Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach

by Kristie Pretti-Frontczak Ph.D., Jennifer Grisham Ed.D., Sullivan Lynn, Margarita Canadas Perez (Foreword by), Melanie Reese (Foreword by)

Overview

Meaningful, authentic assessment practices are one key to the success of early childhood inclusion. Prepare current and future teachers with the second edition of this comprehensive textbook, an in‐depth guide to the how and the why of high‐quality assessment in the context of inclusive early childhood settings.

Updated with an emphasis on equity and coverage of other critical topics, the second edition of this comprehensive textbook takes a blended practices approach to assessment in inclusive settings, combining recommended practices from early childhood education and early childhood special education. Well‐known experts Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, Jennifer Grisham, and contributor Lynn Sullivan have developed this text to align with Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices on assessment. Educators will learn how to select and use assessment instruments, conduct authentic assessment during daily activities and routines, collaborate with families and other team members, conduct eligibility assessments, use assessment to inform program planning and monitor progress, master the challenges of kindergarten assessment, and more.

Ideal for both undergraduate and graduate courses and professional development programs, this comprehensive text gives teachers the knowledge and tools they need to implement high‐quality assessment and reap its benefits: inclusive, family‐centered programming that improves outcomes for all children.

WHAT'S NEW:

• New section on considerations for special populations: dual language learners, children in kindergarten, and children who have severe and multiple disabilities
• Increased focus on educational equity throughout the book
• New and expanded coverage of important themes and topics, including authenticity, collaborative partnerships, and data‐based decision making
• New invited contributors who are experts in the field and advocates for early childhood inclusion
• More practical materials, including new and extended case studies, a revised Curriculum‐Based Assessment Rating Rubric and glossary, and a list of recommended practices
• Overview of revised versions of commonly used curriculum‐based assessments, including AEPS‐3, COR Advantage, and Work Sampling System
• Companion materials for faculty, including PowerPoints with links to activities and resources

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681256009
Publisher:	Brookes Publishing
Publication date:	11/21/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak is a highly sought-after speaker, accomplished author, and educators’ educator. With nearly three decades of educational experience, Kristie cultivates real change within educational systems. She instills an impressive sense of joy, humor, and fun in creating inclusive educational practices and empowering teachers and leaders to spread wellness both in and beyond the classroom walls. Along with Dr. Julie Causton, at Inclusive Schooling, Kristie designs and delivers transformative professional development that addresses and supports the wholeness of the adult professional and helps leaders create school cultures that ensure all children experience a sense of belonging. Kristie spent 16 years, as faculty, at Kent State University and has published extensively in peer-referenced journals and is an author of over 10 books and monographs. Since 2013 she has followed her true passion, which is supporting adult learners. As a result, she has accumulated over 50,000 hours of helping educators and leaders work from a place of compassion, hope, and love in locations from Cincinnati to Singapore. She currently resides in Northeastern Ohio. You can learn more about Kristie and Inclusive Schooling at www.inclusiveschooling.com.

Check out our spotlight on Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak! Discover bestselling books, an engaging webinar recording on inclusion, and download a free classroom poster!

Dr. Grisham is Professor in the Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education program at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. She received her doctorate in education from the University of Kentucky. She is also Faculty Director of the Early Childhood Laboratory at the University of Kentucky, an inclusive early childhood program for children from birth to 5 years of age.

Dr. Grisham has directed research projects on topics including linking assessment and instruction, early care and education program quality, and individualizing instruction for young children with disabilities. In addition, she has conducted research on the effectiveness of instructional procedures that are embedded into developmentally appropriate activities, the application of multi-tiered systems of support in early childhood settings, and coaching teachers and caregivers to implement evidencebased instructional strategies with fidelity. Dr. Grisham is Project Director for the Kentucky Deaf-Blind Project, which provides technical assistance to families and service providers of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness. She coauthored a book titled Reach for the Stars: Planning for the Future (with D. Haynes; American Printing House for the Blind, 2013), which is used to support families of young children in planning for their children’s future and articulating their priorities to educational team members, as well as Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings, Second Edition (with M. L. Hemmeter; Brookes Publishing Co., 2017), and Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach (with K. Pretti-Frontczak; Brookes Publishing Co., 2011).

