Classified "A" by ANVUR in the fields 11/D1, 11/D2 Scientific in the field 14.
Abstract
The paper focuses on the topic of evaluation in the Italian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system, within the framework of the national integrated education and training system, from birth to six years. Starting from an overview of evaluation as promoted in the key documents of the Italian ECEC system, such as National pedagogical guidelines 0-6, Guidelines for Early Childhood services, and National indications 2012 , a reflection is proposed on methods and declinations of evaluation and assessment in ECEC services for the age group 0-6. Hence, the importance of rethinking evaluation processes in pre-school education system is highlighted, with the aim of making it an increasingly valuable tool for enhancing contexts and paths, before outputs and performances, meant in a summative sense, of children. A flexible, contextual, formative, ongoing evaluation, capable of listening and conveying with pedagogical and human density as well, the ‘voice’ and growth paths of every child, in his/her uniqueness, is therefore promoted.
