NES Secondary Professional Knowledge Exam
Questions with Answers.
Theory: What is Erikson's theory? - ANS Psychosocial Theory of Development -
Individuals experience internal conflicts at various stages of life (crises) which are
resolved through interaction with others
Theory: What does Erikson's theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS
Competence: Industry vs. inferiority (ages 5~12)
Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (ages 13~19)
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Erikson's theory? - ANS Help
students explore identity, beliefs, careers, and responsibilities. Model career choices.
Help students find resources to work out personal problems. Give many "second
chances"
Theory: What is Piaget's theory? - ANS Theory of Cognitive Development -
Infants are born with sensory and reflexive skills that they use to engage the
environment and ultimately construct mental representations of it
Theory: What does Piaget's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS -
Concrete Operational (ages 7~11) time, space, and quantity are understood and can be
applied but not as independent concepts
-Formal Operations (age 11+) theoretical, hypothetical, and counterfactual thinking,
Abstract logic and reasoning
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Piaget's theory? - ANS
Concrete Operational Student: use props, visual aids, manipulative, well-organized
presentation, use familiar examples
Formal Operational Student: continue to use concrete operational teaching, hypothetical
questions, scientific reasoning, teach broad concepts not just facts, inwards reflection
Theory: What is Vygotsky's Theory? - ANS Social Development Theory - children's
thought structures develop through interaction with individuals in their environments,
informed by the culture in which they live
Theory: What does Piaget's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS Work
within students' ZPD
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Vygotsky's theory? - ANS -
Scaffolding
-accessibility to tools that support thinking
,-build on cultural funds of knowledge
-utilize dialogue and learning groups
Vocabulary: Scaffolding - ANS providing sufficient support to promote learning when
concepts and skills are being first introduced to students.
Might include:
-resources
-a compelling task
-templates and guides
-guidance on the development of cognitive and social skills
Vocabulary: ZPD - ANS The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the difference
between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help
Theory: What is Kohlberg's Theory? - ANS Stages of Moral Development -
Moral reasoning, the basis for ethical behavior, has six identifiable developmental
stages, each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its predecessor
Theory: What does Kohlberg's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS
Secondary students will fall somewhere in these levels:
-Interpersonal accord and conformity
-Authority and social-order maintaining orientation
-Social contract orientation
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Kohlberg's theory? - ANS
Help students:
Examine their dilemmas, see others' perspectives, help students really listen to each
other, and ensure your class reflects concern for moral issues and values
Development: What 3 areas of development occur in secondary students? - ANS 1)
Physical/biological
2) Cognitive
3) Socioemotional (including moral)
Development: How does development contribute to early adolescent's (10~14)
behavior? - ANS -adolescents seeking peers with similar values and
recognition/attention/status
-risky activities emerge
-if academic problems become more pronounced then frequent failure leads to less
engagement in school activities
, Development: How can you help failing students and students falling behind? - ANS -
Suggest and demonstrate effective study strategies
-extra academic support for those struggling
-provide a regular time and place for them to seek guidance and advice on academic or
social matters
-provide opportunities for adolescents to make decisions
-hold them accountable for their actions and provide appropriate consequences
Development: How does development contribute to late adolescent's (14~18) behavior?
- ANS -associating with "bad" peers
-vast differences in interest of educational tracks
-students in extracurricular activities tend to stay in school longer
-sexual activity and parenting
-neighborhoods/ communities with opportunities / local cultures
Development: How can you help late adolescents' development? - ANS -Communicate
caring and respect for all
-Allow choices in subjects, but have high standards
-provide guidance / assistant for low achievers
-help students explore higher education opportunities and career paths
-encourage extracurricular activities
-get them involved in their communities
Vocabulary: synaptic pruning - ANS the process of synapse elimination that occurs
between early childhood and the onset of puberty in many mammals
MEANING: improvements in memory and attention
Development: How does the brain develop during adolescence? - ANS Increased:
-planning and decision making skills
-faster cognitive processing
-improved memory and attention
Questions with Answers.
