Objectives:

1. Define what assessment is.

2. Familiarize with the different factors in assessing young children.
3. Determine the different purposes of assessment.

Topic Outline:
A. Definition of Assessment
B. Factors to Consider
C. Purposes of Assessment

ASSESSMENT: EVALUATING CHILDREN

Children are evaluated because teachers and parents want to know what the chil- dren are
learning. Evaluations set the tone for a child's overall educational experience. Highlighting children's
strengths builds a foundation from which to address their limitations or needs. Evaluation processes can
help teachers discover who children are, what they can (and cannot) do, and how we can help children
grow and learn.'

In evaluating children, teachers first decide what it is they want to know about each child, and
why. Goals for children stem from program objectives. Assessment must:

 Occur in a variety of settings over time, drawing on many sources of information

 Focus on essential skills tions and valued disposi- by the families program and by communities.
 Have teacher-designed tools and methods that demonstrate the child in action and in a familiar
setting

For instance, if the school is, program is dren "Our philosophy designed to help chil- toward social,
grow and increasing physical, intellectual an evaluation will competencies," measure progress children's
in those claims three to areas. teach One that want specific to language skills will assess how being
speaking are and listening accomplished.

Evaluations opportunity provide teachers with an to the daily distance themselves contact from with
children and look at them in a more detached, professional way. Teachers can use the results to share
their opinions and concerns about children with each other and with parents. Charting individual growth
sets the child apart as a unique human being.

For an evaluation to be reliable and valid, multiple sources of information should be used. Observing
young children in action is the key to early childhood assessment; most of the child evaluation
instruments described in this module are based on what children do spontaneously or in their familiar,
natural settings. In general, evaluations are made to:

 Establish a baseline of information about each child

 Monitor the growth of individual children
 Have a systematic plan for intervention and guidance
 Plan the curriculum
 Provide families with updated information on their child
  Provide information for making administrative decisions

To Establish a Baseline
One purpose of evaluating children is to establish a starting point of their skills and behavior. It
shows where the child is in relation to the program objectives. Baseline data give a realistic picture of a
child at that moment in time, but there is a presumption that the picture will change.

A Baseline Tool
The beginning of the school term is an obvious time to start collecting information. Records of a
child are established context of the child's history and family background. Families frequently submit
this information with an application to the school. It is critical to be sensitive about how to ask for
personal information and to understand family reluctance to tails share details with adults they have
only just met. Teachers can gather the data by visiting the child at home or holding a conference and
speaking directly with the family about the child's development. Additionally, more will be revealed as
trust and communication build the relationship over time. An entry-level assessment made during the
first few weeks of the program can be informative, particularly when added to the child's family history.
The evaluation itself should be done informally, with teachers collecting information as children engage
naturally with materials and each ra other. A few notes jotted during the first month of school can serve
as a beginning collection of pertinent data about the child. Or the format can be more structured.

Application

Teachers use this information to understand a child and identify any concerns right away. One
must remember, however, that the entry assessment is only a first impression. Avoid creating a self-
fulfilling prophecy by labeling children so that they become shaped into those beginning patterns. Still,
so much happens in the beginning that rich information is gained from documenting this short period of
time.

Goals and Plans

Teachers use baseline data to set realistic goals for individual children. They tailor the
curriculum to the needs and interests they have observed. For instance, after setting a baseline of
Mariko's language ability in English, teachers plan activities to increase her understanding and use of
language. Then, they make periodic checks on her increased vocabulary as the school year progresses.

To Monitor Children's Progress

Teachers use evaluations to document children's growth. Data collected provide evidence of
children's growth or lack of progress.

Hita has mastered the brushes at the easel. Now we can encourage her to try the smaller
brushes in table painting. Enrico has been asking how to spell simple words. Let's see that he gets some
time away from the blocks to work at the writing center. All the children seem able to separate from
their parents and say good-bye comfortably. How can we celebrate this progress with the group?

A Progress Tool
Criteria for each area of development are included to build a profile of the whole child. Teachers
note the intervention and guidance steps they plan, where appropriate. Early childhood education
(Sample of Entry-Level Assessment to collect information.)
teachers individualize their assessments to the skills of their specify group; an infant toddler and group
would have different age- appropriate skills than would a preschool or primary-age class. Such a revised
form should include what the child will do show to a suitable level of behavior in developmental stage.

