EAPI

EAPI is an instrument for evaluating the quality of environments and experiences offered and experienced by children in Early Childhood Education (EI). It consists of two interviews (teachers and directors) and a script to be used during periods of observation.

The scale was developed based on the MELE module, part of the MELQO instrument. To reach EAPI, an alignment process was carried out with the National Common Curricular Base in a partnership between LEPES and the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation with the Department of Education of the City of São Paulo. Dialogue with education departments in other municipalities also brought important contributions.

The original scale was based on studies carried out in several countries, whose evidence shows that young children learn better when adults:

1. encourage them to engage directly with materials;
2. give them possibilities of choice in their activities and the use of materials;
3. put them in conversations that expand their understanding of the knowledge that is being worked on; It is
4. relate the proposed activities to real or everyday experiences

These characteristics are common to a pedagogical practice known to be play-based or child-centered, and differ from an expository pedagogical practice in which the adult speaks and the child listens and/or repeats. The EAPI scoring criteria reflect a play-based pedagogy.

It is not an individual evaluation of teachers or staff.

In addition to the interviews and the observation guide, which focuses more on the educational units, the family questionnaire was designed to also consider the child's family context. This is considered crucial, since she spends a considerable part of her time interacting and developing in the family environment.