1. Chapter 6 Observing and Assessing Young Children Guiding, Teaching, and Learning

2. Focus Questions What is assessment?
Why is it important for you to know how to assess children and families?
What are the purposes and uses of observation and assessment and what are some ways you can assess children’s development, learning, and behavior?
What are the types of assessment teachers use?
What are the contexts that influence the use of assessments?
What the issues of assessment?

3. T 6.3
What Is Assessment?
Assessment is a process of collecting information about
Development
Learning
Health
Behavior
Academic progress
Need for special services
In order to
Plan and implement curriculum and instruction

4. Purposes of Assessment
Identify what children know
Identify special needs
Determine appropriate placement
Make lesson and activity plans
Select materials
Make decisions about how to implement learning activities
Communicate with parents about developmental status and achievement
Referral for children and families for additional services
Make policy decisions about what is or is not appropriate for children

5. Formal vs. Informal Assessment
Use of standardized tests
Compares child’s score with a group of children who have already taken the same exam
Informal assessment
Observation
Anecdotal record
Running record
Event sampling
Time sampling
Rating scale
Checklist
Work sample
Portfolio
Interview

6. Purposes of Observation
Determine the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development of children
Identify interests and learning styles
Plan
Meet the needs of individual children
Determine progress
Provide information to parents
Provide self-insight

7. Four Steps for Effective Observation
Step 1—Plan for observation
Set goals
Step 2—Conduct the observation
Record data as you observe
Step 3—Interpret the data
Step 4—Implement a plan

8. Indicators of Effective Assessment
Ethical principles guide assessment practices
Assessment instruments are used for their intended purposes
Assessments are appropriate for ages and other characteristics of children being assessed. 

9. Indicators of Effective Assessment
Assessment instruments are in compliance with professional criteria for quality. 
What is assessed is developmentally and educationally significant
Assessment evidence is used to understand and improve learning

10. Indicators of Effective Assessment
Assessment evidence is gathered from realistic settings and situations that reflect children’s actual performance. 
Assessments use multiple sources of evidence gathered over time. 
Screening is always linked to follow-up
Use of individually administered, norm-referenced tests is limited
Staff and families are knowledgeable about assessment. 

11. Issues in Assessment Assessment and accountability High-stakes testing
Standardized tests are used to make important decisions about children
Generally opposed by the early childhood profession