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Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Exam

6. Communication: practice questions

Our CDA exam bank has 24 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1

By 1 year, which communication milestones do most babies show?

  1. Name colors
  2. Say two-word phrases
  3. Wave "bye-bye" and understand "no"
  4. Answer "what" questions
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C. Wave "bye-bye" and understand "no" — CDC's 1-year milestones include waving bye-bye, calling a parent mama or dada, and understanding no.

Question 2

By 3 years, how understandable should a child's speech usually be?

  1. Only parents can understand it
  2. Perfectly clear, with every sound pronounced correctly
  3. Well enough for others to understand most of the time
  4. Not understandable at all
Show the answer

C. Well enough for others to understand most of the time — CDC's 3-year milestones include talking well enough for others to understand, most of the time.

Question 3

A child who speaks Spanish at home mixes Spanish and English words. What does this usually mean?

  1. The child has a language delay
  2. It is a normal part of learning two languages
  3. The child is confused and the family should switch to English only
  4. The family should stop speaking Spanish
Show the answer

B. It is a normal part of learning two languages — Head Start treats bilingualism as a strength (1302.31(b)(2)); mixing languages is common in dual language learners.

Question 4

If no staff speak a child's home language, what should a Head Start program do?

  1. Move the child to another program
  2. Tell the family to stop using it at home so the child learns English faster
  3. Take steps such as culturally and linguistically appropriate materials to support the home language
  4. Ignore the home language
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C. Take steps such as culturally and linguistically appropriate materials to support the home language — 1302.31(b)(2)(iii) requires steps to support home language development when staff do not speak it.

Question 5

By 3 years, which conversation milestone do most children show?

  1. Use only single words
  2. Read short books
  3. Talk in conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges
  4. Keep a conversation going for more than three exchanges
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C. Talk in conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges — CDC's 3-year milestones include at least two back-and-forth exchanges, asking who/what/where/why questions, and saying their first name.

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