CECE Child Development & Learning Theories 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best illustrates the concept of 'scaffolding' in an early childhood classroom?
- A teacher praises a child after completing a puzzle independently
- A teacher breaks a task into steps and provides clues only as needed (Correct answer)
- A teacher demonstrates the entire task before asking the child to copy it
- A teacher removes difficult materials until the child is ready
Correct answer: A teacher breaks a task into steps and provides clues only as needed
Scaffolding involves providing just enough support to help a child succeed at a task slightly beyond their current level, then gradually withdrawing that support.
Question 2: John Bowlby's attachment theory proposes that the primary purpose of attachment behaviors in infants is to:
- Obtain food and satisfy hunger
- Gain social approval from peers
- Maintain proximity to a protective caregiver (Correct answer)
- Develop language through interaction
Correct answer: Maintain proximity to a protective caregiver
Bowlby argued that attachment evolved to keep infants close to caregivers who can protect them from harm, ensuring survival.
Question 3: A 6-year-old understands that pouring water from a short wide glass into a tall thin glass doesn't change the amount of water. This demonstrates:
- Object permanence
- Egocentrism
- Conservation (Correct answer)
- Symbolic representation
Correct answer: Conservation
Conservation—the understanding that quantity remains constant despite changes in shape or arrangement—is a hallmark of Piaget's concrete operational stage.
Question 4: The High/Scope curriculum model is distinguished by its use of the daily:
- Circle time and direct instruction sequence
- Plan-Do-Review sequence (Correct answer)
- Morning meeting and project-based learning cycle
- Observation-documentation-reflection cycle
Correct answer: Plan-Do-Review sequence
High/Scope's Plan-Do-Review sequence has children plan their activities, carry them out, and then reflect on what they did, promoting executive function.
Question 5: According to information processing theory, which component of memory stores information temporarily for active use?
- Long-term memory
- Sensory register
- Working memory (Correct answer)
- Procedural memory
Correct answer: Working memory
Working memory holds a limited amount of information in an active, accessible state for use in ongoing cognitive tasks.
Question 6: Which theorist is credited with identifying the 'Strange Situation' procedure to assess infant attachment?
- John Bowlby
- Mary Ainsworth (Correct answer)
- Harry Harlow
- Mary Main
Correct answer: Mary Ainsworth
Mary Ainsworth developed the Strange Situation, a structured observational procedure that revealed distinct patterns of attachment behavior in infants.
Question 7: In Erikson's stage of Industry vs. Inferiority (ages 6–12), what is the primary developmental task for school-age children?
- Developing trust in caregivers
- Exploring roles and forming a personal identity
- Mastering skills and feeling competent (Correct answer)
- Establishing autonomy and independence from parents
Correct answer: Mastering skills and feeling competent
During Industry vs. Inferiority, children need to experience success in learning and producing things; failure or discouragement leads to feelings of inferiority.
CECE Child Development & Learning Theories 5
Which of the following best illustrates the concept of 'scaffolding' in an early childhood classroom?