| Assessment Research Paper | Assessing the Young Child-Professor Speers | |

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Assessment Research Paper
There are many different aspects and things to consider when discussing the subject of child development. In this paper I will be discussing and identifying three examples of major conditions in children, and their impact on development and learning, demonstrate a plan that would enhance an interest area, change in behavior or bring new knowledge to parents, children and staff, I will give examples of how assessments are applied in the early childhood classroom and how early childhood curriculum is used with assessment tools, and identify three assessment inventories used for birth through six the assessments that can be used for child developmental portfolios. The first type of major condition in children that has an impact on development and learning is autism. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don’t tune into other people in the same way as typically developing children. For example, a child with ASD might not respond to his name, make eye contact, smile at caregivers, or wave goodbye without being told to. A child with ASD also might not use eye contact to get someone’s attention or communicate. Children with ASD find it hard to see things from other people’s perspective. They might have trouble understanding that other people can have different desires and beliefs from them. Children with ASD can struggle with focus, attention, transitions, organization, memory, time management, emotional control and frustration.
Difficulties with these abilities can affect a child’s learning. For example, while solving a math problem, the child might know her facts well, but might not be able to come up with a solution because she finds it hard to stay alert and attentive. She might have difficulty organizing her ideas, have trouble coming up with a strategy, or find it difficult to put all the information together to solve the problem. The second type of major condition in children that has an impact on development and learning is cerebral palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a chronic condition affecting body and/or limb movement and the control of muscle tone and coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain during periods of brain development; there is usually no damage to the sensory or motor nerves controlling the muscles. The brain damage is not progressive; however, the characteristics of disabilities resulting from brain damage often change over time.
One of the biggest problems that arises with cerebral palsy is the transition to school, and then to adulthood. The choice of school environment is often difficult. In many school districts across the nation, parents are not given reasonable options, and this of course complicates the process of placing a child with special needs into an appropriate educational setting. Depending on the type of cerebral palsy and the degree of its severity, the current trend is to “mainstream” the child, or place the disabled child into regular classes with non-disabled children. If the child is moderately to severely affected, the school may choose to mainstream the child only in the case of art and music classes, so they may still be able to have some integration into activities with their peers. It is important to make certain that properly trained staff is available to meet the needs of your child and to manage interactions with other children. It is often quite uncomfortable; embarrassing and even belittling for a child to be pointed out as different form his or her peers. The third type of major condition in children that has an impact on development and learning is Down syndrome. Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of an extra 21st chromosome. It is characterized by a combination of major and minor differences in structure. It is often associated with some impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth, as well as facial appearance.
Children with Down syndrome usually learn and progress more slowly than most other children. However, not all areas of development are equally affected. There is a specific pattern of cognitive and behavioral features that are observed among children with Down syndrome that differs from that seen in typically developing children and children with other causes of intellectual disability. The social functioning of babies and children with Down syndrome is relatively less delayed than other areas of development. Babies with Down syndrome look at faces and smile only a week or two later than other children and they are usually sociable infants. Motor skills develop at a slower rate for children with Down syndrome than for those without. These delays in motor development reduce infants’ opportunities for exploring and learning about the world around them and therefore further affect cognitive development. Lastly, most children with Down syndrome struggle with basic number skills and their number skills are typically 2 years behind their reading skills. One thing that is most important to child development, is reading to children in order for them to gain language skills. In the first article critique that I chose to write about for this class, I found some very interesting knowledge that could be shared to parents and educators to better teach them of the importance of reading. As researchers examined differences between the growth of children from different backgrounds, it became apparent that environmental factors play a major role in determining the speed and ultimate success with which children learn to read. Some children, notably those from homes where parents are poor and have limited educations, face particular challenges in learning to read. Researchers who have studied social and emotional development, and who have an interest in the role of cognition in shaping social development, note the importance of language to children’s emotion-related capabilities. Language, for example, seems to make it easier for children to regulate their own thoughts, feelings, and actions or abilities that are essential to social development and school success. Preschool children with strong regulatory skills are better able to form positive relations with peers and teachers, display greater social competence in kindergarten, and have better achievement in kindergarten and beyond relative to their peers with poorer regulatory skills. The second important aspect to child development, in which I chose to write my third critique over, is using age appropriate discipline with children, that is effective and structured. Researchers have said that in order for discipline to be effective, it needs to be: given by an adult with an affective bond to the child; consistent, close to the behavior needing change; perceived as ‘fair’ by the child; developmentally and temperamentally appropriate; and self-enhancing, which means ultimately leading to self-discipline.
