Introduction to Assessment

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. 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 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. • 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.