Assessment in early childhood education
22CHAPTER 1An Overview of Assessment in Early Childhood Many issues surround the testing of young children. Some educators question the validity and reliability of standardized tests used with young children, as well asthe purposes for administering tests to children who are culturally and linguistically diverse. At the same time, the use of individual testing and evaluation to identify children with disabilities and provide services for them continues to serve a valu-able purpose.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1.Why are very young children measured in infancyand in the preschool years? Give examples.
2.Explain developmental deficits. How are develop-mental deficits identified and treated?
3.Why is research conducted on the development ofvery young children? How can such research be used?
4.How were Pestalozzi and Rousseau pivotal in the ori-gins of understanding and measuring young children?
5.Why has the child study movement been the major resource for understanding child development?
6.How does the history of standardized testing in-clude testing with infants and young children?
What kinds of standardized tests are beneficialfor children under age 6?
7.Why were standardized tests developed for HeadStart?How were they used?
8.Why were standardized tests developed as a resultof legislation for young children withdisabilities?How are they used?
9.Why is it difficult to develop assessments for chil-dren who are culturally and linguistically different?What factors must be addressed in theirassessment?
10.What are some of the weaknesses in assessmentsof young children with disabilities? How canthese difficulties be overcome?
11.How is authentic assessment different fromassessment using standardized tests
