Early Childhood Assessment: Implications for the Development of Responsive Readiness Skills, Child Care and Early Intervention in Nigeria

Abstract

The assessment process is a significant event for families and their children; the outcome of this process could mean specialized interventions that could significantly change a child’s developmental course. Assessment, of course, is important for eligibility determination but also equally important for programme planning, monitoring progress and programme evaluation. Since this process is so vital to families and professionals, it is equally imperative that materials and procedures for early childhood assessment are relevant and meaningful. in this paper, the writers attempted to discuss the policy and practice of early childhood education in Nigeria; principles behind taking assessment as pertained to policies and guidelines; the areas to be assessed in children were enumerated; purposes of assessment in early childhood education were discussed; the structure of the early childhood classroom in order to effectively facilitate social interaction were suggested and stakeholders and best practices in children assessment and intervention for professionals were recommended.