MTLE Pedagogy: Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) cheat sheet

Piaget's sensorimotor stage (birth-2 years): learning through senses and motor action; object permanence develops near 8-12 months, and deferred imitation appears in the later part of the stage.

Piaget's preoperational stage (about 2-7 years): symbolic play and language expand, but thinking is egocentric and lacks conservation; conservation of number typically emerges around age 6-7, weight later, volume latest.

Erikson's first three psychosocial stages map to this age band: trust vs. mistrust (infancy), autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddlerhood), initiative vs. guilt (preschool).

Vygotsky's zone of proximal development is the gap between what a child can do alone and what the child can do with adult or peer support; the ZPD is where scaffolding is targeted.

Language milestones: cooing by about 2 months, babbling by about 6 months, first words near 12 months, two-word combinations near 18-24 months, and roughly 50 words by 18 months.

Fine motor sequence follows a proximodistal pattern (large shoulder/arm movements before finger control); gross motor sequence is cephalocaudal (head control, then trunk, then legs).

Attachment patterns (Ainsworth): secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant/ambivalent, and disorganized; secure attachment is supported by consistent, responsive caregiving.

Kohlberg's preconventional level (typically early childhood) frames moral reasoning around obedience/punishment and self-interest rather than internalized principles.

Maslow's hierarchy predicts that unmet physiological and safety needs (hunger, sleep, fear) interfere with attention and learning before higher-level needs can be addressed.

DAP (developmentally appropriate practice) has three core considerations: what is known about child development, what is known about each individual child, and knowledge of the child's social and cultural context.

Phonological awareness is oral and precedes phonics; the continuum runs from word/syllable awareness to onset-rime, then phoneme blending and segmenting, then phoneme manipulation.

The five essential components of reading instruction are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; fluency benchmarks often cite roughly 60 correct words per minute by end of Grade 1.

Running records and miscue analysis calculate accuracy as (words correct / total words read) x 100; 95-100% indicates an independent level, 90-94% instructional, below 90% frustration.

Formative assessment informs ongoing instruction (observations, exit tickets, running records); summative assessment measures achievement at the end of a unit or year.

Screening identifies children who may need further evaluation; diagnostic assessment pinpoints specific skill gaps; progress monitoring tracks response to intervention over time.

Early numeracy progression: one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, then the stable order of counting; subitizing (recognizing small quantities without counting) supports later addition.

Play-based and multisensory instruction (manipulatives, sand/sensory trays, songs, movement) aligns with how young children construct concepts before abstract symbol work.

Curriculum alignment requires that standards, learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessment tasks all target the same skill at the same cognitive demand.

Physical environment rules: clear sightlines to all areas, low open shelving for child access, defined interest centers, and quiet zones separated from active zones (blocks, movement).

Teacher-to-child ratios and group sizes for young children are set by state licensing; lower ratios and smaller groups correlate with more responsive caregiving and fewer behavioral incidents.

Classroom routines and visual schedules reduce anxiety because predictable sequences let children anticipate transitions; transition warnings (5-minute, 2-minute cues) reduce disruptive behavior.

Positive behavior support tiers: universal expectations and routines for all children, targeted small-group supports for some, and individualized intensive supports for a few.

Punishment suppresses behavior temporarily; logical consequences and positive reinforcement teach replacement behaviors and preserve the teacher-child relationship.

Guidance strategies for young children include redirection, modeling, descriptive praise, offering limited choices, and problem-solving dialogue rather than shaming or public correction.

Arrangement of furniture should support supervision; a teacher's position should allow scanning of all centers, and blind spots should be eliminated.

Safe sleep practice for infants: alone, on the back, in a crib with a firm mattress and no loose bedding, consistent with reducing SIDS risk.

Documentation of behavior (ABC: antecedent, behavior, consequence) supports functional behavior assessment and avoids relying on subjective impressions.

Confidentiality: children's records and observations are shared only with those who have a legitimate educational or caregiving need; photographs and anecdotal notes require program policy compliance.

Mandated reporting: early childhood professionals must report suspected child abuse or neglect to the designated state authority; reporting in good faith is protected, and the teacher does not investigate.

Family engagement is strongest when communication is two-way, culturally responsive, and offered in the family's preferred language; one-way newsletters alone are insufficient.

The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct organizes responsibilities into four areas: children, families, colleagues, and community/society, with children first in ethical dilemmas.

IEP and IFSP processes: IFSP covers children birth to age 3 and includes the family in the plan; IEP covers ages 3-21 and includes measurable goals and specified services.

Least restrictive environment (LRE) requires that children with disabilities be educated with typically developing peers to the maximum extent appropriate, with supplementary aids and services.

Collaboration teams (co-teaching, itinerant specialists, paraprofessionals) function best with defined roles, shared planning time, and consistent communication about child goals.

Professional development and reflective practice: observation, self-assessment, and feedback cycles improve instruction; mandated training typically includes CPR/first aid, health and safety, and child abuse recognition.

Advocacy for the profession includes staying current with state licensing, accreditation standards, and ethical obligations, and modeling respectful, non-discriminatory practice with all families.