Evaluation and Assessment in EI
This topical guide will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse and other sources. Contact us via online form or by phone (1-877-275-3227) to request a resource listed below (or ask your local public librarian). Note that some videos may be viewed online, and journal titles will take you to the publisher’s homepage.
Table of Contents
EIC Resources
This guide includes information on the Illinois Early Intervention (EI) Program, why EI services are important, how to find out whether your child is eligible for the EI program, starting and leaving EI services, your legal rights, and questions frequently asked by families.
Books
This book demonstrates how to do authentic classroom-based assessment and then how to interpret and use that information to plan curriculum. Curriculum should be responsive to and supportive of children’s learning and take into consideration the way young children develop and learn, as well as the early childhood teacher’s assessment responsibilities.
This text book includes information on performance assessment, portfolios, and other methods of reporting a child’s performance. Written for future teachers and current teachers of young children, this book ncludes information about standardized tests and other types of assessments that are appropriate for young children. Chapter 5 addresses documentation.
Focusing on the assessment of infants, toddlers, and preschool children with or at risk for developmental disabilities, this text provides an overview of multiple assessment techniques and contextual issues involved in assessment, such as environment and culture.
This book discusses and analyzes numerous aspects of assessment in early intervention and early childhood special education, including evaluations of early development, severe disabilities, cognitive functioning, and school readiness.
This book examines the value of observation, its use in assessment and the practical aspects and methods of observational study.
This reference book provides reviews of 80 authentic, widely used assessment tools for children 8 and under. It may help early childhood professionals make informed decisions while selecting assessment materials that meet recommended practices.
This book provides a developmentally informed framework for assessing 3- to 6-year-olds in accordance with best practices and IDEA guidelines. It takes the reader step by step through selecting appropriate measures, integrating data from a variety of sources, and using the results to plan and evaluate effective interventions and learning experiences.
With a focus on how families and professionals can collaborate effectively so that infants and toddlers learn, grow, and thrive, this book reflects research and best-practices in the field of early intervention. The book includes a chapter on assessment and planning outlining how parents and professionals can work together throughout the process.
Videos and Media
This module emphasizes the importance of communicating with and respecting parents throughout the assessment process. A variety of progress reports designed for parents by the authors of different curriculum models are highlighted.
This module sets the stage for understanding how children are observed within the context of their play as well as their culture and how these observations are important to understanding their total development.The validity of Authentic Assessment techniques to chart children’s growth and development versus the use of standardized testing is discussed. Children are observed within the context of their play as well as their culture.
This lecture discusses assessment tools to identify the early and subtle signs of autism and offers treatment techniques that effectively interrupt and replace the development of many “coping behaviors” exhibited by children with autism (ages 0-5).
This video discusses techniques for educating young children who are dual-language learners as well as demonstrating recommended methods of assessment. This DVD was created as a companion to the book One Child, Two Languages by Patton O. Tabors. It includes educating and assessing young second-language learners.
Organizations
The mission of the PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children with special needs and their families based on the concept of parents helping parents. The Web site contains information and free resources, including materials on parent-professional partnerships in early intervention. Many resources have been translated into Hmong, Somali and Spanish.
Articles
Appropriate assessment of infants and toddlers is strengths based, identifying and building on children’s capabilities, not what they cannot do, and is not used to “label” them. This article provides an overview of observation, documentation, screening, assessment, portfolios and goal/outcome setting. Direct link is available.
The author provides a planning guide to support early child care workers in implementing authentic assessment in inclusive settings and natural environments.
This article describes the issues and challenges that EI/ECSE professionals face when assessing young children and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and provides a brief synthesis of research-based and promising evaluation practices for EI/ECSE professionals when working with these children, families, and other professionals.
This article discusses the importance of involving parents and families in the assessment of young children. The author offers suggestions and examples to help the early intervention professional.
This article provides an overview, summary of the research, and a history of the shift in early intervention toward authentic assessment, which captures real-life competencies in everyday routines.
Web Resources
This module provides child care consultants with information about screening and assessment of infants and toddlers.
This page includes links to many resources, including overviews of assessment methods, information on the assessment of young English-language learners, and position papers on assessment from several national organizations such as Head Start and the National Association of School Psychologists.
Developmental screening? Comprehensive assessment? Ongoing assessment? Parents often wonder what these terms mean. All are processes for gathering information about an infant, toddler, or preschooler. The first step in gathering information about a child is to complete a developmental screening.