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8083 Module 2 Assignment:

Effective Selection and Planning for Assessment

Research Paper: How to Assess Play

As an early childhood educator, there is no doubt that you know the importance of play! You can access the NAEYC website and find multiple articles on how play is imperative to development and learning. You have only to do a library search to see the number of articles dedicated to play and the connection of play to cognitive, physical, social, and language development (to name only a few areas).

As with the previous assignment, you will examine how to select an assessment for a specific purpose. Focusing on upcoming observations, you will use the information from your research on play for this assignment to determine what developmental area or emerging content you will be looking for during the upcoming observations. While the observations are at two different levels, this assignment will focus on only one. As you research, look ahead to the observations. More information can be found in Looking Ahead, Module 1 and Week 5 Assignment 1 directions.

Note: If you have not done so already, you may wish to view the Required Media, How to Observe Children, from the Module 1 Learning Resources.

To prepare:

· Read and reflect on the Dalton and Brand (2012), Kelly-Vance and Ryalls (2015), O’Grady and Dusing (2015), and Singer (2013) articles, along with the recommended readings and NBPTS Early Childhood Generalist Standards.

· Consider your upcoming observations and begin research on assessments used for observing young children at play (see Looking Ahead in Module 1). Begin to search for assessments for the observations.

Write a 2 ½ page paper in which you do the following:

· Select and clearly identify a specific age group (toddlers, preschool, or kindergarten) that will be discussed in this paper. This group should be different than the one selected for the discussion in Module 2 and the upcoming Module 3.

· Complete an independent research on the benefits of play and how to assess play.

· Summarize these for the group selected.

· Discuss developmentally appropriate practices related to assessment of play for the selected group.

· What are the assessments looking for, in terms of development and/or learning? Explain how this information could be used to promote development and guide teaching and learning for the group selected. How would this information be shared with families and other professionals?

· Use independent research (a minimum of four resources), along with required readings, to support your statements.

This paper should contain appropriate assessments and rationales for the age levels identified; examples of data and how to use to support and guide instruction; and instructions and precautions for observations, in particular how to avoid assumptions. Describe in-depth how the assessment supports instruction. Make sure to address culturally responsive practice.

Note: Cite your research and provide appropriate references in APA format to substantiate your thinking.

The Assignment length is 4–5 pages, not including title page and reference page.