At the start of an assessment for a two-year-old, which action should educators take to align with strengths and needs?

At the start of an assessment for a two-year-old, which action should educators take to align with strengths and needs?

• A. talking with the child only to assess interests
• B. reviewing medical records first
• C. meeting with the child's parents to discuss strengths and needs
• D. giving a standardized test immediately

Answer: (C)

Starting with a family-centered approach means beginning the assessment by talking with the child's parents to discuss strengths and needs. Parents offer vital insights into the child’s daily routines, interests, temperament, and emerging skills across home and caregiver settings, helping educators interpret behavior, plan observations, and set meaningful, realistic goals from the outset. For a two-year-old, this partnership is especially important because much of early learning happens in everyday interactions, and development can vary widely. Meeting with parents first builds a collaborative foundation, ensures the assessment reflects the child’s actual life context, and guides appropriate supports. While talking with the child provides some information, a two-year-old’s verbal abilities may limit what can be learned in isolation. Medical records can be helpful background but don’t capture current learning strengths and needs in everyday environments, and jumping straight to a standardized test may not accurately reflect the child’s abilities at this stage.

Starting with a family-centered approach means beginning the assessment by talking with the child's parents to discuss strengths and needs. Parents offer vital insights into the child’s daily routines, interests, temperament, and emerging skills across home and caregiver settings, helping educators interpret behavior, plan observations, and set meaningful, realistic goals from the outset. For a two-year-old, this partnership is especially important because much of early learning happens in everyday interactions, and development can vary widely. Meeting with parents first builds a collaborative foundation, ensures the assessment reflects the child’s actual life context, and guides appropriate supports. While talking with the child provides some information, a two-year-old’s verbal abilities may limit what can be learned in isolation. Medical records can be helpful background but don’t capture current learning strengths and needs in everyday environments, and jumping straight to a standardized test may not accurately reflect the child’s abilities at this stage.