Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood Education

EECERA Annual ConferencePrague

31st August 2007

Avril Sweeney, Ireland

Presentation overview

1. Key points – Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood Education

2. Authentic Assessment in Action – applying Vygotsky’s messages to assessment practice

3. Images from Kara’s Learning Journey

Part 1. Key points – Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood Education

Introduction Tensions in assessing young children The influence of Developmental Theory The emergence of a socio-cultural

perspective The problematic nature of putting theory into

practice Offering an alternative path Documenting learning and development

Part 2. Authentic Assessment in Action

Kara’s Learning Journey

1. Engage children in conversation

Vygotsky believed that language presents the shared experience necessary for building cognitive development. He viewed having conversations with adults about everyday experiences, family and interests as central to building children’s language, solving problems and interpreting their own experiences.

Engage children in conversation

Friends

talking and listening interpreting

experiences

Engage children in conversation

Painting

interacting communicating building language

2. Utilise the child’s ZPD

Vygotsky placed huge emphasis on the importance of observation and believed that this was the only reliable way a practitioner could assess what was within a child’s ZPD. He believed the adult should act as a scaffold by providing challenging learning opportunities that extend existing knowledge, skills or dispositions.

Utilise the child’s ZPD

A problem with names

scaffolding joint problem

solving

Utilise the child’s ZPD

Decisions, decisions

expressing ideas making choices following special

interests directing own learning

3. Plan a meaningful and challenging curriculum

Vygotsky’s theory on the ZPD encourages practitioners to plan a curriculum which is meaningful to the child and follows individual interests and ideas. An environment that facilitates learning in a context that is meaningful to children’s life experiences, optimises learning and development.

Plan a meaningful and challenging curriculum

Boats float

testing ideas using prior

knowledge offering

explanations

Plan a meaningful and challenging curriculum

Kara had a little lamb

developing special interests

supporting learning through meaningful experiences

4. Encourage children to work together

Vygotsky believed that social and cognitive development worked hand in hand and emphasised the importance of families, communities and other children. Through interaction and conversation they learn about communication, develop ideas, solve problems and negotiate.

Encourage children to work together

Does it sink or does it float?

taking responsibility

communicating scaffolding

Conclusion One of the most useful aspects of Vygotsky’s work

to the area of assessment is the concept of the ZPD. Through the observation of children, the practitioner can utilise the ZPD to scaffold children’s progress towards a higher level of learning and development. Vygotsky’s concept on the differing zones of proximal development has the potential to lead authentic assessment techniques and provide a realistic focus for the next steps in teaching and learning. This form of authentic assessment has much to offer early childhood practice whilst maintaining the integrity of a constructivist approach to teaching and learning in early childhood.

Part 3. The last word …

Images from Kara’s Learning Journey

Contacts

avrilsweeney@btinternet.com avrilsweeney@donegalchildcare.co

m

Míle Buíochas!(A thousand thanks!)