Transcript Introduction to ECERS-R

Introduction to ECERS-R
There are 4
Environmental Rating Scales:
ECERS-Revised: The Early
Childhood Environment Rating
Scale-Revised
• a thorough revision of the ECERS
• designed to assess group programs for
preschool to kindergarten aged children
from 2 through 5 years of age.
• Total scale consists of 43 items
ITERS: The Infant/Toddler
Environment Rating Scale
• Designed to assess group programs for
children from birth to 2 1/2 years of age.
• Total scale consists of 35 items. Soon to
be revised.
FDCRS: The Family Day Care
Rating Scale
• Designed to assess family child care
programs; conducted in a provider’s
home.
• Total scale consists of 40 items, including
8 supplementary items for programs
enrolling children with disabilities.
SACERS: The School Age
Care Environmental Rating
Scale
• Designed to assess before and after
school group care programs for school
age children, 5-12 years of age.
• The total scale consists of 49 items,
including 6 supplementary items for
programs enrolling children with
disabilities.
Each one of the scales has
items to evaluate:
• Physical Environment
• Basic Care
• Curriculum
• Interaction
• Schedule and Program Structure
• Parent and Staff Education
The scales are suitable for
use in evaluating
• Inclusive programs
• Culturally diverse programs
The environmental rating
scales are designed to assess
PROCESS QUALITY in early
childhood or school age group
care.
PROCESS QUALITY consists
of
• Various interactions that go on in a
classroom between staff and children
• Interactions between staff, parents, and
other adults
• Interactions among children themselves
• Interactions children have with the many
materials in the environment
• Features such as space, schedule, and
materials that support those interactions
PROCESS QUALITY is
assessed primarily through
observation
Process quality has been
found to be more predictive
of child outcomes than than
structural indicators such as
• staff to child ratios
• group size
• cost of care
• type of care (child care center or family
child care home
Three Basic Needs
All Children Have
• protection of their health and safety
• building positive relationships
• opportunities for stimulation and learning
from experience
It takes all three to create
QUALITY CARE!
Scoring the ECERS-R
• The 43 items are divided into 6 subscales
dealing with the children’s program
• The seventh subscale covers the needs
of the key adults: the parents and staff
The ECERS is based on a
broad definition of
environment including
• Organization of space
• Interaction
• Activities
• Schedule
• Provisions for staff and parents
The ECERS-R has established
interrater reliability and
validity
• Reliability: scores will be consistent
between raters
• Validity: indicates the instrument
measures what it purports to measure
There are 4 levels
of quality described
• 1 Inadequate indicates a negative
situation that needs correction
• 3 Minimal
• 5 Good
• 7 Excellent
Scoring Instructions
• When scoring an item always start
reading from 1 (inadequate) and
progress upward until the correct score is
reached
Ratings are to be assigned in
the following way
• A rating of 1 must be given if any
indicator under 1 is scored YES
• A rating of 2 is given when all indicators
under 1 are scored NO and at least half
of the indicators under 3 are scored YES
• A rating of 3 is given when all indicators
under 1 are scored NO and all indicators
under 3 are scored YES
• A rating of 4 is given when all indicators
under 3 are met and at least half the
indicators under 5 are scored YES
• A rating of 5 is given when all indicators
under 5 are scored YES
• A rating of 6 is given when all indicators
under 5 are met and at least half of the
indicators under 7 are scored YES
• A rating of 7 is given when all indicators
under 5 are met and all indicators under
7 are scored YES
• A rating of NA (Not applicable) may only
be given for indicators or for entire items
when “NA permitted” is shown on the
scale and on the Score Sheet.
• Indicators that are scored NA are not
counted when determining the rating for
an item.
Explanation of Terms
• Accessible means children can reach
and use materials, furnishings,
equipment and so forth.
• This does not mean that every child has
to have access at all times.
• Access may be limited to a certain
number of children in an area or limited
to certain times of the day.
Terms (continued)
• A substantial portion of the day means at
least one third of the time the children
are in attendance.
• Some and Many are further defined and
differentiated in the Notes for Clarification
for the items
• Staff generally refers to the adults who
are directly involved with the children.
Administration of the Scale
• The scale is designed to be used with
one room or group at a time
• A block of at least 2 hours should be
set aside for observation and rating.
• Before you begin your observation
complete as much as possible of the
identifying information on the top of
the first page of the Score Sheet
Administration of the Scale
• Take a few minutes at the beginning of
the session to orient yourself to the
classroom
• You may want to start with the items 1-6
in Space and Furnishings because they
are easy to observe
Administration of the Scale
• Some items require observation of events
and activities that occur only at specific
times of the day.
Administration of the Scale
• Score items that assess interactions only
after you have observed for a sufficient
time to get a representative picture
Administration of the Scale
• Items 19-28 In Activities will require both
inspection of materials and observation
of use of materials
Administration of the Scale
• Be careful not to disrupt the ongoing
activities while you are observing:
• Maintain a pleasant but neutral facial
expression
• Do not interact with children unless you see
something dangerous that must be handled
immediately
• Do not talk to or interrupt the staff
Administration of the Scale
• Arrange a time with the teacher to ask
questions about indicators you were not
able to observe.
• The teacher should be free of
responsibility for children when he or she
is answering questions.
• Approximately 20 minutes will be
required for questions.
In order to make best use of
the time set aside for asking
Questions:
• Use the sample questions provided
whenever possible
• If you have to ask questions about time
for which no sample questions have been
provided, jot your questions down on the
Score Sheet or another price of paper
before talking with the teacher
Asking Questions:
• Ask only those questions needed to
decide whether a higher score is possible
• Ask questions on only one item at a time
and take notes or decided on a score
before you move on to the next item
Asking Questions
• Ask questions in an organized, calm, and
pleasant manner, putting as little
pressure as possible on the person
answering.
• Try not to ask leading questions or
indicate a preferred answer.
Scrambled Item
Item 22 Blocks
(a) 7
(b) 3
(c) 1
(d) 5
Rationale
• Good block play requires a sufficient number of
blocks (d=5) and adding a variety makes the area
more stimulating (a=7).
• Having a place to play where block structures are
protected from being knocked down is necessary
for a good setting (5), and labeled shelves (7) add
to the child’s ability to be independent.
• In addition to a block area indoors, some block play
outdoors is required for a 7.
Scrambled Item
Item 18 Informal use of language
(a) 5
(b) 3
(c) 7
(d) 1
Rationale
• For a basic good environment, staff must have
many conversations with children and use language
primarily to exchange information with children and
for social interaction (a=5), not primarily for control
(d=1).
• Observing conversations with many individual
children ensures that the rich language promoting
environment described in (a) is available for most
of the children (c=7)
• For a good situation staff must also add to what
children say (5) so that children can learn more
than they already are able to produce verbally.
• More complex questions (7) can be added, once the
language model is there from which the children
can learn (5).
Sample Situations for
Scoring Practice
Answer Sample Situation 1. Item 2.
Score 4
Reason for Score:
• None of 1 is true, all of 3 is true
• 5.2 is true
• 5.3 is NA
• Half or more of 5 is true
Sample Situations for
Scoring Practice
Sample Situation 2. Item 28.
Score 7
Reason for Score:
• None of 1 is true
• Everything is true under 3, 5, & 7
Sample Situations for
Scoring Practice
Sample Situation 3. Item 18.
Score 1
Reason for Score:
• Even though 3.1 is true, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3
are true.
• If any indicator under 1 is true, the
item must be given a 1.