yec
846919
research-article2019
YECXXX10.1177/1096250619846919YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDRENPlanning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
Planning for Authentic Assessment
Using Unstructured and Structured
Observation in the Preschool
Classroom
M
r. Jeremy is a new
preschool teacher in an
inclusive classroom in an
“
urban public school system. The
school year has just started, and he is
preparing to assess the children in his
Authentic assessment class to further inform his
instruction. In Mr. Jeremy’s teacher
provides a more complete preparation program, he learned
about the importance of authentic
picture of what the assessment practices, such as using
curriculum-based assessment (CBA),
children know and how for gathering information and
documenting children’s skills for the
they apply knowledge purposes of making decisions. He
uses a common early childhood CBA
that his district has adopted and is
to relevant, meaningful aligned with his state’s regulations
and recommendations. He likes it
tasks. because he can administer it using
”
direct observation, it has a family
component where goals and
objectives are developed as a team,
and it directly links to the curriculum
in his classroom. In his experience
with using the assessment, he has
found it to be time consuming to
plan for and to administer. With 12
children, four who are currently on
Individualized Education Programs
(IEPs), Mr. Jeremy and his classroom
assistant, Miss Mary, need a more
efficient way to systematically assess
Juli Lull Pool, PhD the children with the CBA across the
school year.
Patricia Hampshire, PhD Situations like that of Mr. Jeremy
Boise State University are all too common in early
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
childhood classrooms. Assessment
can be challenging for professionals
in the early childhood setting, given
the variety of ways that young
children show what they know
(Meisels & Atkins-Burnett, 2000).
Early childhood professionals who
work with children with
exceptionalities take into
consideration individual needs when
planning for assessments. When
children can show what they know
within the daily routine and
environment without additional
supports, the assessment experience
is authentic and unstructured,
meaning that it is informal and the
early childhood professional can use
observation to determine a child’s
skills. Authentic assessment provides
a more complete picture of what the
children know and how they apply
knowledge to relevant, meaningful
tasks. However, when the early
childhood professional is unable to
observe in natural contexts for skills
and must set up the environment and
learning activity and/or must provide
support to elicit specific skills, the
assessment experience would be
considered a structured experience.
DOI: 10.1177/1096250619846919
https://doi.org/10.1177/1096250619846919
journals.sagepub.com/home/yec
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
© 2019 Division for Early Childhood
1
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
Structured assessment is contrived,
provides indirect evidence of
learning, and is a limited way for
children to show what they know.
This article will demonstrate
Mr. Jeremy’s use of a planning form
for CBA to help him plan effectively
for assessment opportunities that are
both unstructured and structured, as
well as the use of Structured
Teaching strategies within a
structured assessment experience.
Early childhood professionals who
currently use CBAs in their
“
classroom may find that a planning
form will help them be more efficient
High-quality CBAs and effective with assessment.
are comprehensive in Authentic Assessment
nature and provide a link The preferred method of
obtaining information when
between assessment and assessing young children is through
observation in familiar environments
instruction/intervention. and routines (Bagnato, Goins, Pretti-
”
Frontczak, & Neisworth, 2014;
Division for Early Childhood of the
Council for Exceptional Children
[DEC], 2014; Grisham-Brown &
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). Authentic
assessment is gathering of
information about the skills of young
children that allows for assessment
of functional skills to take place in
the natural environment (e.g.,
classroom, home, community) using
materials that are a part of that
environment (Grisham-Brown &
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). A
recommended authentic assessment
practice is the use of CBAs (Bagnato
et al., 2014).
CBA
High-quality CBAs are
comprehensive in nature and provide
a link between assessment and
instruction/intervention. CBAs also
2 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019
guide early childhood professionals
in looking at children’s interests and
overall development during daily
activities. CBAs provide a foundation
for making informed instructional/
programmatic decisions. Due to their
comprehensiveness (i.e., assess all
skills across developmental domains),
they can be time consuming to
administer, especially because
observation is a preferred mode of
collecting information. The more
comprehensive an assessment tool is,
the more intentional planning must
be (Cook, 2004). One way to make
CBA data collection more
manageable is to use a planning form
to help guide assessment activities, or
preestablished events, that allow
professionals to use observation to
authentically collect data on a CBA
(Grisham-Brown & Pretti-Frontczak,
2011). Using a CBA and planning
form system within a classroom can
help early childhood professionals
ensure that (a) assessment is taking
place, (b) it is efficient, and (c)
individual child interests and needs
are considered.
In preparing to assess the
children, Mr. Jeremy reflected on
several questions about the
process including how can I
prepare the materials and the
environment for efficient
assessment administration?
Given the diverse learning
strengths and needs of children,
Mr. Jeremy would like to embed
assessment opportunities
throughout the school day,
maximizing observation
opportunities while creating
meaningful learning
opportunities for all children. To
organize his planning process,
Mr. Jeremy developed a simple
planning form to help ensure
that he makes the most of his
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
observations. Furthermore, he
wants to make sure he provides
multiple opportunities for the
children to exhibit the targeted
skills within daily classroom
routines and activities.
Organizing for
Assessment
A planning form can help the
early childhood professional organize
assessment observations to be more
efficient by focusing on targeted skills
from the assessment that need to be
observed. In addition, a planning
form can help the early childhood
professional plan for available staff
and resources to support data
collection efforts. In the following
sections, two of Mr. Jeremy’s most
pressing questions about effectively
administering the assessment (i.e.,
How do I prepare the assessment
materials? How do I prepare the
environment?) are answered. An
example of how a planning form
(Figure 1) created by the authors
could be used within the classroom,
as well as with targeted children, is
also provided. This planning form
was designed to provide an
organizational tool to make
assessment time more efficient and
can be easily modified or adapted for
the specific assessment needs of the
individual early childhood
professional or assessment situation.
How Do I Prepare the
Assessment Materials?
Early childhood CBA tools
typically include a large number of
behaviors/skills across multiple
domains and allow the child multiple
opportunities to show their skills in
multiple ways (e.g., across different
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
settings, materials, people; DEC,
2014). Because CBAs are
comprehensive and take a while to
administer, early childhood
professionals should familiarize
themselves with the assessment and
materials prior to administration.
Many early childhood CBAs can be
administered individually or to a
small group of children.
Review test items
The first step in preparing for
assessment would be to review the
test materials (e.g., user’s guide,
administration manual) and items
prior to beginning administration.
An initial review of the assessment
content can cut down on
administration time by providing an
opportunity for the early childhood
professional to score items he or she
has observed the child/children do (or
have been reported by family/other
caregivers and/or other specialists).
Once items have been reviewed and
items/skills previously observed or
reported are scored, the early childhood
professional can identify remaining
items that still need to be assessed. At
this point, the early childhood
professional can choose to assess one
area at a time or across domains as
skills are naturally observed. This
process of prioritizing assessment items
for observation results is a more
efficient use of time. In addition,
reviewing test items in advance allows
the early childhood professional to
potentially assess more than one child
at a time during a common classroom
activity like snack time.
Schedule for assessment
Next, the early childhood
professional looks at the daily
schedule and considers the different
routines that would allow natural
3
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire

