Developmentally Appropriate Practices Five Guidelines For Developmentally Appropriate

Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Five Guidelines For Developmentally Appropriate Practices

1. Creating a Caring Community of Learners 5. Establishing Reciprocal Relationships with Families 4. Assessing Children’s Learning and Development 2. Teaching to enhance development and learning 3. Constructing Appropriate Curriculum

4. Assessing Children’s Learning and Development

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • Assessment is ongoing, strategic, and purposeful. DAP Example: DIP Example: Teachers use observational assessment of children’s progress, examination of children’s work samples, and documentation of their development and learning to plan curriculum. Children’s progress is measured by how well they conform to rigid expectations and perform on standardized tests.

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • Content of assessment reflects progress toward important developmental goals DAP Example: DIP Example: Results of assessment are used to improve and individualize instruction. Teachers “teach to the test” to ensure higher scores.

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • The methods of assessment are appropriate to the age and experiences of young children. DAP Example: DIP Example: A child’s progress is reported in comparison to his or her own previous performance, and parents are given general information about how the child compares to agerelated expectations. Teachers report children’s progress only in letter or numerical grades. Emphasis is placed upon comparing children with each other.

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • Assessment allows for individual variation in learners as well as different rates of learning. DAP Example: DIP Example: Because children advance through sequential curriculum at different paces, they can progress in all areas as they acquire competence. Children repeat a grade or are placed in a special “transition” grade if they have not mastered the expected reading and math skills.

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • Decisions are based upon multiple experiences, not just a one time assessment. DAP Example: DIP Example: Teachers use a combination of assessment strategies to see where the child is at in a particular skill. The child is given one opportunity to perform a certain task or is given one test. Assessment is based upon this one outcome.

Assessing Children’s Learning and Development • Assessment not only looks at what the child can do alone, but also with assistance. DAP Example: DIP Example: Children who fall behind receive individualized support, such as tutoring, personal instruction, focused time on areas of difficulty, and other strategies to accelerate learning progress. Teachers do not look at other opportunities to enhance the child’s growth and development. They do not even attempt to discuss outside support from the parents.

Class Activity for Assessing Children’s Development and Learning File Folder Games 1. File Folder Game 2. Pick one of the file folder game packets provided and put together your own game.