Child development, curriculum, and assessment concepts tested on the Praxis Early Childhood Education exam. Front: the term or concept. Back: a plain-language definition.
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- Piaget's theory of cognitive development
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A theory describing how children's thinking evolves through four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.- Zone of Proximal Development
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The range between what a child can do independently and what they can do with adult guidance or help from a more skilled peer.- Scaffolding
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A teaching strategy where an adult provides temporary support and gradually reduces it as the child becomes more capable.- Attachment theory
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A concept explaining how the emotional bond between a child and caregiver influences social, emotional, and cognitive development.- Gross motor skills
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Large muscle movements used for activities like running, jumping, climbing, and throwing.- Fine motor skills
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Small, precise muscle movements used for activities like cutting, writing, buttoning, and picking up small objects.- Self-regulation
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The ability to control emotions, manage behavior, and make choices that meet social expectations.- Emergent literacy
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The gradual development of reading and writing skills that begins in infancy before formal instruction.- Phonemic awareness
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The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.- Developmentally appropriate practice
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Teaching methods and curriculum that match the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional abilities of children at specific age levels.- Play-based learning
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An instructional approach where play activities are used as the primary means for children to learn academic and social skills.- Cooperative play
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Social play where children work together toward a common goal, such as building a structure or playing a group game.- Parallel play
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A type of play where children play side by side with similar materials but do not directly interact or share a common goal.- Solitary play
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Play where a child engages in activities alone without interaction or involvement with other children.- Dramatic play
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Pretend play where children act out scenarios, take on roles, and use props to create imaginary situations.
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