Are the indicators for the Language and Reasoning Subscale of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale‐Revised psychometrically appropriate for Caribbean classrooms?

Abstract

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the indicators that comprise the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale‐Revised (ECERS‐R) language‐reasoning scale from an item response theory (IRT) perspective on a sample of observations from 334 Caribbean classrooms, Stout’s procedure revealed that all indicators on this dimension are not part of a single essentially unidimensional construct. IRT‐based factor analyses on the indicator scores yielded two factors – named Language‐Reasoning Activities and Language‐Reasoning Materials. IRT analyses conducted on these two factors revealed that their indicators provide adequate psychometric information and have no floor effects – although they demonstrate evidence for ceiling effects. IRT also revealed that at least within the Caribbean context: (a) the ECERS‐R authors have ordered the indicators inappropriately; (b) administration of all indicators is unnecessary; and (c) equally weighting indicators might yield spurious results. IRT‐based scoring might improve the psychometric soundness of indicators on this ECERS‐R scale.