Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach

To ensure the best possible outcomes for young children with and without disabilities, early childhood educators must enter the classroom ready to conduct all types of early childhood assessment¿including determining if children need additional services, planning and monitoring instruction, and determining program effectiveness. They¿ll get the preparation they need with this comprehensive textbook, an in-depth blueprint for high-quality assessment in today¿s age of inclusion, standards-based education, and accountability. Developed by prominent early childhood special education experts, this book is a natural follow-up to the bestselling, widely adopted Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings. Future educators of young children will get the research and recommended practices they need to conduct authentic assessment; use assessment to inform effective program planning; ensure that their practices are aligned with DEC and NAEYC recommendations; select and use assessment instruments; assess children with diverse abilities; plan and revise quality instruction; and collect reliable program evaluation data. Guiding future educators through every aspect of skillful assessment, this textbook gives readers vignettes of common dilemmas teachers may encounter, classroom examples, and practical aids such as assessment checklists and excerpts from select tools. Educators will learn how to confidently implement high-quality assessment that improves outcomes for all children.

Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Ed.D., is Professor, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Ph.D., is Professor, School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, Kent State University, Ohio.