Tools from microethnography: strengthening ongoing assessment procedures of preschoolers with language delays

Abstract

This article examines the linking of traditional language assessment procedures with microethnographic techniques for preschoolers with language delays. Ethnographic strategies such as participant observa tion, open-ended interviewing, and analysis complement traditional assessment techniques in three ways. First, they uncover existing patterns of communication within the family, secondly, they build upon existing communicative strategies for transference, and thirdly they reveal parental belief systems that influence parent decisions to imple ment intervention strategies. Examples from a case study demonstrate how teachers can employ these ethnographic methods in multiple settings. The article also provides suggestions for effectively utilizing video and audio technology as assessment tools.

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