Homework: Assessments for Readiness Skills, Emerging Content Knowledge, and Intervention
You have examined various assessments in past homeworks, analyzed their strengths and weaknesses, and reported on their reliability and validity. Why is this so important to early childhood educators? What purpose is there to all this? Teaching is a cyclical process. It must involve the following:
o Having a direction (a measurable objective or clear learning outcomes)
o Creating an assessment (a clear, measureable objective tied to an appropriate assessment for the objective)
o Analyzing data based on the results (Did you meet the objective? How do you know?)
o Determining the next steps, next lesson, and next objective(s)
It is much like our original Einstein quote: "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." If we use the wrong assessments, we will never be able to obtain the information we seek-the information that can mean a difference in a child's life and learning.
To prepare:
o Consider reviewing the MA Child Care Resources (n.d.), "Resource List of Common Assessment Tools," found in the Learning Resources of Module 2.
o Research and examine assessments for kindergarten-aged children or children aged 6-8 in the areas of readiness skills, emerging content knowledge, and intervention.
o Review the Mental Measurements Yearbook and verify the information posted on validity and reliability or find a research article discussing the assessment.
Write a paper in which you do the following:
A. List two assessments for each of the three areas indicated above (readiness, emerging content knowledge, intervention).
B. Describe in-depth how the assessment is used.
C. Provide an analysis that addresses the following:
a. How do you know these assessments are DAP?
b. In what ways could you modify the emerging content knowledge assessments for dual language learners and children with exceptionalities or children with identified disabilities or delays? Explain how you know these modifications are appropriate.
c. Explain how data from these assessments could be used to promote development and guide teaching and learning.
d. How could this information be shared and with whom should it be shared?
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.