Alternative Approaches to Assessing Young Children

In today's climate of increased accountability and diversity, alternative assessments for young children are more important than ever. That's why the timely NEW edition of this bestselling textbook is a must for all educators as they prepare to work with children who are culturally, linguistically, or developmentally diverse.

Developed by top authorities in early childhood special education and widely adopted since its first edition was published in 2001, this introductory text has been carefully updated to reflect 10 years of evolution in demographics, research, technology, and legislation. Pre- and in-service educators of children birth-8 years will

• learn about six popular alternative assessment methods: naturalistic, focused, performance, portfolio, dynamic, and curriculum-based language
• explore the advantages and limitations of each approach
• effectively link assessment with intervention [NEW CHAPTER!]
• get clear and specific guidelines for before, during, and after assessment
• collaborate and reach consensus with families
• see assessment methods in action with vivid vignettes of children with diverse needs
• discover successful strategies for teaching in inclusive environments
• implement a transdisciplinary framework to ensure comprehensive, multidimensional assessment approaches

With the improved student-friendly features-such as chapter review questions, in-depth case studies, a glossary, and a new sample syllabus-college and university instructors will find this text ideal for introducing preservice educators to the fundamentals of alternative assessments. And the NEW CD-ROM makes this book an invaluable resource beyond the classroom, with more than 2 dozen printable forms for data collection, observation, progress monitoring, IEP/IFSP development, and more.

Grounded in the most current research and best practices, this essential new edition will help pre- and in-service educators capture the full picture of all young children's strengths and needs and provide them with appropriate, individualized instruction.

Angela Losardo, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of Language, Reading, and Exceptionalities at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Her educational background includes degrees in communication disorders and early childhood special education from the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Oregon in Eugene. Dr. Losardo's interdisciplinary training in communication disorders and early childhood special education allows her to synthesize current research in these fields and to communicate effectively with professionals from different disciplines. Dr. Losardo has considerable experience coordinating and working as a practitioner in inclusive programs for young children in a variety of environments (e.g., home-based programs, center-based preschools, public schools, residential facilities, hospitals, private agencies). Her work has focused primarily on the development of early language and literacy skills in young children. She has coordinated and conducted research projects and has directed interdisciplinary personnel preparation programs at higher education institutions. She has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and instructional materials for practitioners. Dr. Losardo's current research interests are alternative and cross-cultural assessment/evaluation procedures, curricular approaches to early language and literacy interventions, and preparing personnel to work in inclusive environments.

Angela Notari Syverson, Ph.D., is Senior Researcher at the Washington Research Institute in Seattle. Her work focuses on early literacy and language assessment and intervention. She has authored books and journal publications in these areas and is co-author of Ladders to Literacy: A Preschool Activity Book (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1998), an early literacy curriculum developed for use in inclusive education environments. Dr. Notari Syverson's educational background includes degrees in psychology and communication disorders from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and a doctorate in early childhood special education from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Her professional experience involves working with children who have a variety of communication disorders and developmental delays and their families both in the United States of America and in Switzerland. She has directed federal research, demonstration, and training projects in the area of early language and literacy at the Washington Research Institute and the University of Washington, Seattle. Dr. Notari-Syverson's current research interests are adult-child interactions, assessment, and intervention in multicultural and multilinguistic contexts. She has lived and worked in different countries and is fluent in three languages.

Dr. Bricker served as Director of the Early Intervention Program at the Center on Human Development, University of Oregon, from 1978 to 2004. She was a professor of special education, focusing on the fields of early intervention and social-communication.

Her professional interests have addressed three major areas: early intervention service delivery approaches, curricula-based assessment and evaluation, and developmental-behavioral screening. Dr. Bricker's work in early intervention approaches has been summarized in two volumes: An Activity-Based Approach to Early Intervention, Fourth Edition (with J. Johnson & N. Rahn; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2015) and An Activity-Based Approach to Developing Young Childrenâ (TM)s Social Emotional Competence (with J. Squires; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2007). Her work in curricula-based assessment/evaluation has focused on the development of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Second Edition (AEPS(R); with B. Capt, K. Pretti- Frontczak, J. Johnson, K. Slentz, E. Straka, & M Waddell; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2004). This measure and curricula provides intervention personnel with a system for the comprehensive assessment of young children with results that link directly to curricular content and subsequent evaluation of child progress.

Dr. Bricker has been a primary author of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires(R) (ASQ(R); with J. Squires; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1995, 1999, 2009) and directed research activities on the ASQ system starting in 1980. Developmental Screening in Your Community: An Integrated Approach for Connecting Children with Services (Bricker, Macy, Squires, & Marks; Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2013) offers a comprehensive system for creating and operating community-wide developmental-behavioral screening programs for young children.

Dr. Bricker's distinctions include the Division of Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children Service to the Field Award, December 1992, and the Peabody College Distinguished Alumna Award, May 1995.