Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PAPER 1

Environmental Assessment Paper

Mary Jane Walker

Louisiana State University

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Environmental Assessments

Environmental assessments exist in order to give teachers the opportunity or ability to

create a classroom that is both developmentally appropriate and the most enjoyable space for

children. Over time various assessments have been created, however, we will only be looking at

the most commonly used environmental assessments: The Early Childhood Environmental

Rating Scale (ECERS), The National Association for the Education of Young Children

(NAEYC) observation tool, The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and The

Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Tool (ELLCO). These assessments are

critical in ensuring that children are exposed to the safest, most appropriate environments. Each

assessment is very detailed and can be broken down into separate types of categories or

standards that the assessment may require the environment to meet, and they can even differ

based upon age.

Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS)

General description. The Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS) is a scale used by both

teachers and supervisors alike to assess the environment in which the children are spending most

of the day. It focuses mainly on whether the environment is welcoming, safe, intriguing, and

developmentally appropriate for the children. This tool is most often used when assessing the

environments of preschools or kindergartens. ECERS has seven main categories: Space and

Furnishings, Personal Care Routines, Language-Reasoning, Activities, Interactions, Program

Structure, and Parents and Staff. These large categories are then broken into multiple

subsections.
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When scoring with the ECERS assessment tool, an observer will need to be fairly

familiar with the classroom area and with the schedule of the classroom. It is necessary that the

observer also has a copy of the ECERS scale book and the score sheet itself. When referring to

using the score sheet, the observer must first read the standard in the book and then find the

correlating check box and mark either a “yes” or a “no” in response to the statement on the scale

book before continuing through the column. Once finished with the column, the observer will

decide where that single section has scored on a scale of one to seven. After each section of a

category is scored, the observer will then identify the average of that category by adding the

score of each section divided by the number of sections in the category. Finally, after this has

been completed for each of the seven sections, the observer will them be able to find the average

of the entire assessment. (Harms, 2005)

Reliability and validity. Words like reliability and validity seem to sound

interchangeable; however, when looking at the definition of validity, the text defines it as “the

degree to which a text serves the purpose for which it is used” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). Whereas

reliability is defined as, “the extent to which a test is consistent in measuring over time what it is

designed to measure” (Wortham, 2016, p.286) If we were to not use reliability or validity, then

any assessment done would not be able to determine an accurate score. The Early Childhood

Environmental Rating Scale has “proven reliability and validity” (About Environmental Rating

Scales).

Environmental objectives/recommendations. The following recommendations have

been made for sections that scored less than a score of seven. I have made recommendations so

that the teacher may improve their score on each of the following items. (See Appendix A for

Score Information)
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Space and Furnishings.

 4.) Room Arrangement: The room arrangement has the quiet center placed

in a way that it is being interfered with other centers such as the blocks

and manipulatives. I would recommend that the teacher reevaluate the

space in her room and to rearrange the quiet center so that is a far enough

distance from the blocks and manipulatives.

 5.) Space for Privacy: At this time, there is not more than one area

available in the classroom for privacy. I recommend that the teacher create

a new space for privacy in a dark, quiet corner of the classroom.

 6.) Child-related Display: Within the classroom there are only displays of

two-dimensional art. I recommend that the teacher allow the children to

save a few of their clay creations or other to be displayed in the art centers.

Personal Care Routines.

 10.) Meals and Snacks: The children are allowed to pass out plates, cups,

and utensils, when delegated, but there are no available child sized utensils

to allow the children the opportunity to serve their peers. I recommend the

school purchase child sized utensils in order to allow the children a chance

to help serve during meals.

Language Reasoning.
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 15.) Books and Pictures: Within the library, the teacher does not have the

books placed within any organization. I recommend that the teacher place

an organizational system within the library using a method of organizing

by content of the books.

Activities.

 21.) Music/Movement: The students are not given a daily choice of music

and movement in the classroom. I suggest the teacher add a center or time

of day, possibly during a transition, where children can choose to engage

in music and movement.

