PRAXIS II Education of Young Children Exam
This two hour examination consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and six short answer, essay type questions. This exam is designed for teachers of preschool through fifth-grade students. The six short answer, essay type questions will focus on the following: diversity, professionalism, instruction in assessment, working with families, the learning environment, curriculum and, student instruction.
Child Development and Foundations
This section of the exam will cover the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language development of young children. Your knowledge of factors that impact all areas of child development will also be assessed.
Curriculum and Instruction
This section of the exam will cover your knowledge of theories and models of programmed instruction, instructional strategies (such as play groups), and techniques for effective curriculum implementation. Your knowledge of appropriate curriculum and mathematics, literacy, science, social studies, creative arts, physical education, and technology will also be assessed.
Diversity and Exceptional Needs, and Supporting the Learning Environment
This section of the exam will cover the integration of multicultural and disabled students into the classroom, student diversity, and relating classroom instruction to a child's personal experiences. Your knowledge of how to create a socially stimulating, developmentally appropriate educational setting will also be assessed in this section.
Relationships with Families and Communities, and Professionalism
This section of the exam will focus on relationships with the community and family members of young children. Your knowledge of basic techniques to encourage parent involvement, usage of the school as a resource and, proactive communication to meet the needs of the child will be assessed.
PRAXIS II Education Of Young Children Practice Questions
1. Which of the following does not have an impact on a child's psychological development?
A. Retail clerks
B. Mother
C. Father
D. Grandparents
2. An example of a parenting style is:
A. authoritarian
B. permissive
C. authoritative
D. All of the above
3. Siblings influence development in several ways. Which of the following is not one of them?
A. Aggressive behavior
B. Hair and eye color
C. Conflict resolution skills
D. Power one sibling has over another
4. What are some changes that occur regarding friends when a child starts school?
A. Development of more complex relationships
B. More time spent with people outside the family circle
C. Focus shifts from family to friends
D. All of the above
5. Which of the following is not a result of learning conflict resolution in childhood?
A. Acceptance
B. Academic success
C. Career choices
D. Ability to develop healthy friendships
Answer Key For Education Of Young Children
1. Answer: A
Traditionally mothers were considered the most influential and crucial person in a child's psychological development. They were emphasized to the exclusion of fathers, family, and any other significant caregivers. This viewpoint is slowly changing. Every person with whom the child interacts is being studied.
There is strong evidence to suggest that even if the father has no contact with the infant or direct influence in the young child's activities, dad's treatment of and interactions with mom has a significant impact on the child's development. Both the direct and indirect role of the intimate and extended family is being studied. There is a greater emphasis being placed on the primary caregiver, no matter the gender or biological relationship to the child, be it mother, father, grandparent, nanny, or childcare worker.
2. Answer: D
Most researchers agree there are three parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative.
AUTHORITARIAN PARENTS are controlling, demanding, cold, hostile, and uncommunicative. This style of parenting produces children who have difficulty making decisions, often develop antisocial tendencies, and frequently have trouble making and sustaining relationships.
PERMISSIVE PARENTS tend to be loving but distant and usually establish few guidelines about anything. They want to communicate with their children but frequently don't do an effective job with it. Their children have difficulty developing self-regulating skills and seem to flounder when confronted with too many choices.
AUTHORITATIVE PARENTS are loving, maintain control, communicate effectively, and set high expectations. This parenting style produces positive children with higher moral reasoning ability and the ability to form stronger relationships.
3. Answer: B
Studies have shown that siblings do influence each other's development in some areas, most notably in forming aggressive behavior and acquiring conflict resolution skills. Scientists believe, but have not conclusively proven, that first-born children influence the social development and gender identity of later born children. The overall emotional climate of the family and the different approach parents take with each child has a strong influence on the relationship between the siblings as well as the power one sibling holds over another.
Researchers are interested in learning why siblings develop differently, even though they are subjected to the same environmental dynamics. The theory is each child experiences the same factors and stimuli differently based on his or her relationship to the parents, siblings, and other family members (i.e., grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.). By establishing the nature, extent, and impact of various familial influences, scientists hope to better understand childhood development.
4. Answer: D
Between the ages of three and five, a child begins to understand that the people with whom he has been sharing the sandbox are different from each other and from him. He begins to realize he likes some better than others, even though he doesn't really know or care why that is.
When he starts school, one of his most important social tasks is making friends. He is psychologically ready to develop more complex relationships, and he moves his focus from family to friends. School-age children begin spending more time with people outside the family circle. They start confiding in peers and sharing their fears, frustrations, and pleasures with friends. Groups form and sometimes evolve into cliques, based on many things from appearance and personality to athletics and other extracurricular activities. Peer pressure increases and may include dressing, talking, walking, and acting alike, as well as listening to the same music and visiting the same Internet sites.
5. Answer: C
A child's ability to resolve conflicts with his peers has a strong influence on his acceptance into or rejection from the group. Learning to deal with conflict in a positive manner is critical to developing healthy friendships, which directly influences behavior and has a huge impact on social acceptance. Elementary school children with self-control are better able to find solutions that consider both sides in a dispute and are thus more likely to genuinely satisfy both parties.
Social acceptance in elementary school is a fairly accurate predictor of how successful a person will be in college and in his professional career. Researchers followed two groups of eight-year-olds into their mid-forties. People whose peers rated their social behavior acceptable in elementary school were more successful than those who had social difficulties. This is a compelling reason to deal with aggressive behavior early in life, since, if it is left unchecked, it can have serious academic and career consequences later in life.
