Assessment

Assessment
Introduction
Evaluating Young Children
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Listening
What Can Be Expected Of Young Children?
Activity 1
Listen to the conversation
Activity 2
Activity 3
Predicting Development
Activity 1
Activity 2
Making Predictions
Parents' Evening
Activity 1
Mums and Dads
Activity 2
Some Good Advice
Activity 3
Some More Advice
Dealing with Parents
Activity 1
Activity 2

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Assessment

Introduction

Testing Situations

In this unit we will see:

the difficulty of assessing very young children

how experienced teachers can advise inexperienced teachers on evaluation
what to expect of infants
how testing cannot always give you the results you expect
how testing cannot always predict development

During the course of this unit we will have the opportunity to learn how to:

control the testing environment

understand how young children behave
deal with parents
predict the issues that parents might raise

The activities in this unit provide you with the knowledge you need to carry out the final
tasks.
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Assessment

Evaluating Young Children

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Assessment

Measurement

Read the text and then proceed with the activity.

Difficult to Assess

Young children are difficult subjects to assess accurately because of their activity level and
distractibility, shorter attention span, wariness of strangers, and inconsistent performance in
unfamiliar environments. Other factors that may affect a child's performance include cultural
differences and language barriers, parents not having books to read to their child and a child's
lack of interaction with other children. Consequently, assessment of infants, toddlers, and young
children requires sensitivity to the child's background, and knowledge of testing limitations and
procedures with young children.

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Verdadero o falso

Show that you have understood the text by answering the following true/false questions.

Verdadero Falso

Question 1
Young children are easy to assess.

Question 2
Small children are uncomfortable if they do not know the
examiner.

Question 3
Language barriers may affect a child's performance.

Question 4
Cultural differences are not important for testing.

Question 5
It doesn't matter if the child is not read to at home.

Question 6
Teachers need to have a good knowledge of testing
limitations
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Assessment

Activity 1

Measuring performance

Difficult to Assess

Young children are difficult subjects to assess accurately because of their activity level and
distractibility, shorter attention span, wariness of strangers, and inconsistent performance in
unfamiliar environments. Other factors that may affect a child's performance include cultural
differences and language barriers, parents not having books to read to their child and a child's
lack of interaction with other children. Consequently, assessment of infants, toddlers, and young
children requires sensitivity to the child's background, and knowledge of testing limitations and
procedures with young children.

The next text is almost exactly the same as the text above but some of the vocabulary is different.
Read the text again and then fill in the words in the activity below. Be careful! There are 7 gaps and
9 words to choose from.

Completa

due to demands functioning

limited fear development
evaluate knowledge surroundings

Difficult to Assess
Young children are difficult subjects to
accurately their activity level and
distractibility, shorter attention span, of
strangers, and inconsistent in unfamiliar
. Other factors that may affect a child's
performance include cultural differences and language barriers,
parents not having books to read to their child and a child's

interaction with other children. Consequently, assessment of

infants, toddlers, and young children sensitivity
to the child's background, and knowledge of testing limitations
and procedures with young children.

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Assessment

Activity 2

Put The Child At Ease

Read the text about evaluation settings, look at the words in bold and click on the link to see how
to give advice.

Relaxed Atmosphere

Informal relaxed settings where the child can be as much at ease as possible are recommended
when doing assessment. We should assess a child within the context of his or her community
and the interacting social systems. We ought to take into account the family's needs, resources,
and concerns because they affect both the evaluation and possible interventions.

A. Shall we paint it red or blue?

B. I suggest giving him a bottle bfore bedtime.
C. Whatever you do, don't leave them unattended.
D. If I were in your shoes, I'd ask for legal advice.
E. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened.
F. You'd better let me call the parents.

1. Yo en tu lugar, pediría asesoramiento jurídico.

2. ¿Lo pintamos de rojo o de azul?
3. No deberías cargar con la culpa por lo que sucedió.
4. Hagas lo que hagas, no los dejes sin vigilancia.
5. Sería mejor que me dejases llamar a los padres.
6. Recomiendo la toma de un biberón antes de echarlo a la cama.

Relaciona

Look at the suggestions above and match them to the translation. Drag and drop the
corresponding number.

Number 6 A. Shall we paint it red or

blue?

Number 4 B. I suggest giving him a

bottle before bedtime.

