DECODIFICADOR DE INSTRUCCIONES

An interest has emerged in the last decade in tests for early child development in India and has resulted in the construction of a number of tests. In a recent review of instruments for assessment of early child development by Murlidharan (1992), 14 of the 19 tests were constructed after 1985. Only four of these specifically assessed language skills. Most tests have not yet been standardised. Murlidharan noted that most tests had poor psychometric properties. The tests are not published and are not available for professional use.

1. NCERT Language and Cognitive Tests for Preschoolers: (Murlidharan, R. and Kaur, B. 1982 - cited in Murlidharan 1992): The test was created to evaluate the impact of preschool intervention programmes - particularly the use of education materials developed by Children’s Media Laboratory. So far the test has been used only for research. It assesses cognition and language of children 3 to 6 years of age with the help of pictures, familiar objects and charts. The time taken to assess a child is 1.1/2 to 2 hours.

2. Word Meaning Test : (A. Singh 1987 - cited in Murlidharan 1992): The Word Meaning Test is a research instrument which is used to measure vocabulary development in young children aged 2 to 3 years using a word list and pictures of familiar objects. Administration of the test takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reliability coefficient is 0.86 and Validity coefficient is 0.73.

3. Grammar Comprehension Test: (A. Singh 1987 - cited in Murlidharan 1992): The Belugi Klima’s Grammatical Comprehension Test by White and Walts has been adapted to Hindi for use in 2 to 3 year

old children by Singh. Test-Retest coefficient is 0.56. Information on the material used and the time taken to administer it is not available.

4. Expressive Skill Test: (A. Singh 1987- cited in Murlidharan 1992): Expressive skills of 2 to 3 year old children is assessed with the help of a set of 9 photographs. They show children in different situations which the child has to identify. The test takes 30 to 45 minutes. The reliability coefficient is 0.77.

5. ICMR Developmental test battery: (Vazir 1990 - cited in Murlidharan 1992) The instrument tests development of motor, cognitive, language, and social skills and self-help abilities in children from 0 to 6 years. Administration time is 15 to 20 minutes and consists of simple culturally appropriate milestones in five developmental areas - motor, language, cognition, social life skills and self-help skills. The target population is low income groups. The test which requires multiple administrations, can be used by par­ ents, caregivers and health workers to detect developmental delay. It can be used to evaluate interven­ tion programmes. The test is still under the process of standardisation on a large low income population nationwide.and is not available for commercial use.

6. NIMH Development screening schedules: (Arya 1989 - cited in Murlidharan 1992) The screening schedules are part of a manual development by the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped for use of community workers. They screen development of motor, sensory, cognition, language, emotional and social life skills in rural children aged 0 to 6 years old. Administration time is 10 to 15 minutes. They are intended to provide guidance in the early detection and treatment of mentally handicapped children. The sensitivity is 0.79 and specificity is 0.99. The test is not standardised.

7. NIHM Developmental Assessment Schedule (Arya 1989 - cited in Murlidharan 1992 ): The test evaluates motor, sensory, cognitive, language and social skills in children from 0 to 6 years. The purpose of the test is to assess and monitor the development of preschool rural children. Training in child develop­ ment is necessary to administer the test and takes 30 to 40 minutes. It has been standardised and test- retest reliability is 0.97.

8. Cognitive Development Test for Preschoolers: (Pandey and Devadas 1988 - cited in Murlidharan 1992) The test assesses cognition and language in children aged 3 to 5 years. It was developed to measure the impact of preschool education upon the cognition of young children. Administration time is 1.5 to 2 hours. The test-retest reliability is 0.95 and validity is 0.8. The test is not standardised. It is not a screening tool.

9. Assessment Checklist for Preschool Children (Misra and Roy 1985 - cited in Murlidharan 1992) The assessment checklist was originally developed for research purposes. It evaluates motor, cognition, language and social life skills in children aged 2,6 to 5,6 years. The administration time is 1.5 to 2 hours. The test-retest reliability is 0.96 and validity is 0.81 .The test is not standardised. Qualified testers are required.

10. NIPCCDTools for Non-formal Preschool Education Component in iCDS (Sharma et ai 1985 - cited in Murlidharan 1992): The instrument assesses the impact of preschool education in relation to the goals of ICDS programmes. The test looks at various skills in 3 to 5 year-olds and their family and school environment. The instrument is very broad based and taps motor, cognition, language and social life skills as well as aspects of school performance, family environment, child\care giver interaction and qualities of school environment. The administration time is not provided. The test has reliability, validity coefficients, norms and is criteria referenced but is not standardised.

None of the above tests provide an Ideal model for the new Indian test bearing In mind Its stated purposes (p....). Nor Is any Ideally suited to act as a criterion measure for validity studies of the new test. The major criticism Is that none are standardised and none are published or available for commercial use. The areas of skill covered are either too wide e.g. NIPCCD Tools for Non- formal Preschool Education Component In ICDS, NIMH Developmental Screening Schedules and NIMH Developmental Assessment Schedule; or too narrow e.g. The Word Meaning Test, Grammar Comprehension Test and Expressive Skill Test which also encompass too narrow an age range; the socioeconomic range Is too narrow e.g. The ICMR Developmental Test Battery, NIPCCD Tools for Non-formal Preschool Education Component In ICDS, NIHM Developmental Screening and Assessment Schedules; the administration time of tests covering verbal and non-verbal skills Is In most cases too long e.g. Assessment Checklist for Preschool Children, NCERT Language and Cognitive Tests for Preschoolers, Word Meaning Test and Cognitive De­ velopmental Test for Preschoolers.

The ICMR Developmental Test Battery (VazIr 1990) will probably be the most appropriate test to use as a criterion measure for future validity studies for the new Indian test because It Is vali­ dated and Is currently being standardised (unfortunately only on low Income groups).