CHAPTER 1
Chapter 1 True/False Questions
Circle T if the statement is true; circle F if the statement is false.
T F 1. Today many children experience expectations in kindergarten that used to be reserved
for first and second grade.
T F 2. A teacher explains that she makes sure her circle times include movement activities
because she does not expect kindergartners to be able to sit still for long. She is thinking
about age appropriateness.
T F 3. Family traditions are part of culture, but not all of it.
T F 4. Whole child learning refers to keeping in mind the cultural contexts in which children
learn.
T F 5. The concept of child-initiated learning had its beginnings in the early 20th century.
T F 6. There is very little research evidence to support that developmentally appropriate
practice is effective.
T F 7. Developmentally appropriate practice involves a standard approach to teaching young
children that looks the same from program to program.
T F 8. Programs characterized by developmentally appropriate practice are ones in which
teachers spend much of their time moving throughout the room working with children
individually and in small groups.
T F 9. Early childhood professionals who demonstrate a behavioral philosophy use external
rewards to help children achieve specific learning outcomes such as tying a bow or
counting to 10.
T F 10. Some people question whether developmentally appropriate practices are well suited to
children with handicapped conditions and children of color.
Chapter 1 Multiple Choice Questions
Circle the best answer.
11. Chang is having trouble sitting through the story that the teacher is reading at circle time.
The teacher knows the following things about Chang:
1. Chang is 2 years old.
2. This is Chang’s first day in the program.
3. Chang and his family are newly arrived from Korea.
If the teacher wants to respond using developmentally practices, which of these pieces of
information should she keep in mind about Chang?
a. 1
b. 1 & 2
c. 1 & 3
d. 2 & 3
e. All the above
12. Choose the most appropriate description of developmentally appropriate practice.
a. DAP focuses mostly on social and language skills, less on cognition.
b. DAP tends to ignore academics unless children ask about things like colors and
numerals.
c. Children are active decision-makers in the learning process.
d. All children are expected to learn the same things at the same time.
13. What does it mean to be developmentally appropriate?
a. Children will have outdoor free play, indoor free play, and group time every day.
b. Teachers will follow the school curriculum and plan activities in thematic units.
c. Teachers consider child development, strengths and needs of individual children, and the
children’s cultural background when making decisions.
d. Professionals have an early childhood endorsement on their teaching certificate
14. In developmentally appropriate classrooms, what is the role of the teacher?
a. The teacher and students are both active and learn from one another.
b. The teacher structures the classroom so that children work alone.
c. The teacher does not teach directly.
d. The teacher initiates the majority of learning activities in which children engage.
15. Which of the following statements in NOT true about why DAP was first initiated?
a. There is increased pressure for young children to do work that used to be reserved for older
youngsters.
b. Parents are requesting more academics for their children to help the children ‘get ahead’.
c. Physicians report increased cases of stress among young children.
d. Parents are no longer very interested in their children’s education.
16. Which group published guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice in early
childhood?
a. The American Montessori Society
b. The National Association for the Education of Young Children
c. The High/Scope Foundation
d. The Association of Childhood Education International
17. In the Reggio Emilia approach which of the following experiences is NOT emphasized:
a. Teachers carefully observe children to learn about their interests and
understandings.
b. Children investigate projects that may last several weeks.
c. Children often work with a specialist trained in the visual arts.
d. Children are encouraged to do their work independent of one another.
18. In the Reggio Emilia approach which of the following methods are used to assess children’s
learning?
a. Portfolios, checklists and diagnostic evaluations
b. Portfolios, diaries and children’s constructions
c. Memory books and certain standardized assessments agreed on by teachers and
parents
d. None of the above
19. In the High/Scope approach to early education which of the following routines is core to the
program?
a. Whole group activities
b. Small group activities
c. Outdoor activities
d. Theme planning
20. In the ‘Plan–Do–Review’ process, adults do which of the following?
a. Review children’s work and make suggestions for what children can do to improve.
b. Have children describe what they want to do, encourage them to do it, then help children
reflect on what they did.
c. Assess children’s learning and then provide each child with an individualized learning
plan which children then carry out.
d. None of the above
21. In which of the following programs was it found that children who had a high quality
preschool experience were more likely to graduate from high school than children from the
same neighborhood who had no preschool experience?
a. Montessori
b. High/Scope
c. Reggio Emilia
d. The Project Approach
22. The gift of time is most associated with which early childhood philosophy?
a. A maturational perspective
b. A mental health perspective
c. A behavioral perspective
d. A constructionist perspective
23. Teachers adopting a mental health perspective are likely to do which of the following
things?
a. Support children emotionally with minimal adult direction.
b. Use direct instruction to teach children to do things like recite the alphabet.
c. Give a child a sticker each time he remembers to walk not run in the classrooms.
d. All of the above
24. Which of the following is NOT a research finding associated with developmentally
appropriate practice?
a. Children’s creativity is enhanced.
b. Children’s problem-solving skills improve.
c. Children demonstrate increased attachment to parents and grandparents.
d. Children’s reading skills improve.
25. Which of the following elements do NOT characterize developmentally appropriate
practice?
a. Expecting children to learn most things through listening.
b. Giving children choices about what and how they learn.
c. Relying on play as a primary means for learning.
d. Establishing partnerships with parents.
26. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the role of judgment in
developmentally appropriate practice?
a. Judgments involve interpretations.
b. Judgments are based on what teachers know about child development.
c. Judgments are based on what teachers know about children’s family and community
relationships.
d. Two properly trained teachers would make the same judgment about a given
situation.
27. Attention and respect for social and cultural appropriateness might include which of the
following strategies?
1. Including foods from different cultures at mealtimes.
2. Including children’s literature representing different culture groups.
3. Including staff who speak the same languages spoken by children in the program.
4. Encouraging families to share elements of their culture with the program.
a. 1 and 2
b. 1, 2 and 3
c. 1 and 4
d. All of the above
28. The NAEYC guidelines for involving family’s calls for establishing reciprocal relationships
with families. What is the most significant implication of such relationships?
a. Schedules for parent conferences are made available to parents well in advance.
b. More opportunities for teachers and families to share responsibility and decision making
about children’s education.
c. More chances for parents to donate materials to the classroom.
d. Quicker information provided to families about children’s conflicts at school.
29. Who emphasized the value of kindergarten and also wrote the Happy Birthday song?
a. Patty Hill Smith
b. Maria Montessori
c. Jean Piaget
d. Lev Vygotsky
30. Who advocated that children should have opportunities to learn through hands-on activities
and child-centered projects?
a. Jean Piaget
b. Lev Vygotsky
c. John Locke
d. John Dewey
Chapter 1 Short Answer Questions
Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
31. Identify the 3 sources of knowledge that make up developmentally appropriate practice and
give an example of each.
32. Select three historic figures in early childhood and give a brief description of their
contribution to the field.
33. What does High Scope call the sequence in which children make decisions about their own
activities, engage in activities, and then talk about them?
34. Name 2 trends that prompted DAP to come into being.
35. Identify 3 practices that run counter to DAP.
Chapter 1 Essay Questions
Give complete responses to each statement.
36. Describe one of the criticisms of DAP and how you might respond to a person stating such a
criticism based on evidence presented in your text.
37. Discuss the role of judgment in making decisions based on DAP.
38. Describe what you believe to be the 3 most important practices associated with DAP and
how these influence children’s early childhood experiences.
Chapter 1
Short Answer: Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
