Observing the Child

Abstract

Direct observation of a student in the naturalistic environment is used to screen for problems, assess emotional and behavioral functioning, evaluate the classroom environment in the design of interventions, and monitor student performance and progress. Observation, which is required for a child who has been referred for a special education evaluation, takes two primary forms—naturalistic and systematic. Naturalistic observation involves the anecdotal recording of all behaviors occurring, whereas systematic direct observation is conducted under standardized procedures and entails the recording and measurement of specific, operationally defined behaviors. These two approaches are described in greater detail within this chapter, which also includes recommendations for reporting and sample narratives and tables.