Pedagogy: Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) Subtest 1

Subarea II. Learning Environment

0004

Understand how to establish a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement, and self-motivation.

demonstrating knowledge of how to establish and maintain physically and psychologically safe and healthy learning environments for young children and how to evaluate early childhood environments to ensure children's physical and emotional safety
demonstrating knowledge of how to develop a positive classroom climate and create a learning environment that meets young children's needs, including physical needs, and that promotes self-esteem, active engagement, and positive interpersonal relationships for all children
demonstrating knowledge of health, nutrition, and safety management practices; environmental hazards; and environmental factors and conditions that promote young children's health, safety, and physical development
identifying universal precautions for limiting the spread of infectious diseases, symptoms of common illnesses, health appraisal procedures, and how to recommend referrals to appropriate community health and social services when necessary
demonstrating knowledge of how to help young children work productively and cooperatively with each other in various contexts and how to establish peer relationships that promote learning
demonstrating knowledge of expectations for interpersonal interactions, discussions, and individual and group responsibility that create a positive climate of openness, mutual respect, support, inquiry, and learning
applying knowledge of human motivation, behavior, and social groups, including principles of psychology, anthropology, and sociology, to identify effective strategies for promoting young children's learning and for organizing and supporting individual and group work
demonstrating knowledge of factors and situations that promote or diminish intrinsic motivation and strategies for promoting children's self-motivation (e.g., relating instruction to children's interests, allowing children to have choices in their learning, leading children to ask questions and pursue problems that are meaningful to them)
recognizing how intrinsic motivation promotes children's lifelong learning and how the use of various motivational strategies can encourage continuous development of skills and abilities
demonstrating knowledge of how to analyze the classroom environment and make decisions and adjustments to enhance social relationships and increase children's motivation and engagement

0005

Understand how to create an organized, productive, and developmentally appropriate learning environment that promotes all children's participation and learning.

demonstrating knowledge of the influence of physical setting, schedule, routines, and transitions on young children and how to use this knowledge to promote children's development and learning
demonstrating knowledge of schedules and routines that promote an organized and productive learning environment for young children, encourage purposeful learning and all children's full participation, and meet children's needs for balance in active and quiet activities, social and solitary experiences, reliable transitions, and rest
applying knowledge of how to create learning environments that are developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers, preprimary-age children, and primary-age children and that provide opportunities for play, active manipulation of concrete materials, child choice and decision making, exploration of the environment, and interaction with others
demonstrating knowledge of how to use educational materials for young children that balance needs for growing independence and active exploration with the need for safety and health
applying knowledge of guidance and management techniques that accommodate the developmental characteristics of young children, support their need for a sense of security and self-esteem, and facilitate learning and development (e.g., creating expectations for communication and behavior, encouraging self-monitoring of behavior, managing transitions, managing materials)
demonstrating knowledge of how to organize, allocate, and manage resources (e.g., time, space, attention) to promote young children's learning and active engagement in productive tasks
applying knowledge of how to design and manage learning communities in which children assume responsibility for themselves and one another, exhibit cooperation and commitment, participate in decision making, work both collaboratively and independently, and engage in purposeful learning activities
demonstrating knowledge of how to analyze the learning environment and make decisions and adjustments to enhance productivity and participation

0006

Understand how to use effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to promote active inquiry, learning, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

applying knowledge of communication theory, language development, the role of language in learning, and the use of language for various purposes (e.g., to promote self-expression, identity development, learning)
demonstrating knowledge of how various characteristics (e.g., age, gender, cultural background, linguistic background, exceptionality) may affect young children's communication in the classroom and how to communicate effectively with all children (e.g., using active listening skills, appropriate vocabulary, nonverbal indicators)
demonstrating knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques for conveying ideas and information and for achieving specified goals (e.g., providing feedback, building a child's self-esteem)
identifying strategies for supporting and expanding young children's expression in speaking, writing, and other media and for fostering sensitive communication by and among all children
demonstrating knowledge of how to use a variety of media and educational technologies to enrich learning opportunities for young children
applying knowledge of strategies for adjusting communication to enhance young children's understanding and engagement
demonstrating knowledge of different purposes for questioning (e.g., stimulating discussion, probing for understanding, helping children articulate their ideas and thinking processes, promoting productive risk taking and problem solving, facilitating recall, encouraging convergent and divergent thinking, stimulating curiosity) and techniques for effective questioning in various contexts

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