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CHAPTER 4 – OBSERVATION, DOCUMENTATION, & ASSESSMENT

Naeyc standards.

The following NAEYC Standard for Early Childhood Professional Preparation is addressed in this chapter:

Standard 3: Observing, documenting, and assessing to support young children and families.

Standard 6: Becoming a professional

PENNSYLVANIA EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR COMPETENCIES

The following competencies are addressed in this chapter:

Child Growth and Development

Families, Schools and Community Collaboration and Partnerships

Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Curriculum and Learning Experiences

Professionalism and Leadership

Communication

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT (MAY 2011)

The following elements of the code are touched upon in this chapter:

Section I: Ethical Responsibilities to Children

Ideals: – I-1.1-, I-1.2, I-1.3, I-1.6, I-1.7, I-1.10

Principles: P-1.1, P-1.2, P-1.4, P-1.5, P-6, P-1.7,

Section II: Ethical Responsibilities to Families

Ideals: I-2.1, I-2.2, I-2.3, I-2.4, I-2.5, I-2.6, I-2.7, I-2.8

Principles: P-2.4, P-2.6, P-2.7, P-2.8, P-2.12, P-2.13

Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues (Co-Workers and Employers) Ideals: I-3A.3, I-3B.1

Section IV: Ethical Responsibilities to Community and Society Ideals: I-4.1, I-4.2, I-4.5

As discussed in chapter 2, the field of early care and education relies on developmental and learning theories to guide our practices. Not only do theories help us to better understand a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs, but theories help us to see each child as a unique learner and can also help us to set appropriate expectations. With the information we uncover by watching and listening to children, we can provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities so they can thrive. In this chapter, we will examine how observation techniques are used to connect theory principles to practical applications. In other words, we will explore how teachers can incorporate observation, documentation, and assessment into their daily routines in order to effectively work with children and their families.

In the field of early care and education, the pursuit of high-quality care is a top priority. Throughout the day, preschool teachers have numerous tasks and responsibilities. In addition to providing a safe and nurturing environment, teachers must plan an effective curriculum, assess development, decorate the classroom, stock the shelves with age-appropriate materials, and they must develop respectful relationships with children and their families. So you might be wondering, what does this all have to do with observation, documentation, and assessment? To effectively support a child’s development and to help them thrive, preschool teachers are expected to be accountable and intentional with every interaction and experience. Let’s take a closer look and examine how teachers utilize observation, documentation, and assessment to maintain a high-quality learning environment.

THE PURPOSE OF OBSERVATION

Regular and systematic observations allow us to reflect on all aspects of our job as early childhood educators. To ensure high-quality practices we should observe the program environment, the interactions between the children and teachers, and each child’s development. With the information we gather from ongoing observations we can:

Improve teaching practices

Plan curriculum

Assess children’s development

Partner with families

Let’s review each concept more closely to better understand why we observe .

To Improve Teaching Practices

As we watch and listen to children throughout the day, we begin to see them for who they are. With each interaction and experience, we can see how children process information and how they socialize with their peers. We can learn so much about a child if we take the time to watch, listen, and record on a daily basis. Teachers are sometimes influenced by their own ideas of how children should behave. Truth be told, everything passes through a filter that is based on the observer’s beliefs, cultural practices, and personal experiences. As observers, we must be aware that our own biases can impact our objectivity. To gain perspective and to be most effective, we must train ourselves to slow down and step back, we must try to focus on what the child is actually doing, rather than judging how they are doing it or assuming why they are doing it. To practice becoming more objective, imagine you are a camera taking snapshots of key moments. As you observe the children in your care – practice recording just the facts. xxxvii

To Plan Effective Curriculum

When I was a teacher some years ago, I planned activities and set up the environment based on my interests and ideas of what I thought children should be learning. Today I realize that optimal learning occurs when the curriculum reflects the children’s interests. To uncover their interests, teachers need to observe each child as an individual, in addition to observing both small and large group interactions. Let’s look at the curriculum cycle to examine best practices in how to use observation to plan an effective curriculum.

Figure 3.1 Reflection xxxviii

Reflective Practice is at the center of the curriculum planning cycle. Reflective practice helps us to consider our caregiving practices and to develop greater self-awareness so we can be more sensitive and responsive to the children we care for. As we look, listen, and record the conversations and interactions of each child, we are collecting valuable insight. With each observation, we are learning specific details about the children’s interests and abilities, their play patterns, social behaviors, problem-solving skills, and much, much more. With the information we gather, we can reflect on our caregiving practices and look at what we are doing well in addition to where we can improve. To ensure best practices, we can think about how we can become more responsive and how we can meet each child where they are in order to best support their individual needs. Reflective practice can be done alone or with co-workers – if you are team teaching. To create an inclusive learning environment that engages each child in meaningful ways, here are some prompts to help you begin reflecting on your practices:

look at the space, materials, and daily schedule;

Consider the cultural diversity of families;

Think about whether caregiving routines are meaningful;

Think about how you are fostering relationships with families

Consider if you are using a “one size fits all” approach

Think about if your expectations for children match up with the age and stage of their development

Reflect on how you are guiding children’s behavior

Let’s take a closer look at how the cycle works to help us plan and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum.

To gather useful information about each child, we must first remember to use an objective lens . In other words, rather than assuming you know what a child is thinking or doing, it is important to learn the art of observing. To gather authentic evidence, we must learn how to look and listen with an open mind. We must learn to “see” each child for who they are rather than for who we want them to be or who we think they should be. Be assured, that learning to be an objective observer is a skill that requires patience and practice. As you begin to incorporate observation into your daily routine, here are a few things to think about:

Who should I observe? Quite simply – every child needs to be observed. Some children may stand out more than others, and you may connect to certain children more than others. In either case, be aware and be mindful to set time aside to observe each child in your care.

