Observing, Recording, & Assessing Children's Development

Bodily-kinesthetic learners

process knowledge through their bodily sensations

Labeling a child "below normal" because his performance level is lower than his agemates

can seriously harm the child

Observing children's authentic activities

produces true information about their skill level

Which of the following characteristics indicates a high level of distractibility? A. extremely alert and aware of his surroundings B. difficulty shifting attention C. resists efforts to redirect unacceptable D. sticks with difficult problems in the midst of distractions

A. extremely alert and aware of his surroundings

Which of the following indicates strength in interpersonal intelligence? A. expresses own thoughts and feelings B. adapts own behavior to needs and desires of others C. skilled in small motor activities D. moves body effectively through space

B. adapts own behavior to needs and desires of others

Which of the following skills is developed first in children's sequence of development? A. holds pencil or crayon between fingers and thumb B. uses finger muscles to grasp and release C. draws recognizable objects in a planned way D. draws or copies vertical and horizontal lines

B. uses finger muscles to grasp and release

Which of the following characteristics indicates a low intensity of reaction? A. reacts dramatically to both positive and negative events B. has trouble regulating emotional energy C. emotions are easily overlooked by adults D. enjoys life fully

C. emotions are easily overlooked by adults

Which type of record should Mrs. B use to learn how many times Chloe hit another child during a 45-minute outdoor play period? A. spot check B. rating scale C. frequency record D. diary

C. frequency record

Which of the following communication/language skills can an observer reasonably look for in children 3 1/2 years of age? A. puts three pictures in the correct sequence and tells a story B. describes items and actions in books C. tells of a simple experience D. describes object by function

C. tells of a simple experience

Which of the following cognitive skills would be most appropriate for a checklist designed for 4-year-olds? A. connects the order of events such as food-wash-nap B. understands concepts now and soon C. extends sequence of events logically D. distinguishes between daytime and nighttime activities

D. distinguishes between daytime and nighttime activities

Which of the following characteristics indicates a high level of adaptability to change over time? A. needs routines that stay the same B. insists on doing things her own way C. not easily influenced by peer pressure D. open to new ideas and experiences

D. open to new ideas and experiences

Anecdotal records should I. describe exactly what the child said and did II. include as much detail as possible III. keep observer comments separate from the record of the child's actions IV. describe the context of the event V. not be used to record unexpected incidents

I, II, III, IV

Checklists can be used to I. compare a child's skill levels over time II. observe more than one behavior at a time III. observe more than one child at a time IV. record skills that can be clearly specified V. record in-depth observations on the qualities of children's behaviors

I, II, III, IV

Any method used to gather information for assessing young children's development must I. be developmentally appropriate for the individual child II. produce true information about the child III. not confuse, frighten, or intimidate the child IV. contribute to an accurate assessment of the child V. guide the teacher in planning future learning experiences

I, II, III, IV, V

Becoming a skilled observer will help teachers I. appreciate each child as an individual II. have more significant interactions with children III. be better prepared for conversations and conferences with parents IV. understand the particular needs of individual children V. see situations from more than one perspective

I, II, III, IV, V

In the observation planning example at Melville Child Care, what specific information is the observer seeking? I. how Fabian interacts with other children II. what problem behaviors Fabian exhibits III. which children Fabian has trouble with IV. how Fabian expresses his feelings V. the circumstances surrounding Fabian's problem behaviors

I, II, III, IV, V

In the observation planning example at Melville Child Care, which types of records has the observer chose to use? I. anecdote II. running record III. spot-check IV. event sampling V. time sample

I, II, III, IV, V

Which of the following indicate strength in visual-spatial intelligence? I. reproduces objects in visible forms II. recognizes faces, shapes, colors III. knows what objects are used for IV. notices details of objects, pictures, scenes V. understands own emotions

I, II, IV

Which of the following indicate strength in logical-mathematical intelligence? I. classifies things by a variety of characteristics II. perceives patterns and relationships III. remembers content of spoken language IV. uses trial and error to reach goals V. understands cause and effect

