MTTC Early Childhood General and Special Education (Birth–K) (134) Practice Test

Ongoing, classroom-based assessment is being used here. This approach weaves assessment into daily activities and routines, with teachers recording spontaneous observations of children during play and conversations. It provides a continuous, authentic picture of each child’s development and learning, because the child is demonstrating skills in real contexts over time. Those observations help guide instruction, adapt activities, and plan for individual needs.

Formal standardized tests and one-time quizzes capture data at a single point and outside the usual learning context, which doesn’t reflect how children learn or perform day to day. Summative exams focus on learning after instruction ends, rather than informing ongoing teaching. The described practices align with formative, authentic assessment that supports responsive teaching in early childhood.