Assessment and Evaluation
What to know
Assessment questions probe the purpose of each tool. Know formative (ongoing, informs instruction) versus summative (end-of-unit, measures outcomes), and screening (identifies who may need further evaluation) versus diagnostic (pinpoints specific needs) versus progress monitoring (tracks response to intervention). Understand authentic and performance-based assessment - observation, running records, portfolios, work samples, checklists, and anecdotal notes - as especially suited to young children. Be able to explain reliability (consistency) and validity (measures what it claims), and the importance of developmentally appropriate, culturally fair instruments. Know how assessment data feed back into planning and how to communicate results to families without jargon.
Traps to expect
Stems often ask for the "best assessment" and include a standardized test where observation or a portfolio is more appropriate for young children. Watch for confusion between reliability and validity, and between screening and diagnosis. Another trap: using a single score to make a high-stakes decision, or assessing in a way that confounds language with ability for English learners. Beware answers that treat assessment as separate from instruction.
Rule of thumb
The assessment should match the purpose and the child: to guide daily teaching, use formative and observational tools; to flag concerns, use screening and then refer for diagnosis; never decide from one data point.
Worked example
A teacher wants to know whether children can retell a story. The strongest evidence is a running record or retelling checklist collected during guided reading, triangulated with a work sample - not a single multiple-choice quiz.