I, II, IV, V

Chart 2 in Lesson 1 show I. how many children used each learning center each day II. how long each child played in each learning center III. which children used each learning center IV which learning centers were used often V. which learning centers were used very little

I, III, IV, V

Event samples involve I. watching for a particular event and recording what happened II. recording the observer's interpretation of the event III. recording the circumstances surrounding the event IV. recording what happened just after the event V. recording exactly what the child did

I, III, IV, V

Mrs. A's chart of children's use of learning centers at Happy Days Preschool shows that I. only one learning center was used by every child every day II. the nature center was used less than any other learning center III. Maya was the only child to use the book center every day IV. Roberto visited the Post Office more often than any other child V. no more than three children used the book, art, or nature centers on any one day

I, III, V

Which of the following indicate strength in intrapersonal intelligence? I. works independently II. interacts well with adults and other children III. understands own emotions IV. participates in activities with others V. sets and pursues goals

I, III, V

Which of the following are true statements? I. young children learn through authentic activities II. young children demonstrate what they truly know and can do through tests III. young children are easily frustrated by authentic activities IV. tests are the best way to measure children's performance V. young children's performance of authentic actions is the most accurate measure of what they understand

I, V

Which of the following indicate strength in verbal-linguistic intelligence? I. demonstrates skill in dancing or athletics II. uses words to communicate own thoughts III. understands spoken language IV. attends to facial expressions, gestures, and other body language V. responds to music physically or emotionally

II, III

Which letter answer below shows the following skills in the sequence in which they are developed? I. jumps over objects from standing position II. jumps a moving rope III. jumps with both feet IV. jumps over obstacles when running V. jumps from steps with feet together

III, V, I, IV, II

A record of the original imprint of the characteristics of a particular child on the observer is called

a first impression

A _____ records information about a particular behavior or activity during short, regularly spaced time intervals within a specified time period

a spot check

Highly persistent children need help

accepting limits

In the observation planning example at Alina's Learning Center, the observer plans to use

an audio recorder and/or camera if these will not disrupt children's normal behavior and activities

_______ is a good choice for briefly recording a significant behavior

an information note

Rating scales

are more useful for assessing children's behavior when several observers compare their ratings

In the observation planning example at the Main Street Preschool, what type of observation record has the observer chosen to use?

chart

In the observation planning example at Maria's Family Child Care, what observation record has Maria chosen to use?

checklist

In the observation planning example at the Main Street Preschool, what specific information is the observer looking for?

how many children use each learning center each day for a week

A(n) ______ is a record of everything that can be remembered about the activities of a certain period of time

diary

In the observation planning example at Alina's Learning Center, the purpose of the observation is to

evaluate the way a teacher interacts with children

Nondistractible children need help

learning to shift their focus

Mrs. A is planning an extended observation event. To help ensure that children's activities are authentic, she should

make herself as invisible as possible to the children

Daliah's checklist for Mina's small motor skill development shows that Mina

needs practice developing small motor skills

Children with low responsiveness need help

noticing details

Charts are useful to

quickly collect general information

Tests

require all children to do the same task in the same manner

Which type of record is best to help teachers understand causes and consequences of children's behaviors? A. frequency record B. rating scale C. spot check D. running record

running record

In the observation planning example at Alina's Learning Center, the observer plans to observe

several different times of day

The most useful assessments of young children's development are those that

show the child's position on a path of development

Tests are

teacher initiated and teacher directed

Young children follow

the same sequence of development but proceed at their own rate

Young children's authentic actions are

things children do in the course of a normal day

In the observation planning example at Maria's Family Child Care, Maria is observing Juan

to record his large motor skill development level

When interviewing children to gather information about their behavior or development, it is

usually best to engage the child in an informal conversation

Naturalist learners learn best

when interacting with nature in a "living" classroom