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Child Development & Learning Theories Flashcards

7 cards from real CECE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Child Development & Learning Theories flashcards as text

  1. A preschool teacher notices that a child can arrange five blocks from smallest to largest. This skill is called:

    Answer: Seriation

    Seriation is the ability to arrange objects in order along a quantitative dimension such as size, weight, or length.

  2. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which level must be addressed FIRST before a child can fully engage in learning?

    Answer: Physiological needs

    Maslow's hierarchy places physiological needs—food, water, sleep, and shelter—at the base, as they must be met before higher-order needs can be addressed.

  3. In early childhood, 'parallel play' typically refers to children who:

    Answer: Play alongside each other without directly interacting

    Parallel play, common around ages 2–3, involves children playing side by side with similar materials but without coordinating their activities.

  4. Which of the following is a key principle of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) as defined by NAEYC?

    Answer: Instruction should be based on knowledge of child development and individual children

    DAP requires educators to use knowledge of age-related development, individual variation, and cultural/social context to inform teaching decisions.

  5. The concept of 'private speech,' in which young children talk aloud to themselves while working on tasks, was studied extensively by:

    Answer: Lev Vygotsky

    Vygotsky viewed private speech as a self-regulatory tool that children use to guide their thinking before it becomes internalized as inner speech.

  6. Which behavior is a typical milestone of gross motor development for most 5-year-olds?

    Answer: Hopping on one foot and skipping

    By age 5 most children can hop on one foot and skip, demonstrating the balance and coordination typical of this stage of gross motor development.

  7. Maria Montessori's concept of 'sensitive periods' refers to:

    Answer: Windows of heightened receptivity during which specific skills are most easily acquired

    Montessori identified sensitive periods as times in early childhood when children are especially responsive to acquiring particular skills, such as language or order.