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Home >> IGDI Measures >> ESI (Social) >> Early Social Indicator -- AdministrationView as a PDF (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Administration of the Early Movement Indicator (ESI) generally involves conducting a 6-minute play session involving the child, a same-sex peer, and a familiar adult as play partner with play centered around two selected toys: Window House (WH) and Tub of Toys (TT). The session should take place in a relatively sheltered, but convenient setting with few distractions present. Two options for administering the ESI
Using either option, the assessor times the session for exactly 6 minutes. A digital timer capable of recording minutes and seconds is required. During the session the play partner follows the child’s lead during play and comments on the child’s actions and words to encourage the child’s social interaction and play. Assessors do not take the lead rather they support with encouragement. Re-direct the child only if her or she ceases to move by sitting and seemingly ignoring play and interaction. Download the assessment forms, checklists, and assessor training materials from the Forms and Instructions section of this website. Video Examples Click on the video clips below to see excerpts of ESI administrations. (All video on this site requires Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher. If you don't already have it, download it here for free.)
Play Toys/Materials Needed Toys were screened and selected based on their ability to engage children’s interest and evoke their interaction skills with peers and adults. Additionally important criteria for selecting these toys included safety, common availability in child care settings, and suitability for use by the entire age range (birth to 3 years). We rejected toys any toys that met these criteria, but too often evoked sitting and exploration rather than play and interaction. "Pop-up" enclosures w/Balls and Tub of Toys are “standard” play toys for the ESI, having been screened, selected, and used in its initial development. The normative data used for decision making represent children’s movement in these two toy play contexts. Refer to the ESI Toys page for details about these toys and where to purchase them online. General Set Up for an ESI Assessment The familiar adult and child sit in an area that is comfortable where they can play during the six-minute session. Rotate between toys one session to the next to maintain the child’s interest. Refer to the prior session’s record to see which toy form was used previously and use the other form for the current session. Set up the toy to be used prior to bringing child into assessment so that the child can see the toys set out on entry to the assessment situation. Place either the Window House (with 2 balls) or the Tub of Toys so that the toys are within reach of the child. The play partner should locate comfortably close by – also able to reach the toys, and to have excellent eye contact with the child. Download the Administration Instructions (requires Adobe Acrobat) for a detailed, "printer friendly" copy of the complete instructions. Becoming a Familiar Play Partner (Warm Up Sessions) If you or the peer are unfamiliar to child, you will need to spend time with the both in their classroom/home settings were ever you plan to conduct assessments. To break the ice, look to join in the child’s play with an already familiar caregiver (the mom). When the child is willing join you in play together, you are ready. Let the child know that you are going to play with some special toys as you start your first assessment with him or her. Video Camera Set Up If you decide to video record the session, several points apply. Set the camera up on a tripod and aim it appropriately using the view finder. Zoom in the view so that the child and the play partner are in full view as is the play situation. Using the tripod and setting the zoom/focus insures a steady view later when recording. Check these settings for best positioning for later viewing and sound quality. Remember – camera view, sound quality, and loudness dramatically affect later recording accuracy. If you have a camera operator, once underway the operator must stay still, interacting little if at all with you or the child. A camera person should be nonintrusive with respect to the assessment. The camera operator also may time the six-minute session for you. If you are video taping on your own, set up the camera, start recording, join the child, and state “Start” to record a voice marker for the beginning of the timing and state “Stop” to mark the ending on the recorded tape. If the child moves out of camera view for some reason, Say “Pause” to voice mark on the tape, then redirect the child back to location and/or update the camera view using its view finder as needed. Then state “Resume” so that later, when you are recording of the child’s communicative behavior from the tape, you can start, stop, and resume as needed to account for the interruption. Summary Steps for Adult Play Partners in the ESI The adult plays with the child in a manner that encourages interaction with the toy and the adult, but does not direct it.
Using Uncertified Parents or Caregivers as Adult Play Partners Sometimes it may be necessary for a child’s parent to act as the play partner during an assessment. This might be because the child is not comfortable playing with you (a developmentally appropriate response if you have not spent much time with the child), or you do not have an extra person who can code the assessment while you’re the play partner, and you do not have a video camera to record the session. In order to ensure a valid assessment, parents as play partners need to understand and follow a few brief rules, just as you do when you are the play partner. Before the parent acts as a play partner:
Parent as Play Partner Checklist
Ending the Assessment When six minutes has elapsed, let the child know that it is time to stop playing and stop recording immediately. It is helpful to have an alternate activity to transition to and as a reminder for the child to stop the activity. Thank the child for playing, and make sure to clean all toys as needed with disposable antibacterial towelettes in preparation for next use. Accommodations for Children with Physical and/or Sensory Impairments
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