"Sometimes traditional approaches to assessment are too confining to accurately uncover the needs of young children who are culturally, linguistically, and developmentally diverse. Early childhood educators and interventionists need assessment approaches that capture every child's full potential and that can be linked with instructional planning and monitoring.". "In this book, professionals who work with children from birth to age 8 will find in-depth examinations of six alternative assessment models - naturalistic, focused, performance, portfolio, dynamic, and curriculum-based language - that do just that.". "By learning to select the type of assessment model that best suits each child and the assessment purpose, educators will be able to complete more accurate assessments - which will mean improved interventions and educational outcomes for all children."--BOOK JACKET.