Figure 1
Example of assessment planning form
Adaptations to
Environment
Activities & Materials (Structured Teaching Who Will
Assessment Areas Child(ren) Routines Needed Strategies) Observe?
Cognitive
Problem Solving
Concepts
Math
Literacy
Motor
Gross
Fine
Play Skills
Adaptive
Feeding/Mealtime
Personal Hygiene
Dressing/Undressing
Social
Interaction with Environment
Knowledge of Self/Others
Participation
Social Interactions
Social-Communication
Interactions (e.g., uses conversational rules)
Production of Words, Phrases, Sentences

observations of the targeted skills utilized. For example, many fine

remaining. Why is it important to
schedule assessment? The school day
is busy—if time is not made to
observe and assess, assessment will
most likely not get completed. The
early childhood professional
determines times he or she can
observe the children in their natural
routine and activities without
disruption. By aligning assessment
items with appropriate routines of the
day, the early childhood practitioner
sets up a systematic approach for
observation (Cook, 2004). A planning
form can help to alleviate challenges
associated with scheduling and ensure
that learning opportunities are
motor and adaptive skills can be
observed during snack; number
recognition can be assessed during
circle time; an obstacle course could
be set up during outside time to
observe for gross motor skills such as
kicking, throwing, and so on.
Therefore, planning to observe during
daily routines for these skills will
ensure assessment observations are
more efficient. In addition, all
classroom staff can be involved in
documenting skills throughout the
day when a solid plan is in place. See
Figure 1 for an example planning
form that could be used and adapted
for most common early CBAs.

