Child observation is a method used by researchers, educators, and child development professionals to gather information about a child's behavior and development. It involves observing a child in their natural environment and taking detailed notes on their actions, interactions, and communication. There are several different approaches to child observation, each with its own unique benefits and limitations.
One common method of child observation is naturalistic observation, which involves observing a child in their natural environment without interfering or interacting with them. This approach allows the observer to get a sense of the child's typical behavior and how they interact with their surroundings. However, naturalistic observation can be time-consuming and may not provide as much detail as more structured methods of observation.
Structured observation involves creating a set of specific behaviors or actions to observe and record. This method is more controlled and allows for easier comparison between children or observations over time. However, it may be less representative of a child's natural behavior and may not capture more subtle or spontaneous actions.
Participant observation involves the observer actively participating in the activities being observed. This approach can provide more insight into a child's behavior and may be more effective at gathering information about social interactions. However, the observer's presence may influence the child's behavior and the observations may not be as objective as other methods.
Another method of child observation is video or audio recording. This allows the observer to review and analyze the observations later, and can be particularly useful for capturing subtle or fleeting behaviors. However, it may be less practical in some settings and may not provide as much context or detail as in-person observation.
Regardless of the method used, it is important for the observer to be systematic and consistent in their observations to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data collected. It is also important to consider the ethical implications of observing children, including obtaining informed consent from parents or guardians and protecting the child's privacy.
In conclusion, child observation is a valuable tool for understanding a child's behavior and development. Different methods of observation have their own strengths and limitations, and it is important to choose the most appropriate method for the specific research or evaluation goals. Careful and ethical observation can provide valuable insights into the inner workings of a child's mind and can inform the development of interventions or educational approaches that support their growth and development.
3.4: A Closer Look at Observation Methods, Tools and Techniques
Methods of Observing Young Children. Running Records: This method gives a detailed minute-by-minute description of everything that the child says or does during a certain period of time or during a given activity. Photographs Images of the child, complete with annotations and descriptions about what was taking place when the image was taken, provide vital insight to who the child is as an individual. Be as descriptive as possible and yet be as concise as possible. This method of observation should be written in the present tense and include as much detail as possible. Visual images evoke emotion and a connection to the story. When documenting child observations be careful to note what you actually observe, what you see and hear exactly.
At first it feels weird, right after your child puts a gummi bear up his nose, to pull out a pad of paper and write it down. For example, woodworking projects, block towers, sandcastles, and culinary creations. Since then, the Luna unused, and had been tucked in the back of a desk drawer. Child observation starts with monitoring child behavior, learning progress, and interaction with others. For more information: Running Records A running record tells a story of the child's behaviour by detailing everything a child says during a set period of time. His experience in logistics, banking and financial services, and retail helps enrich the quality of information in his articles. A child observation report should be based on what was actually seen and heard and should be as detailed as possible.
Focus on what the child is doing. Knowing specific details about how the child responds to the activities we have planned, and how the child is interacting with their peers, allows intentional teachers to make informed decisions that are in the best interest of the child. What areas or action items received a low number of tally marks? This type of documentation provides the most authentic evidence of all the observation methods. Stick to the questions of what, why, when, where, who and how to remain objective. Collecting Your Data All you need is time, paper and a pen to gather your observation evidence.
Chapter 9: Using Observation Methods, Tools and Techniques to Gather Evidence
Example: Photo Credit: Donnie Ray Jones For more information: Work Samples These are collected from each individual child and include drawings, painting, cutting, writing etc. Example: 10:15am to 10:20am - Annette kneels down next to Maya and begins wiping her face with a wet cloth. You will want to track how many times she hits in a typical day, along with any other challenging behaviors. Teachers can also monitor how children problem solve and can tape special moments as well as capture every day moments. Children can also share their perspectives. Yet, decisions regarding assessment practices are often outside of the control of individual educators also see Recommendations for research, page 31.
Reports can easily be sent to parents with the touch of a button, saving time and effort that could be better spent on interacting with children. Both methods provide rich, detailed evidence and both methods provide written accounts of everything you see and hear a child doing during a specific timeframe Bentzen, 2009. Luna had been given to Erika by her grandmother a dozen years ago. Other non-verbal cues such as body language, reactions and facial expressions should be included in an event. As you observe, you will check off the skills or milestones that the child can do on that day, at that moment.
Different types of observation methods in early years
You may use colored pens to track all the different dates that milestones were achieved. What did you learn about Jorge? Day 2 - Tuesday What happens to cause the behaviour - Repeat of yesterday Behaviour observed - Ellen hesitates at first. Was the evidence objective? Photographs The last method involves taking pictures of the child during an event or activity. Documentation of observations should be recorded regularly and should be as detailed as possible, noting what was seen and heard. Formative assessment measuring progress toward goals and summative assessment measuring achievement at the end of a defined period or experience are important. Strengths and Weaknesses of Informal Assessments: Find Out What Works.
Observations of the child Methods and Tools of Assessment
Child observation reports give you the correct information to use for assessments or to simply see the difference in development for a child. Lastly, you may want to track who Sue is socializing with and how she plays with others. She then asks the class what they think a green sign would mean. Rather than planning an activity that would require Aaron to write between the lines, it may be more beneficial to plan activities that would help him further develop his fine motor skills. After trying twice to get a chair, she decided to use both hands to pull the chair out. Does the child demonstrate strengths in any of the developmental domains or areas of learning? Next, Kelly used the yellow paint to make semi circled around the purple circle. They should be informed by developmental milestones including use of state early learning standards.
When the teacher shares the Learning Story with both the child and family members, they can add their comments, ask follow-up questions and make suggestions on how to move forward based on what was reported in the Learning Story. One of the benefits of the child observation report is that it helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of the subject child. I better go give this to her. With each observation, whether a running record, anecdotal note, video recording, checklist, frequency counts, learning story or work sample, they are watching and listening, and considering what do I know about this child, and how can I best support this child? For the next 2 years it will be about me and my own personal achievements. You may want to observe what is happening at drop-off time, mealtime and at naptime.
An observation is an important process of good program planning. Especially if they want you to interact with them. Educators embed assessment-related activities in the curriculum and in daily routines to facilitate authentic assessment and to make assessment an integral part of professional practice. Anecdotal records are a useful method for recording significant events or actions that tells us something about the child's development, interests, skills, abilities and needs. Educators can be intentional about helping children to progress when they know where each child is with respect to learning goals.
What is Child Observation and How to Write a Report
A minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 examples that would prove the observations you made. Child Observation Report Example Child Observation Examples Completing a child observation report can seem to be a daunting task at first, but armed with the basic child observation techniques, educators can come up with comprehensive reports of children observations. When observing using an anecdotal method, record what the child had said and done, body language, direct quotes, body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. Photographs: Taking pictures is one of the favorite methods when doing child observation. We will refer to the EarlyWorks tool and the guidelines as recommended by Tom Drummond to write up your observation data.
