Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Early Childhood Education Practice Test

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Study for the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Early Childhood Education Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Prepare for your certification exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


What should a teacher do when observing a student using both English and their primary language?

  1. Encourage English usage only

  2. Ignore the student's effort and speak with other children

  3. Ignore their language switching while supporting their communication

  4. Correct their language use immediately

The correct answer is: Ignore their language switching while supporting their communication

When observing a student using both English and their primary language, supporting their communication while allowing them to switch languages is important for several reasons. Acknowledging and accepting the use of both languages validates the student's cultural identity and helps build their confidence in communicating. This approach also recognizes that bilingualism is an asset, fostering a rich linguistic environment where the student can more comfortably express their thoughts and ideas. Language switching can indicate that a student is trying to communicate effectively, pulling from their complete linguistic repertoire. By ignoring the language switch and focusing on the student's ability to engage in conversation, the teacher encourages language development in both English and the student's primary language. This support can enhance the student's overall learning experience and promote a more inclusive classroom atmosphere where all students feel valued for their individual linguistic backgrounds.