4 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019


“
A planning form helps
with eliciting skills during
routines and planed
assessment activities while
using direct observation as
the method.
”
Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
Use a planning form completed for several similar
assessment items needed for five
After known items in the CBA
children in Mr. Jeremy’s class.
have been scored, the early childhood
The assessment items that need
professional determines which items
to be targeted are listed under
still need to be observed or need
Assessment Areas. The early
additional observation opportunities.
childhood professional then lists the
A planning form can be used for
specific item(s) from the assessment,
these items as it is designed to help
or describes the skills the child will
focus attention on specific assessment
perform. The child(ren) to be
items or domains during the daily
observed are listed in the column for
routine. As there may be more than
Child(ren). Under Activities and
one observer, it is important to
Routines, the routine or activity in
consider the fidelity in which the
which the early childhood
assessment is administered and
professional plans to do the
scored (Grisham-Brown & Pretti-
observation is listed (e.g., circle time,
Frontczak, 2011). To do this best, it
would be important to adhere to the
art activity). To help with
organization, any needed materials to
language of the CBA being used
complete the activity/assessment
when adding items to a planning
item(s) are listed in the Materials
form and write either the criteria or
Needed column. The Adaptations to
examples of skills to observe.
the Environment column is a place to
The form could be adapted to use
note any changes, modifications, or
with individual children or several
children at a time. Early childhood
structure to the environment that are
needed to help a child (or children)
professionals continually observe
their children but need to organize
perform the skills being assessed.
Finally, the person(s) scheduled to do
their observations to collect reliable
data to make good instructional
the observation is noted in the final
column. As noted earlier, this
decisions and determine what their
planning form was developed by the
strengths, interests, and abilities are.
authors, and Figure 2 is completed in
However, there will be specific
the manner that they found most
behaviors/skills that they will have to
effective for the CBA being used. The
elicit by prompting children in order
form could be adapted by early
to score their assessment. Even when
childhood professionals in a way that
skills must be elicited, observation is
fits best with the CBA in use and
a preferred method of information
their particular assessment and
gathering (Grisham-Brown &
classroom needs.
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). When early
childhood professionals provide too
much prompting, directions, support, Mr. Jeremy reviewed the CBA
and/or encouragement, the child may and scored all of the items/skills
not show skills spontaneously and that he has previously seen
functionally (Grisham-Brown & children in his class perform (or
Pretti-Frontczak, 2011). A planning that had been reported as
form helps with eliciting skills during acquired skills from others). He
routines and planned assessment then determined that he still
activities while using direct needs additional information for
observation as the method. See Figure five children, four of which are
2 for an example of a planning form on IEPs, on a few math concepts
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 5
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire

Figure 2
Example of planning form completed for structured assessment observation opportunities for five children
Adaptations to Environment
Activities & (Structured Teaching Who Will
Assessment Areas Child(ren) Routines Materials Needed Strategies) Observe?
Cognitive
Math: Sammy (1) Free (1) Sensory table: (1) Put out toy cars and Miss Mary
(1) Uses qualitative and quantitative Lucy Play measuring cups, tools for Lucy (they are
concepts to identify (e.g., dirty/clean, Mina sand, toys her favorite), Use visual
sweet/salty, a lot/few, empty/full) Rossitta schedule for transition
from free play to snack
(2) Shows 1:1 correspondence (2) Snack (2) Snack items: (2) Use small table in corner
plates, utensils, for Rossitta & 1-2 other
Sequencing: cups, napkins, students, label snack area,
Follows directions of 3 or more steps food and drink provide a visual with the
items steps for making a nut
butter sandwich on the
table for all students
Motor
Fine: Lucy (1) Free (1) Sensory table (1) Put out toy cars and tools Mr. Jeremy
Uses hands to manipulate objects Finnick Play and Blocks for Lucy (they are her
(each hand performing different Rossitta favorite)
movements – e.g., hold jar in one
hand and open with other, hold
block steady to stack one on top
with other hand)
(2) Snack (2) Jars (nut butter, (2) Use work system for
jelly), Knife, Rossitta with steps for
Bread, Cups, making sandwich at small
Pitcher with table
water/drink
Adaptive
Feeding/Mealtime: Mina Snack Knife, Bread, Cups, Use work system for Rossitta Mr. Jeremy
Spreads with knife; pours Finnick Pitcher with with steps for making
Rossitta water/drink sandwich at small table, let
students choose between
the Mickey Mouse and Paw
Patrol plastic knives
Social-Communication
Social: Finnick (1) Free (1) Sensory table Finnick’s preferred play Mr. Jeremy
Uses conversational rules (e.g., Play and Blocks partner is Mina – inviting
engages in two or more consecutive her to join Finnick may help
communicative exchanges) to facilitate communication
for him
(2) Snack (2) Jars (nut butter,
jelly), Knife,
Bread, Cups,
Pitcher with
water/drink