Application
Information about a child will be used assess growth to and change. How often happens this can
vary. Although many changes occur in rapid succession in these early years, it takes time for a child to
integrate life experiences and for teachers to see them expressed as a permanent part of behavior.
Evaluating too frequently does not reveal sufficient change to make it worthwhile and places an added
burden on the teaching staff as well. For centers operating on a year-round basis, an assessment should
be done every six months. In programs with a shorter calendar, this would mean establishing a baseline
in thefall and checking progress in the winter and/or spring. These need not be time consuming.

Many evaluations take the form of a checklist and can be accomplished while the class is in session.

Goals and Plans

Goals are established for children as a result of an assessment. These goals are changed as
growth takes place. A good assessment tool monitors progress in each developmental area so that plans
can be made to challenge the child physically, socially, emotionally, creatively, and intellectually. At the
same time, theory reminds us that the child develops as a whole, with each area of growth influencing
and being influenced by what changes take place in other areas.

Look for the child's collective abilities, as in this example:

Dylan's midyear report shows that he lacks dexterity in running and climbing and that he is
exceptionally strong in verbal and listening skills. This influences his development in the following areas:

Emotionally.
He appears to lack self- confidence, and his self-esteem deteriorates the longer he feels inept at
physical skills. He may even be afraid to master the art of climbing and running for fear he will fail.

Socially. Children tease Dylan because he often cannot keep up with them while playing outside. He often
ends up playing alone or watching the other children in more active pursuits.

Intellectually. There is a lack of risk taking in Dylan's whole approach to play. Because of his slow physi-
cal development, he seems unlikely to challenge himself in other ways.

Dylan's progress report thus sets a primary goal in physical/motor skills, with the knowledge
that such growth can positively affect learning in other areas. Teachers also plan the strategy of helping
him talk about what he likes and dislikes about the outdoors and collecting some stories that depict
characters persisting to master difficulties (such as The Little Engine That Could), using his strength as a
springboard for growth.

To Plan for Guidance and Intervention

A third purpose for evaluation teacher is to help teachers determine guidance procedures.
When teachers see a problem behavior or are concerned about a child, they plan for further
(A Midyear Evaluation: more detailed description of the child. Highlights areas of concern and
progress.)
assessment. If a developmental screening is done to assess if a child has a learning problem or needs
special services, teachers will either refer the family to a proper specialist or agency or administer the
screening themselves.

A Guidance Tool
Evaluations help in behavior management. Once a need has been pinpointed, the teaching staff
decides how to proceed. Individual problems are highlighted when teachers make a point of
concentrating on the child's behavior. Used at a team meeting, such a tool can outline the steps to be
taken and clarify how to talk to families.

Application
The following case study demonstrates how information from evaluations can be used for
guidance and intervention:

Elizabeth's recent evaluation revealed an increase in the number of toilet accidents she has had.
The staff noted a higher incidence during midmorning snacks but came to no conclusion as to the cause.
They agreed to continue to treat her behavior in a relaxed manner and have one teacher remind
Elizabeth to use the toilet before she washes her hands for snack. At the same time, they made plans to
contact the parents for further information and insights. They will confer again afterward and agree on
an approach.

Goals and Plans

An evaluation tool helps teachers set goals for children and for adults. Narrowing the focus to
include only those behaviors that concern the staff enables the staff to quickly review the needs of many
children.

To Plan Curriculum

Teachers plan the curriculum on the basis of children's evaluations. Translating the assessment
to actual classroom practice is an important part of the teacher's role. A thorough evaluation helps
teachers plan appropriate activities to meet children's needs.

Planning Tools
The entry- level assessment and midyear report are often summarized in a group chart. One
such chart, made at the end of the first semester of a prekindergarten class, revealed this pattern: At
least one third of the class was having trouble listening at circle time, as evidenced by the group chart
that identified "Group Time" and "Language Listening Skills" as areas for growth for nearly half the
children. The staff centered their attention on the group time tent. It was concluded that a story made
the group times too long; the children were restless throughout most of the reading. It was agreed to
move storytime to just before nap and shorten the group time temporarily.

