28 Early Childhood Care, Education and Development
N. Dhanya
Child assessment is a vital component of all early childhood programs. Assessment is a process that includes collecting, synthesizing and interpreting information on children’s knowledge, skills, behaviour, or personality. A good assessment requires a good observation. The teacher should observe and document with respect to the expected age of the child. It is a basis for assessment of the child’s performance and development in various areas. It helps to understand the child’s interests for various activities and his/her achievements. It also gives a glimpse on the possible difficulties that may arise in the children in future learning.
Assessments can also be used to identify appropriate curriculum and teaching strategies for individual children and to document children’s progress over time. It also helps in identifying developmental delays, special educational needs and particular abilities etc. this ensures a chance for planning a remedial program at the earliest. The assessment should be formative and continuous.
Assessment should be done based on the planned experiences and activities in the curriculum. The child’s development is documented by evaluating the daily activities that he or she performs. This is said to be formative continuous assessment. This helps to identify and encourage the interests and strengths in the child. For assessment to occur, it must be feasible, sustainable and reasonable with regards to demand budgets, educators and children. An assessment is selected by qualified professionals to ensure that they are reliable, valid and appropriate for the children being assessed.
What do you think are the purpose of assessment?
Assessment helps in identifying the developed and under-developed skills of a child. This helps in preparing useful learning activities and teaching techniques. Assessment on children from 0-8 years of age is done mainly to determine if the child has developmental delays/difficulties with respect to the other children of his/her age.
Why is an Assessment conducted? Assessments are done to
• Identify what children know
• Identify children’s special needs
• Determine appropriate placement
• Select appropriate curricula to meet children’s individual needs
• Refer children and, as appropriate, their families for additional services to programs and agencies
Assessment is not conducted to find the child’s improperly postulated readiness skills but to plan activities which may help each child.
Assessment tools are usually formulated to address only one specific purpose. Often assessment tool used for one purpose are found to be inappropriately used to make judgment on other purposes. EG: a screening test results are inappropriately used to determine the reason for child’s developmental delay. A diagnostic tool is more appropriate for this purpose.
Teaching and learning are always interrelated. Assessment can determine the effectiveness of teaching method used by a teacher and how well the children are learning.Good assessment must be combined with good teaching. This is termed as alignment of curriculum and assessment. An appropriate assessment tool should be based on the curriculum goals objectives, experiences, activities and materials. At times some teachers misunderstand and use the standards by considering each item and teach it directly. But best practices in assessment identify the items on the checklist as indicators of a child’s attainment of goals.
The role of assessment in curriculum planning
Curriculum and assessment are closely related. A curriculum that focuses on the development of self-regulation should be accompanied by assessment of the children’s ability in order to regulate their attention and emotion; and work efficiently without external force.
a. Standards and outcomes do not ‘influence’ curriculum but they are ‘considered’ in curriculum planning
b. Individual assessment results regarding outcomes are incorporated in daily planning.
c. Individual assessment are grouped and included in long term curriculum planning and in program evaluation.
There are innumerable methods of assessment… lets understand them…
Children are assessed through observations that are authentic and naturalistic. It is usually carried out during daily activities. Assessment of children is done through many observations.
The assessment process might become complex as the child progress to higher classes but not impossible. More norm-referenced test may be used in assessment of children since there comes a need to assess large groups of children more quickly. This may be done to identify progress or lack in the development of children. As children progress through higher classes, the chance for conducting ongoing authentic assessments is less. There are fewer authentic-based instruments available for the older age group since the classrooms become more structured and there is an increased focus on instruction and content there.
The types of assessment
Generally, there are two types of assessment: formal and informal. Formal assessments are the highly valid, reliable, standardized, and it have standards of comparison.It may be published by a nationally recognized company. Informal assessments are those which do not follow standard condition or use standard materials; they often lack documented reliability and validity. It may be published, but they can also be teacher or by the person by whom program developed. Ongoing, authentic assessments tend to come under the informal assessments and are usually considered to be criterion-referenced.
