This book is designed to provide future and experienced educators and other professionals with a fundamental understanding of traditional and contemporary perspectives on the assessment of children and youth, aged 3 through 21. It features broad coverage of traditional and contemporary assessment approaches. Individual tests are discussed at length, and various assessments are explained in detail. A format for evaluating traditional and contemporary approaches is included, and case studies ("snapshots") illustrate the use of tests and assessment approaches. The text is accompanied by a World Wide Web site (http://longman.awl.com/assessnet) that provides students and instructors with numerous activities and ideas to extend learning. The following chapters are included: (1)"Looking at Assessment"; (2) "Involving Families and Being Responsive to Diversity"; (3) "Reliability and Validity"; (4) "Norms and Test Scores"; (5) "Observation, Interview, and Conferencing Skills"; (6) "Achievement: Overall Performance"; (7) "Performance-Based Assessment"; (8) "Reading"; (9) "Written Language"; (10) "Oral Language"; (11) "Mathematics"; (12) "Development of Young Children"; (13) "Cognitive Ability"; (14) "Adaptive Skills"; (15) "Problem Behavior in the Classroom"; (16) "Sensory and Motor Abilities"; (17) "Youth in Transition"; (18) "Interpreting Tests and Writing Reports"; and (19) "Implementing Program Evaluation." Each chapter contains references. (Contains 72 tables and 133 figures.) (SLD)