TEACHERS’ INSTRUCTIONAL COMPETENCE IN ASSESSING EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNERS IN THE GOMOA WEST DISTRICT, GHANA

Justina Adu, Sophia Baah, Joseph Bentil

Abstract


The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ instructional competence in assessing early childhood learners in the Gomoa West Municipality, specifically, the domains of learners assessed by early childhood teachers and the skills required to conduct effective assessments in the Gomoa West Municipality. Using the interpretivist paradigm and phenomenological research design, data were collected from 17 purposively sampled early childhood teachers through semi-structured interviews and observation checklists. Findings revealed that teachers assessed learners across cognitive, psychomotor, and socio-emotional domains, employing various strategies such as structured activities, play-based learning, and observation. The study also identified essential assessment skills, including patience, observation, and knowledge of child development, which supported accurate and holistic evaluation of learners. The study highlights the need for targeted teacher training and structured guidelines to improve assessment practices in early childhood education.

Keywords


early childhood education, learner assessment, cognitive development, psychomotor development, socio-emotional development, teacher competencies, Gomoa West Municipality

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i7.6937

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