Theory: What is Erikson's theory? - ANS Psychosocial Theory of Development -
Individuals experience internal conflicts at various stages of life (crises) which are
resolved through interaction with others
Theory: What does Erikson's theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS
Competence: Industry vs. inferiority (ages 5~12)
Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (ages 13~19)
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Erikson's theory? - ANS Help
students explore identity, beliefs, careers, and responsibilities. Model career choices.
Help students find resources to work out personal problems. Give many "second
chances"
Theory: What is Piaget's theory? - ANS Theory of Cognitive Development -
Infants are born with sensory and reflexive skills that they use to engage the
environment and ultimately construct mental representations of it
Theory: What does Piaget's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS -
Concrete Operational (ages 7~11) time, space, and quantity are understood and can be
applied but not as independent concepts
-Formal Operations (age 11+) theoretical, hypothetical, and counterfactual thinking,
Abstract logic and reasoning
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Piaget's theory? - ANS
Concrete Operational Student: use props, visual aids, manipulative, well-organized
presentation, use familiar examples
Formal Operational Student: continue to use concrete operational teaching, hypothetical
questions, scientific reasoning, teach broad concepts not just facts, inwards reflection
Theory: What is Vygotsky's Theory? - ANS Social Development Theory - children's
thought structures develop through interaction with individuals in their environments,
informed by the culture in which they live
Theory: What does Piaget's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS Work
within students' ZPD
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Vygotsky's theory? - ANS -
Scaffolding
-accessibility to tools that support thinking
,-build on cultural funds of knowledge
-utilize dialogue and learning groups
Vocabulary: Scaffolding - ANS providing sufficient support to promote learning when
concepts and skills are being first introduced to students.
Might include:
-resources
-a compelling task
-templates and guides
-guidance on the development of cognitive and social skills
Vocabulary: ZPD - ANS The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the difference
between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help
Theory: What is Kohlberg's Theory? - ANS Stages of Moral Development -
Moral reasoning, the basis for ethical behavior, has six identifiable developmental
stages, each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its predecessor
Theory: What does Kohlberg's Theory suggest about secondary students? - ANS
Secondary students will fall somewhere in these levels:
-Interpersonal accord and conformity
-Authority and social-order maintaining orientation
-Social contract orientation
Theory: What can a teacher do to help students based on Kohlberg's theory? - ANS
Help students:
Examine their dilemmas, see others' perspectives, help students really listen to each
other, and ensure your class reflects concern for moral issues and values
Development: What 3 areas of development occur in secondary students? - ANS 1)
Physical/biological
2) Cognitive
3) Socioemotional (including moral)
Development: How does development contribute to early adolescent's (10~14)
behavior? - ANS -adolescents seeking peers with similar values and
recognition/attention/status
-risky activities emerge
-if academic problems become more pronounced then frequent failure leads to less
engagement in school activities
, Development: How can you help failing students and students falling behind? - ANS -
Suggest and demonstrate effective study strategies
-extra academic support for those struggling
-provide a regular time and place for them to seek guidance and advice on academic or
social matters
-provide opportunities for adolescents to make decisions
-hold them accountable for their actions and provide appropriate consequences
Development: How does development contribute to late adolescent's (14~18) behavior?
- ANS -associating with "bad" peers
-vast differences in interest of educational tracks
-students in extracurricular activities tend to stay in school longer
-sexual activity and parenting
-neighborhoods/ communities with opportunities / local cultures
Development: How can you help late adolescents' development? - ANS -Communicate
caring and respect for all
-Allow choices in subjects, but have high standards
-provide guidance / assistant for low achievers
-help students explore higher education opportunities and career paths
-encourage extracurricular activities
-get them involved in their communities
Vocabulary: synaptic pruning - ANS the process of synapse elimination that occurs
between early childhood and the onset of puberty in many mammals
MEANING: improvements in memory and attention
Development: How does the brain develop during adolescence? - ANS Increased:
-planning and decision making skills
-faster cognitive processing
-improved memory and attention
