Early childhood research and policy have promoted the use of language and literacy assessment data to inform instruction. Yet, there is a limited understanding of preschool teachers’ data practices and sensemaking, particularly when considered from the perspectives of practicing teachers. In this multicase study, we used a phenomenological approach to generate a theory about preschool teachers’ data practices in relation to supporting children’s language and literacy outcomes. Twenty preschool teachers participated in a series of three observations, planning interviews, and stimulated recall interviews designed to tap their pedagogical reasoning and data use practices. The framework that emerged through iterative within- and cross-case analyses comprised three major elements (what teachers knew, how they knew it, and the way they used the data) and suggested that teachers could be characterized into three data use profiles (data gatherers, in-the-moment data users, and integrated data users). Findings indicate (a) teachers may understand data differently than researchers or policymakers do, (b) teachers’ understanding of data sources goes beyond traditional conceptualizations, (c) a continuum in teachers’ data use practices, and (d) a need to better support teachers in moving from simply doing assessment to using data in ways that are meaningful for practice and children’s language and literacy outcomes.

中文翻译：

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做评估：幼儿教师语言和读写数据实践的多案例研究

幼儿研究和政策促进了使用语言和识字评估数据为教学提供信息。然而，对学前教师的数据实践和意义建构的理解有限，特别是从执业教师的角度考虑时。在这项多案例研究中，我们使用现象学方法来生成关于支持儿童语言和识字成果的学前教师数据实践的理论。20 名学前班教师参加了一系列三项观察、计划访谈和激发回忆访谈，旨在挖掘他们的教学推理和数据使用实践。通过反复的案例内和案例间分析而形成的框架包括三个主要要素（教师知道什么、他们是如何知道的、以及他们使用数据的方式），并建议教师可以分为三种数据使用概况（数据收集者、即时数据用户和综合数据用户）。调查结果表明 (a) 教师对数据的理解可能与研究人员或政策制定者不同，(b) 教师对数据源的理解超出了传统的概念化，(c) 教师数据使用实践的连续性，以及 (d) 需要更好地支持教师从简单的评估转变为以对实践和儿童语言和识字成果有意义的方式使用数据。