I
believe according to the National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC) (2003):
Assessments
should be made appropriate, valid, and reliable
as central part of all early childhood programs. To best
assess young children’s strengths, progress, and needs,
use assessment methods that are developmentally appropriate,
culturally and linguistically responsive, tied
to children’s daily activities, supported by professional development,
inclusive of families, and connected to
specific, beneficial purposes. The purposes of doing assessment
are: (1) making sound decisions about
teaching and learning, (2) identifying significant concerns that
may require focused intervention for individual children, and (3)
helping programs improve their educational and developmental
interventions.
Indicators
of effective assessment practices
• Ethical principles guide assessment practices.
• Assessment instruments are used for their intended
purposes. • Assessments are appropriate for ages and other char-
acteristics of children being assessed.
• Assessment instruments are in compliance with professional
criteria for quality.
• What is assessed is developmentally and educationally
significant. • Assessment evidence is used to understand and im-
prove learning.
• Assessment evidence is gathered from realistic settings
and situations that reflect children’s actual performance.
• Assessments use multiple sources of evidence gathered
over time. • Screening is always linked to follow-up.
• Use of individually administered, norm-referenced tests
is limited. • Staff and families are knowledgeable about assessment.
However,
some assessments, according to Asia Society (2013),such as China's
language programs should focus on classroom assessment and external
assessment. Although traditional testing is still widely used and
serves its prescribed purpose, classroom assessment is also used to
align with what students have learned and how they have learned.
Because the goal of curriculum is for language use, it is important
to require students to apply the newly gained communicative
competence to similar but different contexts (Asia Society, 2013).
Among the
assessment tools that teacher will use for classroom
assessment include:
- Performance-based
assessment tasks
- Self
assessments
- Peer
assessments
- Teacher
observations
- Portfolios
- Quizzes
and tests
Multiple
measurements taken across time provide a more comprehensive
picure of students' ability to use Chinese for meaningful
purpose than would an assessment scheme that focuses on
students' ability as measured by tests and quizzes alone (Asia
Society, 2013).
In
addition, NAEYC (2003) believes:
Indicators
of effective curriculum • Children are active and engaged.
• Goals are clear and shared by all.
• Curriculum is evidence-based.
• Valued content is learned through investigation and
focused, intentional teaching.
• Curriculum builds on prior learning and experiences.
• Curriculum is comprehensive.
• Professional standards validate the curriculum’s
subject-matter content.
• The curriculum is likely to benefit children.
Overall,
I also believe according to the NAEYC 2003):
Assessing children
should be integrated through support for programs implementing
recommendations for curriculum and program evaluation requiring a
solid foundation. More positive results and greater accountability
from programs for children should have essential supports for teacher
recruitment and compensation, professional preparation and ongoing
professional development, and other appropriate practices of quality
early education. Moreover, to create an integrated,
well-financed system of early care and education that has the
capacity to support learning and development in all children,
including children living in poverty, children whose home language is
not English, and children with
disabilities. Unlike many other countries, the United
States continues to have a fragmented system for edu- cating children
from birth through age 8, under multiple auspices, with greatly
varying levels of support, and with inadequate communication and
collaboration. Many challenges face efforts to provide all young
children with high-quality curriculum, assessment, and evaluation of
their programs. Public commitment, along with
investments in a well-financed system of early child-
hood education and in other components of services for young children
and their families, will make it possible to implement these
recommendations fully and effectively.
References