When should I observe? It is highly suggested that you observe at various times throughout the day – during both morning and afternoon routines. Some key times may include during drop-off and pick-up times, during planned or teacher-directed activities, during open exploration, or during child-initiated activities. You may have spontaneous observations – which are special moments or interactions that unexpectedly pop up, and you may have planned observations – which are scheduled observations that are more focused on collecting evidence about a particular skill set, interaction, or behavior.

Where should I observe? You should observe EVERYWHERE! Because children can behave differently when they are indoors as compared to when they are outdoors, it’s important to capture them interacting in both settings.

What should I observe? To understand the “whole child” you need to observe their social interactions, their physical development, how they manage their emotions and feelings, how they problem-solve when tasked with new developmental skills, how they communicate with their peers and adults, and how they use materials and follow directions. In other words – EVERYTHING a child does and says! In addition to observing each child as an individual, it’s important to look at small group interactions, along with large group interactions.

How should I observe? To capture all the various moments, you need to know when to step in and when to step back. Sometimes we quietly watch as moments occur, and sometimes we are there to ask questions and prompt (or scaffold) children’s learning.

Sometimes we can record our observations at that moment as they occur, and sometimes we have to wait to jot down what we heard or saw at a later time.

As we observe, we must record what we see and hear exactly as it happens. There are several tools and techniques that can be used to document our observations. As you continue along the Early Childhood Education / Child Development pathway, you may take a class on “Observation and Assessment” which will provide you with detailed information on how to effectively document a child’s development. As for now, we will take a brief look at some of the tools and techniques you may want to use as part of your daily routine.

Figure 3.2 Documenting what you observe is an important part of the process. xxxix

Tools to Use In Your Daily Routine

Running record.

To gather authentic evidence of everything you see and hear a child doing during a specific timeframe, you can use a running record . The primary goal of using a running record is to “obtain a detailed, objective account of behavior without inference, interpretations, or evaluations”. According to Bentzen, you will know you have gathered good evidence when you can close your eyes and you can “see” the images in your mind as they are described in your running record. xl

Anecdotal Record

Whereas a running record can be used to gather general information more spontaneously, anecdotal records are brief, focused accounts of a specific event or activity. An anecdotal record is “an informal observation method often used by teachers as an aid to understanding the child’s personality or behavior.” xli Anecdotal records, also referred to as “anecdotal notes,” are direct observations of a child that offer a window of opportunity to see into a child’s actions, interactions, and reactions to people and events. They are an excellent tool that provides you with a collection of narratives that can be used to showcase a child’s progress over time.

Developmental Checklists

To track a child’s growth development and development in all of the developmental domains including physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional you will want to use a developmental checklist. With a checklist, you can easily see what a child can do, as well as note the areas of development that need further support. Teachers can create their own checklists based on certain skill sets, or to look at a child’s full range of development they can download a formal developmental milestone checklist from a reputable source (e.g., the CDC Developmental Milestones)

(https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/all_checklists.pdf). Checklists can be used to track a large group of children or an individual child.

Frequency Counts

To gather information about a child’s interests, social interactions, play patterns, and temperamental traits you can use a frequency count chart. As you observe the children at play, a tally mark is made every time the noted behavior or action occurs within a set timeframe. Frequency counts are also used to track undesirable or challenging behaviors, as well as prosocial behaviors.

Work Samples

Creating a work sample requires more effort than hanging a child’s picture on the wall. A work sample provides tangible evidence of a child’s effort, progress, and achievement. Not only does a work sample highlight the final product , but it can also highlight the process. To collect authentic evidence , with every work sample you need to include the date and a brief caption that explains the child’s learning experience.

Documentation Boards

In addition to using the above tools and techniques to record observations, teachers can use documentation boards or panels to highlight the learning activities that are happening throughout the week, month, and year. Not only do families enjoy seeing their child’s work posted, but children can also be empowered by seeing all that they have accomplished. Documentation boards are another great way to validate progress over time. Documentation boards can be made with the children as a project or can be assembled by the teacher or parent volunteer. Typically, documentation boards are posted on the wall for all to see and they usually showcase the following information:

Learning goals and objectives

Children’s language development

The process and complete project

The milestones of development

Photos with detailed captions

After you have captured key evidence, you must now make sense of it all. In other words, you must try to figure out what it all means. As you begin to analyze and interpret your documentation, you will want to compare your current observations to previous observations. As you compare observations, you will want to look for play patterns and track social interactions. You will also want to look for changes in behavior and look for possible triggers (antecedents) when addressing challenging behaviors.

Lastly, you will want to note any new milestones that have developed since the last observation. To help you analyze and interpret your observation data, you will want to ask yourself some reflective questions. Here are some suggested questions:

What have I learned about this child?

What are their current interests – who do they play with and what activity centers or areas do they migrate to the most?

Has this child developed any new skills or mastered any milestones?

How did this child approach new activities or problem-solve when faced with a challenge?

How long does the child usually stay focused on a task?

Is this behavior “typical” for this child?

*What can I plan to support and encourage this child to progress along at a developmentally appropriate pace?

Another vital step in interpreting your observations is to reflect and connect your observation data to developmental theories. ECE theories provide foundational principles that we use to guide our practices and plan developmentally appropriate curricula.