Developmental screening assessments: Screening test is brief, simple, and must be culturally and linguistically applicable. This can be used to assess large number of children. These are used to recognize children who need special attention. This type of assessment can be compared with screening the soil with artifacts. Once the soil is shaken through the tray with mesh some of the clumps of dirt and pottery pieces remain without falling off and these are to be examined closely. Similarly when screening assessment is conducted there might be some children who do not pass through the activities provided. These children should be given more consideration. These kind of assessment helps to identify the children who would benefit from the planned curriculum and also helps to identify children who might have difficulties. Only trained staffs are allowed to do further specialized assessment and intervention.
Recently, screening instruments are used to assess a child’s school readiness. Screeners are often inappropriately used as readiness tests for children. It not permitted to deny children entry to Kindergarten based on readiness test. However, the assessment results from pre-Kindergarten settings are important because the information can inform Kindergarten teachers about children’s developmental status. Assessing children as they enter Kindergarten is critically important to help determine the child’s areas of strengths and disabilities of all the children in the classroom. Using this information curriculum plans can be made.
Diagnostic assessments: Psychologists or therapists (such as speech therapist) use Diagnostic Assessment to find if there is a developmental delay or disability. E.g. of Diagnostic assessments: Brigance preschool screen ll, by Albert H. Brigance, and Fluharty preschool speech and language screening test, bynancybuonofluharty.
Readiness assessments: It gives an idea on the specific knowledge or skills that a child requires to master something new. Eg: Assessing child’s ability to use a computer mouse and follow verbal direction to find if the child is fit to use a computer reading program. Examples of Readiness assessments: Early Literacy Skills Assessment (ELSA) AND Kindergarten Readiness Assessment –Literacy (KRA-L)
Achievement assessment: This assessment gives information on how much the child has learned from the planned curriculum. It helps the teacher to evaluate the performance and to make effective changes in the curriculum. Examples of Achievement assessment: Work Sampling System, Creative Curriculum
DESIGN AN ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
A good assessment system should be compatible, provide specific goals and objectives and provide information regarding teaching method. The compatibility of the assessment system should consider the people who would use the assessment data. It is important to make sure that the parents are able to understand the system. Also the budget for implementing the system should be taken into main consideration.
The following steps can be followed to design a system:
i.Define the experiences and activities to be fostered. Prepare early learning skills to probe further into areas that may need more detailed evaluation such as early literacy, reading, math, and knowledge.
ii. Provide a nourishing environment with meaningful, purposeful and interesting materials which can help the child to gain the knowledge, skill, and good attitudes. It is also important to give opportunities plenty of time for learning. Providing the environment is an appropriate method of collecting data.
iii. Consider the amount of effort and time that would be required to devote to the assessment and documenting process. A well designed and validated assessment tool shall be used for children with developmental disabilities.
Assessment does not end here… It has to be documented, if the data needs to be utilized effectively.
DOCUMENTING FOR ASSESSMENT
Assessment contributes to evaluation, revision, and development of program. These can be “real” documents, (hand written documents), or it can be created and stored in electronic devices like computers. Developmental checklists, portfolios are a few of them…
Developmental checklists:This includes observing, summarizing and interpreting collected observation; and provides valid method for evaluation and to assist the curriculum. Early childhood assessments rely on observation and developmental checklist. Observations should be done by the teachers to rate the development in the children. Watch, observe, and record each child’s strong and weak skills through daily/weekly observations.
A checklist can help the teacher to know when to collect data and mark items. This helps to ensure if they are making the items correctly. These tasks should be done throughout the year. The frequency of monitoring is depends on the progress the child is making.
Portfolio: Portfolio of each child should be maintained. It should have particulars like anecdotal records, developmental checklist, samples of drawing, writing and other activities, photographs, videotapes and audio recordings observation notes and parent teacher meeting notes.
Communication with parents or the guardian : Collection of information on a child’s behaviour, interest, and skill, is very important in assessment. For this a regular communication with parents/guardian should be done. The parents or the guardian of the children have every right to know about the development of the child. Families of children with disabilities have a legal right to be a part in taking assessment decisions. The teachers or the staff who work for developmental programs share the assessment results to the parents/guardian in a clear, dutiful, culturally sensible, practical way and that too in a language that the families would easily understand.
Training and support: All assessment programs will require initial training and consistent support for implementations. The members of development program together plans goals, methods and processes for assessment of child’s progress in development. Positive approach towards assessment and “assessment literacy” are developed through cooperation and team work. There should be a clear understanding about the aim and limitations of the programs planned. The institutions should provide research based information and should facilitate opportunities to learn.
