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| Preface | |
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| Professionalism in Assessment | |
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| Assessment in Early Childhood: A Work in Progress | |
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| Factors Contributing to Current Changes in Assessment | |
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| Changing Concepts of the Primary Purpose of Assessment | |
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| Changing Concepts of How Children Develop and Learn | |
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| Changing Nature of School and Center Populations | |
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| Changing Educational Outcomes, Curricula, and Instructional Strategies | |
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| Mandated Testing and Assessment | |
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| Limitations and Inadequacies of Standardized Testing | |
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| Expectations of Teachers | |
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| Professional Organizations | |
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| Accountability | |
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| Working with Other Professionals | |
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| Challenges | |
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| Credibility | |
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| Feasibility | |
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| Professional Initiative and Responsibility | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Legal, Ethical, and Professional Responsibilities in Assessment | |
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| Know and Abide by Basic Rights, Laws, and Court Rulings | |
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| The Right to Equal Protection under the Law | |
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| The Right to Due Process | |
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| The Right to Privacy | |
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| Major Legislation | |
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| Be Sensitive to Individual Differences | |
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| Children with Special Needs | |
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| Children at Risk | |
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| Children Who Need Challenge | |
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| Inclusive Education | |
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| Be Sensitive to Social and Cultural Differences | |
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| Cultural Differences That May Influence Assessment | |
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| Implications for Assessment | |
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| Be Fair and Impartial | |
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| Be as Objective as Possible | |
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| Ensure the Accuracy and Trustworthiness of Assessment Information | |
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| Use Assessment Results in Appropriate Ways | |
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| Know the Limitations of Each Method of Assessment, and Guard against Overreliance on Any One | |
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| Use Assessment Results for the Intended Purposes | |
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| Know and Abide by State, School District, and Center Policies | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Assessing and Teaching | |
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| Why, What, and When to Assess | |
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| Assessment Decisions | |
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| Why Assess? | |
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| To Determine Children's Status and Progress | |
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| To Provide Information for Classroom Planning and Decision Making | |
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| To Identify Children Who Might Benefit from Special Help | |
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| To Collect and Document Information for Reporting and Communication | |
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| What to Assess? | |
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| Major Child Growth and Development Domains | |
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| Expected Outcomes of the Program for Individual Children | |
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| Unique Patterns of Development, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Interests | |
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| Problems or Concerns about a Particular Child or Group | |
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| Practical Considerations | |
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| When to Assess? | |
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| Before School Starts | |
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| Assess Day by Day | |
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| Assess Periodically | |
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| Assess before and after a Concentrated Emphasis | |
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| Assess to Get Information about a Specific Problem or Concern | |
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| Some Final Thoughts | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Documenting: Collecting Information | |
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| Multiple Windows | |
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| Sources of Information | |
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| The Child as a Source of Information | |
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| Parents and Other Adults as a Source of Information | |
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| Records as a Source of Information | |
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| Methods of Collecting Information | |
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| Observe Children Systematically | |
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| Elicit Responses from Children | |
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| Collect Work Products from Classroom Activities | |
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| Elicit Information from Parents | |
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| Contexts for Assessment | |
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| Characteristics of the Context | |
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| Examples of Contexts for Assessment | |
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| Choosing the Appropriate Assessment Window | |
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| Identify the Behavior to Be Assessed | |
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| Use Authentic Assessment Measures or Windows | |
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| Maximize the Chances of Seeing a Behavior | |
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| Use Multiple Assessment Measures or Windows | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Documenting: Recording Information | |
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| Description and Examples of Recording Procedures | |
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| Procedures That Describe | |
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| Procedures That Count or Tally | |
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| Procedures That Rate or Rank | |
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| Other Procedures | |
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| Selecting a Recording Procedure | |
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| Purpose of the Assessment | |
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| What Is Being Assessed | |
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| Amount of Detail Needed | |
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| Practical Considerations | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Compiling and Summarizing Information | |
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| Portfolios | |
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| Description and Definition | |
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| Purposes | |
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| Basic Approaches to Portfolio Building | |
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| Selection of Content | |
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| Organization of Content | |
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| Relationship of Portfolios to Other Types of Assessment | |
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| Increasing the Information in Each Portfolio Item | |
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| Issues | |
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| Group and Individual Profiles | |
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| Description and Definition of Group Profiles | |
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| Purposes of Group Profiles | |