Once you have interpreted your observation data (asked questions, looked for patterns, noted any changes in growth and development) and analyzed theory principles, it is time to plan the curriculum. First, let’s define curriculum . According to Epstein (2007), the curriculum is “the knowledge and skills teachers are expected to teach and children are expected to learn, and the plans for experiences through which learning will take place (p. 5). I would like to define curriculum as “the activities, experiences, and interactions a child may have throughout their day.” The curriculum supports learning and play and it influences a whole child’s growth and development. As teachers set goals and make plans, they should consider that some curricula will be planned, while some curricula will emerge. As you plan your curriculum, you are encouraged to think about the following aspects of the curriculum – the environment, materials, and interactions. For example,

How is the environment set up – is it overstimulating, cluttered, or inviting and well organized?

What is the mood and tone of the classroom – is it calm or chaotic? Do the children appear happy and engaged? Have you interacted with the children?

Are there enough materials available – are children having to wait long periods of time for items and are there conflicts because of limited materials ?

Do the materials reflect the children’s interests – are they engaging and accessible?

What are the social interactions – who is playing with whom, are there social cliques, is anyone playing alone?

Are the activities appropriate – do they support development in all areas of learning?

Are there a variety of activities to encourage both individualized play and cooperative play ? xlii

Implementation

Probably the more joyful part of our job is implementing the curriculum and seeing the children engage in new activities. It is common to hear teachers say that the highlight of their day is “seeing the lightbulb go on” as children make valuable connections to what the teacher has planned and as the children master new skill sets. An important part of implementation is understanding differentiated instruction . According to Gordon and Browne (2016) when teachers can implement activities and materials to match the interests and skill level of each child, they are utilizing developmentally appropriate practices. For light bulbs to go off, intentional teachers must remember to “tailor what is taught to what a child is ready and willing to learn.”

Once you have planned your curriculum, gathered your materials, set up your environment, and implemented your activities, you will need to observe, document, and interpret the interactions so that you can evaluate and plan for the next step. Based on whether the children mastered the goals, and expectations, and met the learning outcomes will determine your next step. For example, if the children can quickly and easily complete the task, you may have to consider adding more steps or extending the activity to challenge the children. If some children were unable to complete the task or appeared uninterested, you may consider how to better scaffold their learning either through peer interactions or by redefining the steps to complete the activity. As you evaluate your implemented activities here are some questions that you want to think about:

How did the child approach the activity and how long did the child stay engaged?

What problem-solving strategies did the child use?

Did the child follow the intended directions or find alternative approaches?

Who did the child interact with?

Based on your answers, you will decide on what is in the child’s best interest and how to proceed moving forward.

Figure 3.3 Evaluating the curriculum you implement helps you decide how to move forward. xliii

To Assess Children’s Development

Early childhood educators use assessments to showcase critical information about a child’s growth and development. As suggested by Gordon and Brown (2016) “Children are evaluated because teachers and parents want to know what the children are learning.” It is important to note that “assessment is not testing. xliv

Assessment is, however, a critical part of a high-quality early childhood program and is used to:

Provide a record of growth in all developmental areas: cognitive, physical/motor, language, social-emotional, and approaches to learning.

Identify children who may need additional support and determine if there is a need for intervention or support services.

Help educators plan individualized instruction for a child or for a group of children that are at the same stage of development.

Identify the strengths and weaknesses within a program and information on how well the program meets the goals and needs of the children.

Provide a common ground between educators and parents or families to use in collaborating on a strategy to support their child.

The key to a good assessment is observation. xlvi Whether you obtain your observation evidence through spontaneous or planned observations, it is suggested that you document your observations by utilizing various tools and techniques (e.g. running records, anecdotal notes, checklists, frequency counts, work samples, learning stories). As teachers watch children in natural settings, they can gather evidence that can then be used to track a child’s learning, growth, and development throughout the school year. To start the assessment process, here is a road map for you to follow:

Step 1: Gather Baseline Data

Step 2 : Monitor Each Child’s Progress

Step 3 : Have a Systematic Plan in Place

Let’s look at each step more closely.

Step 1. Establish a Baseline

Before you can assess a child’s development, you must get to know your child. The first step is to gather “baseline” information. Through ongoing observation, you learn about each child’s strengths, interests, and skills. While observing you may also uncover a child’s unique learning styles, needs, or possible barriers that may limit them from optimal learning opportunities. For example, you may notice that when a child arrives in the morning, they tend to sit quietly at the table, and they don’t engage with other children or join in play activities. As you track the behavior, you begin to see a pattern that when a teacher sits with the child and they read a story together, the child warms up much faster than when left alone. Baseline information provides you with a starting point that can help you build a respectful relationship with each child in your class.

Step 2. Monitor Progress

“The goal of observing children is to understand them better” (Gordon & Browne, 2016, p.119). Observations help guide our decisions, inform our practices, and help us to develop a plan of action that best fits each child’s individual needs. With every observation, we can begin to see how all the pieces fit together to make the whole child . To successfully monitor a child’s progress, we must look at the following:

The child’s social interactions

The child’s play preferences

How the child handles their feelings and emotions

The timeframe in which the child masters developmental milestones

How the child processes information and is able to move on to the next activity or level

With each observation, you gather more information and more evidence that can be used to assess the child’s development.

Step 3. A Systematic Plan

Once you have gathered an array of evidence, it is time to organize it. There are two different types of assessment systems:

Program-developed child assessment tools are developed to align with a specific program’s philosophy and curriculum.

