Standardized testing helps pinpoint areas for improvement

Differing Views on Standardized Testing

Step 1

I disagree with standardized testing in early childhood education because many children are not able to understand the instructions in the standardized tests. They may require a teacher to translate nearly every question for them. Children may also be challenged by questions requiring information-processing skills or those that ask them to respond to various multistep directions. The standardized tests may not bring about critical thinking among children. Even if a child fails a standardized test, it will be simple for them to easily understand the concepts later as they progress to other levels. These tests may not depict the child’s ability. The standardized tests do not, therefore, determine the success of children, therefore, they should be eliminated.

Step 2 and 3

The debate over Standardized Testing is Focusing on the Wrong Questions

This article argues that educational debate should be on the tests that will be useful to teachers and the ones that will help improve instructions. It also argues that state, federal and district decisions should be made based on the results of standardized assessments (Giese, R., & Alphonso, 2013). The tests should give teachers the information they would need to help the students succeed.

The Good in Standardized Testing

The article argues that standardized tests are good since they let parents know whether or not their children are lagging. It also argues that standardized tests should be administered individually or by sampling two students rather than giving them to the whole class or schools in a district. These tests should also be administered at different times, not at the end of the semester. Teachers and parents should aim to reduce anxiety and should not give rewards for those who perform well.

Synthesize how the articles you read influenced your view of standardized testing. Make sure to include specific examples that support how your view has or has not changed.

This article changed my view of standardized testing. I now think that it is good to give students standardized tests because teachers can use the results to improve instructions to children. I also learned that these tests can help determine whether some schools are lagging and may also be given to individual students rather than a whole class or state to reduce anxiety among the students.

Examine the benefits and disadvantages of using standardized assessments with young children from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.

The benefits of using standardized assessments are that with young children is that they help pinpoint the areas that the children need to improve and determine which children from a specific cultural background have lagged or have progressed ahead of other children (Benfield et al, 2014). They also help schools evaluate the progress of children based on their social backgrounds.

The disadvantages are that these tests may negatively affect the confidence of students who come from some cultural backgrounds in which education is not emphasized. They may also fail to show the ability of every child since the children may be having different abilities (Matusov et al, 2012).

Analyze the considerations, including meeting the needs of children with IEPs, for selecting and evaluating standardized tests that you will take into account as a leader in early childhood education.

These include areas of learning disabilities such as written expression, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, reading fluency and oral expression, the curriculum of children, their cultural backgrounds and the level of study. I will consider the level at which students have reached while developing standardized tests. This is because the tests need to be on areas that have been covered by the students. Some students from various backgrounds also lack equal educational facilities and do not learn the same way as those from other backgrounds.

REFERECES

Benfield, J. A., Rainbolt, G. N., Bell, P. A., & Donovan, G. H. (2015). Classrooms with nature views: Evidence of differing student perceptions and behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 47(2), 140-157.

Matusov, E., Bell, N., & Rogoff, B. (2012). Schooling as a cultural process: Working together and guidance by children from schools differing in collaborative practices. In Advances in child development and behavior (Vol. 29, pp. 129-160). JAI.

Giese, R., & Alphonso, C. (2013). The debate over standardized testing in schools is as divisive as ever. The Globe and Mail, 31...

Wortham, S. C., & Hardin, B. J. (2015). Assessment in early childhood education (7th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.ed (Links to an external site.).