Observation Techniques

Schedules

Observation schedules can be pre-planned in advance to help focus the observation

observation schedules are a pre-planned list of child development milestones used to assess a child on one particular day. They give a snapshot observation to help plan to meet the child's individual needs.

observation schedules are an easy, quick way to collect and present a great deal of information especially for observations of groups of children. The results are obvious and easy to interpret.

observation schedules can be limited in giving details of an individual's unique development. Observers need to be objective and only record skills seen during the observation and not tick skills that they think the child has achieved.

Now we know what an observation schedule is.
a pre-planned checklist of child development milestones.

So the next step is consider an appropriate example of this observation technique.
There are two examples of observation schedules.
The first uses the same example of two 3 year old girls, Katy and Rosie, playing in the home corner of an Education Nursery. The checklist is focused on social development and includes a column to comment on individual details of development. The checklist is more specific and meaningful in showing the children's development.
The second example of gross motor skills is limited and lacks detail.

Click for a demonstration of a developmental checklist

Points to remember when using an observation schedule technique

Use developmental guides and textbooks to design a checklist
State the sources of information about norms for stages of development
Include a title to say what area of development is observed
Include the ages of the children
Include a key to explain what the checklist means
Using observed today/not observed today is less judgemental than yes/no or achieved/not achieved
Ticklists give limited information, but adding comments can give individual details about each child's development.

Before you go off somewhere else check your understanding!

1. What exactly is an observation schedule?
Choose an option.
Is this a way to observe a group of children?
Is this a pre-planned checklist of child development milestones?
Is this a checklist to record all the skills a child has achieved?

2. When is an observation schedule the most appropriate technique to use for an observation?
Choose an option.
To observe a child's verbal language.
To observe a baby's development as part of a longitudinal study.
To observe an individual child's cognitive development to plan stimulating activities to meet the child's needs.
Find out more about different observation techniques

Introduction

Anecdotal Schedule Charts and Pictograms

Time Sampling Event Sampling Target Child

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Introduction
Anecdotal	Schedule	Charts and Pictograms
Time Sampling	Event Sampling	Target Child