Published child assessment tools have been researched and tested and are accepted as credible sources for assessing children’s development.

Forms of Assessment

Whichever system is in place in your program, you will need to be trained accordingly. In this section, we will highlight the use of portfolios and learning stories, as well as discuss the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS, 2008) as featured assessment systems that can be used to track a child’s development.

Portfolios help teachers organize all the work samples, anecdotal notes, checklists, and learning stories that have been collected for each child throughout the school year. A portfolio is similar to a traditional photograph album, but it is much more than an album. A portfolio is “an intentional compilation of materials and resources collected over time” (Gordon and Browne, 2016, p. 112). A portfolio is not an assessment tool in and of itself, it is a collection of written observation notes for each photo and work sample. The evidence clearly documents a child’s progression over time. Portfolios are important tools in helping to facilitate a partnership between teachers and parents. During conferences, teachers can showcase the portfolio as they share anecdotes of the child’s progress. Parents (and children) enjoy seeing all the achievements and chronological growth that has occurred during the school year.

Digital portfolios or e-Portfolios are trending now as technology has become more accessible. Not only do e-Portfolios enable teachers to document children’s activities faster, but teachers can also now post information and communicate with families on a regular basis, rather than waiting until the end of the school year for a traditional family conference.

What are the strengths of portfolios?

Information in a portfolio is organized in a chronological order

Portfolios promote a shared approach to decision-making that can include the parent and child and teacher.

Portfolios do not have the same constraints and narrow focus as standardized tests.

Portfolios help teachers to keep track of a child’s development over time

Portfolios can help teachers develop richer relationships with the children in their classroom

What are the limitations of portfolios?

Creating and maintaining a portfolio requires a large investment of time and energy

Currently, there are no valid grading criteria to evaluate portfolios since outcomes can vary from one child to another

Maintaining objectively can be challenging

Learning Stories

Learning Stories are written records that document what a teacher has observed a child doing. It becomes an actual learning story when the teacher adds his or her interpretation of the child’s dispositions toward learning – such as grit, courage, curiosity, and perseverance. The story may be as short as one paragraph or as long as one page. Much like an anecdotal record, teachers observe and document brief moments as a child engages with peers or completes a task. With the learning story, however, the teacher connects learning goals and highlights developmental milestones that the child is mastering. With learning stories, teachers tend to focus on what the child can do rather than what they can’t do. With almost all learning stories, teachers will take photographs (or video) to include with the written story.

What are the strengths of learning stories?

By listening to, observing, and recording children’s explorations, you send them a clear message that you value their ideas and thinking.

As the teacher shares the Learning Story with the child, the child has the opportunity to reflect on his or her own development, thinking, and learning.

The whole class can listen and participate in each other’s stories and ideas.

Learning stories provide parents with insight into how teachers plan for their children’s learning.

Parents uncover that teachers are thoughtful and continuous learners.

Learning Stories encourage families and children to talk about school experiences.

Learning Stories showcase how powerful and capable children really are

What are the limitations of learning stories?

The quality of the learning story depends on the teacher’s own subjectivity (ie:

viewpoints, values, and feelings towards the child)

Learning stories provide only a small snapshot of a child’s learning.

It takes time to write a learning story (teachers may only be able to write 1 or 2 stories per month) and critics argue that this may limit the amount of information a teacher will need to truly track a child’s development

Because learning stories are relatively new, there aren’t official guidelines on how often to write learning stories and what exactly they should be included

Learning stories are written up after the event or interaction has actually happened – so teachers need to have a good and accurate memory!

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is a standardized assessment tool that was developed by Robert C. Pianta, Ph. D., is Dean of the Curry School of Education, Director of the Center for Advanced Study in Teaching and Learning, and Novartis U.S. Foundation Professor of Education at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

(this system is used in Head Start Programs, Keystone STARS programs, and before and after school programs). The assessment results are intended to guide program improvement and to support teachers develop curricula to meet children’s individualized needs.

What are the strengths of the CLASS?

The CLASS is aligned with Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards.

The CLASS incorporates authentic observation, documentation, and reflection.

The CLASS measures each child’s individual level of growth and development in all domains of development.

What are the limitations of the CLASS?

Training teachers to be objective observers and aware of their biases can be challenging, especially with limited professional development opportunities.

The tool may be considered rigid.

Assessment, in general, is time-consuming

PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES

In addition to strengthening relationships with children, sharing observations with children’s families strengthens the home–program connection. Families must be “provided opportunities to increase their child observation skills and to share assessments with staff that will help plan the learning experiences.” xlvii

Families are with their children in all kinds of places and doing all sorts of activities. Their view of their child is even bigger than the teachers. How can families and teachers share their observations, and their assessment information, with each other? They can share through brief informal conversations, maybe at drop-off or pickup time, or when parents volunteer or visit the classroom. families and teachers also share their observations during longer and more formal times. Home visits and conferences are opportunities to chat a little longer and spend time talking about what the child is learning, what happens at home as well as what happens at school, how much progress the child is making, and perhaps to problem solve if the child is struggling and figure out the best ways to support the child’s continued learning. xlviii Partnering with families will be discussed more in Chapter 8.

Effectively working with children and families, means that teachers must effectively use observation, documentation, and assessment. We use the cycle of assessment to help improve teaching practices, plan effective curriculum, and assess children’s development. Families should be seen as partners in this process. Teachers must ensure that there is effective communication to support these relationships.

