Check instructions
This is the video of the child you will be observing link :
https://youtu.be/Lz0Oh2cxoTU
You will need to observe a child in the developmental period – infancy (6mo. to 24 months). You may observe the child of a friend/relative for this observation. You cannot observe your own child. During your observation, it is suggested that you sit on a small chair in a corner of the room (or yard) so that you can best observe the child. The purpose of the observation is to be like “a fly on the wall” who watches but does not interact with the children during the observation period. Therefore, you should:
- avoid making eye contact or facial expressions that indicate communication with the children;
- wear comfortable but fairly plain clothes, avoiding things which might be of interest for a child (like a Mickey Mouse or Sponge Bob tee-shirt);
- distance yourself so that you can see and hear the children but are not in their play area or personal space;
- respond in simple sentences to children’s questions about what you are doing, but do not invite further conversation (e.g. “I’m watching your classroom for an assignment for my college ” or “I’m doing my homework.”);
- try to avoid staring at any one child so as not to make him/her
You will need to complete the Observation Verification form (attached) for the observation. For the observational report, you will spend a minimum of one (1) hour observing the selected child. You may need to complete more than one observation date or setting in order to gather information in all areas below. During your observation, you will complete a running record (attached). You may also use anecdotal notes. Remember that you just write what you observe in your running record or anectodal notes, no judgements should be made.
For example: You see a child crying and throwing a toy after not being able to open it.
Judgement Statement: The child was angry and frustrated because they could not open the toy.
Observation Statement: After attempting to open a toy, the child scrunched their face, started to cry and throw the toy.
The judgement statement draws conclusions, while the observation statement simply describes what is being seen. Your running record should only have observation statements.
Running record notes should be written every 5 minutes or as child moves, changes activities, adding details you want to capture for your written paper. From these notes (anecdotal/running record) and your interpretation of observations, you will prepare a written report. Your written paper will be based on facts not opinions/feelings that you might have. You should use chapters 5, 6, and 7 to integrate the theory and empirical knowledge. Your report should be three typed, double-spaced pages in length, and address the following:
- Itroductory paragraph: Include identification of the developmental period, age/sex of the target child, description of the child and date/location of the observation. Describe people present and the setting briefly.
- Developmental Areas: Describe examples in each area of development (physical, social- emotional, cognitive, and language, adaptive/self-help) that you (Relate relevant information from the textbook, developmental checklist, and outside readings that supports each of your statements. Remember to cite using APA formatting. This would also require a reference page.)
Some examples include:
- Social-emotional development: dimension of temperament, attachment, social referencing, peer interactions, appropriateness of play, perspective-taking, social problem-solving, responses to a particular stimulus, expression of emotions, empathy for others.
- Physical development: general health status, reflexes, cephalocaudal and proximodistal development gross and fine motor movements/activity, coordination, reference or comparison to motor developmental milestones.
- Cognitive development: schemes, assimilation/accommodation, cause and effect, imitation, sounds they make, reasoning and understanding skills, problem-solving, processing of information, interaction with environment (Piaget), use of materials, imagination and creativity, curiosity and
- Language development: expressive language, receptive language, vocabulary, use/functions of language, syntax, other communication, and speech
- Self-help skills/Adaptive behavior: eating, grooming/hygiene, self-regulation, mobility.
- Describe any guidance strategies and other interactions that adults utilized to promote children’s physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language
- Describe how the physical environment was arranged and equipped to promote children’s physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development.
- Observation Paragraphs: Write at least two commentary paragraphs that integrate your theoretical and empirical knowledge of child development with observed child behavior. Compare and connect your observations to the information presented in the chapters of the textbook, developmental checklist and discussions relevant to the developmental stage and age of child observed. Be sure to give specific elements that connect theories- find the observable behavior and explanation of how the observable behavior correlates with the aspect of theorist presented from the text book and class discussions.
(Remember to cite using APA formatting. This would also require a reference page.)
- Attach your anecdotal, observation
