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Study Guide

Field 93: Professional Knowledge—Early Childhood
Sample Written Performance Assignments

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Sample Test Directions for Written Performance Assignments

This section of the test consists of three performance assignments. For each of these assignments, you are to prepare a written response and record it in the on-screen response box presented with each assignment. You should use your time to plan, write, review, and edit your response for each assignment. You must write responses to all three assignments.

Read each assignment carefully before you begin to work. Think about how you will organize each of your responses. You may use the erasable sheets to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your response. However, your score on each assignment will be based solely on the version of your response typed in the on-screen response box presented with the assignment.

As a whole, your response must demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge and skills required of an entry-level teacher in Arizona. In your response to the assignment, you are expected to demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the knowledge and skills of teaching practice through your ability to apply your knowledge and skills to the situation presented in the assignment.

Your response to each assignment will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

  • PURPOSE: The candidate fulfills the purpose of the assignment by demonstrating an understanding of relevant pedagogical knowledge.
  • APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE: The candidate accurately and effectively applies relevant pedagogical knowledge.
  • SUPPORT: The candidate supports the response with appropriate examples, evidence, and rationales based on relevant pedagogical knowledge.

The performance assignments are intended to assess teaching knowledge and skills, not writing ability. However, your responses must be communicated clearly enough to permit scorers to make valid evaluations of your responses according to the criteria listed above. Your responses should be written for an audience of educators. The final version of each response should conform to the conventions of edited American English. Your responses should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work.

For each assignment, be sure to write about the assigned topic. You may not use any reference materials during the test. Remember to review your work and make any changes you think will improve your responses. You may work on the assignments in any order you choose, but be sure to finish all three assignments before the end of the test session.

Sample Written Performance Assignment A

Early childhood teachers need to know how to work collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals to support children's learning and development. Briefly describe one strategy a teacher could use to collaborate effectively with the special education teacher of a child with a disability. Then explain why that strategy would promote effective collaboration with the special education teacher to meet the child's learning needs.

Sample Response for Written Performance Assignment A: Score Point 3

An effective strategy to use when collaborating with the special education teacher is to schedule specific meeting times and plan ahead to make sure the time is used efficiently. A weekly meeting at a mutually agreed upon time would be effective because the two teachers would have a specific time set in their schedules when they could share information about the child's educational needs. The teacher should keep a folder of the child's work and teacher observations that would provide a focus for each meeting. This would provide an efficient way for the special education teacher to review valuable information and then add her own thoughts and observations. The strategy of using a written record during regularly scheduled meetings would address the time constraints and informational needs of both teachers and would promote an effective collaboration.

Sample Written Performance Assignment B

Early childhood teachers need to understand how to create an inclusive learning community that promotes appreciation of and respect for diversity. Briefly describe one strategy or approach you would use to create a learning environment that promotes children's understanding and appreciation of diversity. Then explain why that strategy or approach would be effective in promoting children's understanding and appreciation of diversity.

Sample Response for Written Performance Assignment B: Score Point 3

One strategy to promote children's understanding and appreciation of diversity is to involve their family members in classroom activities. Various family members could make presentations involving their cultural traditions such as teaching the children how to cook traditional foods or sing traditional songs. Other ideas would be for parents to speak about their jobs, demonstrate favorite hobbies or tell stories related to their life and cultural experiences. This strategy would be effective because children would learn about different cultural traditions through first-hand accounts and active engagement in traditional activities. They would experience real-life examples of diverse individuals demonstrating a variety of interests and skills. Involving family members also provides the opportunity for children to develop ongoing relationships with people from many backgrounds.

Sample Written Performance Assignment C

A new early childhood teacher wishes to provide students with learning experiences that will promote their development of problem-solving skills.

Using your knowledge of appropriate instructional methodologies for achieving given purposes, write an essay in which you:

Sample Response for Written Performance Assignment C: Score Point 3

Students need to learn how to solve problems as early in life as possible. It is important to develop problem-solving skills because not only will they be able to use the skills in school-related activities, but also they can be taught to use them in life in general. When children understand there are a variety of ways to resolve any problem they might encounter and that they can learn the skills needed to resolve them, the more likely they are to practice these skills inside and outside of school. Students who possess appropriate problem-solving skills can resolve challenges whereas those who do not have the skills may ignore the problem, avoid the problem, or just be confused about what to do.

The first activity that a teacher can do is to have two students do a role-play about "cutting in line." The teacher will guide the students through questioning as to what the problem is and why the problem occurred. The teacher will then ask students to list ideas about what should be done to resolve the situation. After the discussion, the students will be asked to vote on the best way to handle the "cutting in line" situation. The teacher will then explain to students that they have just participated in problem solving and explain the steps they took. This activity would be effective because students will have participated in the problem-solving steps with an activity that is relevant to them. The students receive guidance throughout the process but are able to truly practice each of the steps. The practice will help them memorize and utilize what to do in like circumstances. Through participation, students will demonstrate their thinking skills.

The second activity I would utilize would be a dilemma-based story and discussion activity. The dilemma-based story would be an age appropriate story like "Goldilocks and The Three Bears" but would have a teacher-determined problem to be solved. Students would be guided to discuss the story, including issues so as what the problem is, why the problem occurred, how they can resolve the problem and which solution they selected. This activity would be effective because students get the opportunity to gather the facts during the story and are guided to use problem solving steps. Students will be encouraged to think of like scenarios that they have had or heard of to come up with various solutions. This step will help them be creative in thinking about ways to resolve problems.

Scoring Rubric

Performance Characteristics

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the written performance assignment(s).

Performance Characteristics
Purpose The candidate fulfills the purpose of the assignment by demonstrating an understanding of relevant pedagogical knowledge.
Application of Knowledge The candidate accurately and effectively applies relevant pedagogical knowledge.
Support The candidate supports the response with appropriate examples, evidence, and rationales based on relevant pedagogical knowledge.

Scoring Scale

The scoring scale below, which is related to the performance characteristics for the tests, is used by scorers in assigning scores to responses to the written performance assignment(s).

Score Scale with description for each score point.
Score Point Score Point Description
3 The "3" response reflects a thorough understanding of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
  • The response completely fulfills the purpose of the assignment by responding fully to the given task.
  • The response demonstrates an accurate and effective application of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
  • The response provides strong supporting examples, evidence, and rationales based on relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
2 The "2" response reflects an adequate understanding of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
  • The response generally fulfills the purpose of the assignment by responding adequately to the given task.
  • The response demonstrates a generally accurate and reasonably effective application of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
  • The response provides adequate supporting examples, evidence, and rationales based on relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
1 The "1" response reflects limited or no understanding of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
  • The response partially fulfills or fails to fulfill the purpose of the assignment by responding in a limited or inadequate way.
  • The response demonstrates a limited and/or ineffective application of relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea and may contain significant inaccuracies.
  • The response provides limited or no supporting examples, evidence, and rationales based on relevant pedagogical knowledge from the applicable subarea.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, primarily in a language other than English, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.