Chapter 5 (Developmental Ages and Stages) will build on observation to explore how we use the information gathered to define each unique stage of a child’s development.

ECE Principles and Practices Prek-4 Copyright © by Alison Angelaccio is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Observation with Purpose: Observation and Assessment

Observation is important to understand a child and to assess and enhance learning and development. Observations take many forms, both formal and informal. This module explains the use of observation within teaching, examines how observation enhances interactions, identifies best practices for observing an individual child or group of children, and introduces a variety of observation tools and methods that are commonly used in early childhood programs. (3 hours)

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Ready? View for free in On Demand!

Identify the reasons and uses for observing individual children and groups of children in an ECE program.

Use the observation cycle to guide observations.

Examine approaches to observation by reflecting on interactions with children.

Review the different types of observation tools, both formal and informal, that are available to early childhood professionals.

Discover how observation can inform assessments for all aspects of early childhood programming: child learning, curriculum, interactions, program practices, and collaborations.

This module is part of a "Observation with Purpose" series. Click here for a series flyer .

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35 Assessing Children’s Development

Assessment is “a systematic process which allows for understanding a child’s competencies” [1] Every child in your class needs to be assessed. To properly assess children, we use observations and documentation to determine a child’s abilities, interests, strengths, and areas of development that may need additional support. The information gathered during observations guides the classroom routines, curriculum planning, and implementation to ensure quality care. Over time, assessments record a child’s learning, growth, development, and social behavior. Assessments also provide an opportunity to share information with families that will build a bridge from school to home.

Let’s take a closer look at how we might use assessments in early childhood education. First, assessment is used to inform instruction and to guide teachers as they plan curriculum. With each observation a teacher can assess children’s strengths and capabilities to determine an individualized plan of action with just the “right” balance of independent and group activities across all areas of development (e.g. social, emotional, creative, cognitive, language and physical). When teachers create meaningful curriculum based on the children’s interest and abilities, research indicates that children will take greater strides in academic learning and are more likely to be successful throughout life. For example, a teacher may notice that one of her students has difficulty joining in and socializing with classmates during group activities. A teacher will then consider activities that would encourage peer interactions while also considering opportunities to support their independence.

Second, assessment is designed for accountability and program evaluation. Assessments provide information that is needed to evaluate program practices and to inform program policies. One of the hallmark traits of a high-quality early childhood program is the practice of continuously monitoring children’s development and responding to their learning needs. When administrators, teachers, and families reflect on program goals and outcomes they can determine specific areas that need improvement. Once areas are identified, they can focus on implementing professional development workshops and training in order to improve their ability in meeting the needs of children and families. For example, upon reviewing the math indicators for all of the kindergarten students in a school, the principal realizes that additional teacher training on math-related materials is needed to support math instruction and student learning across all of the kindergarten classrooms in the school.

Third, assessments are used to support school and family partnerships. Assessment helps teachers communicate important milestones in a child’s development to families. More importantly, when teachers share their assessments with families, there is an opportunity for teachers and parents to work together to support children as they grow. Intentional teachers respect that parents are teachers on the “home front.”

Additionally, families have valuable insight that they can contribute when assessing a child’s needs. For example, a teacher may not observe a child’s ability to identify colors but through a discussion with the parents, the teacher learns that the child identifies colors of fruit at the grocery store. In this way, parents and teachers collaborate to better understand what needs to happen in the curriculum or at home to support the child’s learning and growth. [2]

Let’s take a look at 4 Types of Assessments:

• Screening tools
• Diagnostic assessments
• Formative assessments
• Summative assessments

Screening Tools

According to developmental theories, children may not reach developmental milestones at the same time. In early care and education, we recognize that there is an “acceptable range” for children to reach developmental milestones. That being said, we also recognize that when development does not happen within an expected time frame “red flags” can be raised and teachers may have concerns about developmental disorders, health conditions, or other factors that may negatively impact the child’s development. A developmental screening is the early identification of children at risk for cognitive, motor, communication, or social-emotional delays that may interfere with expected growth, learning, and development, and may warrant further diagnosis, assessment, and evaluation. Programs may conduct the following screenings:

•  Developmental screening tools include the domains of cognition, fine and gross motor skills, speech and language, and social-emotional development.
• Social-emotional screening is a component of developmental screening of young children that focuses on the early identification of possible delays in the expected development of a child’s ability to express and regulate emotions, form close and secure relationships, and explore his/her environment and learn.
• Mental health screening is the early identification of children at risk for possible mental health disorders that may interfere with expected growth, learning, or development that warrant further diagnosis, assessment, or evaluation.

It is recommended that young children receive screenings to help identify potential problems or areas needing further evaluation. By recognizing developmental issues early, children can be provided with treatment or intervention more effectively, and additional developmental delays may be prevented. Developmental screenings should begin early in a child’s life and should be conducted through third grade. Practitioners should use reliable and valid screening tools that are age-appropriate, culturally inclusive and in the home child’s language.

Developmental screenings are often universally performed on large groups of children. The results generated from this type of procedure most commonly are used by programs to identify those few children who may need to receive a more extensive or “diagnostic” assessment for determining developmental delays or special needs. Screenings are brief, and usually effective in catching the most severe cases of children who would need a follow-up evaluation. Screening tools can also be used to assess whether a child is developmentally ready to graduate or move into the next educational level, in other words – a child’s school readiness. There is controversy around whether school districts should be permitted to use readiness tests since school districts are not permitted to deny children entry to kindergarten based on the results of a readiness test. One on side there are those that believe many children are often mislabeled. Because young children can demonstrate a wide range of results based on how comfortable they are at the time of the screening, screening results can be inaccurate and children, especially dual language learners, may be placed into remedial classes or special education programs. On the other hand, some proclaim that the screening process at this point will provide young children and their families with access to a wide variety of services early on.