Number 2 C. Whatever happens,

don't leave them
unattended.
Number 5 If I were in your shoes, I'd
ask for legal advice.

Number 3 You shouldn't blame

yourself for what
happened.
Number 1 You'd better let me call
the parents.

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Assessment

Activity 3

Listen to the conversation

Listen to the following conversation between two colleagues talking about assessment. Then
proceed with the activity.

Audio

Activity 4

If I were you...

Now listen again and this time choose the correct words missing from the text.

Audio

Completa el texto

Sam: Hey Tina, I'm glad I caught you. I've decided to evaluate my 5-year old class.
Tina: How are you going to do that?
Sam: I'm going to ask the children questions based on what we have done this . Seleccione un valor team term tame

Tina: Have you continuous assessment? Seleccione un valor encountered counted considered

Sam: No.
Tina: If I you, I'd forget testing. Seleccione un valor were was went

Sam: ?
Seleccione un valor Rarely Ruly Really

Tina: You will never be able to do a spot-check evaluation with small children. They are emotional
beings. They control their behaviour. Seleccione un valor can't can won't

Sam: Do you mean I might get different results depending on how they ? Seleccione un valor fail feel fall

Tina: Listen Sam. You can use your test as a checklist but I think you use continuous Seleccione un valor could would should

assessment throughout the year.

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Assessment

Listening

If I were you...

Listen to the conversation while you read and notice the words in italics bold and underlined.

Testing

Sam: Hey Tina, I'm glad I caught you. I've decided to evaluate my 5-year old class.
Tina: How are you going to do that?
Sam: I'm going to ask the children questions based on what we have done this term.
Tina: Have you considered continuous assessment?
Sam: No.
Tina: If I were you, I'd forget testing.
Sam: Really?
Tina: You will never be able to do a spot-check evaluation with small children. They are
emotional beings. They can't control their behaviour.
Sam: Do you mean I might get different results depending on how they feel?
Tina: Listen Sam. You can use your test as a checklist but I think you should use
continuous assessment throughout the year.

Audio

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Assessment

What Can Be Expected Of Young Children?

Short Attention Span

Read the text and proceed with the activity.

What do you expect?

A young child is very active and has a short attention span. This can be difficult to deal with in a
testing situation. The world around young children is so interesting that they are too busy
concentrating on other stimuli. The task needs to be very interesting to keep the child busy and to
be an adequate source of stimulation. By changing the task, the child will pay attention again, but
will be quickly distracted, which means that you will have to keep the pace quick and try and
make the tasks interesting for the child. Because children have a tendency to favour certain tasks
over others, the test results can be influenced. The child is probably capable of completing a
substantial amount of the test, but, because of the frequent movement and limited concentration,
the test results can not always be accurate.

Relaciona

Match the parts of the sentences so they would fit into the text.

Because children like make testing difficult.

some activities more
than others,
Typical hyperactivity to keep the children
and attention deficit occupied.

The assignment should the results can be

be interesting enough changed.

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Assessment

Activity 1

Test Situations

First read the text

How Children React

The developmental stage at which a child is functioning will also influence their behaviour in a
test situation. Children could be shy with strangers, stubborn and negative, and this all influences
the test situation. The stage of cognitive development has an influence on what the child
understands. Very young children, for example, are able to name an animal and its parts when
they can see or touch the animal. However, if you ask a child to name as many animals as they
can think of, they will probably ignore you.

Now listen to the audio of Sam and Tina talking about testing. Then proceed with the activity.

Audio

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Assessment

Listen to the conversation

Testing

Read and listen at the same time.

How was the test?

Sam: Hi Tina!
Tina: Oh, Hello Sam. How was the test?
Sam: Well, I tested Angela from class 4 yesterday.
Tina: And how did it go?
Sam: Right. I asked her to name all the animals she knew and she looked at me
blankly. Not one animal.
Tina: Some children at this age are incapable of thinking so abstractly. If they can't see
it or touch it, they won't talk about it.
Now answer the following questions to show you have understood the vocabulary from the audio.

Audio

Relaciona

Match the vocabulary from the text to their equivalent meanings.

looked exam

test stared

abstractly unable to

incapable of conceptually

talk about discuss

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Assessment

Activity 2

Emotional State

Read the text.

How Do Children Feel?

