Assessment is an important tool in understanding a child's 
development and way of learning. Each child gains new skills at different rates across domains such as language, social/emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Assessments help teachers recognize a child's strengths and needs in order to tailor classroom activities that support each child's growth.
In early childhood education, the collection of data consists of observation-based methods, discussions with the family, and child performance. To be valid and reliable, assessment must occur over a length of time in play-based situations, where the child is most at ease.
1. Observation
Teachers learn most about a child by using their eyes and ears. Gestures, speech, behavior, interaction with others and daily routines give evidence of a child's needs and abilities. For example, an infant anticipates feeding upon seeing food when he focuses his eyes on the food, excitedly kicks and waves his arms, or makes sounds. The infant's reactions signify emerging communication and social skills.
2. Interview with parent or primary caregiver
Parents are the experts when it comes to their children. Through parental engagement, educators connect pieces of the child's life regarding physical health, language and literacy skills, social and emotional well-being, as well as family dynamics. When teachers partner with parents, they can discuss the child's progress and create the best environment for learning at school and at home.
3. Child performance
To assess certain skills like memorizing, counting or recognizing pictures of objects, the child needs to achieve a task. The response might be attained verbally, in writing or using motion depending on the assignment. The teacher gives direction and then demonstrates an example of a response desired. During a lesson about how to tell time, the teacher will introduce counting numbers, the basic components of a clock face, and units of measurement. While pointing to the picture of a clock the teacher might say, "Show me the big hand on the clock." By pointing to the minute hand, the preschooler's reply identifies a concept of time and reading a clock.
