Deck 6: Methods of Observing and Recording

Question 1

Rather than record everything you see, how might you choose which of a child's behaviours to record?

Answer 1

Samplings are useful for determining patterns of behaviour. A sampling could reveal patterns of play, wakefulness and sleep, challenging behaviour, or any other behavioural repetition or sequence. Time samplings are open-ended observations that record a "snapshot" of the child's activity at chosen times; they will, depending on the time intervals selected, help the adult see any patterns in the child's behaviour. Event samplings focus on a particular behaviour or behavioural category. The observer identifies this behaviour, defines it in an operational (practical) way, and then records examples of that behaviour when it is demonstrated. Analysis of event samplings may, in addition to establishing a pattern; help the observer attribute possible cause(s) for the behaviour. The duration of each behavioural episode, the frequency of its occurrence, and the severity or degree to which it is significant may also be assessed.

Question 2

When you reveal a pattern in a child's behaviour, what might it tell you?

Answer 2

Where patterns of behaviour become apparent, there may be an indication of what brought about the behaviour, although a trigger or cause should not be decided on from a single observation. Where a trigger is identified, the adult would need to consider removing that trigger, making attempts to desensitize the child to whatever precipitates the behaviour, or allowing the situation to continue. Where the observation highlights the cause of behaviour, the teacher or caregiver might want to evaluate the situation and consider possible changes to the program or guidance strategies. The cause of behaviour may be outside the adult's influence; in this case, the adult should reflect on how to help the child make accommodations. The variety of possible causes is wide, so the response would have to be appropriate to the situation. Parental input is necessary at all times so that the needs of the child can be met sensitively and so that home and agency work effectively together.
Patterns of behaviour can reveal a wide range of information. A pattern may be determined by any of the following: developmental stage of the child; personal or learning style; previous experiences; reaction to the program, staff, or peers; or state of health and well-being. Patterns will frequently be the result of two or more of these factors.

Question 3

If you have a list of behaviours and you go look for them in a two-year-old in the toddler room where you work, how well do you think the observation will go?

Answer 3

It will be very difficult and time consuming for the observer to search out instances for all the behaviours on the list. Depending on what the child chooses to be involved in, their mood, sleep levels, hunger, growth, etc., the behaviours may or may not be seen.

Question 4

Checklists are not theory-bound.

Question 5

Writing your own checklist criteria is as valid and reliable as using a standardized checklist.

Question 6

Making your own checklist criteria may offer you information you are seeking.

Question 7

Checklists can be quick and effective ways of recording a lot of developmental information.

Question 8

Some checklists have items that are culturally inappropriate for some children.

Question 9

Offering evidence as well as a check mark is a way of ensuring that the item is correctly marked on a checklist.

Question 10

A checklist of preschoolers' skill development will be suitable for all 4-year-olds.

Question 11

All published checklists are valid and reliable.

Question 12

If a checklist is used and all the items are checked off, it means that the child is very intelligent.

Question 13

Evaluating a child's use of the English language against a normative profile may be unfair if the child's first language is Spanish.

Question 14

An observer can develop their own code to include with a checklist observation.

Question 15

Reliability can be an issue when considering cultural context.

Question 16

The "antecedent" in an event sampling explains what happens after the recorded behaviour.

Question 17

Checklist observations

A) may require inferences to be made as items are recorded
B) must not have inferences documented as they are recorded
C) require the use of norm referencing
D) must not cite any evidence

Question 18

When choosing a checklist, it is best to select one where

A) none of the items can be checked off
B) 30-40% of the items can be checked off
C) less than 80% of the items can be checked off
D) all of the items can be checked off

Question 19

An ABC event sampling should have

A) an antidote, behaviour, and consequent
B) an anecdote, behaviour, and consequent
C) an anecdote, behaviour, and cause
D) an antecedent, behaviour, and consequent

Question 20

An operational definition of a behaviour must have

A) a clear description of the behaviour category
B) a list of possible behaviours in that category
C) a description of how the sampling operates
D) a description of behaviour in an operating theatre

Question 21

The "severity" of a behaviour recorded in an event sampling refers to

A) the degree to which the behaviour is serious or cause for concern
B) the degree to which the child's violence hurts another child
C) the degree to which the parents think that the behaviour is worse than their other children's behaviour
D) the degree to which the behaviour is considered to be in need of medical intervention

Question 22

In which of the following situations are you most likely to want to use an event sampling?

A) You want to record information in each developmental domain so that you have a detailed profile.
B) You want to record events that have already occurred.
C) You want to test a very young infant's reflexes.
D) You want to see how often a child is being aggressive and what might have triggered the behaviours.

Question 23

To review and confirm the findings of a checklist observation completed on a 3-year-old girl, you might

A) carry out another observation and check the results with other team members
B) check your results with parent volunteers
C) carry out another observation and share your results with the child
D) carry out another observation and file your recordings

Question 24

Observation charts

A) can help the caregiver to appreciate the child's development in a holistic sense
B) offer opportunities to contextualize behaviour.
C) provide in depth data on a child's development
D) can be relied on as a sole source of observational data.

Question 25

Behavioural charts

A) are viewable by all those in the educational setting.
B) hold the view good behaviour is the correct reason for their use
C) reveal the cause of behaviour
D) are recommended for use in early learning settings.

Question 26

Mapping and tracking observations are

A) best used for observing emotional development.
B) effectively useful when completing qualitative evaluations.
C) useful when recording a group of children
D) easily designed and are efficient

Question 27

How could you record behaviours quickly when you are looking to see whether the child exhibits a particular skill?

Question 28

If you had a range of checklists that covered the same areas of development at different stages, how would you decide which one to use?

Question 29

What are the strengths and uses of the event sampling method?

Question 30

If you had a group of children of different ages and stages between 3 and 5 years old, how could you record the maximum amount of observational information about their individual development?

Question 31

What responses might you make to a checklist that indicated that a child did not demonstrate all the creative skills typical of a child of her age?

Question 32

If you had to observe and record using a ready-made checklist comprising gross motor and fine motor skills, how would you know if the checklist was any good?

Question 33

What kinds of things might you look for if you were selecting a checklist for use with a culturally diverse group of children?

Question 34

Under what circumstances would you make a "homemade"
checklist?

Question 35

What do we need to be mindful of when attempting to implement good practices?

Question 36

What are the five characteristics to contemplate when considering if a prepared checklist is appropriate?

Question 37

What are functional assessments useful for?

Question 38

Write a list of behaviours that you think are typical of most four-year-olds. Use your list of behaviours to create a mini-checklist. With a child who is four years old check-off each of the behaviours that you see demonstrated. Your observation should be undertaken over two to three hours. After this evaluate your efforts and determine the strengths and weaknesses of your mini-checklist.
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.

Question 39

Focus your attention on one child within a group. Prepare an ABC format for Event Samplings. On this prepared chart record every time a child makes a bid for attention or initiates any communication. Afterwards see if you can determine a pattern and what it might mean.
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.

Question 40

How might a map of a room, outdoor play space, or other children's area be used to benefit the program or an individual child?