Young children are not as able as older children to regulate their behaviour. Their emotions can
change from one state to another within a matter of seconds, and the examiner has to be prepared
for this. A child's temperament and affective state can influence cognitive ability, Vygotsky said
that emotions and intellect are joined in a dynamic and meaningful system, and emotions are
used as the language of the young child, where verbal skills are lacking. The examiner needs to
focus more intently on the emotions of the child, as they are meaningful and represent how the
child is feeling.

Now listen to the conversation between Sam and Tina about testing.

Audio

Completa

asked circular square

split done knocked

Tina: Hi Sam! Have you any more

testing?
Sam: Yes, I tested Veronica.
Tina: Oh, yes?
Sam: I her to put all the

objects into the square box and all the round objects into the

tin.
Tina: And?
Sam: She just them all onto the
floor!
Tina: Well, she's been going through a tough
time at home recently. Her parents have just up
and it's affecting her.
Sam: Right.

Activity 3

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Assessment

More testing

Read the conversation again while you listen and then proceed with the activity
She knocked them over!

Tina: Hi Sam! Have you done any more testing?

Sam: Yes, I tested Veronica.
Tina: Oh, yes?
Sam: I asked her to put all the square objects into the square box and all the round objects into
the circular tin.
Tina: And?
Sam: She just knocked them all onto the floor!
Tina: Well, she's been going through a tough time at home recently. Her parents have just split
up and it's affecting her.
Sam: Right.

The following text is similar but some of the words have been taken out and replaced with
equivalents. Drag and drop the correct words into their correct positions

Audio

Completa

carried out things pushed

did separated place
lift met

Drag and drop the words but be careful! There are 5

correct words and 3 incorrect words.
Tina: Hi Sam! Have you any more
testing?
Sam: Yes, I tested Veronica.
Tina: Oh, yes?
Sam: I asked her to all the
square into the square box and all the round
objects into the circular tin.
Tina: And?
Sam: She just them all onto the
floor!
Tina: Well, she's been going through a tough
time at home recently. Her parents have just and
it's affecting her.
Sam: Right.

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Assessment

Predicting Development

Once A Failure, Always A Failure

Read the text and proceed with the activity to show you have understood the gist.

What will my child be like in the future?

Certain tests are administered, so as to predict what the child's level of functioning will be in
later childhood. The general finding is that infant test scores do not show much correlation.
Because infants develop at different paces, the predictive validity of infant tests is minimal.
On the basis of the performance of child testing, if the children were not interested in the test,
they would never be able to perform to their abilities. They will hardly answer anything on the
test and be distracted and more interested in other things around them. This would in theory give
them a low test score if the test had been a developmental assessment test. This does not reflect
their capabilities at all. It would not be an adequate prediction of early childhood capabilities.

Verdadero o falso

Decide whether the follwoing sentences are true or false.

Verdadero Falso

Sentence 1
Tests carried out on very young children can normally
predict their future test scores

Sentence 2
Infants cognitive development is not linear

Sentence 3
If infants are interested in other things around them, they
can normally concentrate on a test.

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Assessment

Activity 1

Read the text again and look at the words in bold.

What will my child be like in the future?

Certain tests are administered, so as to predict what the child's level of functioning will be in
later childhood. The general finding is that infant test scores do not show much correlation.
Because infants develop at different paces, the predictive validity of infant tests is minimal.
On the basis of the performance of child testing, if the children were not interested in the test,
they would never be able to perform to their abilities. They will hardly answer anything on the
test and be distracted and more interested in other things around them. This would in theory give
them a low test score if the test had been a developmental assessment test. This does not reflect
their capabilities at all. It would not be an adequate prediction of early childhood capabilities.

Now proceed with the vocabulary matching exercise.

Relaciona

Match the words from the text to their equivalents

finding given

reflect result

administered limited

minimal demonstrate

capabilities abilities

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Assessment

Activity 2

Predicting Results

Read the text.

Straight Line Graph

If it were possible to predict a child's development as being relatively steady and continuous then
it would be possible to accurately predict later performance. Most people expect a certain degree
of continuity in development that forms an individual's identity. An individual's IQ is expected to
remain stable over their lifetime, and studies of older children support this view. Unfortunately,
the ability to predict later mental development from infant test scores is very poor, particularly
among infants who are developing normally.

