Blog Assignment:
Week 6 EDUC-6161-6
December 8th,
2012.
Testing for Intelligence
Every teacher
has his or her role as a child caregiver to carry out assessment to the direct
standard. Likewise, all teaching involves evaluation, which is judgment -
making decisions that are based on value. Information is compared to criteria,
in the process of evaluation, and then judgments are made. Similarly,
measurement is evaluation put in quantitative terms. It states how much, how
often, or, how well, by providing scores, ranks, or ratings. Measurement also
allows teachers to make comparisons with students' performance.
Undoubtedly,
teachers choose to be engaged in assessment, because they see disruptive or
dangerous behaviours, and/or, because they see normal behaviour exhibited in
inappropriate contexts (Sylvian & Ysseldyke, 1995). Erwin (1991) has
defined assessment as the systematic basis for making inferences about the
learning and development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting,
designing, collecting, analysing, interpreting, and using information to
increase students' learning and development. One kind of assessment procedure
is testing, where the students are presented with a set of questions or tasks,
so as to obtain a measure of performance, often represented by a score that is
intended to assist in answering questions, and produce information about the
tested children.
Choosing which
method of assessment to be used, is perhaps one of the most confusing aspects.
There are two categories of assessment: - standardized test, and informal
methods. Nonetheless, all methods of assessment
make errors, but it is a good idea to strive for a balance between global
or holistic evaluation, and detailed specific assessment of young children.
Shepard (1994), as well as Ratcliff (1995), have posited that, the younger the
child being evaluated, assessed, or tested, the more errors are made.
Consequently,
professionals in the early childhood education field, rely on a combination of
assessment methods, including some of the common informal
methods, that include checklists,
observations, and case studies. An additional method which has been gaining
favour in the early childhood community, is the portfolio(Gronlund, 1998). This
is a collection of work thoughts to be representative on the individual child,
which can be used as a springboard for reflection.
Because young
children learn in ways and at rates different from older children and adults,
teachers must tailor the assessment accordingly. If teachers are concerned
about children's holistic development, a checklist will help them find the
right course of action, and it must be appropriate for the children's age
group. When using this method, teachers should pay attention to whether the
attributes are typical.
In addition to
that, children can be assessed through observations. Research has suggested
that observations should occur on an ongoing basis in natural settings
(Shepard, Kagan, & Wurtz,1998), and should be integrated into daily
activities (Chapman, 1997). Montessori Scientific Observation had a
revolutionary vision of education, based on her study of children. It has
demonstrated that forced education which is based on political ideologies
interferences violently with children's natural developmental growth. Her goal
was the formation of children's personality, where she recognized that various
maturational stages of development, in moral or "sociocognitive"
development, and in intellectual or
"cognitive" development. These are Montessori "sensitive"
periods. Certainly, effective observation can assist in effective assessment,
and support for children's individual developmental pathways.
Also, the case
study will give details about the child or children being investigated. This
study can be qualitative or quantitative, and has a holistic approach, which
tries to capture all of the details of a special child, or, group of children,
relevant to the purpose. Case studies rely on multiple sources of data,
including interviews, direct observation, video and audio tapes, internal
documents, and artifacts. Once teachers are involved with children, attention
must be paid to their holistic development: Their physical, intellectual,
language, emotional, and social development.
Education is the
key in preparing a country's citizens for functioning in a global environment,
as well as, a highly independent world, and the island of Jamaica is no
exception. The underlying national philosophy is that, each child must be
assisted to maximize his or her talents and abilities, and acquire the highest
level of skills and knowledge of skills of which he or she is capable.
In Jamaica,
primary education lasts six years and caters to children aged six to eleven.
Primary education is offered in primary schools (Grades 1-6),Junior High Schools,
Preparatory Schools, and all-age schools (Grade1-9). All-aged schools are being
converted to primary schools, or primary and junior high schools. The Common
Entrance Examination (CEE, Secondary Education Entrance Examination), was
discontinued in 1999, and replaced with the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
This test (GSAT) is designed to measure the academic development of children at
the primary level, and serves as a mechanism to facilitate the placement of
students at secondary-level schools. In addition to the GSAT, pupils are tested
in Grade one (Readiness Inventory Test), Grade Three (Diagnostic Test), and
Grade Four (Literacy Test). The Grade One
Individual Learning Profile (GIOLP) was administered for the first time
in 2008. It has replaced the Grade One Readiness Inventory. The GOILP measures
the proficiency level of students in six subsets, namely general knowledge,
number concepts, oral language, reading, writing and drawing, work habits, and
classroom behaviour.
All teachers
(from preschool to primary schools) should have formal training before they
enter the teaching profession, so that the delivery of education will be far
above the required standard. Also, schools need to be well equipped with
support materials, so that the delivery of instructions will not be hampered.
Additionally, children should have a balance diet, so that their intellectual
and physical development will not be
impaired. Also,adding to the children's
success in school, are the parenting support for these children.
References
http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user-upload/Publication
http://www.holisticeducator.com/montessori.htm
http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/observing-record
Woolfolk, A. E.
(1990). Educational Psychology. Eaglewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall,
Inc.
