Deck 2: Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Evolving Framework for Teaching Young Children

Question 1

Chang is having trouble sitting through the story that the teacher is reading at circle time. The teacher knows the following things about Chang:
1) Chang is 2 years old.
2) This is Chang's first day in the program.
3) Chang and his family are newly arrived from Korea.
If the teacher wants to respond using developmentally appropriate practices, which of these pieces of information should she keep in mind about Chang?

A) 1 and 2
B) 1 and 3
C) 2 and 3
D) 1, 2 and 3.

Answer 1

1, 2 and 3.

Question 2

Choose the most appropriate description of developmentally appropriate practice.

A) DAP focuses mostly on social and language skills, less on cognition.
B) DAP tends to ignore academics, unless children ask about things like colors and numerals.
C) Children are active decision-makers in the learning process.
D) All children are expected to learn the same things at the same time.

Answer 2

Children are active decision-makers in the learning process.

Question 3

When should a teacher feel most confident that she is engaging in developmentally appropriate practices?

A) When her program has purchased a curriculum that has been advertised as developmentally appropriate.
B) When his Head Start leadership has chosen a curriculum from a list that is described as developmentally appropriate.
C) When she makes daily judgments about how individual activities meet the specific needs and interests of children in the group.
D) When he provides ample time for play indoors and outside.

Answer 3

When she makes daily judgments about how individual activities meet the specific needs and interests of children in the group.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a general practice associated with DAP?

A) Primary teachers follow the schedule and lessons assigned by the central administration with little or no deviation.
B) Primary teachers develop warm, caring relationships with children.
C) Children have numerous opportunities to learn by doing through hands-on activities.
D) Programs address the needs of all children including children with special needs or those whose home language is not English.

Question 5

Under what circumstances should teachers consciously consider culturally appropriateness of activities?

A) In a group of children composed of children from different races.
B) In a group of children composed of children from different economic circumstances.
C) In any group of children, regardless of group composition.
D) In a group of children where some children have special needs.

Question 6

Which statement best describes how the concept of learning through experience, multi-sensory, or hands-on learning has evolved over time?

A) Hands-on learning was popular once, but is now known to be ineffective in meeting current learning standards.
B) Hands-on learning was first proposed as part of the traditional nursery school, which evolved slowly after World War I.
C) Hands-on learning began in Head Start, which was developed in the mid-1960s.
D) Hands-on learning has been developing since the 17^th century and has been implemented in a variety of ways thereafter.

Question 7

A four year old with cerebral palsy is enrolled in your classroom. The child's IEP is shared with you. IEP stands for:

A) Inclusive Environmental Plan
B) Individualized Educational Plan
C) Integrated Educational Program
D) Inclusive Educational Play

Question 8

An IEP for a child with a disability includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) A description of the child's strengths, needs, and goals.
B) Program modifications.
C) A list of activities the child will not be able to participate in.
D) Special education services to be provided.

Question 9

In the Reggio Emilia approach, which of the following experiences is NOT emphasized?

A) Teachers carefully observe children to learn about their interests and understandings.
B) Children investigate projects that may last several weeks.
C) Children often work with a specialist trained in the visual arts.
D) Children are encouraged to work independent of one another.

Question 10

In the Reggio Emilia approach, which of the following methods are used to assess children's learning?

A) Portfolios, memory books, and children's constructions
B) Portfolios, checklists, and diagnostic evaluations
C) Memory books and certain standardized assessments agreed on by teachers and parents
D) Digital records and paper pencil tests

Question 11

In the "Plan-Do-Review" process, adults do which of the following?

A) Review children's work and make suggestions for what children can do to improve.
B) Have children describe what they want to do, encourage them to do it, then help children reflect on what they did.
C) Assess children's learning and then provide each child with an individualized learning plan which children then carry out.
D) None of the above

Question 12

In which of the following programs was it found that children who had a high quality preschool experience were more likely to graduate from high school than children from the same neighborhood who had no preschool experience?

A) Montessori
B) Reggio Emilia
C) High/Scope
D) The Project Approach

Question 13

The gift of time is most associated with which early childhood philosophy?

A) A maturational perspective
B) A mental health perspective
C) A behavioral perspective
D) A constructionist perspective

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a research finding associated with developmentally appropriate practice?

A) Children's creativity is enhanced.
B) Children's problem-solving skills improve.
C) Children demonstrate increased attachment to parents and grandparents.
D) Children's reading skills improve.

Question 15

Which of the following elements do NOT characterize developmentally appropriate practice?

A) Expecting children to learn most things through listening.
B) Giving children choices about what and how they learn.
C) Relying on play as a primary means for learning.
D) Establishing partnerships with parents.

Question 16

What children benefit from Developmentally Appropriate Programs?

A) White middle class children benefit from DAP, but poor children of color do not because they need more control from the adults.
B) Children who have special needs may have their social needs met in a DAP classroom but don't learn what they need to learn there.
C) Girls from poor families tend to do much better than boys do because boys are so active they don't pay attention.
D) DAP is applicable broadly for males and females, for advantaged and impoverished children, for the talented and gifted as well as children having special needs.

Question 17

Under what circumstances should teachers consciously consider the cultural appropriateness of activities?

A) In a group of children composed of children from different races.
B) In a group of children composed of children from different economic circumstances.
C) In any group of children, regardless of group composition.
D) In a group of children where some children have special needs

Question 18

The NAEYC guidelines for involving family's calls for establishing reciprocal relationships with families. What is the most significant implication of such relationships?

A) Schedules for parent conferences are made available to parents well in advance.
B) More opportunities for teachers and families to share responsibility and decision making about children's education.
C) More chances for parents to donate materials to the classroom.
D) Quicker information provided to families about children's conflicts at school.

Question 19

Who wrote the first kindergarten manual and also wrote the Happy Birthday song?

A) Patty Hill Smith
B) Maria Montessori
C) Jean Piaget
D) Lev Vygotsky

Question 20

Individual appropriateness means that a teacher planning for a three-year-old classroom should consider which of the following?

A) The individual knowledge, experiences, and skills of each child in the group.
B) Ways in which this group of three-year-olds is the same as last year's group.
C) A list of appropriate materials for three-year-olds.
D) Typical milestones for three-year-olds.

Question 21

Identify the 3 sources of knowledge that make up developmentally appropriate practice and give an example of each.

Question 22

Select three historic figures in early childhood and give a brief description of their contribution to the field.

Question 23

What are three challenges facing early childhood education today?

Question 24

Name 2 trends that prompted DAP to come into being.

Question 25

Identify 3 practices that run counter to DAP.

Question 26

Describe one of the criticisms of DAP and how you might respond to a person stating such a criticism based on evidence presented in your text.

Question 27

Discuss the role of judgment in making decisions based on DAP.

Question 28

Describe what you believe to be the 3 most important practices associated with DAP and how these influence children's early childhood experiences.