Using Assessments to Map and Evaluate the Comprehension Development of Young Children

A visitor in an early childhood classroom today should not be surprised to see young children engaged in discussions of informational texts or creating written responses to complex storybooks with compelling themes. Over the last several years, teachers of young children have increased the range of texts that they use for interactive read-alouds, shared reading, guided reading, and independent student reading. Young children are exposed to texts that vary greatly in difficulty, topics, and genre.