Dynamic assessments example

 Dynamic assessments are designed to evaluate a child's ability to learn and adapt to new information or skills with guidance and support. Here's an example of a dynamic assessment for a 4-year-old child in an early years setting, focusing on their phonemic awareness skills:

Child's Name: [Child's Name]

Date of Assessment: [Date]

Assessment Context: This dynamic assessment aims to evaluate and support [Child's Name]'s phonemic awareness skills, specifically in the area of rhyming.

Assessment Procedure:

Step 1: Pre-assessment Observation (Rhyming Awareness)

Engage in a casual conversation with the child to assess their existing awareness of rhyming words.

Ask open-ended questions like, "Can you think of any words that rhyme with 'cat'?" and observe their responses.

Step 2: Initial Rhyming Activity (Baseline)

Provide [Child's Name] with a set of picture cards featuring simple words (e.g., cat, hat, bat).

Ask [Child's Name] to point to or name the pictures that rhyme with a target word (e.g., "Find the picture that rhymes with 'cat'").

Step 3: Guided Practice

If [Child's Name] struggles to identify rhyming words, provide a rhyming cue or model rhyming pairs.

For example, say, "Look, 'cat' rhymes with 'hat.' They both end with the 'at' sound. Can you find another word that rhymes with 'cat'?"

Step 4: Reassessment

Repeat the initial rhyming activity (Step 2) to see if [Child's Name] can now independently identify rhyming words.

If [Child's Name] is successful, proceed to the next level of difficulty (e.g., words with more complex rhyming patterns).

Step 5: Extension Activity

Present [Child's Name] with a new set of picture cards featuring words with different rhyming patterns (e.g., 'sun,' 'fun,' 'bake,' 'cake').

Ask [Child's Name] to identify pairs of words that rhyme without explicit cues.

Step 6: Post-assessment Discussion and Feedback

Engage in a discussion with [Child's Name] about rhyming words and the patterns they've learned.

Provide positive feedback and encouragement for their efforts.

Assessment Summary:

[Child's Name] initially demonstrated limited awareness of rhyming words but showed improvement with guidance and support. [He/She] was able to identify rhyming pairs more accurately after modeling and practice.

Recommendations:

Continue to incorporate rhyming activities into [Child's Name]'s learning experiences.

Monitor [his/her] progress in phonemic awareness and provide additional support as needed.

Collaborate with parents to reinforce rhyming skills at home through playful activities and reading.

Teacher's Signature: _______________________

Dynamic assessments like this one focus on a child's learning potential and their ability to acquire new skills with guidance. They help educators tailor instruction and interventions to meet the child's specific needs in an early years setting.