Now listen to another conversation between Sam and Tina about testing.

Audio

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Assessment

Making Predictions

It's Impossible

Listen to the conversation again then fill in the gaps by dragging and dropping the correct words
into the correct place.

Audio

Completa

learning used to might

impossible ever best

Sam: I've given up on these spot-check tests.

Tina: I thought you .
Sam: I think it's .
Tina: Well, It's O.K. for older children but at
this early age it's complicated.
Sam: Did you test the
infants?
Tina: I but I know now it's
impossible to predict a child's future development. I tested one
class and thought that one girl, Lucy had
difficulties.
Sam: Did you tell the parents?
Tina: No. I gave her time to develop and now
they tell me in Primary that she's one of the in
the class.

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Assessment

Parents' Evening

Read the text and then proceed with the activity to show you have understood the gist

Interaction with Parents

In the U.K. parents' evenings are a crucial way for teachers and parents to interact and be
constructive, as well as open, about the progress or lack of progress that a child is making at
school. However, with factors like time pressures or anxious parents, these evenings can
sometimes be challenging for all involved. Taking the right approach and being sensitive to
parents' concerns is necessary to help parents' evenings run relatively smoothly and to reap
valuable gains from these rewarding opportunities.
While some schools have replaced parents' evenings with regular home reports, emails between
parents and teachers, or individual face-to-face appointments, most schools in the United
Kingdom are sticking to the familiar evening formula.

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Elige la correcta

Question 1
Parents' evenings are a ... way for parents and teachers to see each other.

vital

useless

pleasant

Question 2
Teachers will talk solely about the childrens' progress.

True

False

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Assessment

Question 3
What do teachers need to do to calm the parents' nerves?

Talk about the childrens' lack of progress

Be sensitive to their worries

Be challenging for parents

Question 4
Schools in the U.K. have ...

decided to use emails instead of parents' evenings

all relaced parents' evenings with face-to-face appointments.

mainly kept parents' evenings.

Activity 1

Listen to an experienced teacher talking about parents:

Then answer the questions to show you have understood.

Audio

Relaciona

Match the two halves of the sentences so they mean the same as what the teacher is
saying.

All parents want what you were expecting.

If you don't handle the the best for their children.

situation well,

Not all parents are will judge you.

Most parents your words will be

analysed.

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Assessment

Mums and Dads

We Want The Best

Now read the text and listen at the same time.

Mums And Dads

'Not all mums and dads will be what you were expecting, but they all want the best for their
kids.
All parents want the best for their children. They want to feel that their kids are in safe hands,
that you know something about them, that you like them and that you know what you are
doing.
Don't be fooled into thinking that parents' evenings are just about how the pupils are
progressing - you are going to be judged too. Remember that whatever you say will get
analysed later, especially if you don't handle the situation well.'

Audio

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Assessment

Activity 2

Some Good Advice

Listen to the same teacher giving some good advice and proceed with the activity.

Audio

Elige la correcta

Question 1
Teachers should keep notes on each pupil that stresses...

strengths and weaknesses

things they do well and things they could improve

all their strengths

Question 2
Teachers should keep the notes on separate pieces of paper so that...

they don't mix up the students

they don't contradict other teachers

parents don't read confidential comments about other children

Question 3
Parents love to ... their children with other children.

mix

confuse

compare

Question 4
Teachers should check the last written report so they don't ...

contradict previous reports

repeat the same comments

lose it
Some Good Advice

Listen To The Experienced Teacher

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Assessment

Listen and read the text at the same time and try to repeat the activity
Some Good Advice

'Keep notes on each pupil

Identify each pupil's strengths and areas for development - social and academic. Choose a
piece of work that illustrates what the child can do well, and just one area in which the child
needs to improve. Keep the notes on separate pieces of paper so that parents can't see what
you're going to say about other children in the class. Parents love to compare their own
children with other children.
Don't contradict other staff
Check the last written report on each pupil so that you know what parents have been told
before. You will probably be reinforcing what has already been said but if you're planning to
say something that contradicts previous reports, make sure that you have plenty of hard
evidence to back up your comments.'

