Child Development, Learning, and Assessment
What the test expects
Know the major developmental domains (physical, cognitive, language, social-emotional) and the theorists most often attached to them: Piaget (sensorimotor through preoperational stages, schema, object permanence, symbolic play), Vygotsky (zone of proximal development, scaffolding, social learning), Erikson (trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame/doubt, initiative vs. guilt for the youngest children), Bowlby and Ainsworth (attachment, secure base, strange-situation patterns), and Bronfenbrenner (ecological systems). Understand developmental milestones as ranges, not deadlines, and know that development is cumulative and uneven across domains.
Assessment concepts
Distinguish formative (ongoing, informs instruction) from summative (end of a period) assessment, and authentic/performance assessment (observation, work samples, portfolios) from standardized testing. Screening identifies children who may need further evaluation; diagnostic assessment pinpoints needs; progress monitoring tracks response to intervention. Know the difference between a screening tool and a diagnostic tool, and that referral for special education evaluation follows screening and documented intervention.
Traps to watch
Questions often pair a behavior with the wrong theorist or stage, or imply a milestone is a fixed deadline. Another common trap: confusing a child's ability with a lack of opportunity to practice. Watch for wording that treats assessment as a one-time event rather than a cycle.
Rule of thumb
Match the tool to the purpose: screening asks "who might need help?", diagnostic asks "what exactly is needed?", and progress monitoring asks "is the intervention working?"
Worked example
A 4-year-old cannot yet write her name. Before assuming a delay, ask whether the skill is expected at this age (name-writing emerges across ages 4–5) and whether she has had opportunities and materials to practice-then observe and document over time rather than referring immediately.