Study Guide

Field 230: Early Childhood Special Education 
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Each multiple-choise question has four answer choices. Read each question and answer choices carefully and choose the ONE best answer.

Objective 0001 
Understand processes of early childhood development from birth to grade three, and the factors (including disability) that affect development and learning.

1. One indicator that a five-year-old is experiencing atypical social-emotional development would be demonstrating a pattern of:

  1. requiring assistance taking care of basic self-care needs such as washing hands.
  2. difficulty maintaining self-control when frustrated.
  3. refusing to share toys at home with a younger sibling.
  4. requesting help when needed such as opening a container.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Typically developing five-year-old children would generally be capable of maintaining self-control when frustrated or would have infrequent moments of dysregulation of their emotional state, rather than a demonstrated pattern of difficulty maintaining self-control when frustrated. This pattern would be an indicator of atypical social-emotional development.
Objective 0001 
Understand processes of early childhood development from birth to grade three, and the factors (including disability) that affect development and learning.

2. Establishing positive social connections with caring adults and peers in a supporting childcare setting most benefits young children's mental health in which of the following ways?

  1. creating opportunities for developing collaborative skills
  2. improving family patterns of communication
  3. fostering a sense of appropriate behavior
  4. mitigating the effects of adverse experiences
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Research on preventing and mitigating the effects of adverse childhood experiences (A C E), supports the notion that even if a child has already experienced adverse events in their life, positive supportive interactions with even one stable, trustworthy adult can go a long way to mitigate the detrimental effects of these traumatic experiences on both their physical and mental health. Access to quality early childcare and education is extremely important as this environment encourages development in critical areas needed for building resilience.
Objective 0002 
Understand various types of disabilities, the characteristics of young children with special needs, and the influence of disabilities on the learning and development of young children.

3. A child who was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia that causes frequent hospitalizations and time away from school qualifies for special education services for which of the following categories of disability outlined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I D E A)?

  1. other health impairment
  2. developmental delay
  3. orthopedic impairment
  4. intellectual disability
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
According to section 3 0 0 point 8 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a student with sickle cell anemia, or other chronic or acute health condition which impacts their strength, vitality, or alertness, qualifies them for special education services under the category of “other health impairment”.
Objective 0003 
Understand the curriculum areas included in early childhood special education and how to plan instruction and curricular goals that are based on knowledge of young children with disabilities from birth to grade three.

4. A preschool teacher who works in a blended classroom observes children playing in the dramatic play center that is set up like a restaurant. Several children are pretending to make food at the same time and another child is watching them. The teacher takes a pad of paper and a pencil and asks the observing child for their order and writes down what the child requests. The next day, the teacher notices a different child taking up the role of waiter and using the pad and pencil to "write" down orders. In which of the following ways is the teacher demonstrating developmentally appropriate practices?

  1. providing background knowledge for children who are less familiar
  2. demonstrating the correct social skills for children to imitate in the center
  3. fostering children's interest and enjoyment in using early literacy skills
  4. providing instruction on writing letters of the alphabet with accuracy
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
In this scenario, the teacher is modeling purposeful writing, in order to encourage early writing experiences for their students. The teacher is taking advantage of the natural connection between play and the written word, in this case in the interaction between a waiter and patron at a restaurant. Writing is a tool people use to communicate, remember, and share ideas, and the teacher is intentionally seeking ways that writing activities can organically fit within the dramatic play activities presented to students. Developmentally appropriate practice encourages early literacy skills by incorporating them into their play, so that students will be more interested in them and will find them meaningful and engaging.
Objective 0004 
Understand types and characteristics of assessment instruments, methods, and procedures used for screening, identifying, and referring children who may qualify for special education or early intervention services from birth to grade three.

5. For which of the following reasons should a special education teacher include confidence intervals when reporting on a student's performance on norm-referenced assessments?

  1. to accurately identify the student's true scores
  2. to compare the student's scores to the normed sample
  3. to quantify the distance of the student's scores from the mean
  4. to express the range of values of the student's scores
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Confidence intervals are a range of critical values surrounding the student’s score achieved through the administration of a standardized test such as a norm-referenced assessment. Confidence intervals help families understand that the score their child received is reflective of a variety of factors from the test administration, such as the examiner, test conditions, and the child’s state; the child’s exact skill level, or true score, likely falls within a range of scores.
Objective 0004 
Understand types and characteristics of assessment instruments, methods, and procedures used for screening, identifying, and referring children who may qualify for special education or early intervention services from birth to grade three.