Audio

Elige la correcta

Question 1
Teachers should keep notes on each pupil that stresses...

strengths and weaknesses

things they do well and things they could improve

all their strengths

Question 2
Teachers should keep the notes on separate pieces of paper so that...

they don't mix up the students

they don't contradict other teachers

parents don't read confidential comments about other children

Question 3
Parents love to ... their children with other children.

mix

confuse

compare

Question 4
Teachers should check the last written report so they don't ...

contradict previous reports

repeat the same comments

lose it

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Assessment

Activity 3

Listen to some more advice and try to do the activity.

Elige la correcta

Question 1
Look the part means...

Share what you have

Appear to be a teacher

Look at the parents in the eye

Question 2
Looking young might make parents think...

you are nervous

you don't know your stuff

you are over-confident

Question 3
You should dress...

casually

formally

smartly

Question 4
An example of 'Teacherspeak' would be talking about...

how the child relates to the rest of the class

objectives and contents

how happy the child is in class

Question 5
A 'lay person' is someone who...

works in the teaching profession

works outside the teaching profession

is very relaxed
Some More Advice

Listen to some more advice from the Experienced Teacher

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Assessment

Read the text while you listen and do the activity again.

Be Professional

'Look the part

Parents might feel nervous if they know that you're newly qualified. If you look young, it
might give the impression that you don't know what you're doing. So look smart. If
necessary, keep a spare set of smart clothes to change into before the evening starts.
Make sure that any paperwork you might need - examples of pupils' work, relevant
records, curriculum documents - are easily accessible should you need them.
Avoid 'teacherspeak'
Parents want to hear how their child is getting on - not a lot of waffle about what you're
covering in the curriculum. You are qualified in educational jargon, but don't expect lay
people to know what you mean.'

Elige la correcta

Question 1
Look the part means...

Share what you have

Appear to be a teacher

Look at the parents in the eye

Question 2
Looking young might make parents think...

you are nervous

you don't know your stuff

you are over-confident

Question 3
You should dress...

casually

formally

smartly

Question 4
An example of 'Teacherspeak' would be talking about...

how the child relates to the rest of the class

objectives and contents

how happy the child is in class

Question 5
A 'lay person' is someone who...

works in the teaching profession

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Assessment

works outside the teaching profession

is very relaxed

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Assessment

Dealing with Parents

Read the text and take note of the things you should do in meetings with parents.

Do Your Homework

Try to predict the issues that individual parents might raise, and think about your answers. What
are you going to say when someone gets cross about a missing coat, work that's too easy or too
hard, or maybe the bullying?
Take tips from colleagues
Ask other teachers for their tried and tested responses - such as, 'Thank you for letting me know
your concern - I'll look into it.'
Be a good diplomat
Show tact - even the worst children in the class are someone's precious babies. If a pupil is lazy,
say the child hasn't really worked hard so far but that there is still time to turn things around.

Now listen to the conversation between a teacher and a parent. The teacher in the first
conversation is obviously not answering the questions with enough tact.
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Audio

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Assessment

Activity 1

What an Interview!

Listen to this rather bad interview again. Then try to fill in the gaps in the following activity.

Audio

Completa

happy with talk about believe

sit down go to let her go
hits her

Teacher: Come in,

Parent: Thanks
Teacher: So we're here to
Mary
Parent: That's right. I'm her stepfather
Teacher: Well, we're very Mary.
She's adapted to the classroom norms and to the rest of her
classmates, despite her problems.
Parent: How is she getting on? She says that
someone in her class and she doesn't want to

school.
Teacher: That's not true.
Parent: Right. She says that you don't

to the toilet when she needs to go.

Teacher: Don't her. What
happens is that she doesn't want to finish her work so she decides
that she needs to go to the toilet.
Parent: Oh, dear!

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Assessment

Activity 2

Listen again

Listen to the interview again while you read the text.

Badly Conducted Interview

Teacher: Come in, sit down

Parent: Thanks
Teacher: So we're here to talk about Mary
Parent: That's right. I'm her stepfather
Teacher: Well, we're very happy with Mary. She's apapted to the classroom norms and
to the rest of her classmates, despite her problems.
Parent: How is she getting on? She says that someone in her class hits her and she
doesn't want to go to school.
Teacher: That's not true.
Parent: Right. She says that you don't let her go to the toilet when she needs to go.
Teacher: Don't believe her. What happens is that she doesn't want to finish her work so
she decides that she needs to go to the toilet.
Parent: Oh, dear!

Audio

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