This document provides an introduction to assessments for young children. It discusses how assessments gather information about children's development and growth through various methods of measurement. Assessments are used to evaluate children, diagnose developmental delays, place children in programs, and assist with program planning. They consider diverse families, cultures and languages. Having multiple assessments that evaluate different developmental areas can support decisions about children's placements and guide curriculum planning. Context-based and ecological assessments that consider a child's entire environment and influences are preferred.

1. INTRODUCTION TO
ASSESSMENTS
ANDREA ARCEO
SANDY TRAN
NICHOLE CHAVEZ
ARIANNA BUSTILLOS

2. • PRIOR TO THE 21 CENTURY,
RESOURCES ON ASSESSMENT WERE
LIMITED TO JOURNALS, AND CHAPTERS
IN TEXTBOOKS. PROFESSIONALS WERE
NOT PREPARED EDUCATIONALLY TO
ASSESS YOUNG CHILDREN.
• ASSESSMENT IS THE PROCESS OF
GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT
CHILDREN WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF
EVIDENCE.’
• ASSESSMENTS OFFER VARIOUS
METHODS OF MEASUREMENT TO
EVALUATE A CHILD’S GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT.

3. • ASSESSMENT IS A BROAD, COMPREHENSIVE
PROCESS- THERE IS NO SPECIFIC
TECHNIQUE OR ACTIVITY
• DURING ASSESSMENTS, DIVERSE FAMILIES,
CULTURES AND LANGUAGES ARE TAKEN
INTO CONSIDERATION
• FLEXIBILITY IS REQUIRED WHEN
APPROACHING ASSESSMENTS
• DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS ARE USED FOR
ADULTS AND CHILDREN.

4. ASSESSMENTS ARE USED FOR…
• AN EVALUATION OF A YOUNG
CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT
• TO DIAGNOSE CHILDREN, IN CASES
OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY OR TO
IDENTIFY CAUSES FOR POOR
PERFORMANCE IN LEARNING
• PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS OR TO
PROVIDE SPECIAL SERVICES
• PROGRAM PLANNING TO HELP
IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE CHILDREN
FOR AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM
• RESEARCH, TO ALLOW RESEARCHERS
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND A
BEHAVIOR OR INTERVENTION PLAN

5. PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT
• PURPOSE 1: ASSESSING TO PROMOTE
CHILDREN’S LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT
• PURPOSE 2: IDENTIFYING CHILDREN
FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
• PURPOSE 3: MONITORING TRENDS
AND EVALUATING PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES
• PURPOSE 4: ASSESSING ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT TO HOLD INDIVIDUAL
STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOLS
ACCOUNTABLE

6. HAVING ASSESSMENTS TO EVALUATE
DIFFERENT AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT CAN
ALSO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING:
• DECIDING WHETHER CHILDREN WILL BE
PLACED IN A EARLY LEARNING
PROGRAM OR IF THE CHILD NEED TO
RECEIVE SPECIAL SERVICES
• GUIDES THE PLANNING OF THE
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION OF
PROGRAMS
• ALLOWS FOR RESEARCHERS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND CHILD BEHAVIOR AND TO
ENSURE PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDING
NECESSARY EXPERIENCES TO CHILDREN

7. HAVING MULTIPLE ASSESSMENTS WILL ALWAYS BE NECESSARY
• CHILDREN DEVELOP IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS AND DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS
CAN MEASURE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE "WHOLE CHILD".
• JUST LIKE DOCTORS "DIAGNOSE" AN ILLNESS, PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH
CHILDREN USE ASSESSMENTS TO CHECK FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
• CHILDREN CAN BE ASSESSED TO CHECK THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN MOTOR,
LANGUAGE, COGNITIVE, AND SOCIAL SKILLS

9. CONTEXT BASED ASSESSMENTS ARE
PREFERRED
• AN ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IS AN ALL-
INCLUSIVE PROCESS IN WHERE DATA IS
COLLECTED ABOUT HOW A CHILD
FUNCTIONS IN MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS,
SETTINGS AND AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE, A
CHILD MAY PROSPER IN A LIBRARY AND
SHOW DISTRESS WHEN PLACED IN A NORMAL
CLASSROOM, SO AN ECOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT IS A TECHNIQUE THAT CAN
MEASURE ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ENVIRONMENTS.
• A CONTEXT-BASED ASSESSMENT IS A
MORE DEFINED AND ORGANIZED BASED ON
THE ORGANIZATION OR SCHOOLS MISSION,
IDEALS OR PHILOSOPHY.

10. • THERE IS FAR MORE DETAIL IN GATHERING
ASSESSMENTS ON CHILDREN. THE ECOLOGICAL
STANDPOINT LOOKS AT THE ENTIRE MICROSYSTEM
OF THE CHILD, FROM HIS NEIGHBORHOOD, TO
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY INFLUENCES.
• A CHILD’S ISSUES OR OBSTACLES IN LEARNING ARE
NOT SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR
PARTICULAR “WIRING” BUT A TOTAL COMBINATION
OF ALL THAT INFLUENCES THEM.
• A CHILD WILL BE LOOKED AS WHOLE AND ANY
INSUFFICIENCIES WILL BE NOTED, BUT THEIR
POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS WILL OUTWEIGH THE
NEGATIVE. PARENTS, CHILD AND TEACHERS WILL
WORK COLLECTIVELY TO HELP GUIDE AND FOSTER
THE CHILD. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO INTERVENE
AND HELP THE CHILD TO LEARN COPING SKILLS IN
A SENSITIVE AND POSITIVE WAY.