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Child Development & Learning Theories Flashcards

7 cards from real CTA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Child Development & Learning Theories flashcards as text

  1. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests that a child who is hungry or unsafe:

    Answer: Must have basic needs met before higher learning can occur

    Maslow's hierarchy places physiological and safety needs at the base; until these are met, children cannot effectively pursue learning and self-actualization.

  2. Which of the following best describes 'telegraphic speech' in language development?

    Answer: Speaking in two- or three-word phrases that convey key meaning

    Telegraphic speech (around ages 2–3) uses minimal words to convey a message, such as 'want cookie' instead of 'I want a cookie.'

  3. In Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, which system includes the immediate settings in which a child lives, such as home and classroom?

    Answer: Microsystem

    The microsystem is the innermost layer of Bronfenbrenner's model and includes the settings where the child directly participates.

  4. A teacher assistant provides more help to a child at the start of a task and gradually reduces support as competence grows. This strategy is called:

    Answer: Scaffolding

    Scaffolding involves providing adjustable support that is reduced incrementally as the learner becomes more capable.

  5. Which learning theorist believed that children construct knowledge through hands-on experience and interaction with their environment?

    Answer: Jean Piaget

    Piaget's constructivist theory holds that children actively build their understanding of the world through direct experiences.

  6. Temperament in children refers to:

    Answer: Inborn differences in emotional reactivity and self-regulation

    Temperament describes the biologically based, relatively stable patterns of emotional and behavioral response that appear early in life.

  7. Which of the following is a characteristic of the formal operational stage according to Piaget?

    Answer: Abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking emerge

    The formal operational stage (age 12+) is marked by the ability to think abstractly, reason hypothetically, and consider possibilities beyond the immediate situation.