 23.) Sand/Water: The classroom does not give the children accesses to

sand and water inside the classroom. Water is available as a center;

however, I recommend the teacher also include a sand box for the children

to use during center time.

Reflection

The Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS) is a helpful tool that can aid

teachers or supervisors to identify problem areas within the school and revise them to meet the

developmental needs of their students. Within the ECERS scale book, it identifies that “twenty

minutes bet set aside for questions” (Harms, 2005, p.25). When speaking with my placement

teacher, I asked questions about reasons as to why she scored lower in certain areas of the

ECERS assessment. My teacher identified that the school attempts to meet the developmental

needs of the children as best it can, however, it is difficult to reach a perfect score on every front.
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After using the ECERS tool to assess the environment of my placement classroom I feel

that the Early Childhood Lab school does a very good job of maintaining a developmentally

appropriate atmosphere. The children within the school have great resources. I believe this tool

does well in identifying the most important details of a developmentally positive environment.

National Association for the Education of Young Children Observable Tool (NAEYC)

General description. The Nation Association for the Education of Young Children

Observation Tool (NAEYC) was created and implemented in order to allow preschool and

kindergarten facilities the chance to reach NAEYC certification and prides itself on “enhancing

children’s well-being and early learning” (NAEYC Accreditation). This tool consists of ten

standards, these standards are: Relationships, Curriculum, Teaching, Health, Professional

Competencies and Support, Families, Physical Environment, and Leadership and Management.

The NAEYC observation tool is formatted in a way that makes scoring efficient and easy. The

observer simply reads each segment and checks off a simple yes or no answer box. Sometimes

an observer will approach a question they were not able to observe on or that is not age

appropriate for the grade they observed, this is solved with instead checking either a N/A option

of a Not Age option. A program would be considered NAEYC Certified if it meets each of the

ten standards, and if it meets at least eighty percent of the criteria within each standard (NAEYC

Accreditation). The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an

excellent program, and it continues to provide teachers with countless tools for the advancement

of the learning environment as a whole.

Reliability and validity. Words like reliability and validity seem to sound

interchangeable; however, when looking at the definition of validity, the text defines it as “the

degree to which a text serves the purpose for which it is used” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). Whereas
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PAPER 7

reliability is defined as, “the extent to which a test is consistent in measuring over time what it is

designed to measure” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). If we were to not use tools like reliability or

validity, then any assessment done would not be able to properly determine an accurate score.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children ensures that it has validity of

assessment instruments, and trains its data collectors to optimal levels of inter-rater reliability

(NAEYC Accreditation).

Recommendations. The following are recommendations for sections of criteria that

scored a no. I have made recommendations so that the teacher may be able to improve their score

in those areas. (See Appendix B for Score Information)

 Standard 1- Relationships #1C.3: When the children are in conflict the

teachers do not make effort to help children identify their feelings. I would

recommend the teacher get down onto the children’s level and verify they

are making effort to understand each other’s feelings, whether they feel

angry, happy, or sad about the transgression that has occurred between

themselves and their classmate.

 Standard 1- Relationships #1D.3: The teachers do not offer the children

the chance to choose activities, materials, or areas in which to play. I

recommend that the teachers offer the children opportunities for free

choice during centers.

 Standard 2- Curriculum # 2E.8: The teacher does not speak to the

children about the many ways in which writing can be used in daily life. I

recommend that the teacher start to include a small section of writing

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information within the daily schedule, by having the children do

something like writing letters to each other or practice writing their names.

 Standard 2- Curriculum #2F.8: The children do not have chances to

recognize and name repeating patterns. I would recommend adding pattern

puzzles or manipulatives into the table top toys centers.

 Standard 2- Curriculum #2G.3: There is no representations of data

collection in classroom displays. I would suggest the teacher ask the

children to help create a chart of every one’s favorite color or something

of a similar nature and then hang the chart on student’s eye level within

the classroom.

