Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Planning For Authentic Assessment PDF
Planning For Authentic Assessment PDF
846919
research-article2019
YECXXX10.1177/1096250619846919YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDRENPlanning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
M
r. Jeremy is a new childhood classrooms. Assessment
preschool teacher in an can be challenging for professionals
inclusive classroom in an in the early childhood setting, given
“
urban public school system. The the variety of ways that young
school year has just started, and he is children show what they know
preparing to assess the children in his (Meisels & Atkins-Burnett, 2000).
Authentic assessment class to further inform his Early childhood professionals who
instruction. In Mr. Jeremy’s teacher work with children with
provides a more complete preparation program, he learned exceptionalities take into
about the importance of authentic consideration individual needs when
picture of what the assessment practices, such as using planning for assessments. When
curriculum-based assessment (CBA), children can show what they know
children know and how for gathering information and
documenting children’s skills for the
within the daily routine and
environment without additional
they apply knowledge purposes of making decisions. He
uses a common early childhood CBA
supports, the assessment experience
is authentic and unstructured,
that his district has adopted and is meaning that it is informal and the
to relevant, meaningful aligned with his state’s regulations early childhood professional can use
and recommendations. He likes it observation to determine a child’s
tasks. because he can administer it using skills. Authentic assessment provides
”
direct observation, it has a family a more complete picture of what the
component where goals and children know and how they apply
objectives are developed as a team, knowledge to relevant, meaningful
and it directly links to the curriculum tasks. However, when the early
in his classroom. In his experience childhood professional is unable to
with using the assessment, he has observe in natural contexts for skills
found it to be time consuming to and must set up the environment and
plan for and to administer. With 12 learning activity and/or must provide
children, four who are currently on support to elicit specific skills, the
Individualized Education Programs assessment experience would be
(IEPs), Mr. Jeremy and his classroom considered a structured experience.
assistant, Miss Mary, need a more
efficient way to systematically assess
DOI: 10.1177/1096250619846919
https://doi.org/10.1177/1096250619846919
Juli Lull Pool, PhD the children with the CBA across the
journals.sagepub.com/home/yec
school year. Article reuse guidelines:
Patricia Hampshire, PhD Situations like that of Mr. Jeremy sagepub.com/journals-permissions
Boise State University are all too common in early © 2019 Division for Early Childhood
“
classroom may find that a planning be (Cook, 2004). One way to make
form will help them be more efficient CBA data collection more
High-quality CBAs and effective with assessment. manageable is to use a planning form
to help guide assessment activities, or
are comprehensive in Authentic Assessment
preestablished events, that allow
professionals to use observation to
nature and provide a link The preferred method of
authentically collect data on a CBA
(Grisham-Brown & Pretti-Frontczak,
obtaining information when 2011). Using a CBA and planning
between assessment and assessing young children is through form system within a classroom can
observation in familiar environments help early childhood professionals
instruction/intervention. and routines (Bagnato, Goins, Pretti- ensure that (a) assessment is taking
”
Frontczak, & Neisworth, 2014; place, (b) it is efficient, and (c)
Division for Early Childhood of the individual child interests and needs
Council for Exceptional Children are considered.
[DEC], 2014; Grisham-Brown &
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). Authentic In preparing to assess the
assessment is gathering of children, Mr. Jeremy reflected on
information about the skills of young several questions about the
children that allows for assessment process including how can I
of functional skills to take place in prepare the materials and the
the natural environment (e.g., environment for efficient
classroom, home, community) using assessment administration?
materials that are a part of that Given the diverse learning
environment (Grisham-Brown & strengths and needs of children,
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). A Mr. Jeremy would like to embed
recommended authentic assessment assessment opportunities
practice is the use of CBAs (Bagnato throughout the school day,
et al., 2014). maximizing observation
opportunities while creating
meaningful learning
CBA opportunities for all children. To
High-quality CBAs are organize his planning process,
comprehensive in nature and provide Mr. Jeremy developed a simple
a link between assessment and planning form to help ensure
instruction/intervention. CBAs also that he makes the most of his
Figure 1
Example of assessment planning form
Adaptations to
Environment
Activities & Materials (Structured Teaching Who Will
Assessment Areas Child(ren) Routines Needed Strategies) Observe?
