MTEL Early Childhood cheat sheet

Phonological awareness is the umbrella skill (rhyming, syllables, onset-rime, phonemes); phonemic awareness is the narrowest level, manipulating individual sounds in spoken words.

Alphabetic principle: spoken words are composed of phonemes that map to letters; taught after phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge are established.

Phonemic awareness sequence: identify, blend, segment, delete, then substitute-substitution is the hardest and taught last.

Concepts of print: front/back of book, left-to-right, top-to-bottom, return sweep, words separated by spaces, print carries meaning.

Consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph) represent one sound; blends (bl, st, tr) retain each letter's sound.

CVC words are regularly decodable; silent-e (VCe) makes the long vowel and is taught after short-vowel CVC patterns.

Alphabetic stage of spelling: children spell by sound (invented spelling such as 'luv' for love) before learning orthographic patterns.

Running records and miscue analysis classify errors as meaning (semantic), structure (syntactic), or visual (graphophonic) cues.

One-to-one correspondence: each object counted gets exactly one number word; the last number named is the cardinal quantity of the set.

Stable order, cardinality, and ordinality are counting principles; subitizing (instant recognition of small sets, up to about 4) supports number sense.

Composing and decomposing numbers (e.g., 5 = 3 + 2) is the foundation for addition and subtraction in early childhood.

Comparison language: more, fewer, same as-established before the symbols >, <, and = are introduced.

Patterning sequence: identify, extend, then create AB, AAB, ABB patterns before introducing growing patterns.

Shapes: 2-D names (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon) and 3-D names (sphere, cube, cylinder, cone) are taught with attribute language (sides, vertices, faces).

Measurement vocabulary: longer/shorter, heavier/lighter, taller/shorter; direct comparison precedes nonstandard units (cubes, paper clips).

Data representation in early grades: sorting, then concrete graphs, then picture graphs and tally marks.

Scientific inquiry cycle: observe, ask a question, predict, investigate, record data, and communicate findings; prediction differs from a guess because it uses prior knowledge.

Living things share characteristics: grow, need food/water/air, reproduce, and respond to stimuli; nonliving things lack all of these.

Life cycles commonly taught: seed to plant (seed, sprout, seedling, mature plant); butterfly (egg, larva, pupa, adult) is complete metamorphosis.

Properties of matter: solid (fixed shape), liquid (fixed volume, takes container shape), gas (fills container); water changes state with temperature.

Weather tools: thermometer (temperature), rain gauge (precipitation), wind vane (direction), anemometer (speed).

Force and motion: push/pull; objects move faster down steeper inclines; friction slows motion.

Earth materials: rocks, soil, sand, water; soil components include humus, sand, silt, and clay.

Safety rule for early science: never taste or smell unknown substances directly; use wafting to detect odor.

Map skills sequence: positional words, then a model or map of the classroom, then map elements (title, key, compass rose, symbols).

Cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west; the compass rose shows orientation on a map.

Community helpers and their tools/roles: firefighter, police officer, doctor, teacher, mail carrier, farmer.

Goods are things people make or grow and buy; services are actions people perform for others.

Wants versus needs: needs (food, shelter, clothing) are required for survival; wants are desired but not essential.

Rules and laws exist to keep people safe and to resolve conflicts fairly; citizenship includes voting, following rules, and helping others.

Holidays and symbols (flag, bald eagle, Statue of Liberty) convey national identity and commemorate events.

Timelines and vocabulary (past, present, future; yesterday, today, tomorrow) build chronological thinking.

Piaget's stages: sensorimotor (0-2, object permanence), preoperational (2-7, symbolic play, egocentrism, no conservation), concrete operational (7-11, conservation, classification), formal operational (11+).

Preoperational children fail conservation tasks because they focus on one perceptual dimension (centration) and ignore reversibility.

Vygotsky: zone of proximal development is the gap between independent and assisted performance; scaffolding is temporary support withdrawn as competence grows.

Erikson early stages: trust vs. mistrust (infancy), autonomy vs. shame/doubt (1-3), initiative vs. guilt (3-6), industry vs. inferiority (6-12).

Maslow's hierarchy orders needs: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization; lower needs are met first.

Play stages: solitary, parallel (same space, separate play), associative (sharing materials, loosely organized), cooperative (shared goal and roles).

Learning centers and a print-rich environment promote independence; materials are accessible at child height and rotated to match objectives.

Developmentally appropriate practice balances age-appropriateness, individual variation, and social/cultural context.

Formative assessment is ongoing and guides instruction; summative assessment measures learning at the end of a unit.

Observation, anecdotal records, checklists, running records, portfolios, and work samples are authentic early childhood assessments.

Norm-referenced tests compare a child to peers; criterion-referenced tests compare performance to a defined standard or objective.

Reliability means consistency of results; validity means the assessment measures what it claims to measure.

Backward design: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, then plan learning experiences.

Thematic and integrated units connect content areas around one topic, increasing relevance and retention.

Differentiation adjusts content, process, or product based on readiness, interest, and learning profile.

IEPs provide individualized special education services; Section 504 plans provide accommodations for students with disabilities who do not need specialized instruction.

Culturally responsive teaching incorporates students' home cultures, languages, and experiences into curriculum and interactions.

Family engagement practices: two-way communication, flexible conference formats, translated materials, and invitations to share home culture.

Funds of knowledge are the skills and knowledge families hold that can be used to connect school learning to home life.

English learners benefit from comprehensible input, visuals, gestures, and wait time; silent period is a normal stage of second-language acquisition.

Equity means allocating resources and supports according to individual need, not identical treatment.

Bias in assessment can arise from cultural and linguistic mismatch; multiple measures reduce the risk of misidentification.

Confidentiality: student information is shared only with those with legitimate educational interest; parent consent is required for release.

Mandated reporting: educators must report suspected child abuse or neglect to designated authorities; the reporter's role is to report, not investigate.

Universal precautions: treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious; use gloves and disinfect surfaces.

Fine motor development progresses from large grasp to pincer grasp; gross motor progresses head-to-toe (cephalocaudal) and center-outward (proximodistal).

Physical activity guidelines for young children emphasize active play, outdoor time, and limited sedentary screen time.

Nutrition basics: balanced meals across food groups, portion sizes appropriate to child age, and allergy awareness in the classroom.

Emergency preparedness includes posted evacuation routes, practiced drills, first aid kits, and current emergency contact information.

Ethics: maintain professional boundaries, avoid dual relationships, and follow district policies on social media and communication with families.