©2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 5 Using Frequency Counts to Look at Emotional Development “Useful observations cannot be gathered

©2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 5

Using Frequency Counts to Look at Emotional Development

“Useful observations cannot be gathered the week

before progress reports or family

conferences are due.”


FREQUENCY COUNTS

• Measure any action or behavior that occurs frequently in an individual, a class or group

• Closed method – No details recorded

• Measure the outcomes after implementing a strategy


Frequency Counts


Uses of the Frequency Count

Advantages

• Quick to record

• Quantitative measurement

Disadvantages

• Details are not recorded

• Only measures one behavior, highly selective

• Allows the recorder’s bias to enter the recording


What to Do With It

• If it is focused on a child, it can measure the effects of an intervention strategy

• It can be filed in the child’s folder• If it is on the whole group it can be a pre- and

post-measurement of an intervention strategy, filed in the Class File rather than individual folders

• Shared with child, family, group as appropriate


LOOKING AT EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Core emotions

• Joy

• Anger

• Sadness

• Fear

Temperament (nature)

Socialization of emotions (nurture)


Joy, Love, Happiness

– Relationships of trust – Closely aligned– Observing the absence of joy

• Temperament? • Maternal depression?• Sign of abuse or neglect?

– Failure to thrive – Physical condition or developmental regression from absenceof nurturing

– Resilient child – Overcomer


Anger and Aggression

Challenging Behavior

• “Behavior that interferes with learning or social engagement”

• Intervention begins with assessment based on typical developmental behavior

• Prevention of more serious social problems later

• Bullying – Anti-social, coercive behavior that sets a pattern of aggression



Fear and Shyness

• Fear and development

– Stranger anxiety

– Nightmares

• Shame, a form of fear

• Shyness

• Children under stress


TOPICS IN OBSERVATIONThe Assessment and Curriculum Braid

Weaving together:• Child development – Knowledge of all children• Curriculum – Skill in planning appropriate learning activi

ties• Assessment – Observation to know the child intimately• Teaching philosophy – Approach to teaching• Documentation – Recording methods and strategies• Individualizing – Designing learning for each child• Evaluation – Measuring how each child is progressing• Reflection – Thinking about the process of teaching

and learning• Communication – Sharing with child, family, colleagues

Observing Emotional Development in Infants and Toddlers

Watch for behavior that gives clues to:

• Sensory integration – Organization of sensory information dependent on temperament and the duration and intensity of stimuli

• Self-regulation – Ability to control reactions to stimuli and behavior– Watch for arousal, attention, affect ,and action



Emotional Competence

• Modeling – Examples of appropriate expressions of emotions, including anger and sadness

• Coaching – Giving names to the emotions the child may be feeling and appropriate ways to express them

• Contingency – Deciding when to intervene


Helping All Children with Emotional Development

• Mental Health Problems in Young Children– Vulnerable because of developmental stages

• Behaviors that Warrant Concerns

• Emotional Development of Young ELL’s

• Children with Special Needs– Frustration; difficult behaviors– Fear by other children or differences

• Helping Professionals


Standard Related to Emotional Development

National Association for Family Child Care Quality Standards for NAFCC Accreditation (2005)

Part 1. Relationships: The Children withEach Other

1.21 The provider helps children understand their own feelings and those of others.

Documents

©2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 5 Using Frequency Counts to Look at Emotional Development “Useful observations cannot be gathered