Finally, Dr. Grisham directed the nationwide field test for AEPS-3. Dr. Grisham is frequently asked to provide professional development to state departments of education, universities, and local education agencies on topics for which she conducts research throughout the country. Dr. Grisham is co-founder of a children’s home and preschool program in Guatemala City, Hope for Tomorrow, where she accompanies students for the education abroad program. Dr. Grisham also works internationally in other locations to promote inclusion of young children with disabilities.

Lynn Sullivan, M.Ed. is currently a private consultant in the areas of special education, early childhood, and interagency collaboration. After a first career in social work, she spent 35 years as the early childhood consultant for one of twenty regional technical assistance centers in Texas. In that career with Education Service Center, Region 11, Ms. Sullivan provided consultative and technical assistance to local school districts, charter schools, and community agencies in the development and improvement of instructional programs and services for students with disabilities age three, four, and five. She planned, facilitated, presented and coordinated regional training for educators (including PreK and K teachers), speech language pathologists, diagnosticians, campus and district leaders of preschoolers with disabilities These were based on Federal, state, regional and local data sources along with anecdotal patterns, trend lines in longitudinal data analysis and school district priorities. In conjunction with Drs. Pretti-Frontczak and Grisham, Ms. Sullivan developed a multi-year, data driven project to support and sustain best practices in meeting the needs of young children with disabilities in small and rural communities.Ms. Sullivan served as the Part B representative on the Texas Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Intervention for 18 years, and is currently a member of CEC and DEC, having served as Texas DEC president 1994-1996.

Read an Excerpt

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Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Dedications

Section 1: Recommended Practices
Chapter 1: Introduction
Jennifer Grisham and Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak
Why a Second Edition
Major Themes of this Book
  Authenticity
  Collaborative Partnerships
  Utility
  Educational Equity
Overview of Major Book Sections
  Section I: Recommended Practices (Process)
  Section II: Reasons for Conducting Assessment (Purpose)
  Section III: Special Topics in Assessment
Intended Audience and Use
Definitions of Key Terms Used Throughout
  Assessment
  Blended Practices
  Teacher
Summary
References

Chapter 2: Recommended Practices in Authentic Assessment
Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, Rebecca Crawford, Lynn Sullivan, and Jennifer Grisham
Authentic Assessment
  Authentic Assessment Defined
  Difference Between Authentic Assessment and Conventional Assessment
Advantages and Evidence‐Base
  Advantages of Authentic Assessment
  Support for Authentic Assessment
Flipping the Script
Summar
References

Chapter 3: Family Involvement in the Assessment Process
Julie Harp Rutland, Ashley Lyons‐Picard, Jennifer Grisham, and Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak
Involving Families in the Assessment Process
  Ecological Systems Theory
  Adult Learning Theory
  Family‐Centered Practices
Legal Mandates
Involving Families in the Assessment Process
  Learner
  Expert
  Team Member
  Advocate
  Benefits to Families and Children
Approaches for Gathering Assessment Information from Families
  Unstructured Approaches
  Structured Approaches
Considerations for Gathering Reliable Information from Families
  Understanding Levels of Family Involvement
  Effective Communication Strategies
  Considerate Scheduling
  Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  Defining Priorities
  Setting Individual Goals
  Program Planning
Summary
References

Chapter 4: Recommended Practices for Determining Technical Adequacy
Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak and Jennifer Grisham
Technical Adequacy
  Validity
  Reliability
  Bias
Classification Measures
Common Practices Related to Conventional Assessment
  Calculating Chronological Age
  Establishing Basal Ceiling
  Adjusting for Prematurity
  Interpreting Results
Summary
References

Chapter 5: Critical Decision‐Making Process
Lynn Sullivan, Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, and Jennifer Grisham
Overview of the Decision‐Making Process
Step One: Gathering
  Guiding Principles: What to Observe
  Guiding Principles: Who Observes
  Guiding Principles: When and Where to Observe
  Guiding Principles: How Often to Observe
Step Two: Documenting
  Written Descriptions
  Visuals and Artifacts
  Counts or Tallies
Step Three: Summarizing
  Numerical Summaries
  Visual Summaries
  Narrative Summaries
Step Four: Analyzing
  Patterns
  Trends
Step Five: Interpreting
Summary
References
Appendix A: Lists of Recommended Practices for the Decision Making‐Process

