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Why Assess?

Why Assess?. Assessment is a collection of information with a purpose . (Salvia & Yesseldyke (1995) To determine children’s developmental status at a given time. ( Status refers to children’s current condition or situation with respect to any particular aspect of growth)

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Why Assess?

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  1. Why Assess? Assessment is a collection of information with a purpose. (Salvia & Yesseldyke (1995) • To determine children’s developmental status at a given time. ( Status refers to children’s current condition or situation with respect to any particular aspect of growth) • This basic information is used for: identification of children for special services, for reporting and communicating with others, to help solve individual and classroom concerns (Hills, 1992 ; Stiggins & conklin, 1992).

  2. To Determine status • A child’s developmental status at a given time. “We can not take anything for granted insofar as the child’s knowledge or understanding is concerned” (Elkind, 1979, p. 147). Children are too diverse. (Individual appropriateness, NAEYC’s DAP) • A child’s progress and change over time: • - Teachers want to know if learning is taking place, provide evidence to parents and children, to inform their teaching. (children grow all the time)

  3. To provide useful information for classroom planning • Bredekamp (1987) asserts that, “ assessment is essential for planning and implementing developmentally appropriate programs” P. 4 (where and how to begin) • As children respond, teachers revise and modify their approach in a continuing interplay) • Specifically teachers use assessment information to : choose materials and strategies, allocate more time, decide actions on group squabbles, rearrange learning centers. ( Effective, DAP programs depend on some kind of assessment – formal or informal (McFee & Leong, 1997)

  4. Identify children who might benefit from special services • For referrals to specialists, challenging work, remedial services • Systematic Assessment keeps teachers from “losing” individual children. • Collect and document information for reporting: to parents, other professionals, funding or regulatory agencies boards, citizen groups.

  5. What to Assess • Major child growth and development domains • Expected outcomes of the program… • Children’s unique patterns of development, knowledge, attitudes, and interests • Problems or concerns about a child or group

  6. Major growth and development domains • Cognitive, Affective psychomotor, intellectual social emotional, physical, and language (aesthetic, moral, and spiritual) • For Older children, schools tend to think in terms of curriculum subject areas. • It must be noted that children cannot be divided up and part of them set aside! For example, a youngsters’ lagging social development will plague him or her in all that he/she does. (we need to look at thing that the school or teachers can do something about)

  7. Expected outcomes • Outcomes are stated as purposes, aims, goals, or objectives depending on how specific they are. • Standards ( also essential learnings, essential knowledge and skills): Refer outcomes – what the learner should know and be able to do, and what dispositions and habits of mind they should develop. (content, performance) • Performance standards identify benchmarks (statements of expected or anticipated skill or understanding

  8. Sample benchmarks relating to science K-2 • Standard: understands energy types, sources,, and conversions, and their relationship to heat and temperature • Know that the sun applies heat and light to earth • knows that heat can be produced in may ways, • knows that electricity in circuit can produce light, heat, sound, magnetic effects) • In physical education, NASPE (1995), state that children should achieve and maintain a heal-enhancing level of physical fitness. - sustain moderate to vigorous physical activity for short periods of time

  9. Assessment from a developmental perspective… • In the 1920’s and 1930’s it was believed that infants were blind because wrong questions were being asked. (developmentally inappropriate) • We evaluate preschool children through teacher directions. Gullo (1981) observe there is a developmental sequence in questions: yes-no, who, what where, when, why, and how.

  10. Developmental considerations • Developmental constraints – speech, fine motor skills • Impulsivity – blurting out answers (decoy pictures) • Differences in motivation young children may not see the need to answer questions • Exaggerated perception of performance (children & parents). Chn may confuse the desire to excell with reality (piaget’s preoperational stipulation • Children are unable to transfer skills to other context (so many contexts)

  11. Assessment and Evaluation considerations • Comer (1980) argues that “ the most basic problem with education today is the assumption that if the child doesn’t learn, it’s the child’s fault. The school doesn’t take any responsibility

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