Diagnostic Assessments

Diagnostic assessment tools are typically standardized for a large number of children. A score is given that reflects a child’s performance related to other children of the same age (and less common gender and ethnic origin). A diagnostic assessment typically results in a diagnosis for a child. Some common diagnoses are related to intelligence, intellectual disability, autism, learning disabilities, sensory impairment (deaf, blind), or neurologic disorders. Persons administering diagnostic assessment tools must meet state and national standards, certification, or licensing requirements. Some diagnostic assessment tools used for determining or identifying developmental issues are The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), electroencephalogram (EEG), Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI), and the Pre-Language Assessment Survey (PreLAS). Many other diagnostic assessment tools are available for early childhood. The Buros Institute of Mental Measurements at the University of Nebraska publishes the Buros Mental Maturity Yearbook which helps educators and other childcare professionals choose a tool that is reliable and highly regarded in the diagnostic assessment community.

Formative Assessments

The primary purpose of the formative assessment is to gather evidence that teachers can use to inform instruction, implement learning opportunities and measure a child’s learning. As stated in previous chapters, through ongoing observations, evidence is collected and then used to measure the child’s learning. To gather an accurate account of what children are learning and how they are learning, observations should occur during daily activities and routines, and should be conducted indoor as well as outdoor. With this information, teachers make instructional adjustments to close the gap between a child’s current understanding and what the desired goals are for the child as recommended by formal assessment tools like the Desired Result Developmental Profile (DRDP).

Formative assessment can consist of formal assessments or informal assessments . Formal assessments are defined as highly valid and reliable and standardized tools that are administered in a similar manner each time for every child. These tools have standards of comparison (norm-referenced, standards-referenced, and criterion-referenced) to ensure equitable and consistent results. Such tools usually emerge from research studies published by a national company (e.g. Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) or Rating Scales that are based on the acquisition of age-appropriate developmental milestones). Informal assessments, on the other hand, usually may be published, but can also be developed by a teacher or program (i.e. a classroom checklist or frequency count chart). Informal assessments often utilize observable techniques such as anecdotal notes, work samples, and video recordings. Whether formal or informal tools and techniques are used, it is important to note that assessment is not a one-time event since it is difficult to gather valid and reliable information from just one observation technique or from one tool. Formative assessments are on-going.

For best results, intentional teachers are encouraged to assess children through authentic, naturalistic observations. Such observation should be collected throughout the school year, and not just when preparing for family conferences. Another best practice, early care educators are encouraged to actively involve young children with the assessment process. Informal observations and conversations are needed to purposefully plan intentional and individualized activities. Lastly, teachers are encouraged to share learning goals with both children and parents, as well as provide opportunities for children to monitor their ongoing progress. Learning Stories are a great technique to encourage joint collaboration between teachers, families, and children.

Summative Assessments

In primary grades, summative assessment, often called high-stakes assessments, are designed to measure a child’s overall developmental progress at the end of a school year. These assessments can also be administered at certain grade levels for state or local accountability purposes (e.g. Blue-Ribbon Recognition). Summative assessments seek to measure a child’s academic performance. Scores are published and parents are notified of their child’s individual score along with their child’s percentile ranking as compared to other children who are in the same grade. In early care and education however, summative assessments essentially look back to see how effective the teacher or program is at providing high-quality care. This is form of assessment allows families, teachers and administrators to evaluate instruction practices, curriculum, and whether a child is in need of intervention or teachers are in need of professional development. These assessments help recognize whether or not the child has fallen short of, met, or exceeded the expected standards. Although the results of formative assessments are primarily of interest to teachers, families are eager to know how their child is doing socially and academically. Administrators can utilize the assessment information to identify strengths and challenges of curriculum and instruction, in order to make improvements on the next year’s program policies or procedures.

How are Assessments are Used

Planning Curriculum- Teachers use assessments to understand a child’s capabilities and needs. By focusing on what a child can do, teachers then establish individualized goals for that child. By continuing to observe and document milestones, teachers can proactively assess a child’s development and adjust the curriculum accordingly. For example, if a teacher determines that a child needs support in their fine motor development, activities that exercise the pincer grasp will be implemented. Documentation on behavior should be considered when planning curriculum. If data shows reoccurring conflict taking place in a specific area, teachers should assess if there are enough materials and space in that area, and decide if the materials provided are age-appropriate. For example, after reviewing the data, the teachers concluded that conflict was occurring in the dramatic play area because there were not enough baby dolls for the number of children playing at the same time.

Ensuring School Readiness – Whether you use checklists or the DRDP, both assessments will collect data about milestones of development. Recording a child’s progress for each domain of development will determine school readiness. School readiness refers to children having enough knowledge and experience to succeed in a kindergarten classroom.

Adjusting the Classroom – Assessments can also be used to adjust teaching styles, classroom setups, daily schedules, and routines. When observing children, teachers should document how the class responds to certain routines, transitions, and language. For example, if the data collected shows that children are having a difficult time falling asleep during nap time, the daily schedule can be adjusted to allow more outdoor play before nap time.

Data can also show us why certain behaviors are occurring. When reviewing data, evaluate what happens before the behavior is observed, and assess what changes can be made to redirect the child. For example, if conflict and running in the classroom are occurring in the morning, the parent drop-off could be moved to the outdoor classroom to allow a large space for children to play and interact before going inside. [3]

Further Information on Authentic Observation and Assessment

Read this article for more information on New Learnings in Early Care and Education.

