Praxis PLT K-6 Study Guide
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Behaviorism - ✔✔View learning as a process of accessing and changing associations
between stimuli and responses.
What do behaviorists believe? - ✔✔Behaviorists believe that our responses to
environmental stimuli shape our actions.
Who are key behaviorism theorists? - ✔✔B.F. Skinner
Edward Thorndike
Ivan Pavlov
How is behaviorism shown in the classroom? - ✔✔For example, in a second grade
classroom, the teacher noticed the children were taking too long to put their things
away and get ready for new activities. The teacher decided to use behaviorism to try to
change this behavior. To change the behavior, the teacher would make note of the first
table to get their things away and be ready to change activities and would give this
table a star on a chart. Once one table had a certain number of stars, the children
received a reward (positive reinforcement). The students' behavior changed quickly;
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 1
,soon enough all the children would put away their materials and be waiting quietly to
start something new within a minute of being told.
Classical Conditioning - ✔✔-First described by Ivan Pavlov (Russian)
-Involves placing a neutral signal before a reflex
-Focuses on involuntary, automatic behaviors
Ex. A dog that salivates when it sees food.
Operational Conditioning - ✔✔-First described by B. F. Skinner (American)
-Involves applying reinforcement or punishment after a behavior
-Focuses on strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviors
Ex. A trainer is trying to teach a dog to fetch a ball. When the dog successful chases and
picks up the ball, the dog receives praise as a reward.
Edward Thorndike - ✔✔Created laws of learning which provides additional insight into
what makes people learn most effectively.
Law of Readiness (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔People learn best when they are ready to
learn.
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 2
,Law of Exercise (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔People can enhance their memory through
repetition, based on drill and practice.
Law of Effect (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔Learning is strengthened when it is
accompanied with a pleasant or nonthreatening situation or environment but is
decreased when associated with an unpleasant situation or environment.
Law of Primacy (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔First impressions are often strong, almost
unshakable. Things learned first stay with us longer.
Law of Intensity (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔The more intense the material taught, the
more likely it will be retained. A sharp, clear, vivid, dramatic, or exciting learning
experience teaches more than a routine or boring experience.
Law of Recency (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔This law basically means, all things being
equal, things most recently learned are best remembered.
Law of Freedom (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔States that things freely learned are best
learned. Conversely, the further a student is coerced, the more difficult is for him to
learn, assimilate and implement what is learned.
Constructivism - ✔✔Views learning as a process in which the learner constructs
knowledge based on their past experiences.
Who are key constructivism theorists? - ✔✔Jean Piaget
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 3
, Jerome Bruner
John Dewey
Lev Vygotsky
How is constructivism shown in the classroom? - ✔✔Learner-centered. Teacher as
facilitator - students construct knowledge through critical thinking, manipulatives,
primary resources, and hands-on activities.
Student works collaboratively in groups, independently or in partners.
Shared responsibility and decision making.
Students ask questions. Empowered learner.
ETC.
Jean Piaget - ✔✔-First theorist to discover cognitive development.
-Developed the four stages of cognitive development
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 4
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Behaviorism - ✔✔View learning as a process of accessing and changing associations
between stimuli and responses.
What do behaviorists believe? - ✔✔Behaviorists believe that our responses to
environmental stimuli shape our actions.
Who are key behaviorism theorists? - ✔✔B.F. Skinner
Edward Thorndike
Ivan Pavlov
How is behaviorism shown in the classroom? - ✔✔For example, in a second grade
classroom, the teacher noticed the children were taking too long to put their things
away and get ready for new activities. The teacher decided to use behaviorism to try to
change this behavior. To change the behavior, the teacher would make note of the first
table to get their things away and be ready to change activities and would give this
table a star on a chart. Once one table had a certain number of stars, the children
received a reward (positive reinforcement). The students' behavior changed quickly;
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 1
,soon enough all the children would put away their materials and be waiting quietly to
start something new within a minute of being told.
Classical Conditioning - ✔✔-First described by Ivan Pavlov (Russian)
-Involves placing a neutral signal before a reflex
-Focuses on involuntary, automatic behaviors
Ex. A dog that salivates when it sees food.
Operational Conditioning - ✔✔-First described by B. F. Skinner (American)
-Involves applying reinforcement or punishment after a behavior
-Focuses on strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviors
Ex. A trainer is trying to teach a dog to fetch a ball. When the dog successful chases and
picks up the ball, the dog receives praise as a reward.
Edward Thorndike - ✔✔Created laws of learning which provides additional insight into
what makes people learn most effectively.
Law of Readiness (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔People learn best when they are ready to
learn.
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 2
,Law of Exercise (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔People can enhance their memory through
repetition, based on drill and practice.
Law of Effect (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔Learning is strengthened when it is
accompanied with a pleasant or nonthreatening situation or environment but is
decreased when associated with an unpleasant situation or environment.
Law of Primacy (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔First impressions are often strong, almost
unshakable. Things learned first stay with us longer.
Law of Intensity (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔The more intense the material taught, the
more likely it will be retained. A sharp, clear, vivid, dramatic, or exciting learning
experience teaches more than a routine or boring experience.
Law of Recency (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔This law basically means, all things being
equal, things most recently learned are best remembered.
Law of Freedom (Edward Thorndike) - ✔✔States that things freely learned are best
learned. Conversely, the further a student is coerced, the more difficult is for him to
learn, assimilate and implement what is learned.
Constructivism - ✔✔Views learning as a process in which the learner constructs
knowledge based on their past experiences.
Who are key constructivism theorists? - ✔✔Jean Piaget
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 3
, Jerome Bruner
John Dewey
Lev Vygotsky
How is constructivism shown in the classroom? - ✔✔Learner-centered. Teacher as
facilitator - students construct knowledge through critical thinking, manipulatives,
primary resources, and hands-on activities.
Student works collaboratively in groups, independently or in partners.
Shared responsibility and decision making.
Students ask questions. Empowered learner.
ETC.
Jean Piaget - ✔✔-First theorist to discover cognitive development.
-Developed the four stages of cognitive development
Emily Charlene © All Rights Reserved 2025. 4
