The reasons for using tests in early childhood programs are (1) to increase teachers' confidence in their role performance; (2) to explain and defend early childhood programs; (3) to promote consistency across programs; (4) to provide curriculum and instruction guidance to teachers; and (5) to focus teachers and parents on the more measurable…

Through the combined efforts of the Hawaii Department of Health's Family Health Services and Mental Health Division, developmental and socioemotional screening services are being offered in approximately 115 preschool and day-care centers. This paper provides a general overview of the program and describes its various service delivery models.…

Determination of the fairness of preschool tests for use with children of varying cultural backgrounds is the major objective of this study. The predictive validity of a battery of preschool tests, chosen to represent the core areas of preschool assessment, across race and sex, was evaluated. Validity of the battery was examined over a 12-month…

A SOCIAL COMPETENCY SCALE DESIGNED TO RATE PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AGED TWO YEARS, SIX MONTHS THROUGH FIVE YEARS, SIX MONTHS WITHIN A NURSERY SCHOOL CONTEXT WAS DEVELOPED AND STANDARDIZED. AFTER EXTENSIVE OBSERVATIONS OF PRESCHOOLERS, DISCUSSIONS WITH PRESCHOOL PERSONNEL, AND REVIEWS OF AVAILABLE MATERIAL THE FIRST FORM OF THE SCALE WAS WRITTEN, BASED…

The Behavior Rating Scale measures behavioral skills by observing the child during the administration of other tests. The rating dimensions include independence, concentration, tractability, attitude and disposition toward testing, and overflow behavior. All are scored on a scale of 0-4, low to high. (PR)

The development and content of the Early Education Screening Test Battery are described elsewhere (TM 000 184). This report provides norms for the Gross Motor Test (GMO), Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), four scales of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), and the Behavior Rating Scale…

In this Test Collection Bulletin, annotated listings are provided of tests that have been acquired by Educational Testing Service, of tests that have been announced, of test reviews, and of new references. The test acquisitions are categorized as to type of test, as follows: Achievement; Aptitude; Personality Interests, Attitudes, and Opinions;…

Brief annotations of currently available instruments appropriate for use with Spanish-speaking children are presented. Measures in such areas as intelligence, personality, ability, and achievement are included and separate indexes are given. The annotation provides information concerning the purpose of the test; the groups for which it is…

Although several vision screening techniques are available for infants, none is routinely used. Visual deficits are often first detected through required preschool vision screenings, which vary in their comprehensiveness. No standardization for testing or administration exists. Some of the testing procedures used may have inappropriately high…

Examined the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL) with regard to its effectiveness in predicting school success as determined by subjects' (N=245) first-grade performance on the California Achievement Test (CAT). Found the DIAL concepts subtest to be the most valid single predictor. (Author/ABB)

The Social Observation for Mainstreamed Environments (SOME) checklist evaluates handicapped preschool children's social skills and readiness for mainstreamed environments. Checklist items represent social behaviors important to successful preschool integration, such as initiating interactions appropriately, obeying class rules, and respecting…

High quality preschool programs that bring long-term benefits for children can be achieved by cooperation with the community to determine what is appropriate for local children. Existing programs must be evaluated for information and to avoid similar problems and children's "burn out" from tightly structured approaches. (CJH)

An ecologically-based model is offered to guide the assessment activities of school psychologists at the preschool level. The uniqueness of the preschool population, the multidimensional structure of the assessment process, and the connection between assessment results and the intervention strategies are emphasized. (Author/LMO)

The last decade has seen an increase of interest in early identification of children with potential learning and behavior problems. In the present report, the purposes of early screening are delineated and selected arguments against preschool identification and intervention programs described. Arguments favoring the early screening of preschoolers…

The validity of using the Revised Denver Developmental Screening Test (RDDST) was investigated by testing 199 preschool children (ages 3-4) and reviewing the results 6 months later. Results indicated that the RDDST was an efficient prognostic tool in predicting formal assessment results for children at risk for language impairments. (CR)