Discipline is explained as the structure that helps the child fit into the real world happily and effectively. It is the foundation for the development of the child’s own self-discipline. Effective and positive discipline is about teaching and guiding children, not just forcing them to obey. The child must be able to feel comfortable and safe around parents, as well as teachers and not always just feel like they are being punished because they are unloved or unwanted. When applying assessments in an early childhood classroom, there are different things that need to be done in order to assure that the assessments are meaningful and reliable. Assessment in an early childhood classroom should start as soon as the child is enrolled and should be based off of the curriculum statement that the district or childcare facility has implemented. The curriculum statement should include the program philosophy, the administration and staff support of learning, enrollment, and the unique characteristics of the child that attend. Assessments in the classroom should also be based off of the environment, daily schedule, learning standards, resources, professional development, and parent involvement.
Assessment of children in the classroom should be assessed in many ways. They should be assessed individually, the classroom as a group, during instructional practices, and experiences to determine how children learn or make processes in skill development. The purpose of assessment is to collect information necessary to make important decisions about their developmental and educational needs. Assessment should also always serve in ways that enhance opportunities for opening growth, development, and learning. The uses of informal tests are usually what is used to assess young children in the classroom until they reach school age, then there are formal tests that occur. Methods of ongoing assessments include portfolios, observations, and anecdotal notes. There are many assessment tools that can be used to evaluate children and their cognitive, social, and emotional abilities. The Denver II is an assessment that uses both parent observation and direct observation and has long been the standard for developmental screening. It is available in English and Spanish and covers children 2 weeks to 6 years of age, but only up to 50% of those with developmental needs will be identified. Most children (up to 99%) who have no needs will pass, so the false positive rate is low. For the complete test, 20 minutes is required. Many items are required for the Denver to be completed, which may be difficult to maintain and access in a busy practice. There is no single scoring method yielding adequate sensitivity and specificity. If "no opportunity" is scored as a fail, most affected children will be referred but with substantial over-referrals. If "no opportunity" is scores as a pass, then over-referrals are minimized but many children with needs will be missed. The second assessment tool that can be used is the DIAL screening, the DIAL assesses the following: Motor: Catching, jumping hopping, skipping, building, thumb and finger motor skills, cutting, copying and name writing. Concepts: Identification of body parts, colors, rapid color naming, counting, positions, concepts (big/little), and shapes. Language: Personal data, articulation, objects and actions, letters and sounds, rhyming and I spy, problem solving, and intelligibility. The third assessment that can be used to assess young children is the creative curriculum. The creative curriculum cover the ages from birth to five. This assessment can be used as an assessment in correlation with developmental portfolios. The Creative Curriculum balances both teacher-directed and child-initiated learning, with an emphasis on responding to children's learning styles and building on their strengths and interests. This curricula applies the latest theory and research on best practices in teaching and learning and the content standards developed by states and professional organizations. While keeping the original environmentally-based approach it clearly defines the teacher's vital role in connecting content, teaching, and learning for preschool children. It features goals and objectives linked directly to our valid and reliable assessment instrument. In conclusion, as I mentioned at the beginning of this paper, there are so many aspects and parts to child development that educators as well as parents need to be aware of. We should constantly be assessing our children and documenting their successes and their delays in development in order to assure the best help and guidance that we can give them. There are constantly new regulations and new guidelines that educators must adhere to, in order to gain the knowledge and competency that is needed to teach and care for our young children.

Works cited Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. (2008). Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. California: Corwin Press. http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/autism_spectrum_disorder_learning.html/context/1037 Computer Development Systems. (2006) Cerebral Palsy and Education. http://cerebralpalsyworld.com/cp_education.aspx Down Syndrome Educational International. (2013) Development and Learning. http://www.dseinternational.org/en-gb/about-down-syndrome/development/ David K. Dickinson, Julie A. Griffith, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, “How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World,” Child Development Research, vol. 2012, Article ID 602807, 15 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/602807 Alison Schonwald, MD, FAAP. (2006) Developmental Screening Tool for Primary Care Providers. Children's Hospital Boston.
http://www.developmentalscreening.org/screening_tools/tools_pointers.htm