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| Selecting and Organizing Content of Group Profiles | |
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| Description and Definition of Individual Profiles | |
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| Purposes of Individual Profiles | |
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| Selecting and Organizing Content of Individual Profiles | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Interpreting Assessment Information | |
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| Ensure the Authenticity and Trustworthiness of the Data | |
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| To Determine Progress, Compare Performance at Two or More Points in Time | |
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| Work from Compilations and Summaries | |
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| Look for Patterns, Including Patterns of Errors, Rather Than Isolated Instances | |
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| Consider a Child's or a Group's Unique and Individual Patterns of Development, Temperament, Interests, and Dispositions | |
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| Identify Areas of Concern | |
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| Interpret and Understand the Meaning of Assessment Findings | |
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| Generate Multiple Hypotheses about Possible Meanings, but Hold Them Tentatively | |
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| Analyze Performance as a Band or Interval within Which a Child Is Functioning | |
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| Consider the Influence of the Total Sociocultural Context on Children's Actions | |
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| Compare Evidence to Developmental or Curriculum Expectations | |
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| Analyze Information for Clues to Learning Processes and Strategies | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Using Assessment Information | |
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| Planning Strategies | |
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| Plan and Organize the Intended Changes | |
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| Refer to Assessment Information as You Plan | |
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| Allow Time for Reflection | |
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| Plan Ways to Meet Children's Assessed Needs | |
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| Deliberately Incorporate the Wealth of Information, Resources, and Strategies Available to Support Young Children's Learning | |
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| Plan for and with Other People in the Classroom | |
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| Balance What You Might Like to Do with What Is Possible | |
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| Individual and Group Strategies | |
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| For One or Two Children | |
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| For Several Children | |
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| Mixed-Age Classes | |
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| For the Entire Group | |
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| Curriculum and Classroom Modification Strategies | |
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| Allocate Time and Space in Different Ways to Achieve Different Results | |
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| Select and Arrange Materials in Response to Assessment Results | |
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| Use Any Apparent Sequence | |
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| Look at the Need for Possible Change in Procedures | |
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| Rethink and Restructure to Meet Children "Where They Are" | |
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| Examples of Using Assessment Information to Guide Instruction | |
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| Play | |
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| Large Muscle/Gross Motor Development | |
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| Small Muscle/Fine Motor Development | |
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| Memory Strategies | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Organizing for Assessment | |
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| Integrating Assessment and Teaching | |
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| General Guidelines | |
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| Developing a Plan | |
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| Considerations in Planning for Assessment | |
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| Sample Assessment Plans | |
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| Using the Plan | |
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| Organizing Files and Forms | |
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| Notebooks, Files, and Portfolios | |
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| Forms | |
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| Still and Video Cameras, Audiotape Recorders, and Computers | |
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| Other Aids | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| The Classroom and Beyond | |
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| Standardized Tests: What Early Childhood Teachers Should Know | |
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| The Difference between an Assessment That Has Standardized Procedures and a Standardized Test | |
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| Definition of a Standardized Test | |
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| Limitations and Inadequacies of Standardized Testing | |
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| Technical and Educational Inadequacies | |
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| Overuse and Misuse | |
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| Unsuitability for the Population | |
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| Undue Influence on Education | |
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| Types of Standardized Tests | |
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| Standardized Achievement Tests | |
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| Standardized Aptitude Tests | |
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| Standardized Screening and Diagnostic Tests | |
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| Standardized Testing in Early Childhood Classrooms Today | |
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| The Early Childhood Teacher's Role in Standardized Testing | |
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| How to Find Out If a Standardized Test Is Reliable and Valid | |
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| How to Administer a Standardized Test | |
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| How to Explain Different Types of Test Scores | |
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| How to Interpret Standardized Test Results | |
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| Finding Out More about Standardized Tests | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Communicating and Collaborating Using Assessment Processes and Results | |
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| Communicating with Children | |
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| Communicating with Parents | |
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| Before Reporting | |
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| Ways to Report | |
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| Communicating and Collaborating with Other Professionals | |
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| Communication within the School or Center | |
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| Communication with Other Schools and Centers | |
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| Communication and Collaboration in Specialized Services | |
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| Communicating with Funding and Regulatory Agencies, Governing Boards, and Citizen Groups | |
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| Professional and Personal Development and Learning | |
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| Professional Development and Learning | |
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| Personal Development and Learning | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Self-Reflection | |
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| For Further Study and Discussion | |
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| Suggested Readings | |
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| Assessment and Analysis Guides | |
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| Developmental Red Flags for Children Ages 3 to 5 | |
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| Glossary | |
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| References | |
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| Name Index | |
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| Subject Index | |