Abstract
Test Description
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System Manual: Toddler (CLASS-Toddler; La Paro, Hamre, & Pianta, 2012) is published by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company in Baltimore, MD. The CLASS is an observation instrument designed to examine instructional quality via documentation of effective teacher–child interactions across education classrooms and settings. This instrument’s design includes a common metric and vocabulary for professionals to describe various aspects of teacher–child interactions. Completion of the CLASS-Toddler observation protocol allows one to obtain “standardized information on the quality of classroom environments for young children” (p. 6).
The CLASS-Toddler framework purports to build on extensive literature review and the scales used in large-scale classroom observation studies from other versions of the CLASS, particularly the CLASS-Pre-K (www.teachstone.org). The CLASS-Toddler utilizes a common metric and language with context-specific and developmentally sensitive descriptions of what the dimensions look like for toddlers. “The CLASS-Toddler focuses on process quality, examining teacher-child interactions in the context of the unique needs of children (15-36 months)” (p. 1) via observing interactions between teachers and children as well as engagement leading to learning opportunities. The CLASS-Toddler incorporates both structural classroom features (e.g., curriculum, teacher education, ratios, and group size) and dynamic process aspects of the classroom (e.g., teacher and child, peer and peer, curriculum implementation, relationships) as well as practices related to effective teaching (e.g., teacher implementation of curriculum, strategies to maximize student engagement, and chances for students to actively participate during instruction).
Intended Users
The authors state that researchers, teachers, principals, school psychologists, and educational consultants can use the CLASS-Toddler for research, program planning and evaluation, as a training tool for pre-service teachers, for professional development, and to support supervision. The CLASS can be used to provide teachers regular feedback on strengths and challenges. It can also be used for accountability as a monitoring system to address the quality of early childhood classrooms. However, the CLASS-Toddler (like all versions of the CLASS) recommends in-depth training for appropriate use and “CLASS observer certification,” which can be obtained by attending regional or scheduling on-site trainings provided for a fee from Teachstone Training, LLC. After attending the training, observers submit a reliability test and then can undergo an annual recertification process. A “Train the Trainer” program is also available for CLASS-certified observers. Additional training and content resources are posted on the website including an online program that can be purchased to build teacher familiarity with CLASS tools and several free presentations providing information on research and resources related to CLASS tools.
Test Domains
The CLASS-Toddler incorporates two broad domains—The Emotional and Behavior Support Domain and the Engaged Support for Learning Domain. The Emotional and Behavior Support domain is categorized by observing across five dimensions. The first dimension, Positive Climate, is measured by observing aspects of relationships, positive affect, and respect. Negative Climate, the second dimension, reflects the overall level of expressed negativity in the classroom by rating frequency, quality and intensity of negative affect, punitive control, teacher negativity, and child negativity. The third dimension, Teacher Sensitivity, attempts to measure the teacher’s awareness, responsiveness, and provision of comfort to the children. The next dimension, Regard for Child Perspectives, requires observation of factors related to the extent the teacher provides a focus on the child’s interests, is flexible, and supports independence in the classroom. The last dimension in the Emotional and Behavior Support Domain is Behavioral Guidance. This dimension measures the teacher’s use of proactive approaches to support positive behavior and minimize problem behavior.
The Engaged Support for Learning Domain assesses the exchange of information and support of toddler language development across three dimensions. The first dimension, Facilitation of Learning and Development, measures the extent to which the teacher actively facilitates learning, expands student cognition, and actively engages the learners. Quality of Feedback is the second dimension, measuring the teacher’s use of scaffolding, providing information, and encouraging student success. Language Modeling, the third dimension, measures the extent to which the teacher supports children’s language use by repeating and extending using self- and parallel talk, and demonstrating advanced language.
Administration and Scoring
The CLASS-Toddler is administered by conducting live observations at predetermined times for approximately 2 hrs. Observations are broken into a minimum of four cycles that are approximately 15 to 20 min of observation and 10 min of recording. Each cycle requires observers to watch a variety of activities (including snack, mealtime, transitions, recess but excluding emergencies such as fire drills) and assign a rating for each observed dimension at the end of each cycle along with notes about the observation (related to key elements of the dimension). The manual provides directions for observing one or multiple teachers in the classroom.
Immediately after observing each cycle, scores for each dimension of the Emotional and Behavior Support Domain and each dimension of the Engaged Support for Learning Domain are assigned by the observer, based on a 7-point scale describing low (1-2), medium (3-5), or high (6-7) points. The authors purport the CLASS is not a checklist, and provided examples are to be viewed as holistic descriptions. The authors note to always refer to the manual when scoring and provide a separate laminated version of the scoring protocol for ease of reference. Once all observation cycles are complete, the individual cycle scores for each dimension are averaged across cycles and consolidated to create domain scores using a formula provided on the scoring sheet.
