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

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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

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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)

Childs temperament Examiner approachability, affect, and physical presence Behavior management Environment

Furniture, decorations, distractions, climate, seating arrangement

Test floors and ceilings

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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
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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)
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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

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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 childrens development

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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 childs performance (validity of results) Observation of parent-child interaction Initial notification of problems or diagnoses
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Importance of Ecological Perspective (Paget & Nagle, 1986)

Settings and significant individuals Social learning theory Each child and their ecology as unique

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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

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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

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Home Activities to Promote School Readiness

(Resource Team, 1992)

Healthy pregnancy and mothers 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.
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