6 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019

 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
(e.g., using qualitative and
quantitative concepts and 1:1
correspondence), adaptive/fine
motor items (e.g., how effective
can the child manipulate objects
using their hands), and social
communication (e.g., using
conversational rules) from the
CBA. Mr. Jeremy uses the
planning form he developed and
fills in the assessment items that
need to be observed. He and
Miss Mary discuss assessment
activities that could be used to
observe the items, materials
needed, and children who need
to be observed (including their
interests) during their planning
time. Mr. Jeremy finds identifying
naturalistic assessment
opportunities for Rossitta, a
four-year-old with autism and
significant adaptive and fine
motor delays, the most
challenging. Mr. Jeremy and Miss
Mary want to use free play and
snack time as observation
opportunities as they are routine
activities that elicit multiple
developmental skills, they can be
used for multiple assessment
items, and there are typically a
group of children participating.
Before Mr. Jeremy can use snack
for assessment purposes he
considers the cultural influences
and prior experiences of the
children with the foods involved.
To gather information, he sent
home a questionnaire to all of
his families at the beginning of
the year to familiarize himself
with aspects of each child’s home
culture and considered how that
may influence assessment and
instruction. The questionnaire
asks about their child’s favorite
(or preferred) snack and food
items. In Rossitta’s case, her
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
family was consulted to see if nut
butter sandwiches were a
common snack in her culture,
and if not an alternative food
item would be used to ensure she
is familiar with the components
of the planned assessment
activity and she is motivated to
complete it. In Mr. Jeremy’s class,
the children participate for a
large block of time in free play in
centers (e.g., dramatic play,
blocks, sensory, art, etc.) before a
shared snack time. Because
Mr. Jeremy wants to use two
routines for observing items in
different domains, he will focus
on the adaptive/fine motor and
social communication items in
both routines, whereas Miss
Mary focuses on the math
concept items during the same
routines. To ensure fidelity,
Mr. Jeremy and Miss Mary meet
during planning time to review
the CBA’s user guide, discuss
observations, specific assessment
items, and possible adaptations
that may be needed for
individual children.
Embed assessment
observations in the daily
schedule
Not only does assessment need
to inform decision-making processes,
it also should be embedded within
everyday activities, so that it is
meaningful for children (Bagnato &
Ho, 2006; Cook, 2004; DEC, 2014).
At the heart of any good assessment
are multiple opportunities to observe
skills. How and where to embed the
needed test items will need to be
determined. Using Mr. Jeremy’s
assessment needs as an example,
when he is observing during free play
and snack time, the use of identifiers
7
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
and comparisons such as a little/a lot
and more/less, counting and 1:1
correspondence, and the
manipulation and use of tools with
the hands will be observed. An
example of embedding these
assessment items for cognitive,
adaptive, motor, and social
communication domains into two
classroom routines can be seen in
Figure 2. For example, during the
snack routine, a child setting a place
(including plates, cups, utensils, and
napkins) for each child in the
classroom is observed. Miss Mary
focuses her observation during this
particular routine on counting
(number of children) and 1:1
correspondence and listens for the
use of qualitative and quantitative
concepts such as dirty/clean, sweet/
salty, a lot/few, empty/full, and so on.
For Mr. Jeremy to observe the
targeted fine motor and adaptive
skills in the snack routine, the
children make their own nut butter
and jelly sandwich. This task shows
assessment items such as whether the
child can hold an object with one
hand while the other hand
manipulates to open/close a jar or
pour a drink and also whether he or
she can use a knife to spread the nut
butter and jelly on the bread. In
addition, as both free play and snack
lend themselves to be social activities,
Mr. Jeremy observes for how
children communicate with each
other for the social communication
item.
This example demonstrates how
early childhood professionals can
utilize naturally occurring events in
their daily routines to observe
functional skills for assessment
purposes. In some cases, it may be
difficult to simply use naturalistic
observation for data collection, given
the variety of child learning profiles
8 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019
(Buron & Wolfburg, 2014). By
knowing the learner, the early
childhood professional can
proactively provide additional
supports that maintain the integrity
of authentic assessment. For
example, the use of preferred objects,
activities, or people can be planned
for and utilized for a particular
activity. It is also important to note
that adaptations include supports
needed to accommodate learners
who have needs related to culture,
ethnicity, and language.
In a culturally responsive
classroom, teaching and assessment
strategies are culturally supportive
and learner based (Derman-Sparks,
LeeKeenan, & Nimmo, 2014;
Richards, Brown, & Forde, 2007).
Being a culturally responsive early
childhood professional includes
adapting assessment strategies (e.g.,
structuring the assessment setting),
materials (e.g., incorporating visual
supports), and supports (e.g.,
incorporating a work system) to
allow the learner to show the most
accurate “picture” of what he or she
knows. For example, use materials
that the child is familiar with and are
present in his or her home. In that
same vein, visual supports should
also be reflective of those cultural
and language differences (e.g.,
include images that are commonly
found in the child’s culture; if text is
included, make sure it is in the child’s
home language). For example, in
some cultures, it may be the main
caregiver’s role to prepare food and
feed the child. If that is the case,
Mr. Jeremy and Miss Mary, could
prepare simple cooking activities, so
that Rossitta can use a child-safe
knife to practice cutting and
spreading. Or, they may prefer to
plan art activities to support adaptive
and fine motor skills instead of using
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
a snack activity for assessment.
Making such adaptations to the
assessment activity is recognizing the
recommended practice of using
assessment materials and strategies
that are developmentally appropriate
and accommodate individual
“
children’s sensory, physical,
communication, cultural, linguistic,
When naturally occurring social, and emotional characteristics
(DEC, 2014). Furthermore, the
routines do not provide strengths of the child are identified,
nurtured, and utilized to achieve
adequate opportunities for long-term success in the classroom.
observing targeted skills, How Do I Prepare the
Environment?
a more planned approach With young children, it is
especially challenging to assess them
may be warranted. in a formal testing environment
”
(Bagnato & Ho, 2006; Grisham-
Brown & Pretti-Frontczak, 2011).
Therefore, when planning for
assessment, it is essential that the
early childhood professional consider
both unstructured and structured
assessment observation opportunities
for gathering data (Grisham-Brown
& Pretti-Frontczak, 2011).
Unstructured assessment observation
opportunities refer to the observation
of spontaneous behavior and skill