Reflection

After assessing my classroom with this tool, I can understand why the Early Childhood

Education Laboratory School is NAEYC accredited. The teachers strive to uphold the most

ethical and developmentally appropriate environments. If a teacher is doubting whether they

have created a space that is effective within the process of early learning then I would suggest

using the National Association for the Education of Young Children Observation Tool as a point

of self-reflection. NAEYC itself states that it should be used as a preliminary tool to help fine

tune the static components of a classroom (NAEYC, 2013).

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

General Description. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) was

established by researchers at The University of Virginia with the goal of assessing the quality of

the classroom. CLASS consists of three areas: emotional support, classroom organization, and

instructional support. Inside these three areas there are ten subcategories that can be scored:
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positive climate, negative climate, teacher sensitivity, regard for student perspectives, behavior

management, productivity, instructional learning formats, concept development, quality of

feedback, and language modeling. The scoring scale ranges from a perfect score of a seven down

to a low score of one. The only difference is for the negative climate where the score of one is

the better score. (Pianta, 2008).

Reliability and validity. Words like reliability and validity seem to sound

interchangeable; however, when looking at the definition of validity, the text defines it as “the

degree to which a text serves the purpose for which it is used” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). On the

other hand, reliability is defined as, “the extent to which a test is consistent in measuring over

time what it is designed to measure” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). If we were to not use tools like

reliability or validity, then any assessment done would not be able to properly determine an

accurate score. The CLASS assessment is proven to be reliable because it is standardized and

given by “trained and certified observers… cores reflect a teacher’s interaction with students…

not partial to a specific observer” (Research, 2016). This assessment was also proven to be valid

because, “scores are significantly related to the variables that matter most for the schools and

students” (Research, 2016).

Recommendations. The following are recommendations for sections of the

subcategories that scored lower than a seven. I have made recommendations so that the teacher

may be able to improve their score in those areas. (See Appendix C for Score Information)

Teacher Sensitivity

 Responsiveness- A small incident happened between two children

and the teacher waited to see how the children would handle the
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situation. A recommendation for the teacher would be to move

closer to the situation to prevent any escalation.

Behavior Management

 Proactive- A student took paint from the outside art area and began

painting on the walls. The child wanted to paint but there was no

paper in the art area to paint on so the child painted on something

else. A recommendation for the teacher would be to supply the art

station with art to prevent the children from using the paint

incorrectly. This would be a proactive measure.

 Student Behavior- A student was misbehaving and the teacher

redirected them to another area but did not give any clear

expectations of what she wanted the student to do. A

recommendation would be to have the teacher explain to the

student why they are being redirected and what they should be

doing.

Productivity

 Transitions- When the children come in for outside exploration

they all have to sit on the black line and then wait their turn to go

up and wash their hands. Chaos usually ensues as the children

cannot sit long without any preoccupation. A recommendation for

the teacher is to have the children sing and do finger plays while

waiting to wash hands.

Language Modeling
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 Frequent Conversation- The teacher often did not help to

encourage the children to talk. A recommendation would be to

have the teacher ask questions or encourage talking when the

children seem to be getting quiet during centers or free time.

Reflection

With any assessment tool, the proper training must be conducted so that score with the

most accuracy is created. When looking to score with CLASS, a teacher can watch video

segments online to better help them prepare for what the observer will be looking for and how

they can better their teaching. The CLASS tool is a simple and easy to use assessment tool.

There are clear explanations for each score so the observer knows what they are looking for. The

CLASS tool is also an important tool for teachers to have, since it is easy to follow and lays out

exactly what the teacher could be doing better and what they are already proficient in. It would

be beneficial that all teachers use this scoring tool for the overall betterment of their classrooms

and students.

Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO)

General Description. The Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation

(ELLCO) is an environmental assessment that is used to help enhance the language and literacy

within preschool to third grade classrooms. ELLCO involves three main components: the literacy

environment checklist, the classroom observation, and the literacy activities rating scale. The

checklist requires the observer to catalog the different reading and writing materials located

within the class environment. The classroom observation portion consists of a fourteen- item

rating scale as well as a short interview with the teacher. The literacy activities rating scale is

made up of two different categories: book reading and writing. Each of these categories contains
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nine items that need to be rated (Smith & Dickinson, 2002). After the observation, each question

can be given either a yes (1) or no (0), while others can be rated (0) undesirable through (5)

excellent. Each of the sections is then totaled for an overall assessment of the literacy and

language environment.