Technical Adequacy
The manual provides very limited information about technical adequacy for the CLASS-Toddler specifically, referring the reader to its training and publication websites for additional technical adequacy data as it becomes available. However, the CLASS-Toddler was constructed using item generation procedures adapted and developed from the pre-K version of the CLASS. The CLASS-Toddler is a follow-up to the CLASS-Pre-K and Kindergarten versions, which include a technical manual indicating its use in six major studies. The CLASS (and its previous versions) has been used to observe more than 4,000 classrooms across the United States and, as such, represent two of the most extensively used observational measures for preschool through elementary classrooms.
The only information provided in the manual is that the CLASS-Toddler underwent Pilot testing with 46 teachers in 30 classrooms in one state. The majority of teachers were Caucasian with some African American and Biracial teachers represented. Student ages ranged from 15 to 36 months, but no other demographics were provided. An additional research project took place in 94 classrooms with 93 teachers and 406 children age 11 to 41 months in North Carolina. The authors state additional pilot testing has occurred, but specific descriptions are not provided. Results suggest the factor loadings for the domains are in the moderate to high range, and each domain has adequate internal consistency across the studies. The two broad domains are composed of grouped dimensions based on developmental theory and research supporting the importance of caregiver/child interactions. Many of the dimensions in the CLASS-Toddler overlap with the CLASS-Pre-K, which has undergone validation with more than 3,000 classrooms. However, the CLASS-Toddler only includes two domains (i.e., Emotional and Behavior Support, Engaged Support for Learning) while the CLASS-Pre-K is based on three domains (i.e., Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, Instructional Support). Therefore, additional research with the CLASS-Toddler is needed.
Currently, no detail is provided in the manual on the existing data related to correlations among subscales and sampling procedures, interrater reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity to change. Data supporting interrater reliability would be especially helpful given the subjective and observational nature of the scale. The authors refer users to http://www.brookespublishing.com and http://www.teachstone.org for the technical appendix, articles, and updated references specific to the Toddler version of the CLASS. Upon review, additional information was not yet available online. Building on the established CLASS (Pre-K & Kinder) foundation, the CLASS-Toddler uses adjusted items to fit within a toddler context.
Commentary and Recommendations
The CLASS-Toddler can be utilized to assess effective teacher–child interactions in toddler classroom settings. The manual is organized and easy to follow with sufficient detail including tables, scoring sheets, and examples. The manual includes an overview of existing foundational data regarding teacher–child interactions, the CLASS Framework, and its domains, as well as a description of observational procedures of the CLASS-Toddler across multiple settings (one teacher vs. two, playground, transition) and scoring of collected data. The summaries provided are a particular strength in that they allow the user an opportunity to review comprehensive descriptions of the low-, mid-, and high-range indicators for each dimension.
The most significant weakness of the CLASS-Toddler is the limited published technical adequacy research. Although pilot studies have been completed, accessing that information is difficult. As more research emerges documenting the adequacy, the tool can be used with increasing confidence. While the authors refer to a general website, a specific link to find additional technical adequacy data as they become available would be helpful. An additional weakness is the requirement for specific training in the procedures, which may result in a limited number of professionals who have sufficient background to effectively observe and score using the CLASS-Toddler. While the manual provides a sufficient overview and information for scoring and assessment, it is likely to be challenging to completely master this tool without practice and reliability feedback. This may be especially problematic for the CLASS-Toddler given the smaller number of professionals in toddler settings who have assessment training compared with Pre-K and school settings. It may be helpful for the authors to continue to develop online training and practice modules to increase the feasibility of widespread use of the CLASS-Toddler.
Although the CLASS-Toddler utilizes the framework of the CLASS-Pre-K and Kinder, items were modified and added on the CLASS-Toddler for application to toddler interactions. A dimension was deleted, allowing the CLASS-Toddler to use only two dimensions (Emotional and Behavioral Support, Engaged Support for Learning) to observe interactions between adults and toddlers according to the level of development. The modifications resulted in eight dimensions across the two domains: Positive Climate, Negative Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Child Perspective, Behavior Guidance, Facilitation of Learning and Development, Quality of Feedback, and Language Modeling. The dimensions and the resulting information appear to have high face validity, and the uniqueness of the CLASS-Toddler for assessment of teacher–child interactions within the classroom system increases its value to the field. Because of the limited data presented on the Toddler version, additional research needs to be conducted on the CLASS-Toddler. However, the foundational framework (the CLASS-Pre-K and Kinder) has been empirically validated, increasing the promise of the CLASS-Toddler as research emerges.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.