Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Early Childhood Assessment: Play Skills

Activity

Early Childhood Assessment: Play Skills

Est. Time: 6 Hours

 

Objective

Use play taxonomies to observe, measure, and analyze children’s play.

Overview

Children engage in many different types of play, an important part of their daily routine. Play is not only a central behavior of young children but a context in which other skills can be taught. Further, it can involve the use of fine motor, gross motor, communication, social, and cognitive skills. Assessing play can serve an important role in planning suitable interventions for young children with disabilities.

Activity

Use the steps outlined below to complete this activity. To avoid issues with confidentiality, use a pseudonym or the child’s initials on the forms you complete.

  1. Identification
    1. Identify a child with a disability to observe.
    2. Identify times of day during which it is appropriate for the child to engage in play.
  2. Observation

    Examples of Play Taxonomies

    • Smilansky (1968)
    • Chance (1977)
    • Wehman (1977)
    • Sutton-Smith (1970)
    • Parten (1932)
    • Malone, Stoneman & Langone (1994)
    • Sheratt & Peter (2002)

    1. Review several taxonomies of play (refer to the righthand box) and select at least two that are appropriate for the child.
    2. Assess the child using the guidelines for the observational taxonomies.
  3. Data Analysis
    1. After the observations, analyze the data as suggested by the methods used.
    2. Analyze the data to identify objectives for prompting play skills.
  4. Report
    1. Write a report using the headings identified in the table below. Keep in mind:
      • Only one report should be submitted for each group.
      • Each report should include all of the required information outlined in the table.
      • The report should be written in a professional style that can be understood by individuals without advanced training.
    2. Attach the completed data sheets and other notes (raw data). These do not have to be typed.
Headings Required Information
Identifying Information
Who was observed?		 Using a column format, list the child’s:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Age in months
  • Disability
Methods of Observation
What did you do?		 Context—Using a table with the dates as rows, record the context of the measurement:

  • Dates
  • Observer/tester
  • Purpose of observing/measuring (e.g., toy play)
  • Activities and routines observed
  • Where the activities occurred
  • How many adults and children were present
  • Beginning and end times of each observation

Taxonomies—Describe the two taxonomies used.

  • Define the behavioral categories of each taxonomy.
  • Describe the measurement system employed.
Results
How did the child do?		 Describe the child’s play in a manner that is appropriate for the taxonomies used.

  • Include a table for each taxonomy as well as a narrative description.
  • Place the toy play results in the context of the major play outcomes discussed in class.
Recommendations
How would you use the data?		 Based on your analysis:

  • List two objectives that could be established.
  • Provide a three-to-four sentence rationale for each objective.
  • List at least one intervention practice for each objective.
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