CDA Principles of Education and Development 2

Question 1

What does the term 'developmentally appropriate practice' (DAP) mean in early childhood education?

Accepted Answer

Designing learning experiences that match children's age, individual needs, and cultural context

Answer

Using the same curriculum for all children of the same age

Answer

Following a strict academic curriculum from birth

Answer

Prioritizing academic outcomes over play

Question 2

According to Vygotsky, what is the 'zone of proximal development' (ZPD)?

Accepted Answer

The gap between a child's current ability and what they can achieve with support

Answer

The physical space around a child needed for safe play

Answer

The age range appropriate for formal instruction

Answer

The level of development a child has already reached independently

Question 3

Which theorist described children as 'little scientists' who actively construct knowledge through exploration?

Accepted Answer

Piaget

Answer

Vygotsky

Answer

Bronfenbrenner

Answer

Erikson

Question 4

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory primarily suggests that children's development is shaped by:

Accepted Answer

Multiple nested systems from immediate family to broader cultural and societal forces

Answer

Genetics alone

Answer

Only the classroom and teacher

Answer

The child's individual learning style

Question 5

Erik Erikson's stage of 'Initiative vs. Guilt' applies most directly to which age group?

Accepted Answer

Preschoolers (3–6 years)

Answer

Infants (0–18 months)

Answer

Toddlers (18 months–3 years)

Answer

School-age children (6–12 years)

Question 6

What does the term 'scaffolding' mean in early childhood education?

Accepted Answer

Providing temporary, adjustable support that helps a child accomplish tasks just beyond their current ability

Answer

Building physical structures for outdoor play

Answer

A method of teaching reading using phonics

Answer

The schedule of daily activities in a classroom