Watch this video to learn more about authentic assessment.

Read this report from National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for more information on balanced preschool assessment.

Watch this video to learn more about Organizing for Assessment in ECE.

• The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2015). Chapter 7: Knowledge and Competencies. In Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A unifying Foundation . Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/19401/chapter/13 ↵
• The National Education Goals Panel. (2000). Principles and Recommendations for Early Childhood Assessments. Retrieved from https://ectacenter.org/eco/assets/pdfs/NEGP_goal1_Assessment_Principles.pdf ↵

Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education Copyright © 2022 by Gina Peterson and Emily Elam is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Spotlight on Young Children: Observation and Assessment, Volume 2

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About the book.

• Discuss changing the landscape of observation and assessment  
• Emphasize the need for assessment to be culturally and linguistically responsive  
• Showcase a variety of reasons why educators use observation and assessment, exploring information about the foundations and meanings behind them  
• Highlight different facets of the authentic assessment process and how to capture thinking and learning moments 
• Address reflecting on, celebrating, and including all children by identifying their unique strengths and needs and using a variety of supporting strategies   

Table of Contents

• Introduction   Hilary Seitz  
• Foundations of Assessment for Preschool Settings  Catherine Scott-Little, with Kathy L. Reschke  
• Meaningful Assessment and Documentation: How Directors Can Support Teaching and Learning  Debbie LeeKeenan and Iris Chin Ponte  
• Assessing Agency in Learning Contexts: A First, Critical Step to Assessing Children  Natacha Ndabahagamye Jones, Amber T. Fowler, and Jennifer Keys Adair  
• Authentic Assessment: A Strengths-Based Approach to Making Thinking, Learning, and Development Visible  Hilary Seitz  
• Anecdotal Records: Practical Strategies for Taking Meaningful Notes   Celeste C. Bates, Stephanie M. Madison, and Hayley J. Hoover   
• Bringing Observation and Documentation to Life in Infant and Toddler Settings  Rebecca Parlakian  
• Unlocking the Potential of Data-Driven Coaching: Child Assessment Evidence as a Guide for Informing Instructional Practices  Christine M. Snyder and Holly P. Delgado  
• Effective Kindergarten Readiness Assessments: Influencing Policy, Informing Instruction, and Creating Joyful Classrooms  Elliot Regenstein, Maia C. Connors, Rio Romero-Jurado, and Joyce Weiner  
• Photographs and Learning Progressions: Supports for Intentional Assessment and Instruction in Mathematics  Sarah Roller Dyess, Elizabeth Petit Cunningham, and Katherine Ariemma Marin  
• Assessing Opportunities to Support Each Child: 12 Practices for Quality Inclusion  Camille Catlett and Elena P. Soukakou  
• Embedded Learning Opportunities for Children with and Without Disabilities  Christan G. Coogle, Emily M. Rose, Jennifer R. Ottley, Jennifer A. Brown, and Mollie K. Romano  
• Authentic and Meaningful Developmental Screening in Early Childhood  Marisa Macy and Stefano J. Bagnato   
• Enhancing Toddlers’ Communication Skills: Partnerships with Speech-Language Pathologists  Janet L. Gooch   

Book Details

Related resources.

Hilary Seitz, PhD, is director for educator and leadership programs in the California State University system. She advocates and supports statewide efforts to support early childhood education and the new California PK–3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential. Dr. Seitz is professor emerita in early childhood education at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her research areas have been in early literacy development, collaborative practices between families and schools including culturally responsive pedagogies, emergent curriculum development, documentation, authentic assessment, and social constructivist learning theories inspired by Reggio Emilia practices.

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{{item.title}}, my essentials, ask for help, contact edconnect, directory a to z, how to guides, evaluation resource hub, observation: a guide for use in evaluation.

Observations can be made in just about any situation: you see and hear things all the time, and it’s all data that can be turned into evidence.

Observation provides the opportunity to monitor or assess a process or situation and document evidence of what is seen and heard. Seeing actions and behaviours within a natural context, or as they usually occur provides insights and understanding of the event, activity or situation being evaluated.

The key to using observational data as evidence in an evaluation is to take a systematic and consistent approach as you collect, organise and analyse what is observed.

These notes should be read alongside the general advice on understanding quantitative data and qualitative data , as observational data can include both types.

• Observation is a flexible approach to data collection , suitable for a broad range of contexts.
• Observation can produce a mix of qualitative and quantitative data . For example, when observing people in a group situation, you might count up how many times certain behaviours or interactions occur (quantitative), while also taking freehand notes about the nature of the group dynamics (qualitative).
• Structured observation helps provide measures or records of behaviours , without relying on people’s (those being observed) capacity to report what they do or estimate how often they do it.
• Observation can be a low impact way to collect data . When planned appropriately, the observer may have only a minor effect on the activities or blend into the observation setting.
• The discussion of feedback from observation can lead to valuable reciprocal professional learning conversations .
• Teachers can also observe teaching and learning in their own classes using digital recording technologies, such as 360 degree cameras or other appropriately placed recording devices.