Section 2: Reasons for Conducting Assessments
Chapter 6: Assessment for Program Planning Purposes
Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, Jennifer Grisham, Lynn Sullivan, and Sarah Hawkins‐Lear
Definition and Purpose of Assessment for Program Planning
Conducting Program Planning Assessments
  Selecting a CBA for Program Planning
  CBA Rating Rubric
  Administering CBAs
  Assessment Fidelity
  Assessment Activities
Using Information from CBAs to Program Plan
  Making Decisions for Program Planning
  Identifying Who Needs to Learn What
  Sorting Children by Outcomes
  Multi‐Tiered Systems of Support
Summary
References
Appendix B: Revised Curriculum:Based Assessment Rating Rubric and Glossary

Chapter 7: Assessment for Progress Monitoring Purposes
Jennifer Grisham, Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, Ashley Lyons‐Picard, Sarah Hawkins‐Lear, and Lynn Sullivan
Progress Monitoring
Recommended Progress Monitoring Practices
  Holistic Appraoch to Progress Monitoring
  Progress Monitoring Decision:Making
Tiered Model of Progress Monitoring
Sharing Progress Monitoring Information
  Communicating with Families
  How and When to Share Progrss Monitoring Information
Summary
References

Chapter 8: Recommended Practices in Identifying Children for Special Services
Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak and Jennifer Grisham
Child Find
  Purpose and Requirements
  Common Activities and Recommended Practices
Screening
  Traditional and Contemporary Screening Approaches
  Screening Types and Formats
Screening Types
Screening Formats
  Recommended Screening Practices
Determining Eligibility for Services
  Federal Regulations
  Federal Categories
  Developmental Delay
  State Variations
Recommended Practices for Eligibility Determination
  Transdisciplinary Teaming During Eligibility
  Report Writing
Summary
References

Chapter 9: Program Evaluation
Jennifer Grisham and Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak
Types and Reasons for Conducting Program Evaluation
  Individual Classroom‐Level Evaluations
  Local Program‐Level Evaluations
  State‐Level Evaluations
  Federal Program Evaluations
Methods of Collecting Program Evaluation Data
  Child Outcome Data
  Program Observations
  Stakeholder Input
  Record Reviews
Recommended Practices
  Planning for Program Evaluation
  Conducting a Program Evaluation
  Using Program Evaluation Data
Summary
References

Section 4: Considerations for Special Populations
Chapter 10: Recommended Practices for Assessing Children Who are Dual Language Learners (DLLs) or Multilanguage Learners
Lin Zhu, Jennifer Grisham, Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak, and Ashley Lyons‐Picard
General Considerations for Assessing Children Who are DLLs or Multilanguage Learners
  Challenges of Assessing Children Who are DLLs or Multilanguage Learners
Special Recommendations
  What to Assess
  How to Assess
  Influences and Biases
  Intechangeable Cuing Systems
  Alternative, Flexible Materials
  Alternative Responses
Measures
Summary
References

Chapter 11: Recommended Practices for Assessing Children with Severe and Multiple Disabilities
Jennifer Grisham, Ashley Lyons‐Picard, and Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak
Transdisciplinary Teaming
General Considerations for Assessing Children with Severe and Multiple Disabilities
  Children with Complex Medical Needs
Special Recommendations
  What to Assess
  How to Assess
  Influences and Biases
  Interchangeable Cuing Systems
  Alternative, Flexible Materials
  Alternative Responses
Measures
Summary
References

Chapter 12: Kindergarten Assessment
Julie Rutland, Jennifer Grisham, Lynn Sullivan, and Kristie Pretti‐Frontczak
Kindergarten Readiness and Kindergarten Assessment
Timely Referrals and Tiered Instruction
Program Planning in Kindergarten Classrooms
  Curriculum Based Measures
  Curriculum Bases Assessments
Summary
References

Index