Cognitive
Problem Solving
Concepts
Math
Literacy
Motor
Gross
Fine
Play Skills
Adaptive
Feeding/Mealtime
Personal Hygiene
Dressing/Undressing
Social
Interaction with Environment
Knowledge of Self/Others
Participation
Social Interactions
Social-Communication
Interactions (e.g., uses conversational rules)
Production of Words, Phrases, Sentences
“
assessment is administered and
professional plans to do the
scored (Grisham-Brown & Pretti-
observation is listed (e.g., circle time,
Frontczak, 2011). To do this best, it
A planning form helps would be important to adhere to the
art activity). To help with
organization, any needed materials to
language of the CBA being used
complete the activity/assessment
with eliciting skills during when adding items to a planning
item(s) are listed in the Materials
form and write either the criteria or
Needed column. The Adaptations to
routines and planed examples of skills to observe.
the Environment column is a place to
The form could be adapted to use
note any changes, modifications, or
assessment activities while with individual children or several
children at a time. Early childhood
structure to the environment that are
needed to help a child (or children)
using direct observation as professionals continually observe
their children but need to organize
perform the skills being assessed.
Finally, the person(s) scheduled to do
their observations to collect reliable
the method. data to make good instructional
the observation is noted in the final
column. As noted earlier, this
”
decisions and determine what their
planning form was developed by the
strengths, interests, and abilities are.
authors, and Figure 2 is completed in
However, there will be specific
the manner that they found most
behaviors/skills that they will have to
effective for the CBA being used. The
elicit by prompting children in order
form could be adapted by early
to score their assessment. Even when
childhood professionals in a way that
skills must be elicited, observation is
fits best with the CBA in use and
a preferred method of information
their particular assessment and
gathering (Grisham-Brown &
classroom needs.
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). When early
childhood professionals provide too
much prompting, directions, support, Mr. Jeremy reviewed the CBA
and/or encouragement, the child may and scored all of the items/skills
not show skills spontaneously and that he has previously seen
functionally (Grisham-Brown & children in his class perform (or
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). A planning that had been reported as
form helps with eliciting skills during acquired skills from others). He
routines and planned assessment then determined that he still
activities while using direct needs additional information for
observation as the method. See Figure five children, four of which are
2 for an example of a planning form on IEPs, on a few math concepts
Figure 2
Example of planning form completed for structured assessment observation opportunities for five children
Adaptations to Environment
Activities & (Structured Teaching Who Will
Assessment Areas Child(ren) Routines Materials Needed Strategies) Observe?
Cognitive
Math: Sammy (1) Free (1) Sensory table: (1) Put out toy cars and Miss Mary
(1) Uses qualitative and quantitative Lucy Play measuring cups, tools for Lucy (they are
concepts to identify (e.g., dirty/clean, Mina sand, toys her favorite), Use visual
sweet/salty, a lot/few, empty/full) Rossitta schedule for transition
from free play to snack
(2) Shows 1:1 correspondence (2) Snack (2) Snack items: (2) Use small table in corner
plates, utensils, for Rossitta & 1-2 other
Sequencing: cups, napkins, students, label snack area,
Follows directions of 3 or more steps food and drink provide a visual with the
items steps for making a nut
butter sandwich on the
table for all students
Motor
Fine: Lucy (1) Free (1) Sensory table (1) Put out toy cars and tools Mr. Jeremy
Uses hands to manipulate objects Finnick Play and Blocks for Lucy (they are her
(each hand performing different Rossitta favorite)
movements – e.g., hold jar in one
hand and open with other, hold
block steady to stack one on top
with other hand)
(2) Snack (2) Jars (nut butter, (2) Use work system for
jelly), Knife, Rossitta with steps for
Bread, Cups, making sandwich at small
Pitcher with table
water/drink
Adaptive
Feeding/Mealtime: Mina Snack Knife, Bread, Cups, Use work system for Rossitta Mr. Jeremy
Spreads with knife; pours Finnick Pitcher with with steps for making
Rossitta water/drink sandwich at small table, let
students choose between
the Mickey Mouse and Paw
Patrol plastic knives
Social-Communication
Social: Finnick (1) Free (1) Sensory table Finnick’s preferred play Mr. Jeremy
Uses conversational rules (e.g., Play and Blocks partner is Mina – inviting
engages in two or more consecutive her to join Finnick may help
communicative exchanges) to facilitate communication
for him
(2) Snack (2) Jars (nut butter,
jelly), Knife,
Bread, Cups,
Pitcher with
water/drink
“
children’s sensory, physical, observation takes place (DelCarmen-
communication, cultural, linguistic, Wiggins & Carter, 2004). Both
When naturally occurring social, and emotional characteristics unstructured and structured
(DEC, 2014). Furthermore, the assessment observation opportunities
routines do not provide strengths of the child are identified,
nurtured, and utilized to achieve
for gathering data are considered for
any child. When naturally occurring
adequate opportunities for long-term success in the classroom. routines do not provide adequate
opportunities for observing targeted
skills, a more planned approach may
observing targeted skills, How Do I Prepare the be warranted (DelCarmen-Wiggins
Environment? & Carter, 2004). The environment
a more planned approach With young children, it is can provide an added level of
especially challenging to assess them support that some children need to
may be warranted. in a formal testing environment “show what they know” while
alleviating barriers that impact their
”
(Bagnato & Ho, 2006; Grisham-
Brown & Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). performance.