Relationship to other methods

Observation can be used as stand-alone data collection tool. Often, however, observational data is used in conjunction with other approaches as part of an evaluation design. For example:

• Initial focus groups, interviews or surveys might identify a set of behaviours that are of interest. Observation then allows the evaluation team to assess how common the behaviours are, or to look for patterns in the circumstances or triggers that give rise to them.
• Conversely, an evaluation might start with some exploratory observations, and then follow these up with interviews where participants are asked to comment on their experiences in the situation.
• Data from interviews or surveys (about classroom management practices, for example) might be used in conjunction with data from observations (of classroom management) to build a more complete assessment of the effectiveness of a strategy being used in the classroom to improve student engagement.
• Observations can be used in conjunction with other data, such as administrative records or document analysis. After reviewing a mathematics program (document analysis), the evaluation team may use observations to support or challenge claims found in the documents about the effectiveness of the program.

Limitations, and how to manage them

Observation needs to be carefully planned, with a clear understanding of the questions to be answered and the particular behaviours or attributes of interest. This helps avoid being overwhelmed by a vast amount of data, or getting stuck at the analysis stage wishing ‘If only I had kept an eye out for…’.

It is valuable to have two or more people undertake observations, as one person alone might miss things that someone else would see.

Conducting observations can be labour intensive, in preparation, data collection and analysis.

Depending on the rigour required for the evaluation there may be a need to allocate time for pre-observation discussion to ‘calibrate’ the observers. Time may also be needed at the end of the observation for discussion, checking consistency between observers and reflection of what was collected.

Like most measurement in a social setting, the process of collecting observational data will have an influence on what is being measured and can result in unintentional biases that we need to be mindful of.

Skilled observers are good at being unobtrusive or ‘fading into the background’ when they need to. Early data may need to be discarded while subjects are still getting used to the observer, especially if using video to record the activities. The more familiar people are with observation – the more ‘normal’ it becomes – the less this problem arises.

Keep reading

• Step 1: Set the scope and choose an approach
• Step 2: Prepare the tools and the people
• Step 3: Conduct observations
• Step 4: Organise and analyse the data

External links

• School Excellence Framework evidence guide - Guidelines for using data

Documentation, Observation and Assessment of Young Children

This is an introductory course on observation, documentation and assessment in ECE. Learn to create appropriate curriculum for your group, to document growth and thinking and to use California ECE resources.

What you can learn.

• Learn early childhood observation and documentation skills and practice using assessment tools
• Apply children's assessment findings to enhance your curriculum planning for targeted developmental growth
• Use the California Early Learning System resources

About this course:

Summer 2024 schedule.

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A complete guide to observational assessments.

In this article, we will look at what an observational assessment is, the advantages of observational assessments, the risk of potential biases and observational assessment tools.

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What is an observational assessment?

An observational assessment is a test where an observer watches a participant perform a task and rates their performance, making it possible to evaluate skills or abilities that are difficult to measure using “traditional” assessments. Rather than relying on standard assessments, which often only test knowledge recall, observational assessments, similar to Performance-based testing , test and measure the test-taker’s abilities in an authentic environment.

In doing so, the validity of the results automatically increases and provides you (and regulators) with a more accurate picture of how an employee might perform in the real world. This also allows for a more holistic assessment experience, where a test taker’s skills, knowledge, and attitude can all be tested together through a range of formats You can find out more by watching our Tuesday Training with the Techs: To See or Not to See Webinar– Observational/Workplace Assessments in Action .

How do observational assessments work?

Observational assessment examples

Observational assessments can be used for a wide range of exams and are most applicable and useful for high-stakes, on-the-job skills analysis. Some examples of how an observational assessment might be useful include:

• Assessing the competence and knowledge of a pharmaceutical sales representative
• Assessing the competence of workers on a construction site
• Assessing the SEP skills of cabin crew
• Assessing how well customer service representatives handle queries
• And much more!

What are the benefits of observational assessments?

“Observational Assessments are valid because they allow learners to demonstrate their skills in an authentic situation by performing tasks in the presence of an expert observer.  The method is convenient as it can be integrated into both the observer and the learner’s day-to-day activities and is robust to cheating.  Use of a common checklist generally ensures good reliability too.” Steve Lay , SVP Product Management, Questionmark

• Prove employee competency and ensure you’re meeting health and safety regulations for high-risk environments
• Allows employees to demonstrate skills and knowledge across different environments including vehicle handling, customer service, utilities, construction sites, and much, much more
• Tests beyond knowledge to confirm skills can be practically applied in a safe, secure, and accurate manner

Are there any challenges in observational assessments?

A key challenge to be aware of for this assessment type is bias. The primary type of bias in observational assessments is observer bias. Observer bias is a difference between a true value and the value someone has seen due to ‘observer variation’ (when the observer fails to measure accurately). Biases like these can lead to significant errors that affect test results and undermine processes.

These sorts of biases are common as multiple observers or assessors may judge a task differently. For example, in a diving competition, there are usually 5 judges and they all score based on their observations alongside a set of criteria. Some judges may score highly and round up while others may score lower and round down. One way to mitigate potential observer bias in this scenario is to ignore the highest and lowest scores.

Observational assessment tools

Examples of tools you may need to conduct an observational assessment include:

• Test equipment
• A scoring sheet
• Audiovisual footage
• A scoring system

Looking for advice on how observational assessments could help you? Talk to us.

Related resources, ai & assessments: when the stakes are high, the role and value of scenario-based assessments, assessments just got advanced, get in touch.

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Chapter 6: Observation and Assessment

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• 6.1: Introduction to Chapter 6
• 6.2: Observation
• 6.3: Recording Observation
• 6.4: Assessment
• 6.5: Appendix to Chapter 6
• 6.6: Chapter Attribution, References and Websites