Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood Exam
The Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood exam is divided into two sections relating to topics associated with early childhood education: one section includes four case studies with 3 corresponding short answers questions, and the multiple choice section consists of 24 questions divided into two 12 question sections.
The short answer section will give four teaching related scenarios, with three questions each, pertaining to comprehension of forms of teaching, guidelines for learning and teaching associated with various methods of teaching, and the implementation of the techniques. The examinee should be prepared to spend approximately 25 minutes on each of the four scenarios. A total of about 20 minutes will be required to answer the 24 multiple choice questions. Two hours is given to complete the exam.
The first area that the questions may address is Students as Learners, which consists of theories of learning, theories of human development, differences in learning styles, laws and responsibilities related to diversity in schools, the management of the classroom, and ways to promote motivation in the classroom. The next area is Instruction and Assessment, which focuses on types of learning and methods of teaching, such as the inquiry method and learning centers, techniques and materials involved with forms of teaching and learning, strategies for creating lesson plans, and ways of grading and assessing students. The third area of questioning involves Communication Techniques, which focuses on techniques of communication, both verbal and nonverbal, that promote learning, participation, and comprehension in the classroom. The last area of questioning addresses Profession and Community and involves knowledge of resources for educators and the role of teachers beyond the classroom.
The short-answer questions can be given scores from 0-2, with the high score being 2. A score of 2 is given for answers that respond to each element in the question with a superb understanding of important parts of the scenario and a strong demonstration of theories and methods that apply to the situation. A score of 1 is given for fair demonstration of this knowledge and for response to only part of the question. A score of 0 is given for misinterpreting the important aspects in the scenario and misapplying theories and concepts. The Students as Learners and the Instruction and Assessments sections contribute approximately 33% each to the total score, the Teacher Professionalism questions contribute to about 22% of the score, and Communication Techniques contribute approximately 11%.