Culture and language fairness in assessment
The children from minority group might differ from the mainstream children. There may be difference in the style of interaction. They are more of passive participants and involve in cooperative study. These minority group children may have limited exposure towards English and due to this they find it difficultto grasp the classes. Also they struggle to express their doubts, views, and ideas. Often these kinds of variations of minority group children are misjudged as developmental delays, lack of motivation, lack of school readiness etc. Unfortunately, children from a comparatively different cultural and linguistic environment are mistaken to be mentally disabled and their efficiency in learning is often de-motivated. Skill and fluency in the language have to be identified. Limited exposure to English language is the main reason for communication disorder. Assessment of the child’s non- English language competency might help to solve the communication disorder The culturally and linguistically diverse children will have to involve in standardized assessment, however, authentic assessment methods are important to these minority group. Active learning and dynamic methods are preferred to the standardized methods. These tests rely less on the language abilities compared to most conventional assessments. Here the assessment may be conducted in a comfortable settings based on the child’s interest.
Authentic performance assessment
Collecting the details of the child from natural setting is called authentic assessments.
These types of measures can examine the whole child in their natural learning environment.
Preschool or early childhood assessment can be seen in the context of the larger push for accountability. It can indicate the skills in children that are needed for the academics associated with elementary education beginning in first grade. State early learning standards are partly an attempt that might lead to higher levels achievement. The use of formal research-based student assessments is a requirement for funding of all Early Childhood Special Education programs.
Early childhood assessment cannot follow the standardized testing. Children who are three to five years of age are developing, at individual paces, and with varying interests. It is important to document their successes and their progress as they grow. It is important to have special intervention that may be needed to deal with physical, psychological or behavioral circumstances. Authentic assessment records a child’s development and progress without disturbing the child and observes how the child uses his or her skills while engaging with materials, teachers, parents, and peers.
Authentic assessment involves the teacher as an observer and a researcher- working from a background of solid education and specialized training , collecting data over time, selecting and organizing evidence (the portfolio), preparing a hypothesis that can be tested (the curriculum), sharing conclusions with parents and other to refine what will work best in guiding a child to develop to his or her potential, and developing lesson plans that will help students individually progress towards meeting learning expectations.
For example, The children may be observed while they are playing with other children, completing puzzles, building in the block corner, or listening to stories.
Commonly used authentic assessment programs
1. The early learning scale (ELS)
The new ELS focus on the research-based early childhood assessment programs. They give importance to authenticity, flexibility, manageability (easing data collection and analysis), and reliability (high inter-rater agreement). ELS do not have its own curriculum. The assessment system can be used with all students. This can be done in English language learners and children with special needs.
The early learning scale helps in measuring progress towards meeting state early learning standards and national expectations .Mainly three domains are assessed in the ELS: math/ science; social –Emotional /social studies; and language and literacy. According to ELS developers these domains have a strong relationship that helps the children for future learning. These three domains include a total of ten items. The data for the arts and for physical development shall be collected for portfolio purpose. A checklist format is a generally suggested to use for tracking physical development.
2. Portfolios
A portfolio includes samples of a child’s activities accompanied by a teacher’s observations. It is an evidence of a student’s learning and progress. A portfolio can serve as a tool which teachers should use to do their lesson plans and help them make decisions about next steps for students.
The teacher determines two learning areas and ensures that the materials needed are available in the classroom. These steps will assist in collecting authentic documentation. As the teaching staffs become more comfortable with collecting authentic samples for these two learning areas, additional learning areas can be added.
3. I-TEACHe
I-TEACHe (Illinois’ tool for early childhood excellence) is an online observation and documentation system.It uses a hand-held computer or portable media device(ipod, ipad, etc) I – TEACHehelps to simplify data that has been gathered. The student’s progress may be representedthrough graphic reports. I – TEACHe is a professionals tool that teachers, administrators, and parents fine helpful in the authentic assessment process.
I-TEACHe is adoptable to any curriculum.Teachers can quickly collect photographs of a student’s work/activity , add anecdotal comments, and record a child’s progress towards meeting learning goals. Plus, it is helpful for implementing lesson plans that will work for both individual and class-wide learning.
