What do teachers write about children when they assess them?

Abstract

This communication is a part of a research on assessment written by Kindergarten teachers. The aims are to identify and to describe what are the contents being evaluated and to link them with the curriculum of the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

This research is based on work conducted in French-speaking part of Switzerland on the negative effects of assessments in Kindergarten (Clerc-Georgy & al.). This research relies on the work done on dynamic assessment (Bodrova & Leong), teacher’ assessment approaches (Pyle & al.) and types of formative assessments (Dunphy).

Kindergarten teachers are often helpless in assessment and therefore they turn to traditional, assessment methods (Clerc-Georgy & al., 2016). Gilliéron & al. (2014) denounce these new assessment practices and call it the primarisation of Kindergarten. Assessing children in authentic situations is a challenge (Dunphy, 2010) and sometimes teachers turn to assessment of micro-objectives that do not reflect the whole process of the child's cognitive, emotional, social and motor development. Play is considered as the main activity at this age because it promotes the development of developmental gains. Unfortunately, it seems to be little used to assess child development in Kindergarten.

Inductive action research conducted with 8 teachers.

Teachers and pupils are made anonymous.

The knowledges identified in the comments are on low taxonomic level. The division of the curriculum into disciplinary fields seems to reinforce the invisibility of the skills that are fundamental.

These results have a direct impact on the initial training. They also challenge our current curriculum.

assessment – Kindergarten – dynamic assessment – formative assessment – curriculum