
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.
EIC Library Items
- Book
This book explores how emergent curriculum principles and practices can improve a early childhood program. Sections on observation, documentation, assessment, and relationships that support learning provide a subject overview.
- Book
The updated and expanded fourth edition of this text provides a reader-friendly foundation in occupational therapy for the treatment of people with mental health problems. It addresses techniques in working with patients whose disorders are not primarily psychiatric. Sections include organizing yourself, interactions with patients, and documentation.
- Book
This book is both resource and workbook. It can help early childhood education students and practitioners learn to gather and interpret data to gain insight into child development. The chapters provide information on child development, including children with special needs.
- Book
- E-Book
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.
- Book
This book contains a collection of articles describing aspects of the ways young children develop and learn. The topics covered include family-centered care, assessment, documentation, play, illness, and more.
- Video
This video discusses why and how to document children’s early learning and what it can reveal. It includes a visit to the Power of Documentation Exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Museum.
Web Resources
This article published in an online journal covers the importance of documentation in demonstrating the attainment of skills throughout the learning process.
This article presents a round-table discussion that explores the key questions regarding the definition of documentation, common misunderstandings of the strategy, lessons that have emerged over decades of documenting in various contexts, and puzzles that are emerging for the future of the practice. The discussion reminds the reader that documentation is not just a teaching tool, but a pedagogical philosophy of knowing and valuing children.
This article describes the use of documentation by teachers and their children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) to develop skills of self-determination. Visual feedback, such as photos and video, help teachers plan and children evaluate their performance in social situations, such as finding a friend to play with at recess. This documentation serves as a tool to create a narrative with both the child and the teacher.
This paper in an online journal outlines and discusses observation and documentation as useful for understanding. Videos are described as a resource for revisiting and analyzing documented observations.
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.
This free, downloadable guide that is designed for use by early childhood professionals. The guide includes explanations of best practices in assessment as well as a compendium of assessment instruments.
This Growing Ideas tip sheet describes developmentally appropriate assessment techniques, including how to gather and store documentation.
A one-page tip sheet to help service providers with documentation in the Illinois Early Intervention System. The tip sheet includes rules, reminders and tips in a colorful format that puts everything in one place! The PDF is included in the revised Systems Overview Follow Up packet and additional helpful information can be found on the EITP Virtual Office Hours page and EITP Billing and Documentation page.
This Illinois Early Intervention Services System guide for providers includes principles of early intervention, important early intervention policies and procedures, required forms, definitions, and more.