Four Steps to Utilizing I-TEACHe
1. Recording Observations
Teachers use a portable digital device to record student activities. Multiple entry formats make recording faster and easy.for example, a teacher might want to record the cooperation that some students showed by putting all their leaning materials away before moving outside for playtime, indicating that some social\emotional and fine motor skills benchmarks had been demonstrated, then the teacher can immediately mark her observation in the device.
2. Synchronizing Data
The data collected will be synchronized with a secure centralized database accessible via the Internet. Information is transferred electronically to the main data analysis program where observations are automatically categorized. The teacher can do editing, add photos, add or delete benchmark, and create printable reports to keep in children’s port folio or to share with parents/guardian/school administrators.
3. Tracking progress
The data collected through I-TEACHe can help the teacher to get a quick overview on the present learning standards, its effectiveness and also it shows the areas that needs improvement/change.
4. Assessing & reporting
Finally, a teacher writes detailed evaluations based on the information they’ve recorded about each student.When a student is assessed, all relevant data is available, to provide an accurate picture of the student’s ability and progress .
ISSUES OF RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
Reliability refers to how consistent is the judgment made from the assessment instrument. Assessment tools have to be tested many times and redesigned until users can be sure that the system used by teacher would assess all children in almost the same way.
The documentation method used also affects an assessment system. The different method of collecting evidence are placed on a continuum, such a way that the most reliable and valid information is placed on the right side –which indicate that judgment using the assessment tool uses the most valid and reliable checklists and other measures like portfolios. Often assessment creates nervousness about the inappropriateness of “testing” children. Assessment tools that are inappropriate for children should be avoided. However, the benefits of assessment procedures for children birth to age 8 need to be more widely acceptable validated. Combining assessment with curriculum and standards offers an opportunity to increase the level of professionalism in the field of early education (birth to age 8).
Indicators of Effectiveness
Ethical principles directs assessment practice
Ethical principles emphasize all assessment practice. Young children are never denied in the opportunities or services. The decisions are not taken basedon of a single assessment.
Assessment instruments are used for their contracted purpose.
Assessment is done based on the purpose for which it was designed. If it is used for some other additional purpose, they are validated for those purposes.
Assessments are applicable for children of specific ages and other similar characteristics
Assessment are done and validated in case of children whose ages, cultures, home languages, socio-economic status, abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics are similar to the children with whom the assessment will be conducted.
Assessment instrument are in appropriateness with professional criteria for quality
Assessments should be valid and reliable. Accepted professional standards of quality are the criterion for selection, operation and interpretation of assessment instrument.
The assessed data/area is developmentally and educationally significant.
Assessment include a comprehensive, developmentally, and educationally important set of goals. Assessments aredesigned with early learning standards, with program goals, and with specific focuson the curriculum.
Assessment data is used to understand and improve early educational programs. Assessments help in understanding the children. It helps in improving the curriculum implemented and also the teaching practice. Assessment helps early childhood professional to enhance overall knowledge of thechild development ; improve educational programs; and access resources and supports for children with specific needs.
Screening always needs follow–up.
On assessment, certain things that need immediate concern may be revealed.Then it is important to start follow –up on the intervention programs used.
Assessment data is collected from realistic settings and situations that reflect children’s actual performance.
Assessment in done from real-world classroom or family contexts that are consistent with children’s culture, language , and experiences.
Assessment use multiple sources
The assessment system emphasizes repeated, systematic observation, and documentation of child’s development over a given period of time. It provides complementary methods with considerations for the children with disabilities.
Use of individually conducted, norm-referenced tests is limited.
The use of formal standardized testing and norm-referenced assessments of young children is limited. It is constrained to the situations in which these measures are applicable and potentially beneficial, such as identifying potential disabilities.
Staff and families should be knowledgeable about assessment
Staff is given training to have knowledge about early childhood assessment and their ability to assess children. Families are part of this community, with regular communication partnership and involvement.
Conclusion
Recently there is an increased public interest in early childhood education. Assessments can revealthe highest educational goals for young children and never will it distort the chance for their early learning. Agood assessment system meets reliability and validity.It respects the well-being and development of young children.Developing and implementing a balanced assessment is not an easy or inexpensive program. It requires careful planning and also financial support.We all need to respect and value the need for education. So to provide a quality education to our children we need continuous, systematic and authentic assessments tools. Because “today’s children are the tomorrow’s torch bearers of the nation”.
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