Assessing Childhood Development

Which of the following terms are characteristics of truly beneficial assessments?

*a. Age-appropriate *b. Reliable c. Long *d. Valid e. Complex

Which of the following is true of self-evaluation?

It helps children understand their own skills and development

Language development

Language development pertains to a child's comprehension and use of language. Milestones in language development include a baby's first words, a toddler's ability to understand simple commands, and a child's use of descriptors. Understanding of language and communication is fundamental for social interaction.

Assessments aid teachers in planning instruction that promotes personal growth and achievement of long-term learning goals. Successful teaching points are significant and easily learned by children.

Learning goals should be achievable for most children in the relevant age group and promote opportunities for children to succeed. Accomplishment of these goals encourages children to continue learning.

Special projects or performances can be photographed or recorded to provide substantial evidence of a student's performance.

The photos and recordings reveal the child's development of skills over time.

Assessments help identify children with developmental delays. Children who do not meet developmental milestones may need special attention.

Variations in child development are common; however, children who show significant delays should be monitored more closely or possibly examined by a pediatrician.

What term is defined as the process of evaluating children and recording information about their development in order to make informed decisions about their education?

*a. Childhood assessment b. The learning curve c. The learning process d. Childhood record keeping

Which of the following are major categories of developmental milestones?

*a. Cognitive b. Conduct *c. Language *d. Social *e. Physical

Measuring children's development helps educators plan which of the following more effectively?

*a. Curriculum b. Discipline practices c. Field trips d. Parent conferences

Accurate assessments should measure which of the following? Select all that apply.

*a. Emotional growth *b. Social development c. Relationship improvement *d. Physical progress e. Attitude stability

Information obtained from assessments allows teachers to adapt which of the following to meet individual needs of students?

*a. Learning materials *b. Activities c. Discipline procedures *d. Communication e. Field trips

Why is standardized testing a poor assessment tool for young children? Select all that apply.

*a. They have short attention spans. *b. They lack test-taking skills. c. They cannot work independently. d. They don't have the necessary oral skills.

How does rapid growth in young children affect standardized testing results?

A child grows so rapidly that the child's test scores will not reflect accurate information by the time an educational plan has been put into place.

developmental milestone

A developmental milestone is a skill that a child acquires within a given amount of time or by a certain age. Each new milestone builds on a milestone previously achieved. For example, a child must learn to count before completing simple math problems.

Good Curriculum has...

A good curriculum supports healthy psychological development and contains pertinent learning points that are worthy of children's time and efforts.

Young children require more specialized and frequent assessment due to the rate at which they develop. Young children grow and change so quickly that a test administered in the fall may no longer be relevant a few months later.

Also, a young child's progress occurs in waves of rapid growth and periodic rest. Each child develops at a different rate, depending on experiences, culture, family, and other environmental factors. Because no two children encounter the exact same environmental factors, no two children develop in exactly the same way. A single assessment is not universal to all children.

Anecdotal records

Anecdotal records are short, objective accounts of behaviors. Anecdotal records should be descriptive and should include the child's use of language and non-verbal expression. Over time, these records are collected and reviewed to better understand the child's development.

The most important function of childhood assessment is promoting children's education and development. To fully benefit children, assessments must be reliable, valid, and age-appropriate.

As a child ages, reliability and validity of assessments improve.

Accurate assessments promote learning by helping teachers recognize a child's strengths and weaknesses.

Assessments allow teachers to monitor a student's learning stages and determine appropriate educational steps for each child.

Assessments help teachers determine which learning points are being retained and which instructional methods are reaching students. This information is used to develop more effective instruction

Assessments evaluate and improve educational programs, as well as student performance.

Young children require more specialized testing practices. They also need constant reinforcement during testing.

Assessments should be administered by a person who knows the child personally. If the administrator and child do not have a personal relationship, the administrator should attempt to develop a connection prior to testing.

Which assessment method involves children in the evaluation of their own progress?

Authentic

Authentic assessment

Authentic assessment involves children in the evaluation of their own progress and is based on a child's performance. Authentic assessment is considered a realistic and educationally sound form of evaluation for children. Portfolios are commonly used when conducting an authentic assessment.

