The EDI approximates a macrolevel assessment relating brain de-
velopment in childhood to outcomes in behavior, learning, and
health in adulthood. Similar to the use of birthweight as a universal
measure of population health, the EDI results could serve as a univer-
sal measure of early child development in respect to adult life, health,
learning, and behavior. The EDI results relate to the understanding
gained from longitudinal studies of health, learning, and behavior.
This connection is one of the reasons the EDI is useful.
The EDI includes the following five dimensions of development:
- Physical health and well-being
- Social competence
- Emotional maturity
- Language and cognitive development
- Communication skills and general knowledge.
Kindergarten teachers administer the tool (a 104-item question-
naire) during the second half of kindergarten, after they have known
the children for several months. To complete the questionnaire takes
approximately 20 minutes per child, and each teacher can complete
the assessments for an entire class generally in 1 day. In 2005, Janus
developed a shorter version of the EDI (60 items), and a prototype of
this version is being pilot tested and adapted in selected developing
countries.
➣ See “The Early Development Instrument: A Tool for Monitoring
Children’s Development and Readiness for School,” by Magda-
lena Janus, and “Canada: Longitudinal Monitoring of ECD
Outcomes,” by Jane Bertrand, in this publication. See also
<http://www.offordcentre.com/readiness/index.html>Figure 1 depicts how the EDI captures the complexity of children’s
brain development and developmental trajectories.
A Population Assessment Tool
The EDI differs from other tests administered during early childhood
in that it is a population measure, rather than an individual measure,
274 J. Fraser Mustard and Mary Eming Young