TPITOS-at-a-glance
| What it assesses | Infant and toddler teachers' implementation of teaching practices associated with the universal tier of the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. These are the caregiver behaviors and classroom environment variables associated with supporting and promoting the social-emotional development of infants and toddlers. |
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| Purposes | To strengthen teacher practices related to social-emotional development of infants and toddlers; guide professional development efforts; use in research and evaluation projects that seek to measure quality of caregiver support for social-emotional development in settings that serve infants and toddlers. |
| Products | TPITOS Set (manual and 1 pack of 5 forms) |
| TPITOS Manual | |
| TPITOS Forms (28-page form, sold in packs of 5) | |
| Where it is conducted | Center-based early childhood programs serving infants and toddlers—child care, Early Head Start, and early childhood special education classrooms |
| Who conducts it | A trained observer (e.g., coaches, supervisors, master or mentor teachers, mental health consultants, education coordinators, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support coaches, center directors, research data collector) |
| When it is conducted | Flexible administration based on program goals. Common practice includes at beginning, mid-point, and end of year. |
| Components of assessment | 2 hour-classroom observation carried out in at least 3 of the following routines: play, structured group, personal care, and outdoor activity) |
| 15-20 minute interview with observed teacher | |
| Types and number of items | The tool is comprised of Items, or categories, of teacher behavior. There are 3 types of Items: |
a) Observational Items b) Interview Items c) Red Flags There are 13 Observational and Interview Items with 78 total Indicators. There are 11 Red Flags. | | Sample item and responses | Observational Item: Teacher promotes children's active engagement Indicator: Teacher makes positive and varied attempts to encourage unengaged children to become engaged in an activity. Response: Yes/No Interview Item: Teacher describes ways in which families are provided information about social-emotional development. Response: Yes/No Red Flag Item: Teacher seldom makes eye contact with children during interactions. Response: Yes/No | | Time to administer | Approximately 2.5 hours including observation and interview | | Time to score | 30-45 minutes | | Scores provided | 2 percentage scores
- Observation and Interview Items—Percentage of Indicators scored Yes.
- Red Flags—Percentage of Red Flags scored Yes. | | Training | Reliability training is highly recommended for observers. Training will be offered through Brookes On Location. | | Research | The TPITOS has undergone significant field testing and revision through ongoing collaboration with an extensive national network of professionals who support infant and toddler programs.