Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Syllabus

Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) in Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Students as Learners

   4 topics

   • Theories of Development
     • Piaget's cognitive stages
     • Vygotsky and the zone of proximal development
     • Erikson's psychosocial stages
   • Learning Theories
     • Behaviorism and reinforcement
     • Constructivism and social learning
   • Student Diversity and Individual Differences
     • Multiple intelligences and learning styles
     • Cultural and linguistic diversity
     • Students with exceptionalities and IEPs
   • Motivation and Classroom Climate
2. 2

   Instructional Process

   4 topics

   • Planning Instruction
     • Writing measurable objectives
     • Bloom's taxonomy and cognitive levels
   • Instructional Strategies
     • Direct instruction and inquiry methods
     • Cooperative learning and grouping
     • Differentiated instruction
   • Questioning and Discussion Techniques
   • Technology Integration in Teaching
3. 3

   Assessment

   4 topics

   • Types of Assessment
     • Formative and summative assessment
     • Diagnostic and performance-based assessment
   • Assessment Quality
     • Validity and reliability
   • Interpreting and Using Assessment Data
   • Standardized Testing and Score Interpretation
4. 4

   Professional Development, Leadership, and Community

   4 topics

   • Reflective Practice and Professional Growth
   • The Larger Community
     • Family and caregiver engagement
     • School and community resources
   • Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
     • FERPA and student privacy
     • Mandated reporting and due process
   • Collaboration with Colleagues and Specialists

Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) flashcards for Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments)

18 of 50 cards from the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, what are the four stages in order?

   Sensorimotor (birth–2), Preoperational (2–7), Concrete operational (7–11), and Formal operational (11+).

2. In Piaget's theory, what is the difference between assimilation and accommodation?

   Assimilation fits new information into existing schemas; accommodation changes or creates schemas to fit new information.

3. According to Vygotsky, what is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

   The gap between what a learner can do independently and what they can do with guidance from a more knowledgeable other.

4. What is 'scaffolding' in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory?

   Temporary support a teacher or peer provides within the ZPD, gradually removed as the learner becomes independent.

5. What do Erikson's stages describe, and which crisis applies to adolescence?

   Erikson describes eight psychosocial stages; adolescence faces 'Identity vs. Role Confusion.'

6. What are the three levels of Kohlberg's theory of moral development?

   Preconventional (punishment/reward), Conventional (social approval/law and order), and Postconventional (universal ethical principles).

7. What does Maslow's hierarchy of needs imply for teaching?

   Lower needs (physiological, safety, belonging, esteem) must be reasonably met before students can pursue self-actualization and full learning.

8. In Bandura's social learning theory, what are the four processes required for observational learning?

   Attention, Retention, Reproduction, and Motivation.

9. What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning?

   Classical conditioning pairs a stimulus with an involuntary response (Pavlov); operant conditioning shapes voluntary behavior through reinforcement and punishment (Skinner).

10. In operant conditioning, how do positive and negative reinforcement differ?

    Positive reinforcement adds a desirable stimulus to increase behavior; negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior.

11. What is the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?

    Negative reinforcement increases a behavior by removing something aversive; punishment decreases a behavior by adding aversive or removing pleasant stimuli.

12. What is constructivism as a learning theory?

    The view that learners actively build their own knowledge and understanding by connecting new experiences to prior knowledge, rather than passively receiving information.

13. According to information-processing theory, what are the three main memory stores?

    Sensory memory, short-term (working) memory, and long-term memory.

14. What is metacognition?

    Awareness and regulation of one's own thinking and learning processes—'thinking about thinking.'

15. What does Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences propose?

    That intelligence is not single but composed of distinct types (e.g., linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist).

16. What is the purpose of differentiated instruction?

    To tailor content, process, product, or learning environment to students' varying readiness, interests, and learning profiles.

17. What is an IEP and which law requires it?

    An Individualized Education Program—a legally binding plan for a student with a disability, required under IDEA.

18. What is the difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan?

    An IEP (under IDEA) provides specialized instruction for qualifying disabilities; a 504 Plan (under Section 504) provides accommodations to ensure access but not specialized instruction.

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