Which of the following simply records the occurrence of a behavior or NOT?

Checklist

Which of the following simply records the occurrence of a behavior?

Checklist

Checklists are among the least complicated data collection tools

Checklists are among the least complicated data collection tools. Checklists simply record whether or not a behavior takes place. They are useful when behavior is predictable and behavior quality is not important. A precise checklist of anticipated behaviors can provide meaningful information about child development. Checklists are most effective for evaluating children during teacher-led activities.

Childhood assessment

Childhood assessment is the process of evaluating children and recording information about their development in order to make informed decisions about their education. Assessment is an important step in early childhood development.

Which of the following factors requires that assessment of young children be completed in small increments over a period of days or weeks?

Children's short attention spans

Sociodramatic play

Children's sociodramatic play provides an opportunity for observational assessment. Sociodramatic play is children's make-believe play. Each child takes on a different role and reacts to his/her environment as the "character" would. Young children engage in sociodramatic play naturally. Observation of such play provides information about the child's artistic and social skills, as well as proficiency in perception and communication.

Cognitive development

Cognitive development refers to a child's learning, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. Depending on the child's age, cognitive development includes understanding concepts of space and size, proficiency in sorting and classifying objects, or the ability to complete simple math problems.

Organizing and understanding portfolio contents is vital to evaluating a child's progress. Portfolio information should be organized by date and assessment type. It is beneficial to further organize materials by curriculum category.

Curriculum categories include: Art Math Science Language Personal development

Curriculum

Curriculum should support children's independent thinking and help them to recognize incorrect responses as opportunities for growth

Which of the following does assessment monitor?

Developmental milestones

A developmental milestone is a child's achievement of a new skill within a certain time frame. Developmental milestones are categorized as cognitive, language, social, or physical. Assessments help identify children with delays in these areas. Children develop at various rates. However, children who show severe delays may need special attention.

Developmental milestones are categorized as cognitive, language, social physical. Assessments help identify children with delays in these areas. Children develop at various rates. However, children who show severe delays may need special attention.

Fine motor skills are associated with small muscle movements,

EXAMPLE picking up and holding small objects, writing with a pencil or crayon, eating with a spoon or fork.

Gross motor skills involve large muscle movements

EXAMPLE such as standing, running, jumping.

Standardized tests often reflect incomplete or inaccurate information about children and their development.

Educational decisions based on incorrect information can have adverse effects on a child's development.

Rating scales are also simple, but they are less objective than checklists. They are used to record the frequency or success level of a behavior.

Examples of rating scale descriptors include: Poor, below average, average, above average, excellent Never, seldom, occasionally, frequently, always Very interested, moderately interested, uninterested

Childhood assessments of young children are not important but are required by the school board to get local funding.

False

Formative assessments

Formative assessments are authentic assessments completed during a learning exercise. Formative assessments aid in identifying children who need specialized attention to retain certain learning points.

Home inventories

Home inventories require parents to complete a survey or set of open-ended questions about a child's behavior at home. This assessment tool provides information about behaviors that are usually not seen by teachers.

Assessment is necessary to make sound decisions about children's education.

However, overemphasis of standardized test scores undermines teachers' ability to make educational decisions based on their own professional judgment.

There are alternatives to standardized testing that may accurately gauge a young child's abilities. However to be accurate, these assessments must be age-appropriate and suitable for the child's developmental stage.

In addition, early childhood assessments should: Be valid Measure achievement with more than just standardized questions and answers Deal with the whole child Include continual observations Utilize diverse methods

What its standardized testing used for?

Information obtained from standardized testing is used to determine children's placement in schools and educational programs

When using an observational method of assessment, how should observations be recorded?

Objectively and systematically

Observational methods of assessment

Observational methods of assessment involve monitoring children's behavior and performance in various areas. Observations are used to determine how children learn. Observations should be recorded objectively and systematically without interfering with the child's behavior. Ensure that notes on child behavior are detailed and descriptive.

Physical development

Physical development is a child's functional use of his/her body. Assessment of physical development requires evaluation of a child's vision, hearing, and motor skills, as well as appraisal of height and weight.

