Marisol Cisneros

CHILD 350

December 12, 2017

ABA Narrative

An Activity Based Assessment (ABA), or Play Based Assessment, is an authentic assessment that
is more holistic and developmentally appropriate than other alternative assessment styles. It uses an
activity that a child is already participating in to assess their development, knowledge, skills, social
interactions, and learning styles (Bowers, 2008). An ABA is an authentic assessment because it is
teacher designed, in a natural setting, performance based, and with low stakes.

This assessment was conducted at Brigham Young University-Idaho in a classroom of toddlers

ages 18 months to 36 months. While this assessment took place, there were five teachers and 10
toddlers in the classroom. In this particular assessment, I assessed three age appropriate math skills:
matches objects by a single characteristic (size, color, shape, or quantity), orders objects by size, volume,
height, weight, or length, and identifies two geometric shapes (circle, square).

After all the children arrived, I placed the materials in the area of the classroom that was
designated for playing with blocks and sat on the ground next to the materials. As different children
came to play in that area I asked them if they wanted to play with the “blocks” that I had. Two children
confirmed that they did. One was the age of 1 year and 9 months and the other 2 years and 3 months.
As I assessed each child individually there were 2 other toddlers playing in that same area. I then
modeled how to place the pieces in their appropriate holes and invited the children to place the other
pieces in their appropriate holes by either size, shape, or color.

After assessing each of these toddlers I learned that the toddler who was 2 years and 3 months
was able to match by color and shape but struggled in identifying the difference between a circle and a
square as well as differentiating size. I also learned that the toddler who was 1 year and 9 months had
not yet mastered any of the three areas assessed. According to the Idaho Early Learning Guidelines, it is
typical for a child between the ages of 18 months through 36 months to be able to perform these tasks.
Since this is an age spectrum and neither toddler was over the age of 36 months it makes sense that they
both were not able to achieve all three of these tasks. It is typical that the older toddler was able to
match shape and color and the younger one was not since he was older and had more experience than
the other toddler. Based off of this assessment, it would be wise to continue to introduce activities that
assist in the development of these three skills so that the toddlers can have more experience and
exposure to these concepts.
 References

Bowers, Susan. (2008). Assessing young children: What’s old, what’s new, and where are we headed.

Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/ article_view.aspx?

ArticleID=210

Health and Welfare. (2017, October 9). Idaho Early Learning eGuidelines. Retrieved from

http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Children/EarlyChildhoodInfo/EleG_restored_0913

17.pdf