Transcript What is Early Childhood Assessment?

Early Childhood Assessment:
Information for Educators
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Overview
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
What and why it is important

Early Childhood vs. K-12 assessment

Types of child assessment systems
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Training opportunities
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Equipment, materials, resources
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Parent Involvement
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Role of Massachusetts Department of Early
Education and Care
What is Early Childhood Assessment?
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Process of observing, recording, and
documenting work of children
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Allows educators to make the best
decisions for the child
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Methods can include standardized tests
observations, child portfolios, teacher or
parent checklists and child-parent
interviews
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Child screening vs. assessment
Why is Early Childhood Assessment
Important?
Increasing attention to how children are
progressing
 Measuring young children’s progress is
different from other ages
 Improves interactions and
teaching
 Identifies children
with special needs
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What about a child is assessed?
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Emotional/Social: expressing feelings, forming
friendships, resolving conflicts with others
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Language: listening and talking
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Physical: using pencils (fine motor skills),
climbing and running (gross motor skills)
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Cognitive: numbers, colors, and patterns
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Approaches to Learning: curiosity and
excitement about learning and ways of learning
new information
How does early childhood assessment
differ from K-12th grade assessment?
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K – 12th grade assessment places emphasis
on academic knowledge

Early childhood assessment places emphasis
on all aspects of a child’s development
How does early childhood assessment differ
from K-12th grade assessment continued…
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
K-12th grade assessment uses mainly tests,
quizzes and standardized tests.

Early childhood assessment uses child
observations, developmental checklists and
child portfolios
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Both are used to guide decisions about…
* Child interventions
* Resources
Types of Child Assessment Systems

Program-developed child
assessment tools
*Pros
*Cons
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Types of Child Assessment Systems
cont…
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Published (or packaged) child
assessment tools
*Pros
*Cons
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Training Opportunities on Early
Childhood Assessment
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Opportunities for staff to better
understand early childhood assessment
* College courses
* Training by publishers
* Offerings through local Child Care
Resource and Referral Agency
* EEC Professional Development
calendar:
www.eec.state.ma.us/ProfessionalDev
elopment/WebFindTraining.aspx
Suggested Equipment, Materials,
and Resources
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Equipment: computer, printer, digital
camera, high-speed internet
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Materials: notebooks for portfolios,
photo paper, paper, clip boards, post-it
notes
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Resources: assessment tool-kits,
books/articles on early childhood
assessment
How can Parents be Involved in the
Early Childhood Assessment
Process?
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Enrollment
On-site developmental screenings
Parent Checklists
Parent/Teacher conferences
What is Massachusetts currently doing
around early childhood assessment?
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Universal Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Project
*
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Assessment Planning Grants
More information: www.eec.state.ma.us
UPK Eligible Child Assessment Tools
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Creative Curriculum’s Developmental
Continuum or CreativeCurriculum.net
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Work Sampling System
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High Scope Child Observation Record
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Ages and Stages Questionnaire
In closing…
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Suggested articles specific to early
childhood assessment
Contact at the Dept. of Early Education
and Care:
Jennifer Louis
Dept. of Early Education and Care
51 Sleeper St., 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
(617)988-6640
[email protected]