Therefore, when planning for
assessment, it is essential that the During free play and snack time
early childhood professional consider when Mr. Jeremy was observing
both unstructured and structured a small group of children for
assessment observation opportunities adaptive and fine motor
for gathering data (Grisham-Brown assessment items, he was unable
& Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). to observe Rossitta perform the
Unstructured assessment observation skills. She seemed to become
opportunities refer to the observation overstimulated by the noise and
of spontaneous behavior and skill number of children helping at
presentation in the natural the snack table and left to sit by
environment (DelCarmen-Wiggins & herself in another part of the
room. He realized that he needed
to adapt the environment and
presentation of materials (i.e.,
incorporate a work system) to
better support her and to provide
her with opportunities to show
what she knows. Mr. Jeremy
decided to implement a work
system during snack time to
provide some needed structure in
Rossitta’s routine. Given that
Rossitta uses a work system
during her independent seat
work time, Mr. Jeremy knew the
Figure 3
Physical structure and visual supports: Small snack table for two with a snack
symbol picture
Figure 4
Visual schedule: Rossitta’s daily schedule to support transition
Figure 5
Work system for Rossitta’s snack
Rossitta’s daily schedule that includes questions: (a) What work? (b) How
the transition from free play to the much work? (c) When am I done?
snack routine. Mr. Jeremy has and (d) What do I do afterwards?
learned during his time with Rossitta (Mesibov et al., 2004). A work
in the classroom that transitions are system is the breakdown of a visual
difficult for her, and a visual schedule schedule into a physical
is helpful at reducing anxiety and representation of the actual activities.
increasing predictably. The daily For example, if you are working with
schedule can be used to ensure that a child 1:1 or are assessing how he or
the child participates in the planned she completes activities
assessment activity as well. independently, a work system is an
easy way to communicate those four
questions to the child without the
Work systems
need for ongoing prompting. In
Individual work systems provide Figure 5, three bins have been set up
information on four essential for Rossitta to participate in snack.
Rossitta takes the first card on the and opportunities or whether they
strip at the top and matches it to the will need more structure to show
corresponding box. Then, she takes what they know. Utilizing planning
the bread out and puts it on her forms as demonstrated in
plate. Next, she matches the second Mr. Jeremy’s case is one way early
tag and takes the nut butter and jelly childhood professionals can prepare
out and opens it. Finally, after for and organize their approach to
matching the third tag, she uses the gathering meaningful assessment
knife to spread the ingredients on the data. The use of a planning form
bread. Once all tags have been provided Mr. Jeremy and Miss Mary
matched, Rossitta is provided with a with a schedule for how and when to
visual cue that it is time to eat. collect data across settings and
students within the daily routines of
the classroom. It also helped
Conclusion Mr. Jeremy to use his time efficiently,
Given the diverse learning so that assessment of his students
profiles encountered in most learning was no longer a daunting task that
environments, early childhood made him feel overwhelmed. The use
professionals like Mr. Jeremy are of Structured Teaching strategies in
faced with the daunting challenge of assessment settings is an example of
gathering assessment information an evidence-based practice that can
across settings and children. With the support children while allowing them
use of a planning form, early to show assessors what they know
childhood professionals can (Mesibov et al., 2004). This article
purposefully schedule and plan for provides a proactive approach to
assessment. Initially, early childhood planning that allowed Mr. Jeremy to
professionals determine whether gather key assessment information
individual children can demonstrate for all of the children in his
skills in naturally occurring routines classroom, including Rossitta.
Authors’ Note
You may reach Juli Lull Pool by e-mail at julipool@boisestate.edu.
References
Bagnato, S. J., Goins, D. D., Pretti-Frontczak, K., & Neisworth, J. T. (2014).
Authentic assessment as “best practice” for early childhood intervention:
National consumer social validity research. Topics in Early Childhood
Special Education, 34, 116-127. doi:10.1177/0271121414523652
Bagnato, S. J., & Ho, H. Y. (2006). High-stakes testing with preschool children:
Violation of professional standards for evidence-based practice in early
childhood intervention. KEDI Journal of Education Policy, 3, 23-43.
Buron, K. D., & Wolfburg, P. (2014). Learners on the autism spectrum:
Preparing highly qualified educators (2nd ed.). Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism
Asperger.
Cook, R. J. (2004). Embedding assessment of young children into routines of
inclusive settings: A systematic planning approach. Young Exceptional
Children, 7(3), 2-11. doi:10.1177/109625060400700301