Such assessment more accurately provides a broad picture of child growth, development, and learning from which wise decisions regarding the needs of individuals can be made. Diagnostic tests Informal assessments rely more heavily on observational and work sampling techniques that continually focus on child performance, processes, and products over selected periods of time and in a variety of contexts. Portfolio systems for tracking various elements of assessment are typically utilized. Because young children are growing and changing at a rapid pace, and their behavior and performance can be quite unpredictable from day to day, few assessments or tests administered to young children can claim high reliability. Assessments must be continually compared to prior ones in order to determine if assessment information truly reflects lasting rather than temporary characteristics.
Validity refers to the degree to which an assessment or test measures what it claims to measure.
Validity is generally determined by comparing or contrasting scores or outcomes with some stated criterion or construct. Sampling children's work over time is crucial to ensure validity. With young children, it may take as many as six or more examples of similar types of work in order to make valid assumptions about a particular skill, performance, or attainment of a prescribed developmental or learning goal. True, all children need to experience their competence to build self-respect. But each child needs to feel that his person is cherished regardless of his competence.