3.3: Assessment Basics

Early childhood education programs should have outcomes that relate to their philosophy and the objectives they have for children. As we examine the cycles of curriculum planning that we have completed, we can use that data to further inform curriculum planning and assess children’s developmental progress.[1]

Assessing to Inform Curriculum Planning

Teachers and others who plan early childhood curriculum face the challenge of determining how much assessment data to gather and how to use the resulting information. The key is to organize a sustainable infrastructure that facilitates the regular and systematic gathering of meaningful information on every child.

1. The best instructional assessment information is collected frequently and used continuously to inform decisions about curriculum and instruction. Young children learn quickly; regular progress monitoring is necessary to document incremental improvements in skills and behaviors. Teachers and other adults are more likely to collect, interpret, and apply assessment data if the process is built into the daily classroom schedule and responsibilities.
2. Assessment to inform and monitor instruction is most accurate if multiple sources and methods are considered. Because much of young children’s learning and development occurs outside the classroom, competencies and progress must be considered in all contexts and environments. The richest results are obtained when the perspectives of parents, caregivers, teachers, specialists, and children are combined. Assessment instruments that gather information by observation and report, and include components for parents to report on children’s developmental and academic progress, provide a helpful structure.
3. Methods used to collect instructional assessment information should resemble the ongoing instruction and interactions that occur in homes, child care centers, and classrooms. There are valid concerns about the negative effects of testing on young children. One of the biggest advantages of assessment in informing and monitoring instruction is that the process seldom necessitates individualized testing. Adults should be able to collect instructional assessment data using the same experiences designed to facilitate preschool learning in group activities, support parent/infant interactions at home, or provide instruction in primary classrooms.
4. Assessment instruments should be criterion-referenced with items that reflect functional skills. Actual assessment items and administration procedures will vary depending on whether the focus is on development or early academics. Nonetheless, repeated performance measures across a sequence of skills that reflect curriculum goals provide the best documentation of children’s progress. Assessment to inform and monitor instruction is only as good as the curriculum and instruction young children receive. Assessing what we teach and teaching what we assess is essential for meaningful instructional assessment.
5. Instructional and classroom assessment instruments should ideally reflect a logical teaching sequence. Assessments to inform and monitor instruction are most effective when items are organized in a sequence that reflects the major skills in the curriculum, along with prior knowledge and/or prerequisite skills. This organization maps the curriculum for teachers and guides the selection of subsequent learning goals.
6. Instructional assessment instruments and procedures must be culturally and linguistically relevant. If the basic skills represented in early developmental and academic curricula are functional and appropriate for young children, instructional assessments have the advantage of incorporating familiar materials, people, routines, and important events from a child’s life. If an assessment is culturally inappropriate, it is vital to revise it, and parents can suggest more familiar and appropriate materials and behaviors. It is especially important that English language learners are not penalized by materials or directions that confuse cultural and language differences with cognitive or academic delays.[2]

Figure 17.11: If materials, tasks, interactions, or the language being used are unfamiliar to a child, caution must be taken before making judgments about their development.[3]

Pause to Reflect

What stood out to you about assessing to inform curriculum planning? What did you most agree with? What prompted you to think a bit more? Was there anything you disagreed with or are unsure about?

Assessing Children

Each child and group of children will be at different points in their journey towards these program’s outcomes. Children come with a range of interests, understandings, family and community experiences, developmental pathways, temperaments, and dispositions.

Figure 17.12: How these infants engage in this literacy interaction with their caregiver may show their temperament and dispositions at work.[4]

Educators use their observations of children, feedback from children and families, and evaluations of learning and wellbeing to analyse and assess what children can do and areas for further development or progression. Learning stories, educator reflections, journals, and child portfolios are effective strategies for documenting experiences and helping educators become more familiar with the outcomes as they make frequent connections between their documentation and the outcomes they aim to achieve for children.[5]

Consideration in Early Childhood Assessment

Early childhood professionals are increasingly feeling pressure to document learning outcomes in an era of standards, accountability, and achievement testing. In addition to parents, we are the people responsible for the well-being of young children. Many professionals have legitimate concerns about the misuse of assessment practices and instruments, as well as the potential for inequitable consequences for the children in our programs. It is important to consider some implications of the unique nature of early development and learning:

A comprehensive and meaningful early childhood assessment requires an understanding of the family context, including the family's language and culture, gathering developmental information from parents, and conducting home visits with parental consent. This principle applies to all youngsters and families. Still, it is especially critical for children whose families may not share the language or some of the economic advantages of the dominant culture. Understanding family expectations and experience places a child’s behavior in context and can prevent harmful decisions from misinterpreting assessment data (NAEYC, 2005).

Younger children present some complex challenges and require flexible procedures for gathering meaningful and useful assessment information. Constitutional variables, such as fatigue, hunger, illness, and temperament, can easily overshadow a young child's abilities. The time of day, setting, testing materials, and other situational factors also impact performance. The younger a child, the more likely they are to fall asleep, become distressed, refuse to comply with directions, or be distracted from assessment activities. Professionals should be prepared to modify activities, explore alternative procedures, and/or reschedule rather than risk gathering faulty information that compromises the accuracy of assessment results.

Figure 17.15: Children will not always cooperate with an educator’s plans to gather accurate information about them.[6]

Young children learn by doing and demonstrate knowledge and skills through action-oriented activities. Authentic assessment of youngsters as they participate in daily activities, routines, and interactions generally produces the most valuable information for assessment. Assessment methods should allow observing young children engaged in spontaneous behaviors in familiar settings and with familiar people to the greatest extent possible.

More assessments and increased data do not necessarily result in better assessment information. Early childhood professionals should gather only the information they need and know ahead of time how they will use all the collected information. It is generally most desirable to identify appropriate methods and instruments that provide the necessary information and refine their use over time.

Some assessment instruments and procedures are better than others. Factors such as purpose, content, reliability and validity, efficiency, cost, and professional development availability are more important than appealing packaging and effective advertising. The quality of information gathered and the decisions made as a result of the assessment are of primary importance. Ultimately, whatever assessments we conduct should benefit the children, families, and programs we serve.[7]

Note

It is impossible to predict what your future assessment needs will be at this point in time. In class, we will review the differences between standardized and authentic assessments to prepare you for making assessment decisions in your future work.

References

[1] Australian Government Department of Education (n.d.) Educator My Time, Our Place. Retrieved from files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/educators_my_time_our_place.pdf

[2] A Guide to Assessment in Early Childhood; Infancy to Age Eight. Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2008.

[3] Image by Olenda Pea Perez is in the public domain

[4] Image by the California Department of Education is used with permission

[5] Australian Government Department of Education (n.d.) Educator My Time, Our Place. Retrieved from files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/educators_my_time_our_place.pdf

[6] Image by Jennifer Woodard Maderazo is licensed under CC BY 2.0

[7] A Guide to Assessment in Early Childhood; Infancy to Age Eight. Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2008.