6. Which of the following steps should the special education teacher take first when selecting norm-referenced assessments?

  1. estimating the amount of time it would take to complete the testing subtests
  2. determining the accuracy to which a test measures what it claims to measure
  3. reviewing the manual to become familiar with the standard testing procedures
  4. considering ways in which to sustain students' engagement in the testing process
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
When selecting an assessment to use with a student, in addition to determining the purpose of the assessment, it is important to check the quality of the test. One of the measures of an assessment’s quality is its validity, which is the ability for the test to measure what it claims to measure.
Objective 0005 
Understand procedures for assessing the developmental and educational strengths and needs of young children and how to utilize assessment data to design or adapt instruction or intervention and monitor and evaluate child progress.

7. A preschool special education teacher is planning data collection for a student who has goals targeting the development of age-appropriate interactions with peers. Which of the following forms of progress monitoring would provide the best information about the effectiveness of interventions?

  1. systematic observations during social engagement
  2. a formal standardized test of social-emotional development
  3. a checklist of developmental milestones to be completed by paraprofessionals
  4. anecdotal notes from other professionals who regularly interact with the student
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Planned observations whilst the student is engaged in social interactions would provide an opportunity to take a close qualitative look at the child’s socialization skills. During these observations, the teacher can monitor and evaluate if the current interventions are effective.
Objective 0006 
Understand policies, principles, and procedures for program planning, placement, and developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (I E Pees), Individualized Family Service Plans (I F S Pees), and transition plans.

8. A preschool student with autism spectrum disorder (A S D) will be attending kindergarten in the next school year. Before the end of the preschool year, the student visits their new classroom and participates in snack time and story time with the other students. In addition to introducing the student to their teachers and providing a brief experience in the classroom setting, which of the following additional benefits does this situation provide?

  1. eliminating the student's anxiety about moving to a new school and being with unfamiliar students
  2. allowing staff to see what supports the student may need to be successful in their environment
  3. identifying whether new Individualized Education Program (I E P) goals will be needed going forward
  4. confirming the decision to promote the student to kindergarten rather than retaining in preschool
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
It is advantageous for teachers to have experiences with an incoming student prior to them being a part of their class. This visit provides the teaching staff with necessary background knowledge of how the child presents in this new learning environment and allows time for the teaching team to gather or implement any necessary materials or supports that may be needed for the child to be successful in this new environment.
Objective 0007 
Understand evidence- and research-based strategies for planning and managing a positive learning environment that is safe, challenging, respectful, and responsive while promoting and supporting active engagement and participation of all learners.

9. A preschool teacher organizes the classroom and materials in a way that promotes play, social engagement, collaboration, and exploration through learning centers. This approach to classroom organization benefits children by:

  1. supporting positive interactions among the children.
  2. decreasing the need for a consistent daily schedule.
  3. varying expectations of the children based on learning needs.
  4. requiring fewer classroom rules and routines.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
A teacher, planning to support positive interactions amongst students, would intentionally organize the classroom and materials in a way that promotes social engagement through play, collaboration, and exploration.
Objective 0007 
Understand evidence- and research-based strategies for planning and managing a positive learning environment that is safe, challenging, respectful, and responsive while promoting and supporting active engagement and participation of all learners.

10. When a special education teacher is selecting games to install on the classroom digital devices that promote learning, which of the following factors should play the most significant role in the choices?

  1. They produce data that can be tracked.
  2. They create a sense of competition.
  3. They are developed using evidence-based practices.
  4. They maintain students' attention and focus.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Choosing digital games developed with evidence-based practices ensures that students are engaged in worthwhile learning opportunities, backed by research and data.
Objective 0008 
Understand effective strategies and approaches for instructional design and planning that make content meaningful for young children to promote effective child learning and development.

11. Which of the following approaches to early intervention best addresses the integration of a child's home experience and culture into activities?

