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Screening and Assessment of Young English-Language Learners
Supplement to the NAEYC and NAECS/SDE Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation
  

This position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides guiding principles which should be followed when screening and assessing young children who speak languages other than English. The policy statement gives directors, disabilities coordinators, education coordinators, executive directors, teachers and other staff responsible for making decisions related to screenings and/or assessments guidance on how to gather authentic, accurate assessment information from children. The importance of doing screening/assessments in children’s home language, the background knowledge needed for those conducting the assessments and appropriate ways for which the information gathered from screenings/assessments can be used are also addressed.

The following policy statement is provided courtesy of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

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The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) in 2003 published the joint position statement “Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation: Building an Effective, Accountable System in Programs for Children Birth through Age 8.” The position statement explains what effective assessment looks like for all young children.

One of the indicators of good assessment is that it is linguistically and culturally responsive for all children, including children whose home language is not English. The aim of this document, which was equested by experts in the field, is to explain and expand on the meaning of “linguistically and culturally  responsive” and to make specific recommendations so that all young English-language learners will have the benefit of appropriate, effective assessment. All aspects of the full position statement are relevant for young English-language learners, and readers of this document should first read the curriculum,  assessment, and program evaluation position statement, bearing in mind that this document serves as a  supplement to the full position statement.
Full text » [PDF, 134KB]


 

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See also:
Supplement on Screening and Assessment of Young English-Language Learners  
       Where We Stand Summary [PDF, 134KB]
       en Español [PDF, 121KB]
       Complete Supplement [PDF, 134KB]
       en Español [PDF, 103KB]

Screening and Assessment of Young English-Language Learners: Supplement to the NAEYC and NAECS/SDE Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation. NAEYC. 2005. English 

Last Reviewed: July 2009