Assessment of learning and development in preschool children: Challenges for professionals' initial training

Abstract

Preschool Education (PE) should offer all children opportunities to develop skills in various domains (socio-emotional, physical, cognitive, linguistic), inclusively taking into account their needs. Involving the perspectives of early childhood educators, the present study aims to explore the preliminary results of a national survey characterizing the assessment practices of children’s learning and development in kindergarten settings, identifying needs in the initial training of professionals. Early childhood educators (n = 430) responded to an online questionnaire, evaluating aspects related to the current state of assessment practices and the skills acquired during initial training in this area. The results indicate that there is room for improvement in initial training, particularly in the domains of socio-emotional development, emergent literacy, child health, and self-regulation and executive function. Initial training and the planning and assessment practices of early childhood educators are essential to ensure that the education provided to children is aligned with the principles of equity and quality, thus effectively contributing to their educational success and social inclusion.