  1. bringing toys and objects to leave with the family that will engage the child and provide opportunities for generalizing learned skills
  2. recommending toys and objects that the family should obtain that will support developmental growth and learning
  3. using the child's own toys and objects of interest in the home when demonstrating and modeling strategies to support the child's learning
  4. providing handouts to the parents/guardians with ideas for creating home routines and activities that teach pre-academic skills
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
As part of Early Intervention’s family-centered best practices, Embedded Coaching encourages practitioners to collaboratively work together with families to support the child’s development within their already established home routines. When interventionists are demonstrating and modeling strategies to the family, using the toys and objects that a child already has and is interested in not only ensures motivation, but is also respectful to the family’s style and culture.
Objective 0009 
Understand principles and methods involved in individualizing instruction and intervention for young children with disabilities.

12. An early childhood teacher who teaches in an inclusion setting is considering ways to shift instructional practice away from students working for rewards such as stickers and completion charts. Which of the following practices would best focus the students on being engaged in learning rather than on their performance?

  1. verbally praising students who are following routines and are fully participating in activities
  2. implementing blocks of whole-group instructional time to better monitor engagement
  3. providing non-tangible rewards such as extra recess time for successful lessons
  4. elaborating on what students say and scaffolding their ideas and actions
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Elaborating upon or extending student contributions is a rewarding practice for young children. It is stimulating for the child to have an adult interested in interacting and building upon what they said or did. This practice encourages engagement in the learning process which supports intrinsic motivation and is ultimately more satisfying than external rewards.
Objective 0010 
Understand the development and implementation of behavior interventions and support for the social-emotional and behavioral development of children with disabilities.

13. When reviewing an adaptive skills curriculum for young children with disabilities, a special education teacher should ensure the curriculum addresses which of the following primary goals?

  1. identifying and addressing the life-skill needs of each child in authentic contexts
  2. providing strategies for enhancing young children's self-esteem and confidence
  3. offering activities that address learning based on young children's preferred learning styles
  4. providing prerequisites to achieve the state learning standards for content areas
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Identifying and addressing needed life skills in authentic contexts ensures that the practice of developing adaptive skills is purposeful and meaningful to the student as well as teachers and family members. Students are likely to more readily engage in purpose driven and meaningful tasks.
Objective 0011 
Understand the scope, sequence, and concepts of development and the general education program from birth to grade 3.

14. A second-grade teacher demonstrates how a mnemonic strategy works by showing students the example of the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet), using "Roy G. Biv." The teacher then instructs students working in small groups to develop their own mnemonic for a new science concept they are learning. Which of the following outcomes best illustrates the effectiveness of this instructional strategy for teaching diverse young learners new science content?

  1. Students associate the new content with things that are personally meaningful and relevant.
  2. An understanding of the solar system is knowledge accessible to students of varying backgrounds.
  3. Materials and supplies needed for the activity on the new content are readily available in the classroom.
  4. Assessment of individual participation is facilitated by having students work in small groups.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Mnemonic devices are memory aids that work by storing information in the ways that our brains naturally do (e.g., chunking, songs, or acronyms). In this scenario, the teacher is encouraging the students to use a mnemonic device as a strategy to connect the new or unfamiliar material with something that is personally meaningful and relevant to them, thus increasing the likelihood that the new material will be recalled on demand when invoking their individualized mnemonic device.
Objective 0012 
Apply knowledge of strategies for communicating and collaborating in a culturally responsive manner with families and school team members to address children's instructional and behavioral needs.

15. A kindergarten teacher receives an e-mail from a parent/guardian about their child who has asthma and a 504 plan that includes accommodations for eliminating possible classroom triggers and staying indoors when the weather is cold or the air quality is poor. The student is starting a new medication that must be given during school hours. Which of the following responses by the teacher most appropriately addresses the student's need?

  1. requesting the student's medical records and reviewing the recent medical visits and reasons for adding the medication
  2. having the parent/guardian send in the medication with the student and giving it to the student according to directions
  3. informing the parent/guardian that they must come to school personally to give the medication during school hours
  4. collaborating with the parent/guardian and the school nurse to discuss steps needed to provide the medication
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
When handling a student’s medical condition, it is prudent to encourage collaboration between the student’s family and the school’s medical personnel, which would primarily include the school nurse. This partnership ensures that all parties are up-to-date with new protocols and procedures which benefit the student.
Objective 0012 
Apply knowledge of strategies for communicating and collaborating in a culturally responsive manner with families and school team members to address children's instructional and behavioral needs.

