Issues In Preschool Assessment Marissa S. Reed, Ed.S. School Psychologist
Transcription
Issues In Preschool Assessment Marissa S. Reed, Ed.S. School Psychologist
Issues In Preschool Assessment Marissa S. Reed, Ed.S. School Psychologist Troup County School System LaGrange, Georgia Purposes of Preschool Assessment (Nagle, 2000; Appl, 2000) Screening Diagnosis Individual program planning and monitoring Program evaluation Reed, 2005 Importance of Preschool Assessment Early detection=better outcomes (Feil & Severson, 1995) Child-find screenings National education goal (NCLB): starting school ready to learn (USDOE, 1992) Early intervention required by IDEA (Bailey, 2000) Children who are at-risk included also Reed, 2005 Preschoolers=Unique Population (Nagle, 2000) Rapid developmental change Behavior during testing may affect accuracy of test results Approach testing situation differently than school-age students Familiarity with strangers varies largely View scores as current level of development which is constantly changing Lack of prior school experience Reed, 2005 Issues to Consider (Bracken, 2000) Child’s temperament Examiner approachability, affect, and physical presence Behavior management Environment – Furniture, decorations, distractions, climate, seating arrangement Test floors and ceilings Reed, 2005 Traditional vs. Alternative Methods of Assessment (Nagle, 2000) Traditional: standardized, norm-referenced – – – – – – – – Battelle Developmental Inventory Stanford-Binet, 5th Edition Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, 3rd Edition (WPPSI-III) Bracken Basic Concept Scale, 2nd Edition Differential Ability Scales (DAS) Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition Preschool Language Scale, 4th Edition Reed, 2005 Traditional vs. Alternative Methods of Assessment (Nagle, 2000) Alternative: – Play-based assessment (Ross, 2000 [Best Practices]) – Direct observation – Parent interviews – Parent-child interactions – Clinical judgment rating scales – Curriculum-based assessment – Portfolio assessment (Mills, 1994) – Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) (Best Practices) Reed, 2005 Traditional vs. Alternative Methods of Assessment (Nagle, 2000) Bracken: problem is not the actual tests, but administration of test that does not consider the nature of the child or reason for referral Use complementary assessment: best of both worlds Sattler: behavioral state and temperament play a large role Bag of tricks Reed, 2005 Assessment of Behavior Functional Behavior Assessment (Conroy & Davis, 2000) Parental input is crucial – Rating scales – Developmental history Observations Parental point of reference – First child; different children’s development Reed, 2005 Family Focus (Nagle, 2000) Individual Family Support Plans (IFSP) instead of IEP Parent participation – May be first contact with professionals – Parents as valuable source of information regarding representativeness of child’s performance (validity of results) – Observation of parent-child interaction – Initial notification of problems or diagnoses Reed, 2005 Importance of Ecological Perspective (Paget & Nagle, 1986) Settings and significant individuals Social learning theory Each child and their ecology as unique Reed, 2005 Best Practices in Early Intervention (Barnett, 2000) Basics – Interesting and developmentally appropriate environments – Scanning – Guides, rules and consequences – Functional analysis – Modeling and opportunities to practice Reed, 2005 Best Practices in Early Intervention (Barnett, 2000) Interventions for Language and Literacy – Milieu Language Interventions – Early Literacy Interventions for Challenging Behaviors – High probability sequences – Alternative responses and functional communication training – Choices – Timed positives, fixed-time, or noncontingent reinforcement – Correspondence Reed, training 2005 School Readiness Cognitive development Social-emotional development Communication and language development Sensorimotor development Reed, 2005 Home Activities to Promote School Readiness (Resource Team, 1992) Healthy pregnancy and mother’s nutrition Regular health care after birth Verbal communication with child Reading to child Opportunities to write, draw, sing, dance, and tell stories Exposure to a variety of materials Value on education and learning Visits to libraries, museums, and cultural activities Asking children questions Opportunities to play and explore Social interaction with other children Reed, 2005 self-worth Build a sense of security and Important Skills for School Psychologists (Nagle, 2000) Training in traditional and nontraditional assessments Evaluation of technical adequacy of instruments Knowledge of related issues Ability to establish collaborative relationships is imperative Field-based practicum and internship experiences Continuing professional development in early Reed, 2005 intervention and preschool issues References Appl, D.J. (2000). Clarifying the preschool assessment process: Traditional practices and alternative approaches. Early Childhood Education Journal, 27 (4), 219-225. Bailey, D. B. (2000). The federal role in early intervention: Prospects for the future. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20 (2), 71-78. Barnett, D.W. (2000). Best practices in early intervention. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best Practices in School Psychology IV. Bethesda, MD: NASP. Bracken, B.A. (2000). Maximizing construct relevant assessment: The optimal preschool testing situation. In B.A. Bracken (Ed.) The psychoeducational assessment of preschool children (pp. 33-44). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Conroy, M.A., & Davis, C.A. (2000). Early elementary-aged children with challenging behaviors: Legal and educational issues related to IDEA and assessment. Preventing School Reed, 2005 Failure, 44 (4), 163-168. References Feil, E.G., & Severson, H.H. (1995). Identification of critical factors in the assessment of preschool behavior problems. Education & Treatment of Children, 18 (3), 261-272. Mills, L. (1994). Yes, it can work!: Portfolio assessment with preschoolers. Paper presented at the Association for Childhood Education International Study Conference, New Orleans, LA, March 30-April 2, 1994. Nagle, R.J. (2000). Issues in preschool assessment. In B. A. Bracken (Ed.), The psychoeducational assessment of preschool children (pp. 19-32). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Paget, K.D., & Nagle, R.J. (1986). A conceptual model of preschool assessment. School Psychology Review, 15 (2), 154-165. Resource Team on National Education Goal 1 (1992). Starting school ready to learn. Questions and answers on reading national education goal 1: ‘By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn.’ United States Department of Education. Ross, R.P. (2000). Best practices in the use of play for assessment and intervention with young children. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best Practices in School Psychology IV. Bethesda, MD: NASP. Reed, 2005