The Early Childhood Personnel Center

Learners demonstrate an understanding of the impact that different theories and philosophies of early learning and development have on assessment, curriculum, intervention, and instruction decisions.

Learners who have mastered this component know and understand:

• Early development and learning theories
• Early development and learning philosophies
• How their roles may vary in focus and methods based on the theory or philosophy most relevant to the services provided
• Relationship of evidence-based practices to different theories and philosophies
• The impact of those theories and philosophies on:
  • Assessment
  • Curriculum
  • Intervention
  • Instruction

Learners who have mastered this component are able to:

• Apply knowledge of early development and learning theories and philosophies to:
  • Assessment
  • Curriculum
  • Intervention
  • Instruction

Learners apply knowledge of normative sequences of early development, individual differences, and families’ social, cultural, and linguistic diversity to support each child’s development and learning across contexts.

Learners who have mastered this component know and understand:

• Normative sequences of development for each developmental domain:
  • Cognitive
  • Adaptive
  • Communication
  • Physical (gross and fine motor)
  • Play
  • Social-emotional
• Interdependence of development across domains
• Individual differences in early development and learning
• Influences of the families’ social, cultural, and linguistic diversity on development and learning

Learners who have mastered this component are able to:

• Apply knowledge of normative sequences of development to:
  • Identify children’s goals and outcomes for intervention and instruction across contexts
  • Plan for learning environments, and select/design materials, accommodations, and strategies
• Apply knowledge of individual differences to:
  • Identify children’s goals and outcomes for intervention and instruction across contexts
  • Plan for learning environments, and select/design materials, accommodations, and strategies
• Apply knowledge of families’ social-cultural, and linguistic diversity to support children’s development and learning across contexts

Learners apply knowledge of biological and environmental factors that may support or constrain children's early development and learning as they plan and implement early intervention and instruction.

Learners who have mastered this component know and understand:

• Biological factors that support or constrain development and learning, such as:
  • Medical conditions
  • Genetic conditions
  • Vision and hearing status
  • Prematurity
  • Health factors
  • Brain development
• Impact of biological factors on children’s:
  • Interactions
  • Approaches to learning
  • Ability to access learning opportunities
• Social, economic, and physical environmental factors that support or constrain early development and learning

Learners who have mastered this component are able to:

• Apply knowledge of biological factors’ impact on development and learning in planning and implementing assessment, intervention, and instruction
• Apply knowledge of social, economic, and physical environmental factors’ impact on development and learning in planning and implementing assessment, intervention, and instruction