Excerpted from Alternative Approaches to Assessing Young Children, by Angela Losardo, Ph.D., & Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2001 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Chapter 1: Historical Perspectives on Alternative Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Highlight the importance of theoretical frameworks and how they guide views on the study of child development
  
  
• Summarize the major influences behind changes in the study of child development
  
  
• Describe the evolution of traditional and contemporary theoretical perspectives on child development
  
  
• Explain the relationship between theories on child development and assessment and intervention practices

Chapter 2: Traditional and Contemporary Assessment Models

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define the types and purposes of assessment
  
  
• Describe the evolution of traditional and contemporary approaches to assessment
  
  
• Summarize the limitations of traditional models of assessment
  
  
• Discuss a framework for alternative assessment models

Chapter 3: Naturalistic Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define naturalistic assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a naturalistic assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing naturalistic assessment

Chapter 4: Focused Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define focused assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a focused assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing focused assessment

Chapter 5: Performance Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define performance assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a performance assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing performance assessment

Chapter 6: Portfolio Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define portfolio assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a portfolio assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing portfolio assessment

Chapter 7: Dynamic Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define dynamic assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a dynamic assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing dynamic assessment

Chapter 8: Curriculum-Based Language Assessment

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define curriculum-based language assessment, and discuss the rationale for its use
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that fit into a curriculum-based language assessment framework
  
  
• Identify considerations and guidelines for implementing curriculum-based language assessment

Chapter 9: Transdisciplinary Framework

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Summarize specific characteristics of alternative assessment approaches
  
  
• Provide the rationale for using a transdisciplinary framework to implement alternative assessment approaches
  
  
• Give examples of models and methods that incorporate a transdisciplinary framework
  
  
• Identify potential barriers to the implementation of a transdisciplinary framework
  
  
• Identify advantages and limitations of a transdisciplinary framework
  
  
• Provide guidelines for implementing a transdisciplinary framework

Chapter 10: Future Directions

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Highlight this book’s recurrent themes
  
  
• Provide guidelines for assessing children from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds
  
  
• Provide the authors’ perspectives on the issues involved in the development and adoption of alternative assessment approaches