Understand the goals, benefits, types, and uses of various formal and informal assessments to support young children from birth to grade two and their families.
Test Objectives
Please note: An option must be selected in order to flip the card to see the correct answer and/or supplemental information.
Question #1
The family and teachers of nine-month old Luisa, who attends and infant and toddler center, have become concerned that Luisa may have developmental delays. As a result, Luisa will soon undergo a series of developmental screening assessments. The primary purpose of these assessments should be to:
You answered
Correct response: D
A Developmental Screening is a brief assessment that can be administered by early childhood teachers to help identify if a child is on track with their early childhood developmental milestones. Such screenings can help identify children who may be at risk for delays in cognitive, motor, communication, or social-emotional development. Such delays can affect a child’s learning, growth, and development, and may require further evaluation and intervention.
Often what follows such screenings for infants and toddlers is a referral for early intervention services offered through The Illinois Department of Human Services. Families are directed to their local Child and Family Connection Office where an early intervention coordinator would help develop an individualized plan to the meets of the child and family.
Find out more about this process here: https://youtu.be/JEQeCz55Hn4?si=jFGATDrshQGNpsiM
Question #2
Which of the following informal assessment tools would be most useful for documenting a preschool child's ability to perform specific skills?
You answered
Correct response: B
This question requires the examinee to recognize informal assessments and their applications in early childhood programs. Although more subjective than various other assessments, a rating scale is a quick, efficient way to gather information without disrupting learning.
Using a rating scale over time would allow the teacher to monitor and document a child’s performance of specific skills and to provide timely intervention as necessary.
Unlike using a simple checklist assessment, a Rating Scale allows the observer to rate the quality, frequency or ease with which a child uses a certain skill.
Read NAEYC’s Statement on Observing, Documenting and Assessing Young Children
Question #3
A teacher is planning to conduct an informal assessment of a first grader's reading fluency. In the assessment, the teacher will ask the child to read aloud a passage from a grade-level text for one minute. Which of the following criteria would be appropriate for the teacher to apply in the context of this assessment?
You answered
Correct response: D
Fluent readers employ prosody (e.g., pitch, stress, timing) to interpret and convey the meaning of the text they are reading. A child who reads an author’s words with appropriate phrasing and expression is demonstrating key indicators associated with reading fluency.
Question #4
A kindergarten teacher wants to obtain general information about a child's development in several areas of emergent literacy. Which of the following informal assessments would be most effective in providing information across several areas of emergent literacy?
You answered
Correct response: C
Asking a kindergartner to write a title on a picture he or she has just drawn would provide the teacher with a variety of information. For example, this task would show whether the child understands that writing is different from drawing and that print is directional. It would demonstrate the child’s letter-formation skills. It would also be likely to provide information on the child’s understanding of letter-sound correspondence (e.g., if the child uses letters and words that correspond to the names of the objects in the drawing).