physical health and well-being.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Use of task analysis and other strategies to develop instruction.
- Selection and adaptation of methods, resources, and technologies to address young children's individual strengths and needs in the development of physical health and well-being.
Objective 0017: Understand how to promote young children's understanding of their world through exploration of content-area skills and concepts.
For example:- Recognition of developmentally appropriate practices and learning goals and experiences in mathematics, social studies, and science.
- Assessment procedures for evaluating needs and progress related to content-area skills and concepts.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Strategies for facilitating young children's content-area learning and fostering their thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Selection and adaptation of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to individualize content-area instruction, integrate content-area instruction, and facilitate achievement, learning, and development.
Objective 0018: Understand aesthetic development and the role of the arts in young children's overall development.
For example:- Strategies for fostering the awareness of and engagement with the arts (i.e., visual arts, music, dramatic forms) in young children with disabilities; and understanding how development in the arts affects development in essential domains of development (e.g., language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development).
- Strategies for providing young children with opportunities to create and respond to various art forms.
- Strategies for using the arts to help young children explore ideas, express personal thoughts and feelings, and achieve desired goals in various developmental domains.
Objective 0019: Understand how to promote young children's physical development.
For example:- Strategies for fostering the development of gross-motor, fine-motor, and perceptual-awareness skills in young children with disabilities.
- Assessment procedures for evaluating needs and progress related to physical skills development.
- Interpretation and communication of assessment results.
- Strategies for providing developmentally appropriate experiences and activities to promote physical development.
- Selection of developmentally appropriate practices and adaptation of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to address individual goals and needs.
Subarea III–Working in a Collaborative Learning Community
Objective 0020: Understand how to establish partnerships with other members of the school community to enhance learning opportunities for young children with disabilities.
For example:- Consultation, collaboration, coteaching, and communication skills and strategies for working with other school staff and support service providers to solve problems and promote young children's development (e.g., effective use of Multi-Tiered System of Supports [MTSS]/Response to Intervention [RTI]).
- Strategies for providing various services (e.g., providing in-service programs for staff, coordinating instruction involving multiple educators).
- Strategies for working with other professionals in the context of different program models (e.g., home based, integrated, self-contained classroom).
Objective 0021: Understand how to foster strong school-home partnerships.
For example:- Strategies for establishing family engagement and school-family partnerships, and maintaining effective communication with families, including families with diverse backgrounds.
- How to recognize and overcome barriers to communication, access, and participation.
- How to work collaboratively with families to solve problems and to promote their participation in educational planning, in classroom activities, and in their young child's learning at home.
- How to provide information, support, counseling, and referrals to families whose young children have disabilities.
Objective 0022: Understand how to encourage school-community interactions that enhance young children's opportunities for learning and development.
For example:- Strategies for working effectively with community agencies and services that can help meet the needs of young children with disabilities.
- How to establish and maintain positive relationships with community agencies and services to facilitate young children's successful transitions (e.g., home to preschool, preschool to kindergarten).
Objective 0023: Understand requirements, responsibilities, and constraints associated with teaching young children with disabilities.
For example:- Legal and ethical issues affecting early childhood special education teachers (e.g., least restrictive environment [LRE], mandated reporting, confidentiality).
- Roles and responsibilities (e.g., resource person, advocate, eligibility, IFSP, and IEP development).
- Application of special education–related regulations (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, PL 94-142, ADA, PL 99-457; Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]) and guidelines (e.g., involving referral, evaluation, eligibility, equity, program development, LRE, free appropriate public education [FAPE], and due process).
- Procedures for evaluating programs and using and communicating program evaluation results.
Objective 0024: Understand the history and philosophy of early childhood special education and key issues, trends, practices, and research relating to the education of young children with disabilities.
For example:- Knowledge of theoretical foundations of early childhood special education.
- Key issues and trends in early childhood special education (e.g., early intervention, multisensory instruction, alternative assessment, RTI).
- Evidence-based best practices and research in early childhood special education and their appropriate applications.