Standard 4: Topics

Topics: Each of the standards has two or more components that further describe what is meant by the standard for a total of 27 components across the seven standards. This section identifies, what learners should know and be able to do based on that component to facilitate positive outcomes for children and families.

Component 4.1 Learners understand the purposes of formal and informal assessment, including ethical and legal considerations, and use this information to choose developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate, valid, reliable tools and methods that are responsive to the characteristics of the young child, family, and program.

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:

  • purposes of formal and informal assessment, including screening, diagnosis/eligibility, planning for intervention and instruction, progress monitoring, and evaluation.
  • ethical considerations in assessment, including the potential for bias,
  • federal, provincial, and state regulations related to eligibility for EI and ECSE, and
  • authentic assessment.

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:

  • choose developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate assessment measures and methods,
  • choose reliable and valid assessment measures and methods,
  • choose assessment measures and methods that are responsive to the characteristics of young children and their families, and
  • use informal authentic assessment strategies, such as naturalistic observation, curriculum-based measures, and observation-based methods.

Component 4.2 Learners develop and administer informal assessments and/or select and use valid, reliable formal assessments using evidence-based practices, including technology, in partnership with families and other professionals.

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:

  • informal assessment,
  • formal assessment,
  • play-based assessment,
  • psychometric properties of assessment measures, including types of reliability and validity, and
  • role of specialized assessments by related service providers.

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:

  • develop informal assessments,
  • evaluate the psychometric properties of formal and informal assessment measures,
  • administer informal assessments using evidence-based practices,
  • administer formal assessments using evidence-based practices,
  • administer formal and informal assessments using technology, as appropriate,
  • use play-based assessment methods as appropriate,
  • interpret the results of specialized assessments,
  • collaborate with families and other professionals in the administration of informal and formal assessments, and
  • work with cultural mediators and/or interpreters on the assessment team.

Component 4.3 Learners analyze, interpret, document, and share assessment information using a strengths-based approach with families and other professionals.

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:

  • similarities and differences in assessment techniques used in early intervention, preschool, and primary grades.

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:

  • analyze assessment information,
  • interpret assessment information,
  • document assessment information,
  • share assessment information using a strengths-based approach with families and other professionals.
  • use communication skills in interviews and conferences with families, including active listening, furthering responses, paraphrasing, demonstrating non-judgmental attitudes, responding to affect, questioning, and summarizing, and
  • practice confidentiality.

Component 4.4 Learners, in collaboration with families and other team members, use assessment data to determine eligibility, develop child and family-based outcomes/goals, plan for interventions and instruction, and monitor progress to determine the efficacy of programming.

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:

  • factors that may influence the accurate interpretation of assessment results, such as
    • limitations of formal and informal assessments (e.g., bias, test constructs),
    • contextual factors (e.g., SES, family structure, prior intervention),
    • child characteristics, and
  • eligibility rules for receiving EI or ECSE services,
  • individualized planning, and
  • data-based decision making.

Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:

  • collaborate with families and other team members use assessment data to determine eligibility, develop child and family-based outcomes/goals, plan for interventions and instruction, and monitor progress to determine the efficacy of programming.
  • collaborate with families and other team members to integrate formal, informal, and authentic assessment data to develop child and family-based outcomes/goals and individualized plans,
  • use formative assessment to make a data-based intervention and instructional decisions, and
  • use ongoing informal assessment to adapt and enhance intervention and instruction.

Select a Category:

Blueprint

ECPC Course Enhancement Modules E-Learning Lessons, Practice Guides & Resources 
CONNECT Modules CONNECT Modules and Courses
Faculty Forum - The Chronicle of Higher Education Archived Zoom Call: Faculty Resilience and the COVID-19 - Week 2
Frank Porter Graham Toolkit of Resources TOOLKIT: resources for early childhood faculty and instructors
Association of College and University Educators Online teaching toolkit
The Chronicle of Higher Education How to be a better online teacher advice guide
SCRIPT-NC Shifting to Online Instruction and Faculty Webinars
Openstax Open access to high quality textbooks online -free
CEEDAR Center Virtual Toolkit: Easing Faculty Transition to Online Instruction​
FREE RESOURCE: Poll Everywhere for Higher Ed. Faculty Create unlimited questions for up to 40 students
CEC Webinar and Resources Teaching Special Education Online During COVID-19
IRIS Center Planning for Distance Learning: Resources: Modules, Case Study Units, Activities
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Michelle D. Miller
Going Online in a Hurry: What to Do and Where to Start
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Kevin Gannon 4 Lessons from Moving a Face-to-Face Course Online
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Heather R. Taft, March 17, 2020 How to Quickly (and Safely) Move a Lab Course Online
The Chronicle of Higher Education Coping With Coronavirus: How Faculty Members Can Support Students in Traumatic Times
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Flower Darby How to Be a Better Online Teacher (Advice Guide)
Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Video Series: Use of Technology with Evidence Based Early Intervention
National Center on Deaf Blindness
Open Hands, Open Access video learning modules
Coursera Child Development Courses

 

Activity Bank

*New* Tip sheet: Enhancing Family-Provider Partnerships During COVID-19  Enhancing Family-Provider Partnerships
Tips for Providers: Providing & Coordinating EI Remotely Tips for Providers: What to say to Families
Tips for Providers: Providing & Coordinating EI Remotely (What will it look like?) Tips for Providers: What will a Remote Visit Look Like?
Tips for Families: Receiving Remote EI Services Tips for Families Flyer .pdf What is Remote EI

Consejos para Familias .pdf What is Remote EI? (Spanish)

Tips for Families: How to prepare for a Remote EI Visit Tips for Families: .pdf Preparing for the Visit

TConsejos para Familias: .pdf Preparing for the Visit (Spanish)

ECPC Course Enhancement Modules E-Learning Lessons, Practice Guides & Resources 
CONNECT Modules CONNECT Modules and Courses
Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center Framework for reflective questioning / The Coaching Quick Reference Guide - .pdf
Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center Tools of Trade
OCALI (Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Disabilities) (note: you must login but it is free) Suite of Resources for Early Childhood Professionals
Public Consulting Group Use of telehealth in early intervention (IDEA Part C)
Protecting Student Privacy

U.S. Department of Education

Student Privacy 101

FERPA and the Coronavirus Disease 2019

FERPA and Virtual Learning

Edelman, L. (2020). Planning for the Use of Video Conferencing for Early Intervention Home Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic Planning for the Use of Video Conferencing for Early Intervention Home Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic
CEC Hosted Webinar with Resources Teaching Special Education Online During COVID-19
National Center for Hearing Assessment & Management Utah State University Welcome to the Tele-Intervention Learning Courses
Lisa Dieker & Rebecca Hines UCF - Podcasts for Part B/619 Coordinators Series of Podcasts: teaching online, inclusion, etc.
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations - May Newsletter Pyramid in the Time of COVID-19