presentation in the natural
environment (DelCarmen-Wiggins &
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
Carter, 2004). Structured assessment
observation opportunities refer to
observations that employ a more
controlled environment, for example,
a planned activity that the child
completes for the assessment, or a
specific environment in which the
observation takes place (DelCarmen-
Wiggins & Carter, 2004). Both
unstructured and structured
assessment observation opportunities
for gathering data are considered for
any child. When naturally occurring
routines do not provide adequate
opportunities for observing targeted
skills, a more planned approach may
be warranted (DelCarmen-Wiggins
& Carter, 2004). The environment
can provide an added level of
support that some children need to
“show what they know” while
alleviating barriers that impact their
performance.
During free play and snack time
when Mr. Jeremy was observing
a small group of children for
adaptive and fine motor
assessment items, he was unable
to observe Rossitta perform the
skills. She seemed to become
overstimulated by the noise and
number of children helping at
the snack table and left to sit by
herself in another part of the
room. He realized that he needed
to adapt the environment and
presentation of materials (i.e.,
incorporate a work system) to
better support her and to provide
her with opportunities to show
what she knows. Mr. Jeremy
decided to implement a work
system during snack time to
provide some needed structure in
Rossitta’s routine. Given that
Rossitta uses a work system
during her independent seat
work time, Mr. Jeremy knew the
9
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
work system would help her to
stay focused and reduce anxiety
brought on during a busy time in
the classroom and thereby allow
for him to observe her perform
the specific adaptive/fine motor
assessment items. After
considering Rossitta’s needs as a
learner, Mr. Jeremy incorporated
some ideas into his planning
form on how to use Structured
Teaching strategies (i.e.,
structured work system) to elicit
the assessment information he
needed while also providing
Rossitta with the support she
needed as a learner (Figure 2).
Structured Teaching is an
approach to creating highly
structured environments that provide
visual support and information
about expectations and routines in
the setting. Specific strategies under
the Structured Teaching “umbrella”
include physical structure, visual
supports, visual schedules, and work
systems (Mesibov, Shea, & Schopler,
2004). These strategies are
particularly useful in the assessment
process by communicating the
expectations of the environment
10 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019
during an assessment session
(Mesibov et al., 2004). Although
identified as an evidence-based
practice for individuals with autism
spectrum disorder, these practices
have been widely used with a variety
of learners who have similar learning
needs and thrive in structured
learning environments (Mesibov
et al., 2004). Below are some
examples of how these strategies may
be applied to support assessment
efforts. It is also important to note
that these adaptations are noted on
the planning form in preparation for
the assessment.
Physical structure
In an educational setting, this
includes the physical placement of
furniture to identify where activities
occur, decrease stimulation, limit
distractions, reduce anxiety, and
promote independence (Mesibov
et al., 2004). By taking into
consideration the traffic patterns in
the classroom and activities that
promote both auditory and physical
distractions, an assessment area can
be structured to avoid these factors.
For example, given Rossitta’s needs,
Mr. Jeremy considers the location of
the snack table and the number of
children participating and adds this
key information into his planning
form (Figure 2). He places an
additional snack table in a quieter
location of the classroom to avoid
the visual and auditory stimulation
that is distracting Rossitta from
participating. In addition, he has
limited the number of children at
Rossitta’s table. Figure 3 shows a
small snack table located in a quieter
area away from the large group/
snack area and allows for two
children. Changing the physical
structure of the snack routine takes
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
Figure 3
Physical structure and visual supports: Small snack table for two with a snack
symbol picture
into consideration the needs of
children who are easily distracted
and potentially overstimulated in
larger group settings. In Rossitta’s
case, the change in snack setting for
the purposes of assessment proved
successful as a learning modification
and remained a part of her daily
routine.
Visual supports
Visual supports can include a
variety of prompts placed in the
environment to provide children with
additional information about
“where,” “when,” and “what” will
occur in different settings (Mesibov
et al., 2004). Visual cues can be used
to further support physical structure.
For example, in Figure 3, a visual cue
(i.e., snack symbol picture) has been
added to the small snack table to
identify what specific activity will
occur there. This visual support lets
Rossitta know that the table is for
snack. Other examples of visual
supports that may be effective for
assessment include visuals that
highlight the rules for the setting,
where items can be found (labeling),
Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
where to put items when finished,
and what items need to be completed
during a given period of time
(Hampshire & Hourcade, 2014).
Visual schedules
One of the most effective tools
for communicating the sequence of
upcoming events, facilitating
transitions, and promoting
independence is the use of a visual
schedule (Mesibov et al., 2004). In
the assessment setting, a visual
“mini” schedule can be used to
support transitions throughout
several settings or within one specific
setting. For example, the early
childhood professional may set up a
variety of planned activities that she
wants the child to progress through
in an effort to elicit key assessment
information. Or, the early childhood
professional may have several short
activities designed to be completed in
one specific setting. In either
scenario, the visual schedule is one
tool that can be used to help
communicate to the child what
activities will be occurring and in
what order. Figure 4 is an example of
11
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire
Figure 4
Visual schedule: Rossitta’s daily schedule to support transition
Figure 5
Work system for Rossitta’s snack
Rossitta’s daily schedule that includes
the transition from free play to the
snack routine. Mr. Jeremy has
learned during his time with Rossitta
in the classroom that transitions are
difficult for her, and a visual schedule
is helpful at reducing anxiety and
increasing predictably. The daily
schedule can be used to ensure that
the child participates in the planned
assessment activity as well.
Work systems
Individual work systems provide
information on four essential
12 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019
questions: (a) What work? (b) How
much work? (c) When am I done?
and (d) What do I do afterwards?
(Mesibov et al., 2004). A work
system is the breakdown of a visual
schedule into a physical
representation of the actual activities.
For example, if you are working with
a child 1:1 or are assessing how he or
she completes activities
independently, a work system is an
easy way to communicate those four
questions to the child without the
need for ongoing prompting. In
Figure 5, three bins have been set up
for Rossitta to participate in snack.
 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire

