Developmental Screening vs. Assessment: Why Do Both? by Cynthia Terebush, MS, BCISE, CYPFC

Developmental screening and ongoing assessment are essential practices in early childhood education, but they're often confused or used interchangeably. What makes them different, and why do educators need both to understand and support children's development?

Join Cynthia Terebush, MS, BCISE, CYPFC, to explore the distinct purposes of developmental screening, formative assessment, and summative assessment. We'll examine what each practice helps us understand about children's skills, learning, and developmental progress, and how they work together to support a more complete picture of the whole child.

You'll also explore practical strategies for implementing developmental screenings and whole-child assessments, including how screening results can help identify children who may benefit from additional support or further evaluation. We'll discuss the importance of communicating developmental information with families, allowing them time to process what they learn, and approaching these conversations with care and understanding.

Walk away with a clearer understanding of when and why to use each approach, along with actionable strategies for supporting children's development through purposeful screening, assessment, and family partnerships.

Continue exploring this topic: In Cynthia's complementary webinar, From Observation to Action: Using Documentation and Assessment to Guide Curriculum Planning, discover how to use observation documentation and assessment findings to inform intentional teaching and curriculum planning.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between developmental screening, formative assessment, and summative assessment, including the purpose of each in understanding children's development and learning.

2. Explain how developmental screening results can help identify children who may benefit from additional support or further evaluation, and how ongoing assessments contribute to understanding children's developmental progress.

3. Identify practical strategies for implementing developmental screenings and whole-child assessments, including communicating developmental information with families.

Disclosure of Proprietary Interest

Cynthia Terebush holds a financial interest in the book Teach the Whole Preschooler: Strategies for Nurturing Developing Minds and the podcast How Preschool Teachers Do It, which may be referenced during this session.