Reliability and validity. Words like reliability and validity seem to sound

interchangeable; however, when looking at the definition of validity, the text defines it as “the

degree to which a text serves the purpose for which it is used” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). Whereas

reliability is defined as, “the extent to which a test is consistent in measuring over time what it is

designed to measure” (Wortham, 2016, p.286). If we were to not use tools like reliability or

validity, then any assessment done would not be able to properly determine an accurate score.

The ELLCO proved it is reliable, receiving scores of 90% and 81%. ELLCO assessment tool’s

validity received a score of .90 which is pointedly high (DiCarlo, 2018). ELLCO has proved to

be reliable and valid through countless testing.

Recommendations. The following are recommendations for sections received either a

“no” or a score lower than a five. I have made recommendations so that the teacher may be able

to improve their score in those areas. (See Appendix D for Score Information)

Book Area

 “Is the area where the books are located orderly and inviting?” The

books are not orientated in the library in an orderly way. I recommend

the teacher speak to the class about the proper way to treat books and

how they should be returned to the shelves with their front facing out

and that they should be right side up.

Presence and Use of Technology

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 There is no technology regularly offered for the students use. I would

recommend having some sort of technology available for free play

during center time.

Presence of Books

 The book area is not organized in any way. I would recommend that

the teacher instill some type of book categorization so that the books

are easier to locate based on topic.

Approaches to Children’s Writing

 Within the writing area, there are only a few materials available for the

children to use with writing activities. I recommend the teacher add

different writing utensils or types of paper to create an area with high

variety.

Recognizing Diversity in the Class

 There is some evidence that diverse cultures are reflected in the

learning of language and literacy. I would recommend that the teacher

maybe have words relevant to the current class topic listed around the

room in both English and the languages of those students in the class

who are bilingual.

Reflection

One of the many focuses of prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms is on literacy

and language and how the progression in these areas are so essential to a student’s growth and

development. This tool is formatted so that it is easy to score and that it is time efficient. The

questions are detailed enough to assess score with accuracy. My only limitation with this tool is
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that it was difficult to make time during the school day to sit down and have an interview with

the lead teacher and ask the interview questions.

Summary

Looking at environmental assessments, like The Early Childhood Environmental Rating

Scale (ECERS), The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

observation tool, The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and The Early Language

and Literacy Classroom Observation Tool (ELLCO), we can see why many preschools and

kindergartens across the nation are continuously changing and improving. The standards required

by assessments like the aforementioned set a higher standard than previous precedents within the

early childhood program. At the end of the day, no matter the type of assessment, it should

always be administered with the best interests of the child in mind.

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References

About Environment Rating Scales. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2018, from

http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/about-environment-rating-scales

DiCarlo, C. (2018). Classroom assessment scoring system-CLASS. [PowerPoint Slides].

DiCarlo, C. (2018). The Learning Environment/Discipline & Guidance. [PowerPoint Slides].

Harms, T., Clifford, R., & Cryer, D. (2005). Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (Rev.

ed.). New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.

NAEYC Accreditation Overview [PowerPoint Slides].

NAEYC (2013). Classroom Observation Tool PK &K. NAEYC.

Pianta, R., La Paro, K., & Hamre, B. (2008). Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Paul

H. Brooks Publishing Company.

Research on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System CLASS | Teachstone. (2016).

Retrieved October 25, 2018, from http://teachstone.com/resources/research/#toggle-id-1

Wortham, S. C., & Hardin, B. J. (2016). Assessment in Early Childhood Education. Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environmental Scale-Revised Scoring Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix B: NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool Score Sheet

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Appendix C: Classroom Assessment Scoring System

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Appendix D: Early Learning and Literacy Classroom Observation