Rossitta takes the first card on the
strip at the top and matches it to the
corresponding box. Then, she takes
the bread out and puts it on her
plate. Next, she matches the second
tag and takes the nut butter and jelly
out and opens it. Finally, after
matching the third tag, she uses the
knife to spread the ingredients on the
bread. Once all tags have been
matched, Rossitta is provided with a
visual cue that it is time to eat.
Conclusion
Given the diverse learning
profiles encountered in most learning
environments, early childhood
professionals like Mr. Jeremy are
faced with the daunting challenge of
gathering assessment information
across settings and children. With the
use of a planning form, early
childhood professionals can
purposefully schedule and plan for
assessment. Initially, early childhood
professionals determine whether
individual children can demonstrate
skills in naturally occurring routines
and opportunities or whether they
will need more structure to show
what they know. Utilizing planning
forms as demonstrated in
Mr. Jeremy’s case is one way early
childhood professionals can prepare
for and organize their approach to
gathering meaningful assessment
data. The use of a planning form
provided Mr. Jeremy and Miss Mary
with a schedule for how and when to
collect data across settings and
students within the daily routines of
the classroom. It also helped
Mr. Jeremy to use his time efficiently,
so that assessment of his students
was no longer a daunting task that
made him feel overwhelmed. The use
of Structured Teaching strategies in
assessment settings is an example of
an evidence-based practice that can
support children while allowing them
to show assessors what they know
(Mesibov et al., 2004). This article
provides a proactive approach to
planning that allowed Mr. Jeremy to
gather key assessment information
for all of the children in his
classroom, including Rossitta.

