Early Childhood Quality Rating Scale—Emergent Curriculum (ECQRS-EC)

Young children’s learning depends on a wide range of experiences that support their holistic development. While many different curricular frameworks are used around the world, there is increasing agreement that the emerging academic skills of language and literacy, mathematics, and science should be supported by a playful pedagogy in the early years. The Early Childhood Quality Rating Scale—Emergent Curriculum (ECQRS-EC) is designed to measure quality in these key areas within preschool settings. In addition to three content-area subscales, this evidence-based tool includes a subscale dedicated to diversity and inclusion to help educators support gender and cultural differences in children 3–6 years old who are developing at different rates. Because it recognizes the important role of the adult in providing children with high-quality interactions, this new quality rating scale can be used for research, teacher self-evaluation, and program improvement, audit, and regulation.

Book Features:

• Focuses on the role of the early childhood educator, their pedagogy, and planning.
• Items are firmly grounded in culturally and developmentally appropriate practice.
• Diversity Subscale, “Supporting Diversity and Inclusion,” reflects the importance of sensitivity to supporting special needs and being inclusive of all cultures, including Indigenous people.

Kathy Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Oxford. She has researched extensively in the education and care of young children, with a special interest in the effects of early education and also the role of education in combating social disadvantage.

Iram Siraj is Professor of Child Development and Education at the University of Oxford, UK and Research Professor, University of Maynooth, Ireland. She is coauthor of each of the Curriculum, Leadership and Interaction Quality Rating Scales (CLIQRS) and has led several RCTs on effective professional learning.

Brenda Taggart is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at University College London Institute of Education. She co-led on the Effective Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary Education (EPPSE 1997-2014). Her background is in teaching and research that explores the impact of educational initiatives.

Denise Kingston is Senior Researcher at Oxford University and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Sussex. She is a specialist in children’s development, with a background in educational psychology. Her research focus is effective professional development and early childhood pedagogy and practice.

“Using the ECQRS-EC as a teacher self-assessment tool would be extremely effective for ensuring that teachers understand the intentional pedagogical strategies that enhance learning... Large-scale use in state and other continuous improvement systems can help to provide all children with the early childhood education each needs to thrive.”
—From the Foreword by W. Steven Barnett and Ellen C. Frede, co-directors, National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

“An indispensable tool for enhancing preschool quality. This outstanding quality rating scale focuses on intentional pedagogy, pinpointing the core qualities in emergent academic skills, thus guiding policymakers, researchers, and early childhood educators in how to achieve high quality learning situations. It clearly describes distinct levels of quality in language and emergent literacy, mathematics, science, and planning for diversity and inclusion in preschool settings.”
—Sonja Sheridan, professor emerita, University of Gothenborg, Sweden

“The research-informed ECQRS-EC enables a much-needed objective assessment of pedagogy and learning environments. It identifies areas for improvement which is the critical first step towards targeted strategies to enhance quality. The scale is an indispensable resource for stake holders, including researchers committed to providing young children with strong foundations for lifelong learning and success.”
—Nirmala Rao, Serena H.C. Yang Professor in Early Childhood Development and Education, The University of Hong Kong

“The ECQRS-EC is part of a comprehensive set of tools that highlight the crucial role of the educator in children’s learning. Its clear guidance on the actions of educators and their planning, assessment, and teaching supports for children’s learning is a gift for anyone dedicated to providing high-quality early education and care.”
—Tara McLaughlin, associate professor, Massey University, New Zealand

Contents

Foreword by W. Steven Barnett and Ellen C. Frede  vii

Introduction to the Early Childhood Quality Rating Scale—Emergent Curriculum (ECQRS-EC)  1

The Underlying Principles of ECQRS-EC  3

Rationale for the Development of New Items and Indicators in the ECQRS-EC  5

Language and Emergent Literacy  5

Changes to and Additional Items in Emergent Mathematics  5

Emergent Science  7

The Overlap Between the Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-Being Scale (SSTEW) and Mathematics and Science Items in ECQRS-EC  7

Supporting Diversity and Inclusion  8

Reliability and Validity  9

Content of the ECQRS-EC Scales  11

Preparing to Use the ECQRS-EC  13

Timing  13

Contextual Information on the Center  13

Definitions  13

Optional Scoring Systems  14

Conducting the Observation  15

Scoring the Scales  16

ECQRS-EC and the “Spirit of the Scales”  17

Cautions in Use  17

Using ECQRS-EC as a Self-Assessment and Improvement Tool  17

Making Judgments  18

Use of Supplementary (Nonobservation) Evidence  20

The Score Sheet, Joint Observation Sheet, and ECQRS-EC Profile  22

Content of the Scales  23

Subscale 1: Language and Emergent Literacy  24

Item 1: Environmental Print: Letters and Words  24

Item 2: Book and Literacy Areas  26

Item 3: Adults Reading With the Children  28

Item 4: Sounds in Words  30

Item 5: Emergent Writing/Mark Making  32

Item 6: Talking and Listening  34

Item 7: Words and Sentences  36

Subscale 2: Emergent Mathematics  38

Item 8: Counting and the Application of Counting  38

Item 9: Understanding and Representing Number  40

Item 10: Math Talk and Thinking Mathematically  44

Item 11a: Mathematical Activities: Shape  48

Item 11b: Mathematical Activities: Sorting, Matching, and Comparing  50

Item 11c: Mathematical Activities: Subitizing  52

Subscale 3: Emergent Science  56

Item 12: Natural Materials  56

Item 13: Areas Featuring Science/Science Resources  58

Item 14: Developing Scientific Thinking and the Scientific Process  60

Item 15a: Science Activities: Nonliving  62

Item 15b: Science Activities: Living Processes  64

Item 15c: Science Activities: Food Preparation  66

Subscale 4: Supporting Diversity and Inclusion  68

Item 16: Planning for and Supporting Individual Learning Needs  68

Item 17: Gender Equality and Awareness  70

Item 18: Race Equality and Awareness  72

The ECQRS-EC Information Sheet  74

Rough Plan of Indoor and/or Outdoor Areas Being Observed  75

Score Sheet  77

Joint Observation/Inter-Rater Reliability for the ECQRS-EC  83

ECQRS-EC Profile  84

References  85