Deck 5: Narrative Observations

Question 1

How can you record a child's behaviour to capture every detail of action, reaction, posture, gesture, and communication, without using a video camera?

Answer 1

Only a rich, full narrative description of the child's behaviour will offer sufficient detail that, when read, provides a "picture" of what was observed.

Question 2

What can you discover by describing in detail a randomly selected sequence of a child's play activity?

Answer 2

An open-ended, nonfocused observation will record any behaviour that happened to occur at the time the recording was made. If the activity observed was a spontaneous play sequence, any of the following may become evident: interests/motivation; concentration span; play patterns; social interactions (child-adult or child-child); language abilities; gross/fine motor skills; expression of feelings; cognitive activity; response to materials; creativity or use of imagination.

Question 3

Writing down particular incidents in which a child is involved may be amusing, but how can you choose really significant episodes to record?

Answer 3

Anecdotal records involve the selection, by the observer, of significant incidents. Observers need to have sufficient understanding of child development to know what is relevant and thus know what to observe and record. Significant episodes may include mistakes made by a child, examples of behaviours that are typical or atypical in terms of developmental norms, anecdotes that offer an insight into the child's humour or individuality, or scenarios that demonstrate a newly acquired skill or evolution in what the child understands.

Question 4

Narrative observations require looking for particular behaviours and recording them on a chart.

Question 5

Anecdotal records are stories about the funny things that a child says or does.

Question 6

Specimen records are often recorded by psychologists who use coding systems to ensure that they get maximum detail.

Question 7

The sequence of the behaviours that are recorded in any narrative doesn't matter.

Question 8

Running records are always completely objective recordings of behaviour.

Question 9

The positivistic view can lack contextualized understanding.

Question 10

Personal narratives involve self-observation and self-reflection.

Question 11

Anecdotal records can be a quick and efficient way of recording significant information about a child's development.

Question 12

Using a video camera can allow the teacher to replay sequences so that more detail can be recorded.

Question 13

Delaying the written anecdotal record writing can increase observer bias.

Question 14

Running records record

A) all behaviours, expressions, and gestures but not language
B) all language, expressions, and gestures but not behaviours
C) all language, gestures, and behaviours but not expressions
D) all behaviours including language, expressions, and gestures

Question 15

Advantages of diary records are

A) easy to record, records only one child at a time, inferences are drawn easily
B) easy to record, identifies behavioural changes, reveal patterns of behaviour
C) easy to record, identifies stable behaviour, valuable tool for communication
D) identifies behavioural changes, provides a keep sake, no need to interpret data

Question 16

Running records are usually

A) easy to record for everyone
B) challenging to record in complete detail
C) meaningless
D) need to be interpreted by a psychologist

Question 17

Specimen records

A) should only be analyzed by one professional
B) may establish triggers of behaviour
C) requires little observer skill
D) are participant observations

Question 18

Observer bias can be overcome if the recorder

A) recognizes where there is an issue of bias
B) ignores her or his biases
C) seeks psychoanalysis
D) asks for the parents' help

Question 19

Verbs are used in narrative observations to

A) describe the quality of action
B) tell us what the action is
C) tell us when something happened
D) describe the sequence of action

Question 20

Common problems with narrative observations are

A) finding time, avoiding assumptions, and recording all the details
B) recording all the details, setting up a test, and avoiding assumptions
C) setting up a test, avoiding assumptions, and finding time
D) recording all the details, setting up a test, and finding time

Question 21

Learning stories are a useful tool in early education because

A) practitioners are challenged to think differently about how and where a child's learning occurs
B) we can capture what is insignificant about children's learning
C) allows for observation from a distance
D) subjectivity is not an issue.

Question 22

The word "play" is not a very good description of a child's activity because

A) it makes it sound as though the child is doing the same thing over and over
B) the word is not an accurate description of exactly what the child is doing
C) play is not important in an observation
D) play activity is only one part of the child's action

Question 23

Educators complete narrative observations

A) to have something in the child's portfolio
B) because the agency will be inspected
C) to prove you can write well
D) to support the child's development

Question 24

How can you record a child's behaviour to capture every detail of action, reaction, posture, gesture, and communication without using a video camera?

Question 25

What can you discover by describing in detail a randomly selected sequence of a child's play activity?

Question 26

If you were to review your own running record, or someone else's recording, and improve it without changing the original intent, what would you look for and what would you do?

Question 27

How might you overcome the challenge of finding enough time to carry out observations on all the children in your group?

Question 28

Why are learning stories important assessments?

Question 29

Watch a child for several minutes in any play situation. Record about five minutes of his or her behaviour as you observe. Make sure to include as much detail as possible. Write up your notes soon afterwards. Critique your own work using a red pen. Circle or underline any parts that lack detail or appear subjective or out-of-sequence.
Note: Review the assessment rubric for this task. It offers details that will help you prepare for the task and be successful as you carry it out.