DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF YOUNG CHILDERN 4

Developmental assessment of Young children 4 (1+3)

Lesson 14:Interpretation of assessment information

Analyze information for evidence of the learning process and strategies

The emphasis should be on thinking and learning process and not on outcome of the activity. Development and learning processes often reveal themselves in children’s behavior. It includes

• Examination of underlying mental processes: any learning requires attention; hence focus on child’s attention, thinking and concentration.
  
• Analyzing error patterns: Errors should not be thought of as random, careless or lazy behavior of a student but as rooted in a complex logical process of thought that is amenable to correction. Error patterns may be
• Systematic error patterns: They have consistent pattern. Repeating same mistake over and over because the child does not understand a rule or fact and consistently misapplies it.
• Random error patterns: They do not have predictable pattern. The child is guessing because he has no facts or rules to apply.
• Skip error patterns: occur due to loss of concentration, anxiety and disinterest.
• Determine prior knowledge and its relationship to current understanding and preferences: Children’s beliefs, knowledge and past experiences provide the base for current learning. Always compare what children know and what we have taught or will be teaching to assess their familiarity with the knowledge or skills.
• Analyze explanations and descriptions: learning involves active construction of knowledge by the learner. By examining the child’s explanation and descriptions the assessor can gain insight into how children select, organize and integrate information and experiences to construct their knowledge.
• Look for qualitative and quantitative differences: Assessment information can help to understand changes in what a youngster knows and can do and how she expresses that in the journey from beginning to proficient learner.