The assessment of young children's development and learning has recently taken on new importance. Private and government organizations are developing programs to enhance the school readiness of all young children, especially children from economically disadvantaged homes and communities and children with special needs. Well-planned and effective assessment can inform teaching and program improvement, and contribute to better outcomes for children. This book affirms that assessments can make crucial contributions to the improvement of children's well-being, but only if they are well designed, implemented effectively, developed in the context of systematic planning, and are interpreted and used appropriately. Otherwise, assessment of children and programs can have negative consequences for both. The value of assessments therefore requires fundamental attention to their purpose and the design of the larger systems in which they are used. Early Childhood Assessment addresses these issues by identifying the important outcomes for children from birth to age 5 and the quality and purposes of different techniques and instruments for developmental assessments.

Comprehensive and user friendly, this ideal professional reference and graduate text provides a developmentally informed framework for assessing 3- to 6-year-olds in accordance with current best practices and IDEA 2004 guidelines. The authors are leading clinician-researchers who take 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. Coverage encompasses screening and assessment of cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and behavioral difficulties, including mental retardation and autism. Case studies illustrate key facets of assessing diverse children and families; appendices offer concise reviews of over 100 instruments.

First published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A new guide to conducting more comprehensive and meaningfulpsychological assessments of young children Early Childhood Assessment presents a thorough, step-by-stepapproach to the comprehensive psychological assessment of youngchildren. In addition to covering major psychological tests, thisinvaluable resource includes specific guidelines and formats forinterviewing parents and other caregivers, observing children andcaregiver-child interaction, conducting dynamic assessments,writing reports, and evaluating outcomes of recommendedinterventions. Dr. Lidz's approach encourages a broad range of observation with anoverarching objective of completing a picture of the "whole" child,from family life to social-emotional and neuropsychologicalfunctioning. She leads the reader through each step of acomprehensive assessment, touching on the major data sourcesnecessary for a full understanding of the child within differentenvironments. Throughout the book, Dr. Lidz advocates bestassessment practices that reflect the interests of children andfamilies. Features useful information on: * Conducting initial interviews and observations for setting thecourse of the assessment * Using standardized and nonstandardized approaches to generateboth qualitative and quantitative data * Viewing children and families within their culturalcontexts * Integrating assessment data sources to generate meaningfulrecommendations and readable reports Plus: * Includes unique chapters on play, observation of parent-child andteacher-child interactions, and dynamic assessment Early Childhood Assessment is a valuable tool for professionals andstudents who are concerned about the richness and complexity ofchildren's development within their families and communities.

Documentation in early childhood education is typically seen as a means to enhance the quality of care and education, and as a way to take account of the child’s view. Assessment and Documentation in Early Childhood Education considers the increasing trend towards systematic child documentation especially in early childhood institutions. The authors present ways in which assessment and evaluation is done sometimes explicitly but more often implicitly in these practices, and explore its means, aims, forms, and functions. They also examine the rationalities of child documentation from the perspective of professional practice and professionalism and suggest that documentation and assessment practices can weaken and constrain but also empower and strengthen teachers, children and parents. Topics explored include: Different forms of documentation and assessment Documentation and listening to the children Dilemmas of assessment and documentation Participation by children Involvement of parents This timely book will be appealing for those studying in the field of early childhood education, teacher education, special education, general education, social work, counselling, psychology, sociology, childhood studies, and family studies.

This book presents an integrated and coordinated framework for assessing developmental, psychological, and behavioral disorders in early childhood. Expert contributors advocate for natural-environment methods in addition to standardized measures in assessing academic and social skills as well as age-specific behavior problems in young children. Chapters model collaborations between clinicians, family, and daycare and school personnel, address diagnostic and classification issues, and conceptualize assessment as flexible, ongoing, and, as necessary, leading to coordinated services. The book gives practitioners and researchers critical tools toward establishing best practices in an increasingly complex and important area, leading to better prevention and intervention outcomes. Included in the coverage: Standardized assessment of cognitive development. Authentic and performance-based assessment. The use of Response to Interve ntion (RTI) in early childhood. Collaboration in school and child care settings. Anxiety disorders, PTSD, OCD, and depression in young children. Sleeping, feeding/eating, and attachment problems in early childhood. Early Childhood Assessment in School and Clinical Child Psychology is an essential resource for clinicians and related professionals, researchers, and graduate students in child and school psychology; assessment, testing, and evaluation; occupational therapy; family studies, educational psychology; and speech pathology.