Adult Style Observation Schedule (ASOS)
A decisive element in the occurrence of well-being and involvement is the way the adult supports the ongoing activities. How much empathy is there while interacting with the children? Interventions can vary a lot, depending on the nature of activities or on the responses and initiatives of children. Nevertheless, we can discern individual patterns in the way one intervenes in a wide variety of situations. The notion of ‘style’ is used to grasp this pattern.
The ‘Adult Style Observation Schedule’ (ASOS) is an instrument for observing, analysing and explaining the interactions in which the teacher / practitioner is engaged and is a starting point for reflection and quality improvement. It is built around three style dimensions: stimulation, sensitivity and giving autonomy. Each dimension is subdivided into sections.
Stimulating interventions are open impulses that engender involvement, such as: suggesting activities to children, inviting children to communicate, asking thought-provoking questions and giving rich information.
Sensitivity is evidenced in responses that witness empathic understanding of the child.
Giving autonomy means: respecting the children’s initiative, acknowledging their interests, giving them room for experimentation, letting them decide upon the way an activity is performed and letting them participate in the setting of rules.