How should early childhood educators select an appropriate assessment tool?
Authentic Assessment
Read the attached article, and then watch this video:
Compose a discussion post on assessment. Include the following:
Value of play-based assessment;
How teachers should use ongoing assessment throughout the day;
Your “Top Three Tips” for teachers to get assessments completed , despite a busy day
If you have access to Supporting Play: Birth Through Age Eight by Dorothy Justus Sluss, please use it as a reference
How should early childhood educators select an appropriate assessment
tool? First, it is important to understand what a developmentally appropriate,
valid, reliable, and ethical assessment looks like. Some background research can
provide this information. The joint position statement “Early Childhood Curricu-
lum, Assessment and Program Evaluation,” with expanded resources, from NAEYC
and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments
of Education (NAEYC & NAECS/SDE 2003), includes recommendations and indica-
tors of effectiveness, frequently asked questions, and other resources that can
serve as a guide in the selection of assessment tools (online at www.naeyc.
org/resources/position_statements/CAPEexpand.pdf).
The next step is to identify the age group for whom the assessment tool will be
used (infant/toddler, preschool, etc.), the goals of the program, the purposes for
which the assessment will be used, and other factors such as children’s culture,
languages, and abilities or disabilities.
The good news is that there is a wide variety of assessments to choose from
and that a great deal of information about them is available online. There are
numerous tools and systems designed to measure overall development, literacy,
or social/emotional development.
A few of the many assessment options that are appropriate for preschool
children are listed in the accompanying chart, which also describes important
elements such as the adaptability of the assessment system and the preparation
required. (These data are for informational purposes only. NAEYC does not
endorse any of the assessment materials presented. Assessment tools and
systems are developed for specific purposes and should not be used in ways that
fall outside those designated guidelines.)