Assessment of young children

An invaluable practical resource for early intervention specialists, teachers of young children, including early childhood special educators, psychologists, and therapists, Assessment of Young Children focuses on the best practices and tools for assessing children from infancy through eight years. Its goal is to foster an understanding of the assessment process and to facilitate the development of assessment skills. The text also aims to help the reader use assessment results in program planning and monitoring progress. The authors have written a well-organized introduction to the entire assessment process. The text employs a family-focused case study approach sensitive to the cultural and linguistic diversity of today's families. Assessment of Young Children discusses the family's role in the assessment process; methods and tools for observing children in various environments; the assessment of children at play; criteria for choosing appropriate standardized instruments; alternative techniques such as curriculum-based assessment, authentic assessment, and portfolio assessment; the interpretation of specialized assessment - instruments and procedures for assessing vision, hearing, motor development, and communication; techniques for the evaluation of the individual child's program as well as for the school, center, or agency program; and how to use assessment information in report writing.