Application
Evaluation results assist teachers in seeing more clearly the strengths and abilities of each child
in the class. Curriculum activities are then planned that will continue to enhance the growth of that
(A Group Chart)

child. Also, areas of difficulty will be identified. For instance, Jolene has trouble mastering even the
simplest puzzle. Provide her with common shapes found in attribute blocks (small plastic shapes of
varying color, thickness, size) and do some matching exercises with her.

Goals and Plans

By analyzing both group and individual skills through periodic assessment, teachers maintain a
secure and challenging environment.

To Communicate with Families

Once a child's needs and capabilities are identified, families are entitled to hear the conclusions.
The teaching staff has an obligation to provide a realistic overview of child's the progress and alert
families to any possible concerns.
A Tool with Families
Teachers and families need to talk together, especially when problems are revealed by the
evaluation. As knowledge and insights are shared, a fuller picture of the child emerges for both. Each
can then assume a role in the resolution of the problem. Evaluation tools can help identify areas in
which a child may need special help.

Application
Aside from identifying normal behavior problems, evaluations may raise concerning questions a
child's physical development,hearing and visual acuity, or language facility. Potentially serious language
from the problems may emerge from the evaluation, and parents can be encouraged to seek further
professional guidance.

Goals and Plans

Because evaluation is an ongoing reevaluation process, and goal setting are done ularly. reg-
Communicating both new progress and goals is critical for the feedback loop of an evaluation to be
effective.

To Make Administrative Decisions

Evaluation results can help a school make administrative decisions. They can lead to changes in
the overall program or in the school's philosophy. For example, a child care component might be added
to the half- day program after learning that most children are enrolled in another child care situation
after nursery school. Or an evaluation might reveal that there is too little emphasis on developing gross-
motor skills and coordination, so the administration might decide to remodel the play yard and purchase
new equipment.

In the early childhood education setting, both informal and formal methods are used for
evaluating children. Informal and homemade methods include observation, note taking, self-
assessments, parent interviews and surveys, samples of children's work, and teacher-designed forms.
More formal kinds of evaluations may be although used, somewhat less frequently in the early years.
These include standardized tests and various "screening" instruments. The yearly tests taken in
elementary and secondary school, using a number 2 pencil, are an example of such procedures.
Commercially developed, these tests usually compare the individual child's performance with a
predetermined norm. There are problems associated with testing and screening of young children. It is
important to choose assessment tools and techniques that are developmentally appropriate either for
the age of the group or the individual child under consideration.

An Administrative Tool
Many kindergartens and some preschools use various kinds of screening tests before
children begin. These, too, present problems for young children, as they are too often administered to
them by strangers and in unfamiliar settings, and the test results are the only criteria used. The usual
purpose of these evaluations is to determine readiness, that is, to verify that the child will be able to
cope with and succeed in the program. Any tool in an early childhood education program is best when
devised to highlight the skills the child has and to identify the areas in which the child may need help in
the next step.
 Some teachers conclude the year with a summary report. This evaluation serves as an overview
of what a child has accomplished, what areas of strength are present, and what future growth might
occur.

Application
Making administrative decisions based on evaluation results is a sound idea. Assessments give
administrators specific and verifiable information on which to base decisions. A summary of their child's
learning experiences is useful for families. Teachers may use such summaries as references should they
ever be consulted another by program about the child. Again, it is critical to administer these
assessments in a sensitive and accepting manner, to keep the time period as brief as possible, and to
communicate the results in the same tone. If this is not done, the child's self-esteem may be damaged
parents' trust may be lost. The disadvantages of these tools parallel those of standardized tests.

The issue of readiness or placement of children is difficult and complex. Whether or not a child is
ready to succeed in a program affects families and children personally. Having a good evaluation tool
helps in making such decisions equitably and in communicating results in a clear and kind manner.

Goals and Plans

The evaluation tool that gives a profile of specific a child's skills will allow an administrator to
share information with a family clearly and honestly. By carefully choosing a tool, administrators give
the parents information they can use to plan for the child's development.

Reference:

Gordon, A.M., and Browne, K.W. (2016) Beginning Essentials in Early Childhood, 3 rd Edition. Cengage