Authors’ Note
You may reach Juli Lull Pool by e-mail at julipool@boisestate.edu.

References
Bagnato, S. J., Goins, D. D., Pretti-Frontczak, K., & Neisworth, J. T. (2014).
Authentic assessment as “best practice” for early childhood intervention:
National consumer social validity research. Topics in Early Childhood
Special Education, 34, 116-127. doi:10.1177/0271121414523652
Bagnato, S. J., & Ho, H. Y. (2006). High-stakes testing with preschool children:
Violation of professional standards for evidence-based practice in early
childhood intervention. KEDI Journal of Education Policy, 3, 23-43.
Buron, K. D., & Wolfburg, P. (2014). Learners on the autism spectrum:
Preparing highly qualified educators (2nd ed.). Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism
Asperger.
Cook, R. J. (2004). Embedding assessment of young children into routines of
inclusive settings: A systematic planning approach. Young Exceptional
Children, 7(3), 2-11. doi:10.1177/109625060400700301

Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019  YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 13

 Planning for Authentic Assessment / Pool and Hampshire

DelCarmen-Wiggins, R., & Carter, A. S. (2004). Handbook of infant, toddler,

and preschool mental health assessment. Oxford, UK: Oxford University
Press.
Derman-Sparks, L., LeeKeenan, D., & Nimmo, J. (2014). Leading anti-bias early
childhood programs: A guide for change. New York, NY: Teachers College
Press.
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. (2014).
DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood
special education 2014. Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/
recommendedpractices
Grisham-Brown, J., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. (2011). Assessing young children in
inclusive settings: The blended practices approach. Baltimore, MD: Paul H.
Brookes.
Hampshire, P. K., & Hourcade, J. (2014). Teaching play skills to children with
autism spectrum disorders using visually-structured strategies. Teaching
Exceptional Children, 46(3), 26-31. doi:10.1177/004005991404600303
Meisels, S. J., & Atkins-Burnett, S. (2000). The elements of early childhood
assessment. In J. P. Shonkoff & S. J. Meisels (Eds.), Handbook of early
childhood intervention (pp. 231-257). New York, NY: Cambridge University
Press.
Mesibov, G. B., Shea, V., & Schopler, E. (Eds.). (2004). The TEACCH approach
to autism spectrum disorders. New York, NY: Springer Science + Business
Media.
Richards, H. V., Brown, A. F., & Forde, T. B. (2007). Addressing diversity in
schools: Culturally responsive pedagogy. Teaching Exceptional Children,
39(3), 64-68. doi:10.1177/004005990703900310

14 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN  Vol. XX, No. X, Month 2019