16. A music teacher seeks advice from a special education teacher on strategies that would enhance students' engagement and learning during weekly music education when working with inclusive classrooms. Which of the following approaches by the special education teacher would best promote students' access to this instruction?

  1. holding separate small-group classes for students with disabilities
  2. observing the music class and providing suggestions on strategies to increase participation
  3. asking the classroom teacher to pre-teach songs that students will sing during music class
  4. providing lessons to the classroom teacher to lead with the music teacher's supervision
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
The special education teacher is the expert on providing student access to the curriculum. Familiar with accommodating and modifying curriculum for individual students, they would provide skilled guidance to the content expert, the music teacher, on how to best support student access to the music curriculum.
Objective 0013 
Understand how to promote positive relationships between home, community, and school that enhance learning opportunities for children with disabilities and encourage families' engagement in their children's education.

17. An early childhood special education teacher is preparing to send home an activity calendar that includes ideas for activities families can engage in over an upcoming break that support their child's learning. When determining the content included in the calendar, the teacher should ensure that activities:

  1. help parents/guardians prepare children for new academic skills that will be taught after the break.
  2. address a range of children's developmental areas such as motor, communication, literacy, and cognitive skills.
  3. provide new experiences for children such as visiting a history museum or going to the local zoo.
  4. focus primarily on developing children's functional self-help skills to increase independence at school.
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
When considering suggesting activities for families to implement at home over a break, it would be important for a teacher to encourage engagement in developmentally appropriate activities that support student learning. Providing a calendar or menu which includes various developmental areas is a fun and practical way to encourage a broader range of skills to be practiced.
Objective 0014 
Understand historical, legal, and ethical issues relevant to early intervention and special education.

18. The Child Find mandate that is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I D E A) requires states to achieve which of the following outcomes?

  1. identifying and evaluating all children with disabilities, aged birth to 21, to determine need for early intervention or special education services
  2. ensuring that all students receiving special education services are included in general education classrooms with peers without disabilities
  3. conducting educational evaluations on an annual basis for all students with special education services to maintain updated records
  4. placing all students with disabilities at the student's local school with the services that are already offered there
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
The Child Find mandate included within I D E A tasks school districts with identifying, locating, and evaluating all students with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability.
Objective 0015 
Understand the roles of teachers as professionals and leaders, and the practices and purposes of reflection, self-evaluation, and professional development.

19. Parents/Guardians of a kindergarten student with a neurological disease are at their child's annual Individualized Education Program (I E P) meeting. During the meeting, the parents/guardians ask questions that are out of the scope of the school-based professionals. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate for the I E P team to take?

  1. suggesting a Web site about students with disabilities that the family can use to research their questions
  2. asking the school counselor to meet with the family to discuss their concerns and questions
  3. referring the family to a local network or organization for families of children with neurological diseases
  4. providing the name and phone number of a parent/guardian in the school district who also has a child with a neurological disease
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
If the questions a family has are unrelated to the student’s academic needs, they would be best guided by networks of other families who have similar experiences rather than school-based personnel, and it would be appropriate for the professionals at the school to connect the family with those networks.
Objective 0015 
Understand the roles of teachers as professionals and leaders, and the practices and purposes of reflection, self-evaluation, and professional development.

20. Which of the following strategies would provide an early childhood special education teacher with feedback and advice in making improvements to practice?

  1. taking classes at the local university in special education to maintain current knowledge
  2. participating in an online social media group for early career special education teachers
  3. requesting a school administrator provide more frequent evaluation observations
  4. requesting mentoring and observation from a more experienced special education teacher
Answer. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Peer mentoring is a powerful tool in improving one’s instructional practice. The mentor serves as a guide to the newer teacher, observing them teach and providing direct feedback. They share tips and strategies that upon implementation would improve the new teacher’s practice, answer any questions the new teacher may have, and demonstrate or model expert teaching.