All candidates desiring to teach Early Childhood Special Education in the state of Washington must pass the 110 question WEST-™E Early Childhood Special Education test.
The WEST Early Childhood Special Education exam is a computer-based multiple-choice test to be completed in two hours and fifteen minutes.
The exam consists of four content domains:
- Understanding Young Children with Disabilities (25%)
- Assessment and Program Development (25%)
- Delivering Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) to Promote Development and Learning (25%)
- Foundations and Professional Practice (25%)
The Understanding Young Children with Disabilities domain consists of topics such as typical and atypical cognitive, linguistic, communicative, physical, motor, sensory, social, and emotional development and growth. Questions will also include identification of characteristics and types of disabilities, recognizing young children with and without disabilities, and the effects of various disabilities on a young students learning and development.
In the Assessment and Program Development domain, you will be evaluated on your understanding of basic assessment terminology, curriculum-based assessment, assessment procedures, instruments used to assess needs of students, and issues related to individual student assessments. You will also demonstrate competency in the development and implementation of individualized programs for young students with disabilities.
The third content domain, Delivering Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) to Promote Development and Learning, assesses your knowledge of research-based strategies for creating suitable learning environments and using SDI to promote a young child’s learning, behavioral, and social interaction skills. You will also be required to demonstrate your comprehension of research-based strategies for delivering SDI in areas such as reading, mathematics, communication, and practical living skills for young children with disabilities.
The final content domain, Foundations and Professional Practice, will evaluate your understanding of how early childhood special education has been shaped by philosophies, regulatory history, federal and state laws, and the definition and identification of young children from diverse backgrounds. Questions in this domain will also include approaches for communicating and cooperating with students, families, other school resources, and community organizations to assist young students with disabilities in attaining optimal learning results and the ethical and professional responsibilities of early childhood special education teachers.
The WEST Early Childhood Special Education practice test developed by Mometrix covers the same content as the actual test and includes answers and detailed explanations of those answers so that you can clearly understand which questions you missed and why you missed them. Your path to success begins here!