Understanding Assessment and Evaluation in Early Childhood Education

Preface ix Acknowledgments xiii PART I INTRODUCING ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 1(40) 1 Assessment and Evaluation in the Early Childhood Years 3(14) Parameters of Early Childhood 4(2) Assessment and Evaluation: Defining the Terms 6(3) Historical Context of Assessment and Evaluation in Early Childhood 9(3) Guiding Themes for This Book 12(5) 2 Putting Early Childhood Assessment and Evaluation in Perspective 17(14) The Assessment Climate for Early Childhood 18(1) General Principles for Guiding Assessment and Evaluation Practices in Early Childhood 19(3) Purposes for Assessment and Evaluation in Early Childhood Education 22(5) Assessment and Evaluation as Part of the Educative Process 27(4) 3 Evaluation from a Developmental Perspective 31(10) Developmental Characteristics 32(4) Characteristics of Learning Environments That Are Developmentally Appropriate 36(2) Assessment and Evaluation Considerations 38(3) PART II THE ROLE OF FORMAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 41(40) 4 Formal Assessment and Evaluation Instruments 43(8) General Characteristics of Standardized Tests 43(1) Types of Formal Assessments 44(5) Using the Appropriate Measure 49(2) 5 Characteristics and Uses of Standardized Test Results 51(13) Terminology 52(3) Standardized References for Tests 55(2) Psychometric Characteristics of Standardized Measures 57(3) Using Standardized Test Results 60(4) 6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Standardized Testing 64(17) Advantages of Standardized Assessments 64(2) Criticisms of Standardized Norm-Referenced Assessments 66(1) Testing and School Readiness 67(3) Deleterious Effects Associated with the Practice of Testing 70(7) Inherent Dangers in the Practice of Testing 77(1) Becoming Informed Users of Assessment Techniques and Information 78(3) PART III THE ROLE OF INFORMAL ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 81(50) 7 Informal Assessment and Evaluation Procedures 83(12) Advantages in Using Informal Assessment 83(1) Disadvantages in Using Informal Assessment 84(1) Direct Observation 85(5) Checklists 90(1) Rating Scales 91(1) Samples of Children's Work 92(1) Rubrics 92(3) 8 Assessment Using Performance-Based Strategies 95(22) Curriculum-Based Assessment 96(1) Play-Based Assessment 97(3) Dynamic Assessment 100(2) Project Assessment 102(1) Portfolio Assessment 103(8) Work Sampling System 111(2) Strategies for Implementing a Performance-Based Assessment Program 113(4) 9 Integrating Alternative Assessment Procedures into the Early Childhood Curriculum 117(14) Art Activities 118(2) Music and Movement Activities 120(1) Block Activities 120(3) Dramatic Play Activities 123(1) Science and Discovery Activities 124(2) Math and Manipulatives Activities 126(2) Literacy Activities 128(3) PART IV ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION WITH SPECIAL POPULATIONS OF CHILDREN 131(18) 10 Understanding Assessment and Evaluation for Children with Special Needs 133(9) Assessment as a Decision-Making Process 135(2) Using Assessment to Plan for Curriculum and Instruction for the Child with Special Needs 137(3) A Word of Caution 140(2) 11 Children with Culturally and Linguistically Different Backgrounds: Assessment and Evaluation Issues 142(7) Assessment of Children with Cultural and/or Linguistic Differences 143(3) Nonbiased Assessment Instruments and Strategies for Children with Cultural and Linguistic Differences 146(2) Final Reminder 148(1) Epilogue 149(2) Appendix: Selected Assessment Instruments in Early Childhood Education 151(8) Glossary of Assessment and Evaluation Terms 159(4) References 163(12) Index 175(10) About the Author 185