Which of the following is a collection of teacher observations and a child's work?

Portfolio

Assessments provide information about the effectiveness of existing curriculum.

Regular evaluation of children's progress ensures programs are meeting the developmental needs of children. Assessment results can lead to changes in a program's policies and procedures, as well as teaching strategies.

Running records

Running records are similar to anecdotal records. Running records are narrative recordings of children's behavior over a specified period of time. These records are often limited to a specific behavior or situation, such as reading or communication.

Self-evaluation

Self-evaluation is another assessment method. Self-evaluation requires a student to complete an evaluation about his/her own development. Self-evaluation provides information to child care professionals while helping children understand their own skills and development.

Which of the following terms refers to a child's capacity to define himself/herself and relate to others?

Social development

Social development

Social development encompasses a child's ability to express himself/herself and relate to others. This includes the child's self-control, desire to follow rules, and interactions with peers. A child's concern for the feelings of others and appropriate responses to social cues are also milestones in social development.

Standardized Test

Standardized tests are assessments administered to groups of children under very strict procedures. They are usually given with the intention of developing norms among groups of children and establishing patterns of development.

An assessment should serve a single purpose, and its content should correspond to current educational objectives and subject matter.

Student information is more reliable if the child is evaluated based on performance in the existing educational program over a given amount of time.

Student portfolios

Student portfolios allow teachers to organize information and track student progress. A portfolio is a collection of teacher observations and student work. Portfolios provide a record of a child's efforts, strengths, and achievements.

Evaluation information is used to create curriculum that embraces individuality and diversity. Lesson plans should be adaptable to meet the individual needs of students.

Successful curriculum designates time for individual and cooperative learning.

Student portfolios provide evidence of each child's progress;

THEY SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO COMPARE ONE CHILD TO ANOTHER

Accurate assessments measure a child's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.

Teachers who document observations and gather examples of student work over an extended period of time are more capable of making an accurate assessment.

Precise recording of observations is vital for accurate assessment.

There are a number of assessment tools for collecting, recording, and organizing data, including: Anecdotal records Running records Checklists Rating scales Special projects of performances Home inventories Student portfolios

Developmental milestones are categorized in four areas of development.

These are: Cognitive Language Social Physical

Assessing young children can be challenging. Young children (under the age of 8) learn differently than older children.

They require hands-on, concrete learning experiences, as opposed to instruction based on reading and abstract thought. For this reason, young children's development cannot accurately be measured through traditional pencil-and-paper tests.

There are a number of disadvantages to standardized testing.

Young children's rapid growth makes standardized testing a poor assessment tool for students in this age group. Information acquired from a standardized test is usually obsolete by the time it is used to make educational decisions. Also, young children lack the attention span and test-taking skills required to successfully complete a standardized test.

How does a young child's progress occur?

a. Episodes of learning followed by reinforcement b. Phases of advancement, with occasional regression c. Waves of rapid growth and slow growth *d. Alternating periods of rapid growth and rest

Observing sociodramatic play can provide educators with information about children's skills in which of the following areas? Select all that apply.

a. Literacy *b. Perception *c. Art *d. Communication e. Leadership

Early childhood assessments should do which of the following? Select all that apply.

a. Measure a child's potential with standardized questions *b. Include continual observations *c. Deal with all aspects of the child d. Gather student information in a single test *e. Use diverse methods

Which of the following factors requires that assessment of young children be completed in small increments over a period of days or weeks?

a. Parents' concerns b. Time constraints c. Budget constraints *d. Children's short attention spans

By measuring children's development

educators can more effectively plan curriculum and set learning goals. Assessment helps teachers identify student needs and tailor instruction to meet those needs.

eachers should be cautious about relying on developmental assessments to make appropriate lesson plans and learning goals for the students.

false

Childhood assessments are ______ when the child is evaluated over an extended period of time.

most accurate

Which development category is a teacher assessing if the child's vision, hearing, and motor skills are being evaluated?

physical

Grouping children based on needs identified in childhood assessments benefits the child by being around other children who are working on the same developmental skills.

true

Student portfolios are intended to help teachers perform continuous assessments by organizing information in one place to track the student's progress.

true